Driving golden era cars in the modern era

[David Conwill]

Is that a Vortec 350? Looks like it's going to fit pretty well in there. What's the plan for exhaust manifolds?

-Dave

 

[martinsantos]

Very stylish and beautiful car! Must be a pleasure to drive it.

It's delightful, it's de-lovely, it's DeSoto, and it's on eBay! The churn of the car collection continues. I'll post this one in Classifieds but thought one of you guys who follow this thread might be interested in checking it out.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DeSo...298QQitemZ140517986968QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks

 

[Bourne ID]

Is that a Vortec 350? Looks like it's going to fit pretty well in there. What's the plan for exhaust manifolds?

-Dave

Yes, it does look like there will be no cutting of the firewall to get it in place. A little off the trans tunnel to clear the bellhousing but I'd allready cut most of that open to fit the t-5 trans last winter. The exhaust manifold on the passenger side is no problem, but as you guessed...a different story on the driver side with the steering column to clear. It'll be custom made by Ian to fit the space available. I think too that the radiator will be moved a few inches farther forward to clear the pulleys. I wish that I was more involved in this but it's not really my specialty and I've got a business to run that's actually quite busy right now. So I'll leave it to the experts and pay for the privilege!

 

[David Conwill]

Have you thought about how you're going to dress the engine? Right now it looks like a modern truck engine: functional, but not really in keeping with the '50s vibe of the rest of the car. I could see going one of two ways with it:

1) Paint it the same color as the flathead six, and top it with an oil-bath air cleaner from an early Hemi or Poly V8, sort of camouflaging it.
2) Paint it orange and adapt some early Chevrolet-script valve covers along with a period air cleaner.

Whatever you do, don't try to make people think it's a real MoPar engine (adapting Hemi valve covers or somesuch), as they'll sense the weakness and attack your choice of engines. I like option #2 myself, as it says "Yeah, it's a Chevy, whatcha gonna do about it?"

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Option 2 is a good idea, I think. Gives it a little, late 50's, early 60's hot-rodder feel.

My favorite of the SBC's.

 

[Bourne ID]

Really,Orange huh..? Not even on my list of tolerable colors! Is that the Chevy Standard for that decade? You guys got any other options for me. I'm not trying to hide the fact that it'll be Chevy, rather proud of my choice and reasons but Orange is fugly!
How about Blue!? Help me out here!

 

[David Conwill]

Chevy V8s in the fifties were mostly orange, with red on 1956 engines and chartreuse yellow on '57 265s. Blue was the six-cylinder color back then. I think GM switched to "corporate blue" in the '70s.

Really, though, it's a hot rod. If you want the engine blue, that's your prerogative. I have always fancied one in black with white scripts on the valvecovers.

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

They used Chevy Orange on the V8's all the way up until the 70's. In the late 70's/early 80's, Corvette engines were blue.

Really,Orange huh..? Not even on my list of tolerable colors! Is that the Chevy Standard for that decade? You guys got any other options for me. I'm not trying to hide the fact that it'll be Chevy, rather proud of my choice and reasons but Orange is fugly!
How about Blue!? Help me out here!

 

[Bourne ID]

I could deal with red, but not the orange. My buddies 52 chevy has the original six in blue, looks cool. Black is good too and probably easiest to do . Wish I had all the time and money in the world!

 

[David Conwill]

They used Chevy Orange on the V8's all the way up until the 70's. In the late 70's/early 80's, Corvette engines were blue.

My brother is hot rodding a '77 Corvette, which currently has a blue engine.

-Dave

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I used to drive an 80 Stingray, blue engine.

My brother is hot rodding a '77 Corvette, which currently has a blue engine.

-Dave

 

[scottyrocks]

The last year for the name 'Stingray' or 'Sting Ray' was 1976, btw.

 

[korytirk]

nascar driving experience

race car driving experience

Can anyone recommend a good racing school?

I tried the driving experiences, was fairly intensive

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Ours was titled as such, probably an error at the DMV. I'm not a Corvette expert, just drove it because it was a chick magnet. I'm more of a land yacht guy myself.

The last year for the name 'Stingray' or 'Sting Ray' was 1976, btw.

 

[scottyrocks]

Ive had an on-and off emotional relationship with the Corvette over the years. I first became aware of them when I was 7 because my 9-year-old next door neighbor's brother had a silver '67 convertible. That car was just the bee's knees in my, and a lot of other kid's eyes. My friend and I were allowed to play Batman with that car. Since he was older than me, and it was his brother's car, I was always Robin, but I got to sit in the Vette!

When they changed the body in '68, I loved it until they lopped the cam tail off in '74 due to the polyurethaned safety bumper needing to be the furthest thing out back there, and also probably for style changes. It seems you couldnt leave anything alone for more than a few years in Detroit back then. Until the recent cars, that was the end of the car's heyday for me, and now, Im not too terribly excited by them, either.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I'd love to have a 67 Stingray with the 427, on average they go for more money than other 'Vettes. They have such mean lines! Not to mention, that 427 is a heck of a motor!

Ive had an on-and off emotional relationship with the Corvette over the years. I first became aware of them when I was 7 because my 9-year-old next door neighbor's brother had a silver '67 convertible. That car was just the bee's knees in my, and a lot of other kid's eyes. My friend and I were allowed to play Batman with that car. Since he was older than me, and it was his brother's car, I was always Robin, but I got to sit in the Vette!

When they changed the body in '68, I loved it until they lopped the cam tail off in '74 due to the polyurethaned safety bumper needing to be the furthest thing out back there, and also probably for style changes. It seems you couldnt leave anything alone for more than a few years in Detroit back then. Until the recent cars, that was the end of the car's heyday for me, and now, Im not too terribly excited by them, either.

 

[Stearmen]

Blue Flame

I'd love to have a 67 Stingray with the 427, on average they go for more money than other 'Vettes. They have such mean lines! Not to mention, that 427 is a heck of a motor!

There used to be a T-shirt that said, "sure they made Corvettes after 67, but who cares!" Presently, now that I am older, I wish I had bought an early Blue Flame, I can appreciate straight 6s.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Great motor, never overheat, tons of torque, never blow up.

There used to be a T-shirt that said, "sure they made Corvettes after 67, but who cares!" Presently, now that I am older, I wish I had bought an early Blue Flame, I can appreciate straight 6s.

 

[David Conwill]

Presently, now that I am older, I wish I had bought an early Blue Flame, I can appreciate straight 6s.

I want a '53-'55 with either a 302 GMC or an Olds Rocket. :evil:

-Dave

 

[Talbot]

Sounds good Dave.

Dont forget a truckstell overdrive