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View Full Version : Aw rite Skip, here's the one I was talkin' about:



Raceman
05-07-2003, 04:51 PM
It ain't real purdy yet, but it's a good startin point.

Raceman
05-07-2003, 04:53 PM
The motor's roughed in, although it's just a dummy right now. It's probably gonna end up as a 454 or a 540. I used the weld in side mounts that move the motor a couple of inches foward because I hate butcherin' the firewall to put a big block in the stock location. I'm a little disappointed in headers that are available for big block/55-57 Chevy applications. The Hookers are made to use stock type trans mounts and hang REAL low and they're ugly out from under the car. The set that they make that fits tight under the car are their new stepped tube design that start out as 1 7/8, then 2, then 2 1/8 in the last section before the collector. Not only are they small lookin' at the top, but cost a whoppin $769 from Summit and Jegs. I'm used to seein' the 2 1/8 Super Comp Hookers that have the big ole tubes right at the motor and hate it that they don't make a similar set for the older cars.

Raceman
05-07-2003, 04:55 PM
The previous owner was gonna do it black with a white top. The top is in final paint, but it's gonna get changed. Unless something changes my mind I'm painting it solid black. The body's straight and solid enough that it should turn out good that way.

Raceman
05-07-2003, 05:03 PM
It's got a 12 bolt with a 410. As soon as the guy doin' the work gets the rest of the fabin' done it's comin' off the frame, and getting the trunk floor in from underneath while the frame's at teh powder coat shop. The ladder bar/coil over suspension is just roughed in and has to be finished too.

I ordered one of the D & D blueprinted 6 speeds from a Viper, (they buy em new from Chrysler and make a few changes) which they modify to be a bolt in to Chevy bellhousing and clutch. It's got to have a different crossmemeber and some sheet metal changin' in the hump area, so that's the holdup on pulling it off the frame. I'm probably also changing the gear to a 4.56 because with the .5 overdrive, the 4.10 becomes a 2.05:1 and I think it's too tall for a decent camshaft with a lot of rumpity rump.

Raceman
05-07-2003, 05:20 PM
Skip, how bout posting that pic again of the blue 55 with the rolled front pan. I looked but couldn't find it anywhere. Did you custom make it?

Capt.Insane-o
05-07-2003, 11:35 PM
427 nash 5 speed. **** can the orig steering and put a rack in. The stock steering box is in the worst place. 5lbs of **** in a 3lb bag, but sweet as sugar when they are done. The 55 I put the 410 smblk in came out sweet.

Hydrovector
05-08-2003, 07:14 AM
is that a Chevy 409 engine on the motorstand just to the left of the car???

Raceman
05-08-2003, 07:49 AM
I've considered doin the rack changeover, but I've got everything fitting around the stock box right now. This car had a 406 small block in it with a tunnel ram when I bought it. The previous owner had some kind of a bet with a buddy that he could put it in the 9's with a small block, then decided he didn't want to go to the trouble just to win a bet. I bought it minus engine and transmission.

He's got a unique situation. He's an expert fabricator, including sheet metal and is knowledgeable on old car stuff also. He works full time for another car nut just upgrading/restoring/maintaining his collection which is real heavy on 409's and also 60's stuff with late model big blocks. The stuff ranges from originals to hotrods.
Anyway, in my old age I'm gettin' people to do more stuff to my cars that I used to do myself, so the car's gettin a lot of stuff done before I pick it up. It's gettin a trunk floor, mostly from being whacked on in the past for crude rear battery mounts and cable routing, and some floor hump work done from a bad whack job in the past. As soon as the sheet metal work is finished he's pullin' the frame and I'm getting it powder coated, setting the body back on and going straight to the body shop. I'm hoping to get it in the body shop in a month and start final assembly in about 4 or 5 mos. It's amazing how these multi year projects turn into multi months when I get help with the work instead of doing it all myself.

As far as the Nash, I looked at the Richmond as an alternative (who owns Nash now) but there were several reasons I went with the Dodge Viper style T56. First, it has gear ratios more to my liking. D & D buys new units from Chrysler and ads some upgrades and blue prints em, also modifying them to be a direct bolt in to chevy old style bellhousing with mechanical clutch linkage. They also add a mechanical speedo pickup in place of the electric one. The torque rating is higher on the Viper trans than either the Richmond or the T56 for all the other cars like Camaro/Firebird, C4 Corvette, and Mustang. It's got a considerably bigger output shaft than all the others. The other bonus is, at 2500 ready to bolt in, it's cheaper than the 6 sp Richmond, which the way I was gonna order was 2900 from Summit.

