Projects The long process of finding a project car and adventures of the new guy.

Get your Computer science degree or whatever, when you're there focus on becoming a Ninja at Linux and Windows both, get a nice thorough understanding about Networking, and learn a little Python and Java. When you're done remember this thread and get ahold of me and I'll get you into a job where you can flat out buy any hot rod you want.

 

Is there any HAMBers near you that can help you out, in a more Hands on approach?
The is nothing like training, compared to fuck good sh1t or get taken by the heat of the moment and end up with a "not so nice felling in your behind".

There is some good advice to be found on here and there is no place like here.

Ever thought about buying a Volvo for daily driver? Bear with me




They drive like a peach, dependable as a dog and takes a good beating.
They can be quick and still keep good mileage and is about 60 times cooler the any S10! And they have a big trunk, for your tools.

I got 23 mpg with a stock banger 121 ci with one carb, 80hp and 4.11 gears.
I get 25 mpg with a warmed banger with 2 2bbl (dellorto dhla) 125hp, and 4.11 gears.
They come with a three transmissions: 3, 4 and 4+OD. They can heat (if you need that).

This is mine, I now run 5.5x15 steelies in off-white (5x4.5 bcd) and everything is UNF/UNC

 

If you really want some advice -

I recommend you spend all of your free time in college on college girls.

You can build cars until you die, but you can really only date college girls while you are in college.

Where you planning on for school? SIU Edwardsville? Carbondale?

 

50 2 door and 54 4 door, there enough between the 2 of them to get a car together and sell some parts, the 2 door still needs a title, you don't have an engine, drivetrain.
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5498591167.html
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5516776766.html

54 chevy 2 door, needs a lot, but decent body and has title.
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5494368943.html

56 Desoto 2 door, unfortunately I'd recommend setting the hemi aside for later, unless it can be rebuilt cheaply.
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5483800126.html

None of these run, need a welder, need engines, wiring, interior, paint, all mechanicals.

Above $5000. $5-6k seems to be the cut off for running driving cars.

https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5523704750.html
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5520686046.html
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5514005721.html
https://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/5501613252.html

 

Ragin pin, 57 Pontiacs are Bitchin. Great choice but ditch the wide whites.

Gary

 

Call me crazy but i think Wide whites and baby moons are about the best looking combination in my opinion

 

Trust me you will need a truck! Buy the best pile you can afford and start learning while doing. Ask lots of questions and have fun!

 

I've been thinking about the 53 buick. It runs and drives and has an extra straight 8 buick engine. I could maybe mildly customize it and then eventually sell it and keep the extra straight 8 to someday put in a t bucket or something. Unique and cool engine. I could paint the car black, put my baby moon caps on it, 59 cadillac tail lights, french the headlights, maybe some pin striping and maybe do a multi-carb setup for the straight 8. Since it has a clear title i could at least drive it on the street. Decisions decisions

 

I love straight eight anything.I am a bad person to advise you.BUY THE CAR.

 

People and their dissin' 4 doors.....c'mon, bigger car, more real estate, more friends can pile in.....

Ok, ok, so tell me where this Buick is. Link, please.

 

Ehhh i don't know, it seems i've lost the link

 

about the sbc, so the valve covers i want to use aren't staggered bolt pattern, just straight across and they also have no breather cap on them. Could i use these on a 350 and just use an intake with the breather in the oil fill neck? do i need a pcv pipe? what's the deal with these breather caps and pcvs when older valve covers didn't have them?

 

And also is there anything that would make it worth building a 327 instead of a 283 besides displacement and hp?

 

Welcome ! Enjoy the Hobby, try to keep your project simple and within your budget, as sugested, consider something done or close, so you are not in over your head right out of the box. You have a lifetime to learn, collect tools and skills, Alot of us have a lifetime involved in this. Finish your education, get your career going is the best advice I and others can give you, Good Luck !

 

I'd say start with something that needs either body work, or mechanical, but not both. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Takes too long to learn both, you should have fun now. You can pick up the rest as you go.

