DrKrazy's 64' 4-Door Family Street Rod build

[63novassrt]

I just checked out this thread
cool car man nice and solid great paint ,I like the side trim too
lookin' really nice , you are doin' a great job , the sound deadner you installed will make a big difference
those rally's will look good too ,wheels can be a tough decision some times
schwabie

[ronnie smith jr]

I like the vette rally's with the flat center caps. I think it is quintessential classic. It flows very well with the car.

[DrKrazy]

I took your guys advice and picked up some smoothie caps for the rally's. They look much much better that way. So much I'm going to go ahead and have my brother order the rally wheels for the front, and have him wrap them in some good 195/60/15 and call the wheels done (for now ) once I get them.

I also got a nice package from 63novassrt (thanks again!) with a gorgeous grille guard, and figured it would be a good time to get my bumper brackets all straightened back out anyways since they were a bit tweaked. I couldn't get them 100% perfect again but good enough for now.

Smoothie wheel caps on the back rally wheels:



Package:


The dental work for the day and the grille guard on , gives her a bit more attitude.

[GreasyDD63]

Hey they look good brotha!

[DrKrazy]

Thanks Greasy!

Yesterday was yet another 60 degree day in Colorado...and in December no less So I finally got around to putting on the new monroe front shocks which was a huge difference over the blown midas shocks of course. Finally with the kids in school, wife shopping, I went on a nice drive to uh...test the front shocks ;-) . Went up and through the foothills near my house but ended up just a bit down the road at the world famous Red Rocks Amphitheater. Gorgeous place, and by far the best I have ever seen concerts! So figured I would put up some scenery into my build thread to for you guys that are watching.

Nova and Rocks, Red ones.

(Angle of road right there, not drunk driver! ;-) Well maybe parking spot hogger )

[63novassrt]

loookin' gooood
schwabie

[jrdeleon0430]

She's looking great! Keep it up!

[Fredsgarage]

Loving this build. Great car and great attention paid to " make it right".
A real inspiration to all of us.

James

[arndog]

do you have a measurement for the seatbelts or can you get some? anybody know if wagon rear seatbelts would be the same as a 4 door?

arndog

[arndog]

sorry for the multi post, only looking for rear seatbelt measurements if they are handy

arndog

[DrKrazy]

Thanks everyone, ignore the rear end being up so high I forgot to let the Air shocks down after jacking them up to get the rear tires under the lip while putting them on. I like rake but probably not that much! Though it is a bit exaggerated with the 13" wheels/tires up front still.

Arndog - check this thread out for seatbelt measurements, helped me a lot then I realized the measurements put me on little dimples in my floor pan that was already there for them on my 64' :
http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums...d.php?t=116460

[DrKrazy]

Ok been awhile since I've posted any updates, Holidays, cold weather, etc has kept me from getting much done. So nothing big to update on really as far as work goes.
I ripped apart the steering column and rebuilt it with a new turn signal switch, cleaned, and greased/etc, and replaced the broken horn ring with a really nice one I got from Schwabie (Thanks again!).
The front rally wheels are sitting at my brothers shop finally...he messed up the order in a weird way and ordered me "custom" but stock 15x7 rally wheels for the front. So instead of using shelf stock they custom built them...LOL! I still haven't had time to get the Nova back down to his shop so we can measure for final tire sizes all the way around. Not much room on the outside of the current 205/70's in the back but I would like to go a bit wider in the back if possible. Thinking 195/60 or 205/60 for the front...we will see, there can be zero rubbing on my body!
I took it for a drive in the nice weather yesterday and for the first time really got on that 307 small block to see what it had. Yes I've been pretty much babying this thing since I bought it but the time had really come. It actually impressed the heck out of me, at about 3200 rpm the power really comes on and has no problem breaking a tire loose even if your already cruising at 35-40mph, hmmm. From what I know this 307 has about 3k-5k miles on it since it was built, has 305 heads, and a really stable idle (not lopey like it has a big cam or anything) and that's about all I know about it. I however wasn't expecting it to come on as strong as it did and it pulled hard till I backed out at 4600 rpms. My butt meter was telling me it was pushing 250+ hp easily. Nothing compared to my 400+ hp 350 (383) small block I plan on tranplanting into it, but was impressed none the less. Almost bugs me that I don't know what's in the current engine. I do believe the previous owner may have put some good money into this little small block. It did however make me realize I have to make some changes to suspension/etc before I ever think about putting my other much higher hp engine into this little car. That feeling of the car flexing/twisting and the steering getting WAY to light for my liking makes me go

[woodwright]

Just found your thread. Nice rig to start with. In the pics of the car show on page 1, did you happen to get the name of the grey color of the nova next to you? Thanks.

[WTL-65]

I enjoy reading the updates on your car. You have done a fantastic job. Keep the updates coming and keep proving that a 4-door can be way more than a parts car. I have done very little to my 65 4-door in the past 26 years that I have owned it, just enough to keep it working. I wish I had the skills to tackle some of the body work that is needs. I would love if those little dents and rust spots would magically disappear.

[DrKrazy]

Originally Posted by woodwright

Just found your thread. Nice rig to start with. In the pics of the car show on page 1, did you happen to get the name of the grey color of the nova next to you? Thanks.

If I remember correctly it was a charcoal grey (metallic) and black color from a 80's or 90's corvette. I specifically recall him or his wife saying that they duplicated a corvette paint job. Sorry I don't have the exact names but I can tell you it was drop dead gorgeous.

And thanks again everyone! We know it's not a two door, it will never be worth the big $$, it's nothing super impressive, we are not dumping tens of thousands of dollars into it, and yet this moredoor is still a gorgeous piece of history to keep on the road. I usually get a least one comment or thumbs up even when I just take it for a spin around the neighborhood.

I've started to compile more of a list of what needs to be done mechanically after/along with finishing the interior/etc. Just want the car to be a good crusier and will drive it back and forth to work here and there(100 miles a day on the highway at 75mph). Just kinda grazing over the list but let me know if you think I'm missing something....luckily I can do most of this in stages and keep the car on the road between major upgrades.

Subframe connectors!
700R4 Transmission, crossmember, driveshaft, anything needed to keep column shift, etc
Different gears in the back? Possible different axle all together...?
Probably go with a full CBR front upper and lower control arms/etc for better handling. Want stock height spindles, possibly go for the R&P conversion too?
Full disc brake kit on all corners. Haven't decided if I really need to go power or not (maybe just for the wife).
Multi-leaf rear springs (stock height) and all new bushings of course, probably some adjustable shocks in the back.
Freshen up my other 383 small block and transplant it in when ready. Everything that goes with it, new exhaust, etc..

Yea that's all going to take me a few years of course, and I should probably start with the brakes and handling/steering really. Car runs and drives great right now but like a 50 year old Chevy II with a V8 in it. Most everyone can ignore my ramblings in my build thread, just here for me to look back on and amuse myself