Let's see your hot rods and musclecars

[Alien]

Aside from motorcycles, I love hot rods.  I'd love to see pics of yours too.

This is my 1950 Chevy Styline Deluxe sedan.  It looks stock but has a stroked, high compression, full roller small block with a 5 speed manual trans and a ford 9 inch rear.  The front is a Pinto suspension.  When I was in high school, my friend Clint had one of these and I thought it was the coolest car ever.  It took me 25 years and some grey hair, but I finally built my own.  Future plans call for American Torq-Thrust mags and paint of some kind as well as nitrous.  it's a driver now and I'm enjoying the hell out of it, so I don't expect to blow it apart for paint anytime soon.


This is my Dad and I with the 1932 Ford sedan that he and I built for his retirement about 5 years ago.  It's an original all steel body on a TCI chassis with a tri-power 350 and an automatic.  I wouldn't trade the memories that Dad and I shared building this car for anything.


Ride Safe,

Alien

[G-Man]

Very cool!  I'm a real hotrod fan.  I watch every show and every auction on TV regarding hotrods and customs.  If I could do it all over again, I'd be building really beautiful things that go really fast.

It's very cool that you built something with your dad as well.   

Wish I had the money for my real passion, but I still like to do what I can on the bikes.  My inspiration for this one, built in my little one car garage, was my hotrod/ratrod passion

[Serk]

This was my baby for over 12 years. I miss him too, but was just getting too expensive to keep a 20 year old turbo charged car that there never were many of going... (Not to mention a 2 seat car isn't really practical for a father of 4   )







Along the lines of more older cars, my father in law tried to give me this, but I flat out told him all I'd do is sell it, it did nothing for me. (At least I was honest with him)

[solo1]

I owned this 1949 Olds Rocket 88 in 1954.  It was originally black but, working in a body shop, we repainted it Kelly green, six coats of hand rubbed lacquer.  The stock 303 ci V8 only developed 135 hp but the torque came on at 1600 rpm.  It was ahead of all other production cars with its four speed Hydramatic which shifted decisively unlike the slushamatic auto trannys of that day.  I cleaned many clocks with it until the 1956 Chevy came out with their 283  (I think) Corvette engine.

I ran this Ectachrome slide through Photoshop to get the true Kelly green color, everything else is off color.

[Patrick]

Don't got none. Done cleaned house and sold almost everything a few years ago. I'm getting so I don't even miss them.

[Alien]

I owned this 1949 Olds Rocket 88 in 1954.  It was originally black but, working in a body shop, we repainted it Kelly green, six coats of hand rubbed lacquer.  The stock 303 ci V8 only developed 135 hp but the torque came on at 1600 rpm.  It was ahead of all other production cars with its four speed Hydramatic which shifted decisively unlike the slushamatic auto trannys of that day.  I I ran this Ectachrome slide through Photoshop to get the true Kelly green color, everything else is off color.cleaned many clocks with it until the 1956 Chevy came out with their 283  (I think) Corvette engine.

That is a beautiful car!

[klb]

My 1969 Ford LTD. 429 engine with a C6 transmission.
Not so good looking anymore but a stout running car.
My son want's to restore it in the near future.

[Cruzen]

Notice the plates on all three vehicles.

[Cruzen]

To go with my Cruzen vehicles this 1955 Chevy has it's own identity.  It is well known here in the Valley of the Sun for it's license plate.  About 14 years ago I had the original straight six 235ci. engine block machined by a truck engine rebuilder, brought it home and did the rebuild myself.  After years of part time engine rebuilding, it was the last engine that I rebuilt.  My parents had one of the first 55's off the assembly line and while this is not the same car nor is it the same model that they had it brings back memories of what was their first new car.  The last photo which was taken some years ago shows me and the Dad who Had 1 that the license plate refers to just after his 90th birthday.  He got the purple heart in WWII when the jeep he was driving leading a convoy into France got shot up by a machine gun hidden in an abandoned building.  As a result he lost some use of his left arm and spent a few months in a hospital in France.  While we all saw the photos of that day and what was left of his jeep, he never talked about it until a recent interview for a local newspaper.  Yes, he can still drive and has driven DadHad1 a few times.

[Patrick]

Notice the plates on all three vehicles.

I'm beginning to think you like Chevrolets.   

[Oldfishguy]

1966 Impala SS, original 396.

I've owned the car since 1977, when I turned 16.  Needless to say I feel lucky to have survived those early years.  It was in storage for about 20 years and then I pulled it out about 15 years ago and started going through it.  New interior, wiring harness, engine freshened up, found old original stock AM/FM radio, factory tach, etc.