That is a 409 in the background. The owner of the shop where my car's being worked on probably has a half dozen of em including 3 original cars. They don't do any outside work at all, with the exception of this 55 which is being done after hours.

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 04:07 AM
DAMMIT RACEMAN!! CUT IT OUT!! YOUR DRIVING ME NUTS!!!

man i would love to get my hands on that!!

after i sold my blue one i got another one that i was gonna do like the 2 lane blacktop car, ran out of money and room to do it so sold everything :( even had the big block for it and a 9 inch ford disc brake rear, sold it all to a guy in okeechobee

now i see these pics and ya get me goin on that idea all over again

i helped a guy restore one in haines city fl. along time ago, we spent months together at his shop and then kinda fell off the project when he ran out of money, saw him years later at old town when my blue one caught his eye, hadnt seen sonny in years so it was fun talking with him again, asked if he ever finished the resto, he said yep sure did and a week after he tagged it an old lady T-boned it and totalled it :mad: :mad:

this guy went all over the country buying non rusted parts for it, he bought a supposedly non rusted body, had it shipped in and when we stripped it we found bondo in the driver rear side, he said stop right there, we cleaned up and sprayed primer on the bare metal and he was on the hunt again, he was determined to have an all original steel 55, he finally got it and thats what happens to it :mad:

sometimes i think about the last one i sold, man i sure wanted to do a 2 lane blacktop replica

anyway, the roll pan i got from the 55-56-57 club here in north orlando, it's a world wide club i'm sure you must have heard of it?

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 04:23 AM
for roll pan info check the attatchment for classic chevy international, the info hopefully is still current...............

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 04:33 AM
yep had some fun with the ole 55 :D

threw the driveshaft when i finally got to run after this pic broke the yoke on the rear end :rolleyes:

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 04:41 AM
car was 35 years old when i rolled her out of the paint both this time...........

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 04:51 AM
this was a sad weekend, the last time they would hold the "old town auto fest" we spent our anniversary at these for years and in 91 they held the last one :(

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 04:59 AM
while i was doing the body work to my 55 i aked a guy how much to use his paint booth, he said free of charge, i said no ****? he said yep but i need a favor.............i'm building a 57 stretch limo and i need you to do the stainless on the sides, they need to be lengthened and custom clips made where they come together :eek:

well had more time than money then so..................

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 05:11 AM
after i did the side stainless he asked me to do the brake lines from scratch to fit the length of the limo, so i did and i had no idea he was making this board giving credit to all those that helped

my names by daves hand on the right

dave was a guy i met in the same shop area that came up to me one day and handed me the key to his shop and i barely knew him, he said to use his shop to re-do my 55!!!!! i was blown away!! he was a great guy!! he ended up having his wife serve him divorce papers and he got on the vodka which ultimately did him in :( so sad man!! so sad!! super guy!!

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 05:30 AM
while i was doing my 55 and the 57 limo the guy asked me to do brake lines on a 55 caddy he had so i did

well we all got down to the wire for this last auto fest and it looked as if my car was going into the show with no rear bumper, i had asked the guys at both shops where i was working on my car, where the hell my bumper went? they all said i dunno look in the other shop, man i was pissed!! someone done walked off with my bumper!! it was in bad shape and i had no money left but it was still a bumper for the show!! i got to the hotel and got the car parked in the show, we were killin some beers and the guys showed up with the limo and we all hung around for the evening, dave said hey skip whats those boxes over by the back of your car? i said what boxes? someone over there fu#$in with my car? :mad: went over and dave and mike followed me, low and behold they had sent it off for re-chrome!! man i almost cryed!! we put it on in the cover of darkness ;)

man what a suprise!! it was mikes way of also saying thanks for doing his caddy brake lines!! WOW!! still gets me to this day!!

those were some good folks and good times!!

Raceman
05-09-2003, 05:57 AM
I sho do like the pictures of that car Skip. A 55 has to be a sedan to look right too. For some reason, I like the 57's better as hardtops, but the 55 just doesn't look right that way.

I was tempted to make mine a 2 lane blacktop car also, but several people have threatened me if I cut the rear fender wells. A straight axle, fenderwell headers and a flip front end would be cool though.

I saw a 55 the other day with the tag on the rear bumper. I don't know if that's a station wagon bumper or a Nomad, but I want to find one of those too.

Raceman
05-09-2003, 06:39 AM
It's mighty temptin' to do it like this:

Raceman
05-09-2003, 06:42 AM
The radiused rear fenderwells look like the way the car should have been designed in the first place IMO. They look so much more at home than the stock 55 profile.

