Going to Modified Production look on '56 Chev

The Gobstomper is undergoing a transformation in its carburetion and appearance.
As it is now:



Single 750 cfm vacuum secondary on 331 inch '63 block, '72 Bowtie angle plug heads, 10.5-1cr. The photo below was taken when the 383 was in the car. That engine is now on a stand in my storage garage awaiting another rebuild.



The new stuff follows:
Off the E-buyer beware, we picked up this vintage TR1X tunnel ram by Edelbrock. Soon to be ordered are the 450 cfm mechanical secondary Holleys.







This manifold as purchased was 'polished'. In the past few days it has been glass-beaded inside and out, all threads chased, one heli-coil installed in a carb stud position and new gaskets for the upper and lower mating surfaces.

This change will require a number of other changes.
Lokar cables are too short, new ones ordered.
Coil has to be relocated to firewall. Fuel lines to be modified. Hopefully the SBC at 331 inches won't need an electric pump but I already have a fuel pressure gauge installed to monitor pressure through the traps.

Factory water temp sensor will be relocated to drilled and tapped boss at driver rear of the tunnel ram. Non vented oil fill cap already ordered.

My spare parts car hood has been hauled out of storage, it will be opened up to clear the assembly and it will be reinforced at the cowl line, minor body work done and painted colonial white to match rear half and roof of car.

"Grumpy" style hood scoop has to be fabricated and mounted similar to what I did years and years ago on my C/MP '56 wagon:



Air cleaner configuration has to be designed and fabricated. I plan to drive the car on the street somewhat even though we're more committed to 1/4 mile trips than before.

As I get things more underway, I'll continue to post on the progress.

My goal is to make the field of Super Chevy Sunday at Va. Motorsports Park (Dinwiddie) in the middle of May.

More importantly, however, I somehow fried the dash harness in the car and am tasked with replacing it. Thank gracious for AAW and East Coast Chevy. The new harness is on the way.

paul

 

Contingency stickers are worth 3mph in the traps:

Tires should be plenty for this little motor:

will continue to post as this thing comes together.
paul

 

Some specs on the car as it currently is configured. This was supposed to be a family Saturday night cruisemobile but the past's influence was overwhelming when it was in the build and rebuild stages.

.030 over stock stroke '63 327, stock steel crank .010 under, pink rods, '72 64cc angle plug bowtie heads, 10.5 cr, blueprinted aftermarket version of the fabled 30-30 cam, 12-14 degrees initial, limit of an additional 24 degrees full in at 22-2300, no vacuum advance, 4.5 power valve, 71 primary, 76 secondary jetting; Moroso crankcase evac through road draft tube boss at rear of block to collectors;

4.11 Moser 9" and 31 spline axles, Detroit True Trac limited slip in 58" Moser housing;
B&M TH350, 2800 stall B&M convertor, B&M ratchet shifter; 3-1/2 inch Inland Empire shaft; safety loop;

Hooker full-length super comp 1-3/4 headers with dumps (had to modify #1 pipe to allow plug change to #3);

Classic-Fab clones of Cal Tracs on 6 leaf springs with shock bar and air shocks;

275R15 MT ET Street Radials on rear (need some guidance on inflation pressures on these);
Line Lock; SSBC discs front and rear;

Carburetion currently 750cfm Street HP Holley on Performer RPM with 1" 4-hole spacer: will be replaced with the TR1x tunnel ram and 450cfm mechanical secondary Holleys (may try Holley's progressive adjustable secondary linkage if it'll work on the little carbs);

MSD Pro Billet distributor, MSD 6AL box, plugs gapped at .050 or 060, 6600 rev limit chip;

Car weighs with me and the third seat in it right around 4000 lbs. I have the hood off my parts car. It's been in my storage garage for a few years. Needs some cosmetic work, the air dam reinstalled, stripping and painting. It will be the same white as the rear and roof to give the car a different look. I will be able to letter that hood without feeling guilty, although the car now has some very minor road rash after 8 years of being driven hard and often. Nothing serious, but definitely no longer show ready.

The 327 is the test mule. My 383 needs freshening after the Comp hydraulic roller cam chewed up the MSD distributor gear. May go for the bottle then.

paul

 

This is the parts car hood.



I'll post pics as the whizz wheel does its thing on the sheet metal.

paul

 

Preparing the tunnel ram for installation of the Holleys. I decided to mount them sideways and found Offenhauser still manufactures these adapters:



Edelbrock's current linkage kits for tunnel rams are engineered primarily for the street tunnel ram which is not as high as the original versions. With some tweaking of the arms, it should work.

Additionally, I am bending brackets to mount the Lokar cable linkage for throttle and kickdown.

This is the 331 as it sits today:





I painted the aluminum valve covers which I have had for decades and will use them until I find something better. The 383's valve covers are too modern for this application.



This thing should look good with a white hood, the air box and if I can swing it, some chrome reversed 15 X 5's on the front and blacked out rims on the back.



The drag radials are 28". Some speed rated smaller radials on the front can also give me the drop I want. If not, I'll be looking for some 2" longer rear shackles that are formed properly for 56/57 springs.