If I honestly knew how much work it was going to be I would have probably sold it, but now . . . never.  Although those of us that have these old machines realize the restoration process is really never completed.

[solo1]

My son Mark, Mad6Gun, has this 1970 Pontiac Bonneville. He's had it for some time.  He bought it from a friend of mine. It has provenance.  Ray (the original owner) was tired of getting passed by Corvettes on his way to Florida.  He special ordered this Bonneville.  It  has a rare for Bonnies a 455 HO four bolt mains and a four barrel 850cfm   Rochester.  Mark has overhauled it and rounded it out to 460 cubes.
Dual exhaust, different cam, steel timing gears, blue printed,  etc.  It has been a show car for Mark but needs a down to frame makeover (Inidana car, snow, salt, etc) . Mark has a California body ,rust free, but needs to find the time and money to go with it.

It looks good and is a sleeper since no one expects this engine in a Bonnie. It goes like Sin but doesn't stop, drum brakes.   Here is a pic when it was in Pontiac Performance mag awhile back.

[John Schmidt]

I owned this 1949 Olds Rocket 88 in 1954.  It was originally black but, working in a body shop, we repainted it Kelly green, six coats of hand rubbed lacquer.  The stock 303 ci V8 only developed 135 hp but the torque came on at 1600 rpm.  It was ahead of all other production cars with its four speed Hydramatic which shifted decisively unlike the slushamatic auto trannys of that day.  I cleaned many clocks with it until the 1956 Chevy came out with their 283  (I think) Corvette engine.

I ran this Ectachrome slide through Photoshop to get the true Kelly green color, everything else is off color.

Wayne, that reminds me of the '49 98 Fastback I had right out of high school....also a dark green. I messed with it a bit, also had a local shop build up the hydramatic and turned it into a real tire chirper with each shift. The local constabulary would follow me at times when they heard the thing shift, thinking I was driving that way. My good bud's dad was a captain on the force and finally got word out to them that it wasn't my driving, it was the tranny and how it was built. Finally left me alone. Car had 27k on it when I bought it from an old lady who had lost her husband and she didn't drive.

[Cruzen]

1966 Impala SS, original 396.

I've owned the car since 1977, when I turned 16.  Needless to say I feel lucky to have survived those early years.  It was in storage for about 20 years and then I pulled it out about 15 years ago and started going through it.  New interior, wiring harness, engine freshened up, found old original stock AM/FM radio, factory tach, etc.

If I honestly knew how much work it was going to be I would have probably sold it, but now . . . never.  Although those of us that have these old machines realize the restoration process is really never completed.

Great looking 66.  Was that the original consol?  Looks similar to the one they used in the first series Camaro's.  Those gauges were hard to read while the car was moving.  I rebuilt a number of Chevy's from that era.  Had three of the big block 1970's Chevelles and I worked at Nickey Chevy part time in 1969 during the peak of the muscle car era.   My first car was a 1962 Impala SS convertible.  Those cars bring back great memories for me.  They draw a lot of attention at the car shows here in Arizona and bring high prices at the auctions.

[Oldfishguy]

Well, the car had a factory automatic and the guy who had it before me put the 4 speed in (year correct).  I found the 4 speed console and by pure luck it was the correct color. The shifter is a non original Hurst. The gauge package was a factory option I added as well.  I still find it uncomfortable to have actual oil pressure in brass tubes just behind the dash going to the gauge.  The speedometer cluster is original except for the added factory tach.  Needless to say I had the speedometer buried at 120 plus on too many nights.  In all honesty, it was a dog off the line but on the top end nothing could touch it in the day. (Still has the automatic geared up rear end.)

To work in a dealership in those days must have been fun as the manufactures all tried to up the horsepower and styling year after year.

When I started restoring the car (about year 2000), I would walk several 80 acre junk yards a couple times a year looking for parts.  With a backpack of tools and a sandwich for lunch it was a fun day of exploring. I pulled many parts over time (front grills in particular).  I started selling my excess a few years ago and put the money into chrome on the Valkyrie (and heated gear). Most of the parts appreciated in value substantially.

[HayHauler]

Don't got none. Done cleaned house and sold almost everything a few years ago. I'm getting so I don't even miss them.

But Patrick, you don't have pictures of them to share?

Hay
Jimmyt.

