Hot Rods Yes it’s still Possible.

Ok got a chance to work on door seal plates. I was pleased with what I got done. I must confess that a 64 chevy II gave up the bottom trim to see if it worked. Don’t tell Squirrel ! Hey I had it and I don’t have that car any more. I thought it turned out good and it covers all the way over to the floor pan. Gotta drill new mounting holes and tuck wires under.

 

Ok. Driver side done and both sides in with screws. I still need to clean up the red dirt stains on the edge.
Spent the rest of the day prepping generators and getting stuff ready should the weather turn.

 

Trunk inner panel patch /and trunk gasket installed. Tag light next. Gonna be a few days due to wether /cold coming in.

 

Wes /and I were looking around in his old shop and found another Muncie. The TO bearing collar is missing. I did a quick check and it’s another M 20 December of 67 I think.
I was half asleep when I looked the code up.
It spins very nicely and takes all gears.
I’ll put it in enventory.
Also got a Sioux valve grinder set up. Whole deal. And the seat grinder /stones/pilots /stone truer /and yes the valve guide tooling and a box of guide.
And it’s 65 or was outside today. Can’t ask for more than that.

 

Dirt Dobbers must have been the original JB weld. Cleaned them out and all works well.

 

Well seems I have this thing for road trips lately. That’s on another thread.
Here are the results of that trip. How does it relate to the 57? It’s going under it. I always wanted a nice quick change. I’ve had two others but they were put together out of what I could pick up. Never one that I really call nice but hey they held up. Hope this one does well.

 

Seems that you're living the good life!

 

Been a while. Built door handles today. Roughed them out and bolted them up. All aluminum. Gonna trim them some more and taper the legs and ends. Leave the middle wide. Already had them on belt sander but will taper the ends more.

 

Put a few miles on today. As best as we know these are the first miles since around 81.I am Glad I have a Q C to go under it. 3:55 rear gear / 2:52 first gear( M 20) isn't my ideal start gear if you know what I mean. I was always told that the two multiplied together need to be around 11-12 if it is a high winder. I haven't had a street car that wasn't at least 4:11 in many years . I was trying to behave the first several miles. lol

 

wow, over 40 years! good to see it on the road again

I've been driving the corvette with 2.56 low and 3.08 gears, I know what you mean. but it's nice on the freeway!

 

I couldn't help but notice those inside door handles are the same as used on EJ/EH Holdens in Australia. Mid 1962 through to 1964, General Motors product.

 

Squirrel I am slowly getting use to it. Drove it some more today. Once rolling it’s nice enough. But I just don’t like feathering clutch that much.i like the all or none deal. I have stock motor mounts /bellhousing mounts etc. I haven’t put a torque strap on it yet either. I don’t really see me hammering this thing all that hard. But then again I know me.
At about 2800 to3000 I get a little stumble every now and then. I’ve adjusted the points once. .016 on used /.019 new. So it got .016. I may just open the lift door and adjust them running to highest rpm like we used to do. ( yep I am running a stock points distributor lol. )the stock coil as in even has the 57 part GM part number on it. Lol

 

Mitch, My eng strap for bell housing mounts.
Keeps eng from moving backward.
Use J-bolts in extra holes on frame mounts.

 

Now for the results. In 81/82 I was a freshman and in Ms a kid could get drivers license at 15. We would all meet on the weekends at the Main Attraction in what ever we had or could get. This car would come and park in front of what used to be Ronnie Loweries Paint and Body Shop. Before then it was the Chickasaw equipment /Ford tractor /new Holland dealership. There was a Billups station right next to it but it’s long gone.
The Main Attraction was across the street. North Madison /Hwy 15.We would sit in the front booths eat /lie /play snooker when the tables opened up and watch. And as always bench racing /lying was always the norm. During that year around spring this 57 started showing up for a few months and would park right next to Ronnie’s 50 shoebox ford. ( had sbc /4 speed ) and he’d ride us around if we pooled for some gas money. It had enough cam to hear and it would lay rubber for 3 of 4 gears so to us he was a God.
This 57 hit harder than Ronnie’s 50. And this is exactly what it looked like other than a set of 66 chevelle /short center SS wheels. Parked in the same spot from the same window.
Started to take it to the old Coca Cola plant /loading dock but they have changed it so much that it didn’t look like it used to at all.
I did take it to Bairds Machine shop because that is were Mr Hubert Baird helped me and taught me so much.The family shut it down over a year ago and has the building up for sale.
About the tail end of July the 57 stopped showing up. Go back to the start of this thread and you learn why.
This is a tribute to Wes Gray. After searching for this car for many years ( like almost 40 ) Wes sold it to me. I don’t have a car like the one that started for me. I have THE CAR that started it all.
My first by my sophomore year was a 56 pick up and it went from there. ( lot of stuff)
I have missed those days. What is it Bob Seger said. “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then “. This is not the end. Now I am as I drive it more and more it’s like a Time Machine. I miss so much about those years but damn it makes me smile. Oh yea and the retro sound stereo is super nice. Worth every penny.