 

Welcome to the HAMB
My dad was from Belleville, I have his Corvette that was purchased at McKinley & Sons.

 

Cool. I am 20, in the middle of my build. Completely opposite of what all these folks are saying- it is all rusty, super big project, lots of tools, etc. But I do it all myself, under a carport, with tools I bought.
If I were to do it again, probably would have gotten a better car. However, keep in mind that at college you can go on a Co-Op. That is how I am funding my build. Also, if I had to do it over again, I would probably be welding instead. I am happy with the MIG skills I acquired, but I wish I had the money and time to learn TIG. I also wish that I had the time to fab some shelves/ tool carts... Is a very necessary skill.

 

Oh thats neat. Still in the area?

 

Well i almost ended up doing this lol. I was looking at a complete but crusty 62 olds parked since 1987 but decided since i dont weld that it was too much for me. Awesome car though and i kind of regret not buying it even though its not as old as i'd like

 

Sadly he has passed, would have been 100 in 2015, but he is riding shotgun every time I drive it.

 

probably going to look at an engine in the next few days. can someone with the knowledge help me out with the intake question? i don't want to end up buying the wrong block if i won't be able to use my valve covers and the intake filler neck. thanks.

 

just put my s10 up for sale. going to look at an older, manual trans s10 this weekend for 1400. Would be a good shop truck and beater to help me fund my project.

 

I may be mistaken but the oil filler tube with the breather allows air to be taken in to the manifold, it still needs a place to expel gasses hence the road draft tube on 265ci and 283ci engines. So even with the oil filler tube you need a road draft tube or PCV valve. Your closed valve covers will not allow the gasses to vent. Hopefully someone will chime in if I'm wrong on this.

 

Alright, so bear with me. The 265,283,327 blocks up until 1967 had a road draft tube already in the block so that a pcv valve wasnt needed? Then in 1967 when the 350 came out it had a pcv valve and chevrolet switched all of its engines to that type? Or is the road draft tube something that was in the older intakes and not in the actual block? I'm not real knowledgeable on this stuff i mean i can assemble and engine but some of the details like this i have no idea.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/pcv-valve-for-road-draft-tube-block-sbc.151629/
Maybe this will help some until someone chimes in.

 

alright thanks. that helps me a little. I'm still a little confused but i guess that comes with not knowing much about it.

 

The hole for the road draft tube is in the block not the intake.

 

I think i finally understand this whole thing. The older engines didn't have a pcv valve they had the road draft tube. To add a pcv valve while still using the old closed valve covers i need both a vented oil filler and i also need to connect a vented hose from the old road draft hole to the back of the carb. I see where i can buy an entire kit for $23 or just get the parts separate. Thanks for the help.

 

Welcome to the HAMB. I'm a newb to all of this as well (1st pre 70s car, I'm 31 years old) the car in my profile pic was a low mileage 4 door with very little rust and some mechanical repairs already done to it. I paid $4k for it. Maybe a little too much but what the hell. 4 doors can be a blast just as much as a 2 door so don't rule those out. But everyone talks down on them. Use that to your advantage when buying (I'd give you x amount if it was a 2dr, but its not)

I recommend buying something that's running and driving or very close to it. Avoid sketchy or no titled vehicles. Whatever modifications you do, keep them to things that will only put the vehicle down for a little while. You are in college, you wanna be able to enjoy this car with your buddies and go pick up chicks with it. Not spend all your time working on it when you should be working on classwork.

Go to shows and see what you like & don't like. After college go pick up a bigger project. If you can make it up to Dubuque Iowa the last weekend of this month, there's a great show up there. Vintage TorqueFest.

Good Luck!!!

 

I recently dealt with this problem. I used the non staggered script valve covers on my 305. I used an intake with the oil filler neck. I also had to have my engine builder buddy drill and tap a hole through the top of the intake for the pcv valve to vent to. He also fabricated a baffle for the underside. It's kind of a pain in the ass... So yeh.