[Patrick]

Don't got none. Done cleaned house and sold almost everything a few years ago. I'm getting so I don't even miss them.

But Patrick, you don't have pictures of them to share?

Hay
Jimmyt.

No, I don't.  There are some pics that were taken the old fashioned way. I don't know computers and how to take them from old fashioned individual pics to send them on a computer.
There were quite a few vehicles and now I'm down to just a few.

[HayHauler]

Too bad man.  Was hoping to see some shots of them.  I really like old cars/trucks. 

Hay
Jimmyt.

[Master Blaster]

Just got into a 98 Jaguar XK8 convertible, not quite a classic, but I dig lightweight, V8, auto and air.  Its really clean and performance is hot.  No pics yet, but maybe soon.  Was about to pull the trigger on a New Vette, but came to my senses and saved about 60 or so thousand bux.  Putting on VTs to get the sound like I want it. Believe it or not this thing gets mid 20s for gas mileage.

[Rams]

I went through that hot rod phase but life got in the way and it really never happened for me.

So when my kids were about to leave, I got what some would call a econo ride and starting building what I wanted.    I was never a drag racer, always considered that more of a mechanics race.   I got into and loved auto-crossing.   The car I built was a 1988 Pontiac Fiero (Formula).

I pulled the stock 2.8L engine and transaxle out and replaced it with a 3800 SC, five speed.   Did some suspension and tire/wheel mods to make it handle even better than stock.   While it may not be the fastest from light to light, it's pretty damn quick and it will go around a corner like a Porsche.
Now, the slowest thing about it is the driver's ability to keep up.   No idea how fast it'll go, fast enough to scare the pudd'n out of me.     Well above low triple digits.

[f6john]

   Sad sight I know,



     Been sitting in this same spot since 1997. I was restoring it and was 99% done when my son ran it off into a ditch. Almost all cosmetic damage but it just took the wind out of my sails. Hoping to do something positive in the next few years.



While this is not a hot rod, it caught my eye back in 95 and was the first 4 door car that I really liked. 20 years ago it was pretty hot for a 4200 ib car. This one has 207,000 miles on it now and it still runs strong. It needs some TLC and is patiently waiting it's turn.



     Water pumps are one problem area for the LT-1. The ceramic coated headers really woke up the engine.



      My current muscle machine.

[Daddie O]

Here's a couple of pics of mine:





2002 Corvette Z06.  Most fun car I've ever driven!

[f6john]

 Damn Daddie O, I would have pegged you for a Mini Van1 Looks like our taste in cars coincides with our taste in bikes. 

[JimC]

Here is my latest, I sold my 1965 C10 short bed and a 1979 Chevy Impala wagon with 55,000 miles to get it.

It is a California car and I have not found ANY rust anywhere on the car, including the floors and wheel wells. All I did  was drive it around the block when I test drove it, and put it directly on the trailer and hauled it home from Minnesota. Three days after I got home, I started tearing out the torque tube rear end and 3 speed. I am replacing them with a S10 rear end and a 5 speed trans. I am keeping the 235 6 Cylinder.

[Jess Tolbirt]

this was my muscle car back in '86,, wasnt street legal but it had muscle,,



those 3 kids started growing up and needed more of my finances as time went on so the hobby ended..

[solo1]

Since my first car in 1947 was a 1929 Chevy, I've had a lot of cars that would be considered classic today. I ran with a crowd that tended toward motorcycles and English sports cars like the MG TC, Triumph, Austin Healey, Jaguar XK120, etc. I couldn't afford them, raising a family got in the way.

Now, since I quit riding, I have IMO the best off shoot of all those defunct (except Jaguar) Limey sports cars, this 2002 Mazda Miata LS. Designed on a clean sheet of paper,  only 2300 pounds weight, only a 1.8 liter 142 hp four, but the most sweetest shifting six speed manual tranny, Limited slip rear end, big disc brakes, and 205/45 R17 inch UHP tires, this car is really fun to drive because of the light weight and 50/50 weight distribution. A sweetheart with only 29k well maintained miles and stored every Ohio winter by the previous owner.  The color is special, only eight Miatas were built in that color.   No, I'm not going to spoil this car by throwing in a V8.  

[Cruzen]

To work in a dealership in those days must have been fun as the manufactures all tried to up the horsepower and styling year after year.

