I found this car for free on craigslist as the owner had just bought a house and this was buried in the backyard. Amongst many scrappers that called I was the one that was given the chance to chop down the trees that surrounded it and pull it from the ground that it was buried in for decades because I was the only person to tell the owner that I had the intentions to try and fix it up. I have owned the car for about 5 years now not really knowing what I was going to do with it until last summer when I was asked to build a car for a local show competition that had to be built for a budget of 5k or less. Now when I say that this car is rough I will tell you that there is litterallly no floor whatsoever in the car and at least the lower 8 inches are toast along with the passenger door. I have an 84 Buick hearse that I am using as a donor for the floor, chassis, and some mechanical components so that I can use this car comfortably for my family and hopefully go on some vacations in this car. Its going to be a full custom with a chopped roof, shaved handles, custom taillights, bumpers, grill and headlights. Oh and this whole project needs to be completed by the third weekend in July...... Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I will try to post as often as possible, ambitious yes but I also don't believe in any car being too far gone. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I hope you have a huge headstart, a Real Chip Foose overhaulin crew and a lot of freebies to keep it under 5k ........also chopped?.......I will believe it when I see it.......maybe Go for it man I will be rootin for ya
Just getting it on the other chassis and welded up solid and running, might be doable by the Nationals. There's a high probability the wheelbases don't match and the hearse frame will need to be stretched to make it work. Unlike most of these swaps the width may be okay, at least at stock height.
I have actually seen a few of these old buicks that are around this year put on a more modern floor pan and running gear.
I hope you get the chassis to mate with the body, and not extending the body, that would be wrong in my eyes, but thats just my opinion
'53 Special wheelbase is 121" and change; mid-80's Buick sedans 118-119.5" depending on year, wagons 115", depends what builder did what to create the hearse. Would be easier to shorten it than lengthen it.
Heres a similar buick that was done like you are describing but I cant remember what floor pan and running gear they used, I think it was a mid 80s full size gm car tho. This was at a 2010 somernites cruise in somerset ky and they had made a pretty long trip in it as I remember. Got any current pics of yours?