Talon2.5
05-09-2003, 07:00 AM
i love that car!! so cool in the movie!!

the tag on the bumper is a nomad i believe also

Raceman
05-15-2007, 08:54 PM
After about 4 years, this project is finally back runnin' wide open. Last year I found a California frame (one piece side rails, instead of butting and welding 2 C channels together) and the guy doing the floor work on the body started putting the brackets on it for the ladder bar/coil over suspension. Just like the floor work that stalled, he ran into a dry spell as far as motivation, but somehow picked back up and got most of the fab work done. Usually I'd have done that myself, but with so much other junk going on that I'm not finishin', and work being more demanding for the last year, I got him to do it too.

Anyhow, I got the frame back from him with the new brackets on, the transmission and leaf spring brackets off, a custom rack and pinion mount that I designed and tacked together, and some custom motor mounts for the big block. I sent it to the powder coater in Atlanta about 3 weeks ago and had it picked it up today.

I got the narrowed 12 bolt and coilovers on it today, and expect/hope to have it rolling tomorrow if the office is halfway quiet. I bought a 6 speed for it before we stalled on it, and now gotta get that 572 crate motor comin' from somewhere.

More pics to follow tomorrow.

Frank Molé
05-16-2007, 03:47 PM
this is a FUN READ:D thanks

mr.clean
05-16-2007, 05:03 PM
I prefer Stock with Sea foam Green & White paint but they do look cool just about any way you slice them. Keep us updated on the progress :cool:

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m241/assedout/tanzella01.jpg

Raceman
05-16-2007, 09:07 PM
I forgot to get pics today. Rear is under chassis with suspension done. Mock up engine is back in with transmission attached and headers on. Some of front suspension is back in, but not completed. I hope to have it on 4 wheels minus steering rack tomorrow. Daggum work stuff keeps me from focussin'.:(

I always wanted to build an American Graffity/Two lane blacktop replica like the one above. I'm too far into this project to do it now, but maybe with another one.

Raceman
05-17-2007, 06:06 PM
This angle shows a pretty good shot of the fabricated cross member that mounts the front of the ladder bar suspension/diagnol locating rod (panhard bar), and also the polished stainless Heidt's front suspension and 13 inch/6 piston Wilwood front brakes. Transmission cross member is roughed in but not finished or powder coated yet.

It's a shame the walls are such a mess. Last time I had a tenant in the building they had employees that couldn't drive a forklift. I guess if I'm gonna keep taking pictures I should get a big canvas and cover it like the back wall that shows in the from the rear shot. (billboard companies sell off their old canvas signs for cheap, and that's what's hanging in the back, turned around backwards of course)

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/2882/dsc02363my3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Raceman
05-17-2007, 06:08 PM
Here we've got a better look at the rear suspension, and also it's easy to tell how nice the California frames were as opposed to the two piece side rails that were intermittently welded together every foot or so. The stainless gas tank is a nice piece too, that I found from a vendor at a swap meet several years ago. Rear brakes are Wilwoods too, with internal shoes for emergency brakes and 4 piston calipers. Wilwood makes really neat stuff for a gadget freak like me.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2979/dsc02365oe6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Raceman
05-17-2007, 06:10 PM
Koni coil overs at the rear and profile of 325 55R 15 BFG drag radials and 15 X 12 wheels on rear. GM 12 bolt rear has 33 spline axles (about as big as my wrist) and special order posi unit (hard to find for axles this fat) that replaced spool that was in rear when I bought the car. The ratio is 4.10, but it'll become a 2.05 in high gear with the six speed transmission's .5 overdrive in high gear, .75 in fifth. Headers are ceramic coated Hookers.
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/4038/dsc02366ul3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Raceman
05-17-2007, 06:11 PM
Better shot of transmission and 13" brakes. The engine is just a mock up. Block is plastic with a bare set of BB Chevy alum heads. Engine will be replaced with 572 Big Block Chevy with one of the new Edelbrock 2 four barrel air gap manifolds unless the plans change. Edelbrock doesn't build the intake for the tall deck blocks, and all the GM 572 crate motors are tall deck, so it'll require a custom one on a short deck GM bowtie block unless I change my mind on the intake/carb combo. Big Holley or Demon on single plain intake like comes on the GM crate motors will outrun the 2 four setup, but I'm stuck on the looks of the two carbs.

