Projects New "Hot Rod Ranch" 55 Chevy Gasser build

Great thread! Glad to see someone is finally going to produce a straight axle kit!
J

 

It's coming along, I'm gonna put some fresh gas in it and get it ready for the Jalopyrama .

 

Finally got the rear front spring shackels sorted out, we wanted to do something a little different on this one.

 

Finally got the rear shackels sorted out, wanted to do something a little different on this one.

 

We also dynoed the engine friday @ Dr. J's Porting Service. Bryce and Jay are also excellent engine builders. This one is a 406" SBC (4.155 x 3.750).
It has a ported Weiand single 4bbl tunnel ram, with a Dr.J's tweaked 850 Gold claw. The heads are 23 Deg. Standard port location (so we could use the old school tunnel ram), have 2.125 Int. & 1.600 Ex. valves and are CNC ported by the guys at Dr. J's and flow well into the 300 cfm zone. The block is a 2 bolt production piece (bored .030), pistons are CP dish tops w/low tension metric rings for a pump gas friendly 11.0:1 compression ratio, the rods are from Carrillo and are 6 inchers. The crank is a Scat forging, and the cam is Dr. J's secret recipe hydraulic roller, ground by Isky (240ish @.050 and 650ish on the lift). Morel lifters and Manton .118 wall 5/16 push rods round out the valve trains with a double roller timing set. A Milodon box pan w/kick out was use (cause they ARE worth a fair bit of power), and MSD Pro Billet small diameter dizzy and wires. With Bryces personal ported Victor Jr. and spacer she made 646HP@6600 and 570 lb ft @5100. Switching to the single 4 tunnel ram we picked up 10 lb ft to 580 @5000, and lost 10hp to 636@6500, it idles at 850 rpm and has 190 psi of cranking pressure. The tunnel ram would not pull as much fuel as the Victor Jr., most likely to the plenum being too big even for this 406 incher. However, the owner is ok giving up 10hp and gaining 10 lb ft. for the cool factor of the tunnel ram. This pic has the "dyno valve covers" which will be replaced with polish M/T's and Offy breathers. The dyno headers are 1 7/8" x 2" step headers, and Mark @ Performance Welding is whipping up a set of fenderwells for us that will also be 1 7/8" x 2". If any of you out there are looking for a pump gas small block or big block or "Race only" version that will SLAY the competition, I highly recommend you call Dr. J's! (714)808-9780 or visit their website, I guarantee you will be very happy!

 

Got her rolling again.

 

A little fire wall surgery to remove the hammer induced Cellulite dimples, and coat of good ole gray primer. Getting close to putting some color on this girl

 

Join us starting tomorrow for the Gasser Round Up 2012 to see this one and many more up close and personal.

 

Looks great.

 

Thanks Baron

 

come a long way in a short time

 

Missed the Round Up again! Hope to make it next year! Heard it was great! Stan

 

hot rod ranch rules!!!

 

A couple pics from the "Round Up". The valve covers are just dyno pieces. It will get polished M/T's with Offy breathers.

 

Great work so far, well done!

 

Time for a few update photo's. Got the rear wheel housing moved in, leaf springs are next. We have a # for the rearend width, so a Dana 60 with 3.91-4.11's is in the works. After the leaf spring moving is done, its time to paint the chassis, also still working on steering.

 

I like the work being done. Keep it up with the postings. Dick M

 

Any progress lately.Are you guys on vacation we need some updates please

 

The wheel well widening is done, a Dana 60 is currently being built by Sutton Engineering, the 1 7/8 Heddman fenderwell headers are out being
coated white, as soon as the leaf springs are moved inboard, the body comes back off so we can paint the chassis etc., and put some color on the body. I'll post some update pics soon as I have em.

 

Thanks for adding the details like tubing size. Keep up the good work!

 

Looking great Ric! Vic

 

Thanks Vic, any luck with the push rod oiling issue, I don't remember if you stated any thing about the lifters,but if that engine sat for a long time, maybe the piddle valves inside the lifters are gummed up/stuck and can't send the oil up the push rods.?

 

I decided to do a "Hail Mary" so it was do or die deal. I put back stock rockers and pushrods and was going to run it until it either oiled up or blew up. When I fired it up, within 30 sec. or so, it began to oil and shot oil all over my headers... go figure. I will put back my original setup with roller rockers later and see what happens then. I never found the problem but glad it's oiling. Vic

 

Nice build


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Finally got the rearend (Dana 60 w/3.73's)from Sutton Engineering, and the "big pipes" (1 7/8 fenderwells with adjustable collectors)from Heddman Headers(thanks Vic Wood), they'll get coated white soon. Now we can finish the chassis details and start painting parts and assemble this dude!

 

Well its been a little while, but we're all back to it on this build. Got the
48" ladder bars fabbed and mounted, the Dana hung in the back, and the coil overs mounted. Pete (the owner/customer) wants to keep the stock gas tank, which killed the ability to put a shock cross member between the frame rails, under the car, while retaining the stock tank strap mounts. We thought using longer shocks, and having them go up throught the trunk floor, and mounting to a tubular mount between the rear roll bar down bars. At the last minute, Gil came up with the best solution, just weld some cool little mounts the inside of the frame rails, and let her rip. Its time to get some color on this sucker, and get the chassis dolled up. COME TO THE "GASSER ROUND UP" OCT 12th







2013 and check it out in person!

 

Looking good. Might be a good idea to run one tube between the frame rails(much like the after-market shock braces) just to help any frame twist from the shocks(and still clear the gas tank with no problem). Just my 2 cents,for what its worth.

 

Thanks for the heads up Baron. Another cool trick is to use solid body, mounts, or at least hard urethane ones, remember the more firmly attached the body is, the more of a giant cross member/frame member the body becomes. While stripping one of these old cars down, when you take out the engine and trans, the front suspension gets pretty stiff. If you try bouncing the front suspension figoursly, you'll notice the body start bouncing out of time with the frame on its mushing old worn out rubber mounts. Now try it again with solid/urethane bushings, the body becomes part of the frame.

 

Getting closer. The Muro's have an old Tri-5 frame they use for transporting/painting. The dark grey pic is after the primer sealer was sprayed on.

 

She's not done in the spray booth yet, still needs the clear. The customer wanted the "Bad Man" stripes without the engine size included. Now that he has seen ALL the silver, he is contemplating doing the entire roof candy blue also (we're kinda pushing him that direction too). It will have blue windows, and maybe do the scoo p blue too. What do ya think?