The adventure of Project Fat Lane continues. The radical, blown drag car will be ready for Heavy Street competition and lots of testing before drag racing season kicks off here in New England in a month or so. Lots of the “heavy lifting” in this build has been completed meaning that the chassis is done, the engine is mounted, and the vast majority of the fabrication work has been finished. It is now down to the finishing elements of the project and getting it to the paint shop (where it is as we write this). There are some cool and trick pieces used in the construction of this car that make it convenient for the racer to use, easier to service, and more efficient as well. Jon and John at Tube Chassis Designz have been busting hump on this car to prep it for the paint shop where it will be squirted in Wimbledon White with a red accent stripe on the rear quarter panel, so essentially a factor paint job appearance. We can’t wait to see it.
In the photos below, we’ll take you around the car and show you what’s new, what’s trick, and what makes this mean piece one to watch on the strip. Oh, and we know some of you are emotionally scarred by the fact that this car has a supercharged big block Chevy style engine in it. Well, here’s the thing. This is a max-effort drag race car and not a restoration. The class that it will compete in demands an engine that makes a couple thousand horsepower in a reliable and repeatable fashion. An old FE engine ain’t going to cut the mustard in this car and that is a fact, Jack.
Love or hate the car itself, the fabrication work and creativity employed in its construction cannot be denied and that’s what we like so much about this piece. It isn’t just another Camaro or Corvette. This is a 1964 Fairlane that is arguably going to be the fastest one ever built. We cannot wait to see the car out of the paint shop and don’t even get us going on what we’ll do when we see it lay down some numbers this Spring. That’ll be a day to remember, for sure!
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS FOR AN UPDATE ON PROJECT FAT LANE –
Here’s the scene in the trunk with the fire bottles and the puke tank mounted where they’ll live from here on out. Not a lot of room for the groceries but that’ll not a bifg issue
The pike tank is just that, a big tank to collect blow by and whatever else the engine spits it way during a run.
Here’s one of those thoughtful touches Sandahl added. This little spring loaded pin will lock into place to hold the trunk over in the event that the racer wants to get to something back there. Way cleaner than a long stick to use as a pro rod.
Having the sides of the rear wing contour to the body took some doing but it sure looks like the guys at TCD did it right.
We think that this creates a nice, finished look.
Here’s another view that shows the curve from the inside.
It is a plug-in hybrid! Ok, no it isn’t.
Here’s where the headers dump out. The ring is just there for mockup purposes as the car owner was not crazy about its looks. The thing looked a little too “Fast and Furious” for his taste.
The side windows have been cut and test fitted into the car.
The lexan windows offer a significant weight savings over the stock glass pieces and are lots safer for racing.
Some of you REALLY hate this big Chevy motor but it makes us weep with joy. Making more than 2,000hp, it’ll sound boss hoss breathing through the custom headers Jon built for the car.
2″ primaries generally mean that you have an engine that makes some serious suds.
Remember we showed you the puke tank? Here’s the start of the “puke tubes” that run to the tank with any gook that the engine wants to push by.
The car is currently at the paint shop now so the engine and driveline has been removed to let the guys at the Bat Cave body shop get their sand and paint on.
Here’s the welded in mounting strip for the lexan windshield that’ll be installed after the paint is applied.
This is never a view you’ll want when Fat Lane is running. If you think ife is hard now, imagine getting pounded with about 2.000 hp.
The guys did an awesome job on the floor panels as well. Made from scratch, they are designed for easy access and removal so that the car can be serviced.
Here’s a look at the same panel from the an’t eye perspective.
This is looking from the front of the car to the rear. Good stuff!
The wheelie bars were made in house and they’re ready to bolt on and head to the strip as well.
The devil is in the details, right? Here’s some proof. The guys sleeved this tube so they could pass the brake line through it. Looks boss and cost them some time to do but well worth it. This just isn’t a hole in the tube. The guys made the hole, welded in a piece of tube going through tube one and that created the “tunnel” for the line to pass through. Looks pro…because it is.
Chevy power. Sigh…. A Jon Kaase mountain motor would make 2000 HP naturally aspirated. Still, the craftsmanship is admirable
Won’t make 2000
Will go nicely over 1200 and then some with a very safe tune
Will be unique and cool
496 inch FE with a 10-71 BDS Air-Loc on Alky
And that’s a fact Jack!
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