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/9558/dsc02367hv5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Raceman
05-17-2007, 06:13 PM
One front wheel mounted. Had to run 16's on the front because of the big rotors/calipers, so tire choice was somewhat limited without getting shorter/fatter. I'm still not sure I picked the right size for the 16 X 7 Americans. May fatten up a little when the body gets on depending on fender clearance. Front spindles drop front end a couple of inches and narrow it about 3/4 on each side. Outer clearance is an issue on a lowered '55, so we'll see how it all fits.

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/4396/dsc02368qc0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Talon2.5
05-21-2007, 05:43 AM
hey now... get that thing done!!! can ya do duel throttle body injected to have the look without the jetting/syncronizing/linkage hastle?

i was in pigeon forge a few weeks ago doing electrical on a business sign during the spring car show....man cars all the way down the strip, i was on a 30 foot ladder looking as far as i could see and nothing but bad a$$ cars :D

last week i believe they were having some kind of ford show, lots of old 56'ish ford trucks in town, sweet looking rides!!

Raceman
05-21-2007, 08:00 AM
Damn Skip................. I wish we'd known you were in PF for their big show. We were there Fri & Sat. I walked the WHOLE strip on Sat.............. up one side and down the other. It took me over 6 hrs and there were solid cars. I think it's about 4 miles long, so the loop was around 8 miles, not countin' the zig zaggin' in the parking lots lookin' at the cars. That's a lotta' mileage for an old fat guy, but they must've had 10,000 cars there. Daytona registers around 5K in the fall and this looked a LOT bigger to me.

This weekend was 55-57 Chevy show at Pigeon Forge. They usta' do the Ford Truck show at the same time, but moved it to Knoxville at Chillowee Park a couple of years ago. Maybe it's back. The Tri 5 show was a little weak with nothing else in town, and didn't spill over onto the strip very much from Music City Inn down one of those side streets, so we didn't go this year. The Ford show being back is probably just what it needed.

There's supposedly at least one more huge one there this year that we'll probably hit if we can find a decent hotel that'll let us bring the dogs. We stayed in a dump last month and won't hit it again.:(

Talon2.5
05-22-2007, 05:25 AM
i was there, but i was working, didnt get to go through the cars

i believe the other show is in september

last september (first week i believe it was ) my brother came up and we rode the bikes down to PF on a thursday night and watched them cruise up and down the strip, all those chairs out by the road people were sitting in must reach up into the thousands

seemed like there were cars in every nook and cranny of the town :eek: :cool:

it does seem like there are small ones all through the summer but not positive on that

the ole 55 gonna be ready NEXT YEAR!!????????

EDIT:................forgot to say........you WALKED that whole strip???? damn son i wouldnt even attempt that!! DDAAAAAMMMNNN!!!!!!

Raceman
05-22-2007, 07:16 AM
I hope the 55 is gonna be ready. It all depends on the body shop now.

Yep.......... walked the whole strip, from one end to the other AND BACK. The whole loop. It must be about 8 miles round trip.:eek:

Talon2.5
05-23-2007, 05:17 AM
if you have that 55 in PF you let me know so i can come see it! :D :cool:

you must have dropped a pound or 2 walking that strip!!

when those car shows come to town it is one hell of a show for sure, gets the blood pumping for another toy :eek: i have a soft spot for those old fat fendered trucks :D

Lanceonthelake
06-04-2007, 01:32 PM
when threads like this come back. Skip, we are going to be in your neck of the woods end of June. Hopefully we can catch up again with you and Wendy. You won't believe how big Olivia is now.

Talon2.5
06-08-2007, 05:44 AM
Lance,

i will be on 2 motorcycle trips the end of june, packin up the bike with whatever i can take and what i cant gets left behind and hitting the road with about 11 other bikes

wont get to see ya but i wish you a safe trip to your destination and back home :cool:

EDIT: i bet she is getting big!! :)

tripledude2
06-10-2007, 09:10 AM
Anybody see the 62 Olds wagon on ebay right now?? %02 with dual quads, four speed with overdrive, Starfire all leather interior. Good looking car..