When I started restoring the car (about year 2000), I would walk several 80 acre junk yards a couple times a year looking for parts.  With a backpack of tools and a sandwich for lunch it was a fun day of exploring. I pulled many parts over time (front grills in particular).  I started selling my excess a few years ago and put the money into chrome on the Valkyrie (and heated gear). Most of the parts appreciated in value substantially.

Yes, working at Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago in the late 60’s was a hoot.  Nickey was dropping big block 427’s and the rock crusher bullet proof M22 four speed trans with 4:11, 12 bolt rear ends into a lot of small cars such as the Nova and Camaro resulting in some serious performance vehicles.  GM did not like the fact that Nickey was basically building street legal race cars that were then covered by the GM warranty and put the brakes on that program.  There was a Chevy dealer in New York that was doing the same thing.  They sold a dual quad 427, 4 speed, 12 bolt posi in a full size 1967 2 door Belair sedan for $2700.

Speaking of junk yards.  Here is a shot of my 55 taken in a local junk yard about 14 years ago.  A  similar shot from the same photo session was used as the cover of a Classic Chevy Parts catalog.  The theme was that you buy a car from a junk yard and then use their parts to restore it. 

[Alien]

That 55 looks fantastic.  I hope my 50 can be that clean one day.  Unfortunately, my talents run to the mechanical side and not to bodywork and paint.  I'm thinking of taking some night classes at a community college to learn paint.

[Oldfishguy]

To work in a dealership in those days must have been fun as the manufactures all tried to up the horsepower and styling year after year.

When I started restoring the car (about year 2000), I would walk several 80 acre junk yards a couple times a year looking for parts.  With a backpack of tools and a sandwich for lunch it was a fun day of exploring. I pulled many parts over time (front grills in particular).  I started selling my excess a few years ago and put the money into chrome on the Valkyrie (and heated gear). Most of the parts appreciated in value substantially.

Yes, working at Nickey Chevrolet in Chicago in the late 60’s was a hoot.  Nickey was dropping big block 427’s and the rock crusher bullet proof M22 four speed trans with 4:11, 12 bolt rear ends into a lot of small cars such as the Nova and Camaro resulting in some serious performance vehicles.  GM did not like the fact that Nickey was basically building street legal race cars that were then covered by the GM warranty and put the brakes on that program.  There was a Chevy dealer in New York that was doing the same thing.  They sold a dual quad 427, 4 speed, 12 bolt posi in a full size 1967 2 door Belair sedan for $2700.

Speaking of junk yards.  Here is a shot of my 55 taken in a local junk yard about 14 years ago.  A  similar shot from the same photo session was used as the cover of a Classic Chevy Parts catalog.  The theme was that you buy a car from a junk yard and then use their parts to restore it. 

Beautiful!

And I like he background salvage yard too; a "Tale of two Cities" in a different form.

My older brother had a 69 Camaro SS with that rock crusher four speed.  It was literally bullets off the line, but if it spun too much the engine was toast. He lost two engines one summer.  All those short body cars in that era were fast off the line but above 110 or so they were pretty squirrelly.  At the 1/4 mile mark I was rolling past them as stable as a nickel on our engines.  God help us if we ever had to try and stop though.

[Cruzen]

  Sad sight I know,



     Been sitting in this same spot since 1997. I was restoring it and was 99% done when my son ran it off into a ditch. Almost all cosmetic damage but it just took the wind out of my sails. Hoping to do something positive in the next few years.

Do something positive.  Make him fix it then he will have an appreciation for how much time and effort, as well as money it takes.  Then he will be more careful.

[Oldfishguy]

That 55 looks fantastic.  I hope my 50 can be that clean one day.  Unfortunately, my talents run to the mechanical side and not to bodywork and paint.  I'm thinking of taking some night classes at a community college to learn paint.

Paint is not one of those things you can learn from school.  Take it to a pro.  Ask the local car club guys where to go, I bet there will be a local guru that won't charge an arm and a leg because he has a passion for the old muscle.

You can do a lot of the prep work yourself and take pride in that.

[Jess from VA]

[f6john]

  Sad sight I know,



     Been sitting in this same spot since 1997. I was restoring it and was 99% done when my son ran it off into a ditch. Almost all cosmetic damage but it just took the wind out of my sails. Hoping to do something positive in the next few years.

Do something positive.  Make him fix it then he will have an appreciation for how much time and effort, as well as money it takes.  Then he will be more careful.

     Well he is 35 now so I won't be making him do anything

[The emperor has no clothes]

  Sad sight I know,



     Been sitting in this same spot since 1997. I was restoring it and was 99% done when my son ran it off into a ditch. Almost all cosmetic damage but it just took the wind out of my sails. Hoping to do something positive in the next few years.

