I picked up a rough little body this week. I havent got the title yet to know for sure if its a 62,63,64, or 65. This car was started on years ago. The guy was trying to build a race car. He hacked the wheel wells and the trans tunnel pretty good.The doors,roof and trunk lid are solid. It was later stripped and set in a barn for the last 25 years. I really like the "Street Freak" or "gasser" look. I prob wont have the budget to do a full on authentic Gasser recreation. I want to build something I can drive on the street and rip the tires off of. Ive got a 1965 327 laying here, along with a 427 tall deck and a good 454. Ive got a 4 speed T10 as well. Thats about all I have to work with. I would like to build my own front clip unless I can find one affordable enough to not blow the budget.Throw some ideas at me guys. Im trying to save the car and not see it end up at the scrap yard. It does have five lug on the front.
How about some more info on the BiG block motors??? Is the "tall deck" 427 crank same as a "standard" car crank??? What year motor is that 454??? '70-'71???
Deuces the tall deck (427) is a forged motor, pistons crank etc. 8.0:1 compression. peanut port head that will need to be replaced. Its a big truck motor, but if it is solid it is the perfect short block for a blower project. What I would do for engine would depend on budget and condition of the engines I had at hand. The upside is that with side mounts you can swap the engines around at will. if the 327 were a solid runner it may be the first rendition, then maybe the big blocks would come later. Ultimately it would end up with a pair of carbs on top of a blown 427 tall deck. No interior is a good thing, make it rear seat delete and move the rear wheels forward. Build your own front clip and move the front axle forward as well. The trans tunnel is alread hacked so a mild engine setback is a given, I wouldn't loose more than one cylinder into the firewall for a streeter, move the front seats back to accomodate the moved firewall. You are building it anyway and everything that I have suggested is not costly or any more costly than doing it plain. A streetable, light, altered wheelbase Nova would be the bomb.
I'm guessing it's a '62 or '63 by the tail lights and what looks like 4-lug wheels on the rear axle, assuming it's original. '64s went to 5-lug.
I assume that you've seen this thread: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=485146 Seems like a good recipe for the look that you're trying for as well as being easy on the wallet...
Thanks for the input so far guys. Would anyone be able to send me pics of the original rear frame and spring mounts? I raised the car up on the lift tonight. It appears that the original spring mounts have been replaced. I want to make sure Im working from the right place and all. I wonder where the frame ties actually tie into the rear? Maybe I should build my own?
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