This morning I stamped Alliance tags, filled merch orders, and then headed to the post office to drop it all off. On my way back, I broke a tie rod end on my daily driver '64 F100 and almost died. Then, spent some time on the side of the road waiting on a tow truck. By the time I had avoided certain death and gotten back to the shop, Keith already had the little car torn apart. Here's what he found: 1. Essentially, a mint body. There's no rust anywhere... nor are there patch panels. I mean, it's perfect... and so are the fenders. Without a doubt this is the nicest early Ford body I've ever seen. The paint has some issues, obviously, but we plan to address those on a spot by spot basis - ending with a car that has neat old paint on it. 2. This car had an owner at one point that loved chrome... We've found all sorts of neat old chrome from the garnish moldings to the splash apron... We gotta find a way to keep some of it. 3. The firewall has been hacked up a bit to accommodate a small block Chevy with a magneto at one time. It actually has some charm to it... and we have been thinking about running a hot little small block to keep the fun/cost ratio up. Time will tell on this one, but if you have a three deuce intake for an SBC you wanna sell, hit me up! 4. The rear suspension was some crazy coil spring arrangement made from torched heavy metal plate along with some odds and ends from various other vehicles. Because of this, Keith is gonna have to cut out the rear crossmember and install a new one. We've been thinking about doing a quick change if the budget allows... If you have one on the market, convo me. Anyway, lots more to come obviously... This is gonna be a whole lot of fun I think.
^^^^^^^^^^That is too cool. Wanting one pretty bad just got worse. really. You're really dickin with my mind here.
great score Ryan! and glad you survived the tie-rod incident! but you are making it real tough for me here, I've sold three A Coupes in the last year and a half each time thinking it was time to move on, or back to a long dormant project.. lately I've been wanting to have one more go at it this thread might be enough to give me that last little nudge...
Side project? Looks like the middle of the shop in the middle of the day in the middle of the week to me.
the car has a lot of rustic charm and hallmarks of an early build...the kind of car I try not to restore, but refurbish...neat build...
So, bad news... We saw evidence of water as we tore the motor down, but once the heads were off it got pretty ugly. This motor isn't salvageable I'm afraid... at least not without a hefty machine shop bill. So, what now? Originally, our plan was to rebuild this motor, dress it up with some trick valve covers, 3x2 intake, '57 Chevy exhaust manifolds, etc... Then, put a muncie behind it. Ideally, I think Keith and I would both like to do something a little more exotic than an SBC - A cool Nailhead or maybe an Olds or a Cad... But frankly, the budget just isn't there for such a thing and we don't want to take a chance on buying another gently used motor only to tear it apart for freshening to find it's toast too. So, another option is to go with a new crate SBC from GM. For around the cost of the machine shop bill ($1500-2000) we'd incur with our present motor, we'd have a brand new 350 ready for all of our goodies. Then, add a t-5 tranny to our other plans and once the car is done, we will have a brand new car mechanically that is setup for daily driving and long hauls. Tempting. Really tempting. At the end of the day, we are trying really hard not to build a $50k car. Lots of thinking to do... But still really happy with the body we found.
it has been argued here, to death, but there is no denying when it comes to cost, availability of "dress up " parts, the crate motor is a no brainer. lead by example?
I get that... and know that we can make a crate look 99% of the part of a mid 50's hot rod... I mean, the rest of the car is going to be absolutely period... Still, if cost were of no concern... To dream I guess. The irony is that the casting number on the crate motor is the same casting number on the block we have - it's a 350 4-bolt main out of '73 1/2 ton truck. So, I don't know what my mental problem is...
i am going through the same issue right now with a 31 buick 3w i want to fix up to sell. it already has a running sbc in it. i found a 430 buick engine that needs to be gone through [ran well, needs all gaskets/seals/ timing chain etc..] do i spend the time?............. a buick in a buick........it is what i want........does it make it worth more? maybe not. more appealing?.................hmmmmm
Search local (Austin) Craigslist for 327 (auto parts by owner). Seem to be a couple of possibilities right now. Then try 283, sbc, etc. (Jeez, not a crate motor. )
just an idea. can you save the motor for last, finish the rest of it off and advertise it as "will be finished with your choice of sbc motor" [priced accordingly]?
crate motor is the way to go. then dress it up to look the part. The car is already way cool. A crate motor will not kill that. will only enhance it due to its drive-ability and reliability
I'd have to vote against a crate motor if I had the chance. It's an easy way to go and perhaps more cost effective but somehow the car looses the vintage home built hot rod feel. Kinda like using an automatic transmission, they're easy too but... Talk Paul out of one of his Oldsmobile motors.
How ironic is it as we muddle through our daily lives perfectly content obsessing on the cars we have and how we might improve them in the future and out of the clear blue we are struck with a image that halts you in your tracks. Had you seen this vision 5 years ago it might only been met with one word,cool and that would have been it,for you or me but there is something to be said for a simple built Model A HOT ROD. I have owned a few Model A's in my younger days and as I have grown older a plethora of fat fendered cars and '32 Fords and a certain wagon was y driving force. Strange thoughts of a simple built model A has started to creep back into my mind again,possibly due to all the pain medications of late and the bazaar reoccurring dream of me,a 6 '4" Neanderthal driving a 356 Porsche Speedster. HRP
I am all about saving money and building on a budget but if you can find a 265 or 283 for about the same cost to me that would be a no brainier even if a crate motor looks close still wouldn't be the same good luck i am excited to follow along with this project
Still thinking on motor options, but pretty decided we are gonna go SBC. In any case, tomorrow should be a big day. It's gonna get chopped! We are thinking somewhere in the 3" range, but exactly how much will be a game time decision with lots of cutting, standing back, looking, and imagining...
I understand why a member would be against the 350, but ask yourself this question. Am I a potential buyer? Maybe the buyer wants to keep the purchase price low. That killer traditional engine can be phase 2.
The worst thing, and I mean absolute worst thing about running a 350 goes like this. All dressed up with finned covers, short water-pump, three-deuces, and a polished set of ram-horns. Someone, somewhere, someday will ask (Is that a 283 or a 327?) Then you have to decide if you wanna lie to em'. Nope. It's a 350. They walk away... OR Yeah, yeah, sure that's it. It's a 327 with six Strombergs. (Gotta lie your ass off) Don't ask me how I know this.
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