Hot Rods are better...

[lazs2]

Now than the "good ol days" in a lot of ways... In the old days... 450 HP was a motor that you could hardly drive on the street even on 97 octane...  rear gears were 3.90 to 4.56 to get that killer acceleration and tires didn't bite very well..

now... 450 hp is childs play and you can idle in traffic all day with the AC on with a tank full of 91 octane piss.

6 speeds mean that you have 4.56 gears for the first four and then like 3.00's for 6th.    Tires hook up and still ride well and go 20,000 miles (if you keep from smoking em too much) and... work good going around corners.

Brakes that  were poor to decent are now excellent to... better than anything you can buy off the showroom floor from any country... same for handling.

good times to live in.

lazs

[Skuzzy]

Did you catch the "Hot Rod" marathon on Discovery this last weekend?  Some beautiful cars and some incredible attention to detail.

The 'frame up' 56 Chevy from the junkyard was awesome.

[BlueJ1]

I watched that. Sweet cars.

[JB73]

Originally posted by Skuzzy
Did you catch the "Hot Rod" marathon on Discovery this last weekend?  Some beautiful cars and some incredible attention to detail.

The 'frame up' 56 Chevy from the junkyard was awesome.

i liked the black hot rod the younger guy built.


that older guy's "concept" or whatever i didn't like, nor his attitude too much like paul sr. on chopper (i can't stand him).

[Modas]

I'm just now getting ready to start a frame-up restoration on a '64 Chevy Impala convertible.  I hope to get started  after I get back from Germany in October

I figure if I can get it complete in 5 years, I'm gonna be doing good.  I'm getting a lot of pressure to keep it stock, but I don't think I'm going to.

Going to do the following (for starters)

replace 283 with 383 stroker (450 HP baby )
front/rear disk brakes
change from automatic to manual transmission
digital console
add power steering and brakes

I can hardly wait to get my hands dirty.

[Mini D]

I'm a firm believer in "doing what you want" with hot rods / classics.  I've not seen a correlation between custom or original being more desireable on the resale market, so do what you want and if you go to sell it hope there's someone out there that liked what you did.

Modas...

I hate digital dash conversions.  I haven't seen many that didn't look like total cheese.  My cousin did it on his 57 and it was almost laughable.

Power steering and brakes is almost a must if you're going to drive it.  I'd also recomend looking for some kind of decent rear disc brake kit.  I'm not sure what the '64 used for it's steering, but I'd look into a rack and pinion steering setup if it doesn't already have one.

[Modas]

Mini -

the digital conversion I was looking at was from Dakotadigital.  They looked pretty nice, but at this point, I'm so far from needing that particular part, I'll probably change my mind 15 times before hand.

A project like this is a little daunting.  But I have a good digital camera on order and I figure take pictures of everthing before, during and after disassembly, and hopefully I won't have to many parts left over after I'm all done.  

Gonna be a fun project for sure.

[AWCHKRS]

Originally posted by lazs2
Now than the "good ol days" in a lot of ways... In the old days... 450 HP was a motor that you could hardly drive on the street even on 97 octane...  rear gears were 3.90 to 4.56 to get that killer acceleration and tires didn't bite very well..

now... 450 hp is childs play and you can idle in traffic all day with the AC on with a tank full of 91 octane piss.

6 speeds mean that you have 4.56 gears for the first four and then like 3.00's for 6th.    Tires hook up and still ride well and go 20,000 miles (if you keep from smoking em too much) and... work good going around corners.

Brakes that  were poor to decent are now excellent to... better than anything you can buy off the showroom floor from any country... same for handling.

good times to live in.

 RightOn Laz...
 The wife drives an '03 Mercury Marauder , and I drive an '02 Ford Lightning ......

  We also have fond memories of one of our famiely buggys ...
 a 1964 Dodge  (factory aluminum front end) that was a 426 Hemi that eventualy wound up as a 486 Ci stroker motor . ran in the high 120's in the 10s ..... LOL   car was a legal NHRA B/Gas ...
 
  Those were fun days .....
  CHECKERS


lazs

[Maverick]

I've got a 435 HP machine with a 3.9 rear end and plenty of traction. I "idle" at 65 MPH at about 1425 RPM and only about 7lbs turbo boost with up to 30 available. These ARE the good old days.

[narsus]

tossing the idea of finding a 66 or 67 chevelle and blending the old with the new, thinking a 454, 780 cfm carb, with a modern 6 speed tranny, and some 17 - 18 inch wheels for grip. Something I can dig my teeth into.

Next spring doing some mods on my 2004 GTO

ported cylinder heads
Custom cam and push rods
New headers
2.5 inch exhaust
New Chip
4 inch intake

let alone new tires and rims, brakes and suspension.

should get a bit over 500 hp, and in the 11's with it

[Cougar68]

Originally posted by JB73
i liked the black hot rod the younger guy built.


that older guy's "concept" or whatever i didn't like, nor his attitude too much like paul sr. on chopper (i can't stand him).

I liked the basic idea of the black hot rod, but the younger guy has a loooong way to go before he can get cocky about his work.  I thought it was laughable that his rod couldn't run w/out dripping water, had to have the driver's hood propped open since it wouldn't close and the stops removed from the trunk since it wasn't adjusted right.  Then he goes and wins best engine and best fit and finish.  Shows you a lot about the judging right there....

Back on topic, you're soooo right Lazs.  I started in muscle cars about 17 years ago.  That was right before all the good stuff started hitting the market.  The boom in the aftermarket has been sensational over the last 7 or 8 years.  To be able to go down to your local dealership and pick up a 400 horse crate engine for around 5k would've been unthinkable  even a decade ago.  Now it's common place with the factories pushing the performance envelope farther and farther everyday.  

Right now I have '68 and '70 Cougars that I'm building.  My original thought was one for street, one for strip.  After looking at all the stuff on the market now, there's no need to choose!!  Both of them will end up being behemoth's that still ride like an old Cadillac.  Incredible stuff for sure.....

[GreenCloud]

our boy ..RajnMAW has mnay a classic ride..he rebuilds thenhimself..

from what i have seen in pics sent thru squad email..he is very good..he lives in alaska..hopefully heel post soem pics in here..


he just got thru soem heart surgey stuff so he a bit whinny right now..lolol


Love
BiGB
xoxo

[Airhead]

Originally posted by Maverick
I've got a 435 HP machine with a 3.9 rear end and plenty of traction. I "idle" at 65 MPH at about 1425 RPM and only about 7lbs turbo boost with up to 30 available. These ARE the good old days.

Ah.... Diesel, eh Mav?

[Maverick]

Yep and a nice autoshift 10 speed.  

[Mini D]

Originally posted by narsus
tossing the idea of finding a 66 or 67 chevelle and blending the old with the new, thinking a 454, 780 cfm carb, with a modern 6 speed tranny, and some 17 - 18 inch wheels for grip. Something I can dig my teeth into.

I know a guy that has a 66 with about 34,000 original miles.  The paint is thin from being 40 years old, but the car is in incredible condition.  I believe he's still trying to sell it for $10k or so.  It's always nice to start with a mint body and interior... especially if you're planning on dropping an engine in anyways.