Resurrecting an old race car
 

Well, after much thought. I've decided to scrap the idea of buying another car. I'm going to bring my old 66 Chevy II back to life. If anyone cares, you can view my profile in the classified section and see what it looked like 20 some years ago in primer.

Sadly, it won't look much different a few weeks from now. I've got to get it dug out from under all the junk in the garage. First step will be to fix the rear suspension and add a fuel cell. Then I intend to put front disc brakes on it and replumb the whole braking system. Then it'll be new rear quarters, some additional body work, along with new door hinges. Also have a new rear glass, the original was broken and replaced with lexan. One of the stupidest things I did was pop rivet the rear trim back on, Paddock replacement trim is gonna run me $240 bucks, that was an expensive stupid!! It's got a fiberglass nose that will need to be shored up as well.

Once all that is done, it'll be onto rebuilding the motor, overhauling the transmission, a complete rewire job. Anyone know if I can have an MSD 7AL-2 rejuvenated? The mice got to it, chewed up some of the wiring. I'll have to gut all the wiring and interior. I have no clue as to how I'll get the headliner out, the roll cage is close, LOL.

This'll definitely NOT be a short term project. Got 20 years worth of neglect to address. It won't be a show car but I want to make it both nice and legal to take anywhere in the country. Although odds are it'll never get out of the Indiana-Kentucky-Illinois-Ohio region.

Let the fun begin!

Good luck with your project. Just make sure you have fun with it.

Good luck with the build at least you have one of those very nice cars that is a good one to put back together.
MSD can redo the box for you .

Heres an attaboy and good luck Robert.
suicidebomb

Good luck on rebuild, better off doing it yourself this way you know what you have!!!!!!!

Re: Resurrecting an old race car
 

YES!! I LOVE THOSE CARS. I was wondering why you wanted to buy a new car if you had a ChevyII already tubbed. GOOD CALL.
Would love to check it out sometime when ya get it dug out. :D

my old car
 

Thanks guys, for the encouragement. Biggest headache I see so far, this car is a double edged sword. I'm not only rebuilding a race car but being it's an old "classic", body parts, trim pieces, ect, are restoration or showcar stuff = $$$, LOL!! Got to envision the end product. Like they say on one of the Sunday morning car shows, "don't crush'em, restore'em". That is now my current goal.

I'm already estimating $600+ in parts just to straighten the old body. I figure the miniscule budget I had set aside for a good roller, MIGHT get me started, LOL!!!!! I'm gonna speak with an old competitor up in Indy about redoing the suspension, I'm sure that will take a huge chunk out of my budget. Don't even want to talk about motor and tranny's. YET!

Tod, PM me and I'll give you my home phone #. I may have it out and up on dolleys by this weekend. Alot will depend on whether I work Saturday or not. Prepare to be underwhelmed, it ain't real pretty to look at right now. It;s got 20 years worth of dirt and birdsh-- that will need to be cleaned off. It's definitely a restoration project. First step once I get it out, will be to pull the motor and transmission. Then pull the doors and gut the interior and wiring, alot of it, anyway.

I hope you guys will laugh with me on this, I wanted a Fox body Mustang roller. Was goinna just slap in a junkyard motor and tranny, put an intake and carb on it, a set of good headers and go to the track. This is going to be alot more work than that. Also, maybe, just maybe things worked out this way for a reason. Perhaps this was the path I was meant to go down.

If I were literate enough, I'd post some pictures from time to time. I've never mastered the art of sizing pictures to fit these pages.

Hey Bomb, is the Interstate Hotel still there in Independence? The good wife and I spent one of the worst nites of our lives there 17-18 years ago, LOL. Learned a valuable lesson, no matter how tired you are, if there's bulletproof glass between you and the clerk AND they charge a deposit for the room key, just turn around and go on down the road!!!

Naw, I think it'a gone, but if it's where I think it was, thats a war zone after the sun goes down. Now yall have to go to Blue Springs to stay at an Interstate Hotel. Blue Springs was a favorite haunt of the James, Youngers, and Bill Quantrill. These boys got themselves famous for shooting up the good citizens, and burning the town of Lawrence, Kansas. The people of Kansas are still pretty TESTY over the whole incident.

I was born in 66' and the Chevy 11 is my favorite, Its funny as i never had one yet. Good luck, Killer Ken

The 66 ChevyII is the Best looking little Chevy ever.Good call!!