Do something positive.  Make him fix it then he will have an appreciation for how much time and effort, as well as money it takes.  Then he will be more careful.

     Well he is 35 now so I won't be making him do anything

[old2soon]

That 55 looks fantastic.  I hope my 50 can be that clean one day.  Unfortunately, my talents run to the mechanical side and not to bodywork and paint.  I'm thinking of taking some night classes at a community college to learn paint.

Paint is not one of those things you can learn from school.  Take it to a pro.  Ask the local car club guys where to go, I bet there will be a local guru that won't charge an arm and a leg because he has a passion for the old muscle.

You can do a lot of the prep work yourself and take pride in that.

       I grew up with 2 brothers that could PAINT. The older of the 2 tried to show me the ins and outs of spray painting vehicles. Sadly we decided I did NOT have the TOUCH. I sanded a lot of bondo and even helped on a lead sled. I could lay tape and mask well-just didn't have the TOUCH to paint. Had fun chopping tops and sectioning bodies but no painting. RIDE SAFE.

[RDAbull]

'66 Impala SS 396.  Pure stock except for the Holly sitting on top of the 396/325 HP.

This is the car my parents would have bought for me for my 16th birthday if I had been smart enough to chose rich parents.  So I bought it for my 50th instead.  Had 38K on her when I purchased in 2000.  Sold it this, my 65th year, with 44K on the clock.  Glad I put more miles than that on the Valks.

[Cruzen]

Aside from motorcycles, I love hot rods.  I'd love to see pics of yours too.

This is my 1950 Chevy Styline Deluxe sedan.  It looks stock but has a stroked, high compression, full roller small block with a 5 speed manual trans and a ford 9 inch rear.  The front is a Pinto suspension.  When I was in high school, my friend Clint had one of these and I thought it was the coolest car ever.  It took me 25 years and some grey hair, but I finally built my own.  Future plans call for American Torq-Thrust mags and paint of some kind as well as nitrous.  it's a driver now and I'm enjoying the hell out of it, so I don't expect to blow it apart for paint anytime soon.


This is my Dad and I with the 1932 Ford sedan that he and I built for his retirement about 5 years ago.  It's an original all steel body on a TCI chassis with a tri-power 350 and an automatic.  I wouldn't trade the memories that Dad and I shared building this car for anything.


Ride Safe,

Alien

Sounds like you are doing that 50 Chevy with all the right pieces.

[Cruzen]

That 55 looks fantastic.  I hope my 50 can be that clean one day.  Unfortunately, my talents run to the mechanical side and not to bodywork and paint.  I'm thinking of taking some night classes at a community college to learn paint.

Paint is not one of those things you can learn from school.  Take it to a pro.  Ask the local car club guys where to go, I bet there will be a local guru that won't charge an arm and a leg because he has a passion for the old muscle.

You can do a lot of the prep work yourself and take pride in that.

+1 on that 

[art]

Here is my latest, I sold my 1965 C10 short bed and a 1979 Chevy Impala wagon with 55,000 miles to get it.

It is a California car and I have not found ANY rust anywhere on the car, including the floors and wheel wells. All I did  was drive it around the block when I test drove it, and put it directly on the trailer and hauled it home from Minnesota. Three days after I got home, I started tearing out the torque tube rear end and 3 speed. I am replacing them with a S10 rear end and a 5 speed trans. I am keeping the 235 6 Cylinder.

You got a real gem there, wish I had something like that. My special cars were a 63 Jag XKE bought in 68 for, imagine this $2300 . Unbelievable. My other special was a 57 Olds 98 bought for $700. I don't have pictures I can post and I don't have the cars anymore. Your woody Is a beautiful find.

[signart]

Like RDAbull, I bought this for my 50th birthday. Me and this ol'  '53 Coupe DeVille were born the same year. I bought it from the owner of the Harley dealership in Greenvile, SC. in 2003. It retains it's original paint, chrome, interior, and drivetrain. I did pull the 4 speed hydramatic and replaced all seals, because it leaked everywhere it could. Good thing about that, the underside had a good coat of tranny fluid and is absolutely rust free. 1953 was the first year for 12 volts on Caddy and Olds, a couple years ahead of other car makers. I ain't gonna lie, I love it and I'm taking it with me when I go. In fact, I'm gonna put a trailer hitch on it and take the Valk along with it.