Talon2.5
06-29-2007, 05:54 AM
well lance,

i didnt get to go on one of the rides, got a call from bobarosa biker saloon about an event they were having and they wanted me to set up a parts booth for 3 days so i cancelled room reservations and contacted the other riders and did the event


i have 3 bikes in the shop with over 4000.00 dollars worth of work to be done to them that "may" keep me away from the other ride, but i plan on slipping away to meet up with them and get in the wind (all work and no play is bad for the soul hehehe)

this one is done and picked up now
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k249/MaxThrottle/A%20Few%20Customer%20Bikes/MVC-020S.jpg

i jammed on this one and was picked up last night
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k249/MaxThrottle/A%20Few%20Customer%20Bikes/MVC-019S.jpg

this one has so much to be done it will be here a week or 2
http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k249/MaxThrottle/A%20Few%20Customer%20Bikes/MVC-014S.jpg

Raceman
06-29-2007, 07:09 AM
Is that what you're doing now.............. building bikes? I thought you were doing houses.:confused: I must've missed a thread somewhere. You oughta' be down here with me doin' yo' bikes and some cars. Maybe I could get some of mine finished then and go back to doing some for other people like I usta'. ;)

Talon2.5
06-30-2007, 07:30 AM
hey raceman,

yep i am doing houses, residential electrical and some commercial electrical

and.......

started my own business selling parts and doing repairs, all the money the business makes i put into more tools, specialty tools, insurance, advertising and building the business checking account, i dont take any money for myself from it at this point, maybe someday i can get paid but for now the money goes back into the business

Talon2.5
06-30-2007, 07:41 AM
over the winter when the shop was slow i went down to florida, new years eve actually, and picked up an old sportster my brother found cheap and completely redid the bike, was thinking of selling it but i liked it so much i kept it :D

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k249/MaxThrottle/Project%20Bike/MVC-120S.jpg

Talon2.5
07-07-2007, 03:04 PM
raceman,

i saw something today that made me wonder if i could get it.....

an orange tubbed out (pro street style) 56 post car

oooohhhhh man that thing looked good, i slowed enough to see the for sale sign but it was hard to see and i think it was about 29 grand :eek: i drove away....sadly enough i cant swing that

boy it would be nice to have though :D

Raceman
07-07-2007, 03:38 PM
I'm still workin' along on the '55 in between other projects. The guy who has the body (and has had it for about 5 years now) promised it back by July 1st, but missed the deadline. I'm hopin' by August 1st, then it can go to the bodyshop and maybe I'll have the rollin' chassis/drivetrain done by then. It really slows down when it's down to all the little stuff like brake & fuel lines, emergency brake cables, etc, etc.

Talon2.5
07-09-2007, 05:48 AM
five years huh :eek: geez

get pics of it and post 'em when ya get it back :D

Lanceonthelake
07-31-2007, 09:56 AM
over the winter when the shop was slow i went down to florida, new years eve actually, and picked up an old sportster my brother found cheap and completely redid the bike, was thinking of selling it but i liked it so much i kept it :D

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k249/MaxThrottle/Project%20Bike/MVC-120S.jpg
that shifter looks crazy

Talon2.5
08-02-2007, 04:21 AM
that shifter is a blast, i have a springer front on the way for it, that will be this winters project, springer front and new spoke wheels and disc brakes :D

Raceman
07-29-2010, 10:37 PM
It doesn't look like much has been done since the other pics, but actually it's been a lot. The underbody is painted and permanently mounted on the replacement chassis (California chassis with one piece frame rails). The doors, front fenders and decklid have had DAYS spent on them, getting all the cracks and alignments to much better than factory tolerances, AND it's had new rear quarters, making the car now 100% rust free. The shop that does all my paint and body work is in a slow time right now, so they've been hittin' this car hard and I'm thinkin' paint within the next couple of weeks.

http://i29.tinypic.com/bi2hdc.jpg

Raceman
07-29-2010, 10:42 PM
I'm wonderin' now if the car is too low. Up a couple of inches would be relatively easy. Any more and it'd take buying some parts and making some changes.
http://i26.tinypic.com/10r8y0j.jpg

Raceman
07-29-2010, 10:44 PM
http://i32.tinypic.com/2lcojer.jpg

VectorPat
07-30-2010, 03:41 AM
I think it looks pretty cool lowered like that..

Talon2.5
07-30-2010, 06:26 AM
wow i still lived in florida when you started this thread, lotta time passed since then

i think it looks perfect sitting at that height!!! man you kill me with this car :)

RNM018
07-31-2010, 04:17 PM
I'm wonderin' now if the car is too low. Up a couple of inches would be relatively easy. Any more and it'd take buying some parts and making some changes.
http://i26.tinypic.com/10r8y0j.jpg

GOOD LORD NO ! That thing is by No Means , Too Low !
Got To Love , A Chubby Car , Tuckin Some Fat !
Leave It Where It Is , Norris ! :thumbsup:

Rich Martin 018:D

hst714
07-31-2010, 06:24 PM
yeah that car looks right i wouldnt raise it at ALL then again ... id probably be lower...

CDave
08-03-2010, 07:44 PM
I like it, maybe raise the rear one inch.