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It's like a barn find from my own barn

14K views 56 replies 31 participants last post by  Marv66SS 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I finally dug this old car out of its shipping container prison. It's time to put it back together and get it on the road again.

I bought this car back in about '96 and took it all apart. I worked on it quite a bit in my spare time for a couple of years. It didn't have much rust, but I fixed what rust it did have back in the 90's. Looking back on it now I didn't really need to put on the NOS GM quarters, but I didn't know any better at the time.

Back then I think Heidts was the only R&P front end available, so that's what I put on it.

The car originally had factory PS and dealer installed AC. I hope to use the classifieds here, when I have a high enough post count.

I'm pretty excited about getting back to working on this car and I hope you guys can help me out with any snags along the way.

The first picture is from when I first bought the car.















Best regards,
Marvin
 
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#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
I finally dug this old car out of its shipping container prison. It's time to put it back together and get it on the road again.

I bought this car back in about '96 and took it all apart. I worked on it quite a bit in my spare time for a couple of years. It didn't have much rust, but I fixed what rust it did have back in the 90's. Looking back on it now I didn't really need to put on the NOS GM quarters, but I didn't know any better at the time.

Back then I think Heidts was the only R&P front end available, so that's what I put on it.

The car originally had factory PS and dealer installed AC. I hope to use the classifieds here, when I have a high enough post count.

I'm pretty excited about getting back to working on this car and I hope you guys can help me out with any snags along the way.

The first picture is from when I first bought the car.


Best regards,
Marvin
looks like a pretty solid car from the posted pics.
this site has a wealth of info and will offer as much help as you are willing to ask for. at times you may get more advice than what you are asking! :D
 
#12 · (Edited)
Thanks for asking.

The body has been sitting in a local body shop since January 6th. Very, very frustrating. I go to check and see if any progress has been made every few weeks. I want this particular guy to paint it because he does really nice work and at a reasonable price. That, and I don't have a whole lot of good options in this pretty small Town.

In the meantime I picked up a 383 off of Craigslist that was a great deal. It was built by Kendrick Racing Engines in San Antonio and run on the dyno 3 times and never run since. It came with all of the receipts and dyno sheets. It put out 547 HP and 467 TQ on 93 octane with just the carburetor and they spun it up to 6900 RPM. The engine was built specifically to handle a 300 HP Nitrous fogger system with hand fit rings, Ceramic coated pistons, Etc. It's got a solid roller cam, Scat crank and rods, and ported Dart Iron Eagle heads. You would probably get upset with me if you knew what I gave for it.

I bought it without an intake and carburetor. I also took of the electric water pump it came with and replaced it with a Stewart. I've got it basically ready to bolt into the car if I ever get the car back.

 
#16 ·
Oh do tell the price so we can all beat our heads off the key board :D.
$3K plus a sprayed on bed liner. I'm a Rhino Linings dealer. I think it was a really good deal. Distributor, wires and separators, valve covers, and mini starter and new flywheel were all included. It came with a new Holley electric fuel pump and MSD coil. I decided to put a Mechanical fuel pump on the motor.

I feel fortunate to have run across this motor.
 
#15 ·
Lots of years have passed and I already had the TH350 and the B&M Transkit and the shorter clutch pistons for extra clutches and the hardened sprag race, Etc. I finished building the transmission a couple of months ago. Actually, I still have the original Powerglide sitting in my garage and it worked great and I don't have a use for it but have never tried to sell it.

I love the idea of a 4 speed transmission because I don't plan to back half or mini tub this car and I would like to be able to drive it anywhere. And, getting better gas mileage would be a plus.

I'm just trying to use up some of the "junk" that I have.

I figure that the TH350 will take less HP to drive than a TH400 and I doubt I could hurt this transmission with tires that will fit into the stock wheel wells.

At this point, I just want my car back so I can put it together.
 
#17 ·
Body

These body shops are horrible & expensive just search on this forum and see all the nightmares of people dropping cars off for months sometime years you need to find someone that really interested in your money and get your car done looks like a solid start ....soon it will be a year hope its worth it.
 
#20 ·
I had a serious talk with the shop owner about my car a little over a week ago and low and behold, they have started working on my car finally. I received this picture of my hood, trunk lid and inner fenders just now. I'll try to swing by there in the next day or two and see if I can get some more pics. Now that they are working on it this shouldn't really take very long because there is very little actual body work that needs to be done.

 
#41 ·
I had a serious talk with the shop owner about my car a little over a week ago and low and behold, they have started working on my car finally. Now that they are working on it this shouldn't really take very long because there is very little actual body work that needs to be done.

Damn, I shouldn't have said that, so long ago. I'm getting grumpy about this situation. I feel like my car is being held hostage. I think I'll push my luck this next week. We'll see what happens.
 
#22 ·
I've been going back and forth for so long on whether I should do anything on the rear wheel wells on this car or not and I finally made a decision last week. I'm letting the body shop install a set of the DSE mini tubs.

The new tubs arrived today and the body shop is already making some progress on the install using the DSE video I purchased over a year ago.

I apologize for the really poor cell phone pics.



 
#25 ·
Thanks!

Man, I am still waiting to get my car back from this dang body shop. It's ridiculous and it is killing me.

On a happier note, I did order and receive my rear end stuff that I ordered from TCI. It is some pretty stuff and is really made well.

One of these days.............
 
#26 ·
Fun and excitment

It looks like one heck of a great start! Please keep this going when you receive progress from the body shop. I'm guessing that you paid them some of the money up front? I've found that if someone is going to do some work and you don't pay them, they'll do the work to get paid...unfortunately. :smle/mad:

And yeah...nice score on that motor! You certainly can't build it for that!
 
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