1960 Bel Air...Finned crew cab

[1badmonkey]

i would do the flowmasters too, and agree: an H and long pipes will help the drone a ton...

[Scott Liggett]

H pipes are hard to do on X frame cars, but try to get one in there. Headers and 2 1/2 will definitely pick up power over the stock setup.

[Impalarod]

Yeah Scott, I don' t think I have ever seen an X or H pipe on a X frame car. The system I have has the mufflers moved back from the stock position under the front floorboard to under the rear seat in front of the axle. The tailpipes turn down and toward the 1/4 panel just inside the rear valence. Kind of some fancy / crazy pipe bending. The exhaust on the car now exits straight out the back, like you see on so many big cars. I call it truck exhaust.

As far a progress, or lack of, I was not satisfied with the firewall so I have been "cleaning up" a few spots that I know will eat at me if I just pass them by and start spraying paint. I removed the heater box under the hood to paint and also because the air door inside the box was stuck. This door alows outside air from the cowl to flow inside the car. Bad news is that the door just fell apart. I guess I will have to find another box now. Weather forcast for the weekend is calling for 72 degrees so I hope to make something happen (sorry bout that to the guys up north).
Don

[Impalarod]

Small stuff will slow you down. My heater box fresh air door problem is solved. Made a new door, welded it to a piece of threaded rod and made a better lever to connect to the cable than the one that came from the factory. The origional lasted 50+ years so I guess it will now outlast me.

The box is blasted and primed ready for paint.

Still working on firewall. Boring I know, but when you leave for work at 7am and get home around 6pm it doesn't leave a lot of time during the week to make much happen. Working with all of the little pieces I have removed.

[Blazerteam]

Original colours is great..look at this 59!!.

[Impalarod]

Boy, that thing looks HUGE! I know mine is the same size but this made me go out to the shop and look again. The 60 is not as flamboyant though. The color is right for it. The old colors to me look cool on these cars and even better if they are the lower trim level cars like the Bel Air and Biscayne. Thanks for posting it.

[Impalarod]

Ok, been awhile so time for an update.
Got all the gunk cleaned to my satisfaction in the engine compartment. (that was a job) Primed and painted. Stuck with the factory deal of the firewall being body color, created a lot of extra work but worth it. Manual steering gear is off, ready for the 605 box. Next is to hang a/c condenser, install the steering gear, and bend some brake lines for the disc brakes. Slow go due to work and laziness.
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[milner351]

LOOKS GREAT! I understand the laziness - daylight saving time sucked an hour of my life away over the weekend, and I'm feelin it!

[Scott Liggett]

The rest of the car can look like crap, but the engine bay has to be nice and shiny.

[Impalarod]

That is quickly becoming the plan..

[Impalarod]

Well it's been so long since I have posted anything I doubt that any interest that was here may be gone now. Either way, here we go again...
Moving very slow but progress is being made. Decided to take a look at the 700R4 and glad I did, had to be rebuilt. That is done. Camshaft changed out in the 350, Comp Thumpr slipped in. Decided to go with no repaint, patina all the way, re-do inside bare bones, and clean and purdy under hood and slam it. So if I remember how, here is a few pictures instead of 1000 words.

[Beagle]

the valve covers came out great!

[Impalarod]

Thanks! Lots of work and very little cash in them. 25 bucks at a swap meet, and about 4 hours of free labor. Blasted them, Etch primer, paint, polished the fins, then cleared. Hope they stay that way.

[milner351]

Those valve covers are mucho bueno - very very nice. I can only imagine the time spent polishing those fins -I'd surely have caught a corner on the buffing wheel and sent one rocketing into my leg and smashing onto the floor.

[Impalarod]

Yep, been there, done that. Oh, as I said, been away for awhile, You will like this...Next project in waiting, bought a 70 Mach 1. A abandon project, NO RUST, no dents, converted to 5.0, 5 speed, 4 wheel disc...all the hard work is done, just got to finish! Always wanted one...