 

Doug I remember when you said that cured you problems at tri fives. I suspect my dewell /gap is off a little but this 650 double pumper did come off of a 602 round track crate motor. I haven’t taken it down to inspect. I just installed and assumed. Its well enough except in that one spot and only when easing around. Hammer it and it doesn’t seem to be there. Being fair the plug wires are stock /and a set of what I had. It does however run a little better every time I put some miles on it. I think I am going to remove the early home made roller rockers and put a set of the stainless comp roller rockers I have. It’s stupid but I just admire the work that was done in these. It would kill me to hurt one of them.

 

The brace on trans, made car feel solid on launch, before there was a spongey feel. Kinda like solid mounts.

 

I love this car so much, and it's great that it's the one you remember from back 40 years ago. I've been following along since day one and it's great to see it actually on the road. Also nice to see it appreciated for what it is, and not rebuilt into something totally different.

 

I am looking for a set of true 5 spoke / t thrust big and littles. Wes said he ran several different setups. I like the look of them. If I put the q change under it ( grand national style hub I can still run those). I do love how a q change looks on the street.

 

Actually used the sears dwell /tuneup meter system today. Wow. Set gap at 30 on dwell. Was running pretty decent before. But there is a noticeable difference in sound and smoothness at lower rpm’s. Made a world of difference.Will chirp tires quickly if not careful. No I am still putting the QC in it. Eliminating small things as they come up.

 

Here is the funny of things now that I think about it.
I always said a street car took more time to build but as I look back I have spent less time on this one than the Opel /willys /or Prefect.

 

Dec5 2020 to the present. That’s damn near as fast as I built my first rail dragster back in 2000.

 

Not sure that you are ever really through with a build but you kinda get where I am going.
Remember this. Time is precious. Build all you can while you can. Of all the things I wish I had back -Time ranks number one. ( wether it was time with loved ones /friends /shop /build time /track time /or simply a chance to go back and do something’s differently. )Time my friends is the one thing you can’t get back. Build all you can while you can.

 

This week has been all over the place. Proof is the fact that I didn’t realize it was this late.
I decided to come in and ride some more tonight. I had been planning to do this a while back. When was the last time you saw a real American Made Sonic Tray that actually hung on the window. Decided to take it and see how it played out. Most in the last 30 plus years don’t even know how they are supposed to work. I drove off with this one still on the passenger window of my 56 pu in 82-83. My sophomore year. I’ve had it all this time. my other reason was that this sonic was built in 71/72. It is scheduled to be closed and dug up when the new one is finished right next to it. (??????? ). I don’t know I guess they think it is worn out.
I still look pretty good considering.
The last shot is on the court square. In my parking spot that I had for my senior year. That was a serious thing. Your parking spot was determined by where you ranked speed wise/bench lying /aka who was the fastest. I was never number one but I scared the shit out of him a few times. I was usually number two or three depending on what day/week /etc.
I’ve seen some pretty hot contest that went back and forth a couple of times in a week. And even a couple of fights when a newbie showed up and had not earned the passage. Got lucky on the photo. Was a good night to just ride around some and let the car kinda settle in. 2:56 1st and 3:55 rear still sucks but it’s livable for now. Qc will go under later. Need some time. I’ll fill in the reason for the late ride at another time. Just trying to go back a little while. Was good. And no the car hop didn’t have a clue as to what I was trying to tell them.

 

Pure. You get it. You're fun to watch.

 

What is it Bob Seger sang in “Against The Wind “? I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then. Or when he was Bob Seger and the Heard. “ Ramnlin Gambling Man “.

 

Rod1 nice truck. Thanks for the kind words.Kinda reminds me of the one I saw in a Hot Rod Mag shoot in the late 90s to early2000? On America’s drive inns. Etc. Like the stance.Or was that the 85 summer issue may ? With the hemi and surf board. Still good look regardless

 

Is that Bob Dylan?

 

The August 85 issue had the Street Racing article by Ganahl.

They redid our sonic several years ago, I know what you're going through. It's not the same now, either, lost it's homey feel.

Great pictures, thanks so much

 

DDDenny. Now that’s a compliment

 

Here is a kick for sign of the times. I was told that if I didn’t want to own the Old Coca Cola building including the side machine shop and rooms don’t offer 50k. I seriously considered it and turn it into a shop . That is Until I checked on the taxes for being in a business district /zone. Ouch that hurt.