Outside!! There is something about seeing her outside of the confines of the garage for the very first time, actually starting to look like a car. This AM she is going for her exhaust work, and I snapped these while waiting for the pick up.
Very Nice!! Quick, throw the carb on and a bucket inside before the pick up gets there, that way you can drive it back Looks awsome!
All right!,,I remember that first time my truck was pushed outside,,,looked about the same way,,I know your stoked,,car looks great! HRP
Looks real good, I can't wait till my A is a roller. That is what I want my SBC to look like, stock and new!
Oh Baby!! Be sure to keep the progress pics coming. That reminds me of my high school ride back in 1962 Wish I had her today. Frank
Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement. Input from the HAMB on this car is the best motivation I know. To have Frank say that this car reminded him of his 60s hot rod is the best compliment I could get! The whole idea from day one has been to try to get as close as possible to what you and I would have done as a couple of teenagers building a hot rod in their back yard in 1959, and while there have been some concessions along the way, (u-joints to the 40 Ford steering box, later rear end, aluminum radiator, etc.) it is good to hear comments like yours! One of the biggest problems for me was the exhaust. When we were mocking the car up it didnt look as if the stock 55-56 exhaust would work, and we fitted a set of tight tuck headers, pretty much a no brainer to plumb. But the things never looked right in there, and this past week, two days before the appointment for the exhaust work, we reinstalled the original manifolds and called the exhaust guy out to look at it. I think we can work them in, he said. The only observation he made was hed really like to use 1 3/4 pipe. This is exactly what I wanted to hear! To my eye, the 1 3/4 exhaust pipe is correct for late 50s/early 60s car. What I didnt know, he said the motor will make better torque with a reduced exhaust pipe, and if I understand it rightly, a 265 mouse can use a little extra torque. Anyway, it is hard to get a picture of the great job these guys did snaking that pipe around the steering and still having it look so good. They also hooked up the lake plugs, (a 50's/60s must have, IMO,) and ran 1 3/4 all the way to the back. Talk about motivation to crank the thing!! Last night I put the radiator on for the last time, and now begins the next phase of assembly. The muffler guy is having a big one day hot rod show at his place in Wilmington on December 5th, which would be a sweet coming out party for our little coupe. More motivation! Also, if youre in the area, the gathering of hoodlums and rabble rousers is supposedly a pretty good couple of hours. Finally, if you need any sort of exhaust work in the SE NC area, this guy is worth checking out! PM for additional information.
The Jalopy Journal