Hopefully it'll run better than it looks.

paul

 

Carbs arrived: Linkage fitted and adjusted. I traded a like-new 750 double pumper Holley for the two 450's. Still have Lokar cabling to fit:







Meanwhile, I am rewiring the entire dash.
paul

 

Took the whizz wheel to the spare hood:



Next steps: cut into hinge brace, dress the cut edges, media blasting, minor sheet metal straightening, fitting of air box and paint.

paul

 

Trial Fitting....this hood required some adjustments to fenders at cowl and core support.





Next steps: media blasting, minor sheet metal straightening, fitting of air box and paint.

Craigslist buy for the front end: 2 23AR's for the measly sum of $65...never on the street.



paul

 

Planned paint scheme:



Current paint:



paul

 

Illustration board and masking tape....

8" high at highest point

slopes back to 6-1/2

then drops to match 50 degree slope of windshield

13" wide at base
10" wide at top
2" opening at front





paul

 

Fabbed in aluminum: needs final shaping and bead blasting:







Rewire almost done, all linkage in place and adjusted on intake and carburetors.

Might just make Super Chevy Sunday in May.

paul

 

the rewire is 99% done, so I started the actual trial fit of the tunnel ram, carbs and linkage:





Fire up hopefully within the next few days.

paul

 

The hood's in primer to avoid any trimming on a finished paint job. And indeed I had to cut an additional 2-1/2" out at rear.







I built in enough height to run velocity stacks, and probably will try them.





I will use a '58 tri-power firewall mount for the coil. The Lokar linkage aligns but I needed to add a 3/8" spacer beneath the bellcrank bracket in order to allow the kickdown arm to clear the valve cover.

paul

 

Very nice !!!!!

 

looking good! i been thinking of recreating my old 56 drag car.your firing me up alittle more!

 

Made up the fuel lines with the pressure gauge sending unit last night. I always hated feeding the hose into the AN fixtures. Not anymore. This little gizmo is the greatest invention since sliced bread if you're working with stainless hose:



www.koultools.com

Got these done in literally minutes using the whizz wheel to cut and the tool to insert.



paul

 

I like the transformation, is the switch in the fuel line for safety?

 

Nice work Paul......I look forward to seeing more pictures of your future progress on your long roof /MP.

 

Nice work !

 

Can't beat a mod/prod wagon ! Wheel choice is a bit too new for my taste though.

 

I think the modified production look really fits that car to a tee.

Really a sweet looking project and sure to turn heads.

Jimbo

 

you have a nice car...

 

dblgun: Fuel pressure sender...gotta be electric as far as I'm concerned for safety.

Fast Elvis: thank you

Ford Freak: thank you

racemad55: I agree completely, but money for this project is scarce, gotta do it on the cheap and the cash for a set of Ansen or Cragar 3.5-4" wheels and some Moroso, Goodyear or M&H frontrunners isn't there. Got stuff to trade, but no takers (I traded a like-new 750 Double Pumper for the 2 450's on the ram). Back wheels will be painted black. I have a set of inner fenders from my parts car and was going to relocate everything, cut up the parts car inners and go fenderwells, but budget killed that part of the plan. Next year a set of Stahls will be on the car.

paul

 

Jimbo17 and Black 62: thank you

 

just a suggestion, find a Bull Nose bird for the hood and see how you like it with the dog house.

 

Showing my ignorance: Bull Nose bird?

Really, really like your car.

paul

 

Modified Production was one of the very best classes in drag racing. Good to see someone doing something like this.

What ever you do, try and keep the look '70's period correct...... even down to the decals on the windows, otherwise, it's just not going to have the right vibe.

Do you have a set of slapper traction bars for it?

 

They made them for 55-56 Chevys also, but they are a little harder to find. IMO they look a lot better with a scoop / dog housethan OEM bird.


http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-BUL...Parts_Accessories&hash=item3f1f48bff3&vxp=mtr

 

Moon Rocket: I like the idea, will look for one on the various sites. The ebay guy didn't have anything other than the F*#d piece. I'll say it again, your 150 is awesome, and I share your concern about the front tire size for any street driving.

AHotRod: I had a minor sponsorship, in '69-70, for the C/MP wagon from DA Speed Sport Oil, and the local Bardahl rep gave me cases of his stuff too. Amazing that so many companies whose contingency stickers were available then and are now: Edelbrock, Holley, Milodon, even Mickey Thompson although M&H, Casler and Goodyear dominated. Moroso had been really big in the Jr. Stocker ranks from which so many MP cars came. Stahl, Hooker, B&M, they continue because they built good stuff then and continue to do so now.

Every sticker on this car represents a company whose stuff is installed. No stickers for stuff I haven't used.

Here are the bars on the car:



They actually work like Cal-Tracs, but look very much like the old Traction Masters which preceded the slappers. The trick with the slappers was to lengthen them so the snubber contacted the spring eye, and were cinched. Letting them slap created a violent launch and subsequent unloading. Lakewood bars became the hot ticket at the time. On my original MP car I had a set of off-brand bars to which I added front mounts and U-bolts to preload the right side.

You can just barely make them out in this photo of that car. No scoop on it because I was trying to run Edelbrock's BBC cross ram (with no success).



If I'm to be really period correct I'll have to drop the braided hose, AN fittings, electric fuel pressure gauge, drag radials, disc brakes, the 9" for the '57 Pontiac as I had in the original car and more. Biggest issue is wheels and tires and I just don't have the cash at this time. Call it a restoModMP...

paul

 

Cool wagon. I like the Modified Production look!