Do it man, do it! There are enough restored ones out there, so unless it's something really special, I'd build it in the style of your photo. There is surprisingly little cutting required to get a SBC into one of these, and it's 'traditional'! Hell, Max Balchowsky was doing it in the 50's as were countless hot-rodders. Here are a few pics of the '59 I'm rebuilding/restoring, it was originally built in the mid 60's with a 283 & 3spd OD trans.Was originally hoping to have it on the road this summer, but got sidetracked by getting my Dad's '53 Pontiac back on the road after 15 years, and numerous other projects. Goal is now HAMB drags 2015.
Had a friend with a 59 AH and a 289/c4. Nothing but fun. And man, does this thread make me think about the next project.
I always love those bubble faced helmets because if you made the mistake of turning your head sideways the wind blew the bubble right off your helmet at speed. I must admit I made that mistake one day and all of a sudden it was a real adrenaline rush of wind in my face and I learned a very important lesson. Jimbo
I had a friend that not only shared the same dream but acted on it. A Jensen Healey would be the platform and a wrecked GTO would provide the motivation. He built a wicked street car sans the blower but the three deuces provided heart stomping stimulation when he went through the gears. Sadly he passed away about 15 years ago and the car still sits outside behind his sisters home,,she refuses to sell it so it will rot where it sits. HRP
While growing up, I lived down the street from the corner service station that our neighbor owned. Sometimes I would stop to look at all the old cars that were in and around the place. One day in the side bay I spied a foreign shape and had to check it out. There sat an early 50's Jag coupe that didn't look quite the way it did when leaving the factory. Upon further investigation I found that it was equipped with a smallblock Chevy and the rear pan was decorated with the words "Have Jag Will Drag!" Never heard or saw it run, but it's one of those indelible memories from my youth had to share. TaTa!
If it is reasonably priced, grab it! Assuming it is a 100/4 (or 3000) then they are silly money over here. I'd like one stock or "improved"
As the long-time owner of a '62 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, my fellow Alfisti would disown me if I ever built a drag car out of a vintage Italian Sports Car ... but I would have absolutely no reservations hacking up a British Sports Car to build one ... Roger Guzman's "ASSASSINATION" AA/MSP drag car started life as a '58 MGA Bob Ida's "HEMI-HEALY" BB/GS drag car started life as a '56 Austin Healey 100/6 NOTE: This car was recently found and restored by his son Rob (@Hot Rod Tucker) Ida (see his RESTORING THE HEMI-HEALY BB/GS thread) Sheldon Konblett's "SNOOPY" AA/FC featured a Jaguar XKE body
... or even an American Sports Car: Joe Lunati’s “Trouble Maker” in its 1960’s battle trim. The car ran in NHRA’s A-Modified Sports class, holding AM/SP class records nine different times. The handicap ET of 10.18 seconds is show-polished on the Devin body’s flank, but the car was easily capable of running mid 9 second, no break-out times. Joe Lunati’s “Trouble Maker” A-Modified Sports Devin won the NHRA Street Eliminator title at the U.S. Nationals in both 1964 & 1966. Joe built the car’s chassis on the floor of his home garage, including fabricating the lumpy “hood” to meet A/MSP class rules.
That picture brought back a memory from about 50 years ago. I was living in Las Cruces New Mexico and the interstate north of Las Cruces wasn't completed but you could access it and the locals used it for a race track. My memory is a little fuzzy about the day but the one memory that has stayed with me was when two Bug Eyed Sprites pulled to the line, one was stone stock and the other had a W motor (not sure if it was a 348 or 409), it was no race, probably two friends just having fun, but that Bug Eye really looked cool to me.
I've been kicking around the idea of picking up an AH Sebring with a V-8 for a while.This just nudged me a little closer.
It was actually a lineup outside a place called Sportscar Workshops in Richmond off of N. Boulevard (the address is on Myers Street).
I imagined the mechanic, a heavy set, unshaved, burley lookin dude to be there slapping his wrench in his hand, watching and waiting for you, while you sat there grasping the wheel, staring on into space a million miles away, for a time, then all of a sudden you are awakened by a gruff voice, "Well, What are ya gonna do kid,buy it or not?"......
Here's a '56 Austin Healey conversion on eBay at the present time. Has a '62-'64 'vette fuelie motor, now sporting a duel quad setup. COOL CAR! http://www.ebay.com/itm/15136063546...4&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME:L:LCA:MOTORS:1123
This whole thread is just sick and depraved! Perhaps that's why I like it so much! My grandmother had a late 50's Nash Wagon, and I thought her frontend was just gorgeous (the wagon, you sicko's!) and used to fantasize that the car (at least the front half) was a Nash Healy................. I love to think what it would be like to stick a good 'ol American V-8 in one of those to watch the purist go nuts!
You mean like this............ (but with body color steelies) I always liked these, remind of the Metropolitan I had as a kid, but a more usable size. If I could find one it would be my 4th to next project........ unless I found something else cool first.... ....
I've got a 56 MGA, I've got a 315 Dodge Hemi, the frame is rotten, so it would need to be replaced anyway! What's not to love about this situation? I worry about getting my arthritic old self folded up and tucked in to an MG though. (it's been almost 40 years since I sat in mine) I also have a 52 Nash Rambler! (airflite) What to do, what to do?
Guess I would have been more accurate if I had said "Nash Rambler Wagon" in my post, that's me in front of Mammaw's car. From the looks of it, I must have just figured out the starting sequence or was working up the "nerve". I crashed that car into the neighbors International in the street behind the car about a week later goofing around with the shift lever. "Whataya' mean, hold down the brake pedal? I can't reach it and the shifter, too!?" Fortunately the rear end didn't suffer too much damage, I only dented a fin. I can't say the same for my rear end, however, as I recall the damage was substantial once she got ahold of my dads belt!
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