help pickin a car

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Well, i was originaly building the twin turbo 383 for the trans am, but after ripping out all the interior and gettin it up on a hoist, i am not really a fan of what i see. Its not unfixable, but the floors (front and back) where gone, someone put flat pieces of metal there, they seemed to have used fiberglass or something to hold then in rather than welding. they also covered a few rust holes under the hood with the same stuff, and couple on the rear 1/4s as well only those are just covered by the ground FX. I mean it wouldnt take a lot at all to fix it, but it just got me thinking about doing a different more "fun" swap.

i was thinking something like a pacer or pinto, but i have seen quite a few of those with SBC. Then i was thinking about a neon i almost bought that had a sbc in it... Basicaly i am just kinda lookin for ideas, not 100% sure what i am going to do.

[DustinsDuster]

get yourself a first gen S-10. dirt cheap and the small block will fit and theyre damn light.

either that or a Monte Carlo or an El Camino. both have BIG engine bays, and all three are pretty cheap. parts are plentiful.

[warchild145]

4th gen montes arent really cheap anymore, their going up in price alot lately.

sucks it had all those problems, what are you going to do with it now?

[DustinsDuster]

on second thought, id say nix the S10 idea. the engine bay is pretty tight, theres not much room to work anywhere around the motor.

i asked a buddy about it, and he had a good suggestion; find yourself a Malibu. engine bay is as big as a Monte or an El Camino, but the car is smaller and lighter. thatd be the direction i would go with it.....

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Those are all pretty decent cars, but i am looking more for something that didnt originaly come with a SBC or atleast something that not a million people have put a SBC into.
right now i am really looking into Gremlins, but am also thinking about maybe a Chevy Astro with like a 10"+ chop.

As far as the TA, i am for sure selling the entire drivetrain, but may just sell the entire car, not 100% sure yet. if i did keep the TA, I would have a get a TH400 trans or something anyway, so the entire drivetrain wont be used.

[DustinsDuster]

a gremlin would be a bear to keep straight down the strip. those cars are so short, its rediculous.

also, a Van will suck to work on, and goodluck fitting the turbos in there, its definatly gonna be a bitch.

you should get a Corvair to put it into. i found out with a bit of modification, a Corvair body will bolt onto a Monte Carlo frame. convert it front engine/RWD, and youre in.

[warchild145]

get an old 50's mercury and make a lead sled that hauls

[OneSlowCRX]

Buy A HONDA!!!!!

[DustinsDuster]

Buy A HONDA!!!!!

i dont think he wants to fabricate an entire floor and transmission tunnel as well as rear suspension; it'd be kinda neat though.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Buy A HONDA!!!!!

nope! too much respect for myself :bigthumb:

dont really mind doing a trans/shaft tunnel or rear suspension, just wouldnt ever buy a honda. This is still a few weeks away so we'll see if any nice deals come around by then. Who knows once i get moved into my new house/garage and get me new welder goin along with my tubing bender i might just go nuts and fix up the TA. But of course ill have another project going, my GF decided she wants a old car too (mainly El Camino for some reason)

[DustinsDuster]

do you want something older or newer?

are you against wagons?

i'll see what i can find...

[sLoWnStEaDy]

honestly im like a $2 hooker, impretty much open to anything. except hondas, and im not a huge fan of wagons, but i have seen a few decent ones. I just want something different, which i know is getting kinda hard now days cuz everyone has done this to that and yadda yadda yadda.

something form the 40s and 50s would be SWEET but they are gettin so dang expensive now days!! i thought i had my hands on a old '52(ish) buick roadmaster, but the guy sodl them by the tim ei got there : (

[DustinsDuster]

'63 Nova II wagon, already 350/ 4 speed muncie car:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Nova-1963-Chevy-II-Nova-Station-wagon-V8-4-Speed_W0QQitemZ200066465665QQihZ010QQcategoryZ6172 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


'84 Malibu Wagon, IN IOWA! lime green, caged, already a V8 car, LESS THAN $1500 so far:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1984-Chevy-Malibu-Wagon_W0QQitemZ270077083522QQihZ017QQcategoryZ9806 2QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


'74 Vega wagon! V8 4 speed car already!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Vega-GT-Wagon-1974-Chevy-Vega-GT-wagon-74-chevrolet-V8-4-speed_W0QQitemZ120073834395QQihZ002QQcategoryZ6173 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


'79 Monza Wagon in Minnesota, already a V8 5 speed car:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Monza-Wagon-1979-Chevy-Monza-Wagon-V8-Vega-Hot-rod-Camaro_W0QQitemZ300069132263QQihZ020QQcategoryZ617 3QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


'77 Vega hatchback, in Kansas:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Vega-hatchback-1977-Chevrolet-Vega-hatchback_W0QQitemZ270077120239QQihZ017QQcategoryZ 6173QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


'75 Vega, rust free, in IOWA! at $710 right now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Chevrolet-Chevrolet-1975-vega-drag-or-drive_W0QQitemZ180072535259QQihZ008QQcategoryZ6173 QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[sLoWnStEaDy]

OK, did some lookin, i did like a couple of those cars, just not Exactly what i am lookin for, i have a very complicated head!

heres basicaly my two choices:

1st choice 1958 Del Ray:
VERY solid car! running 283 W/ 3speed on the column, but i am having him take the engine/trans so i dont have to mess with that. already did the floors, needs few inches on bottom rear quarters, but comes with replacements, has extra doors, fenders, all the bumpers, chrome, glass is all good, extra dash, and stock seats (need upholstering)
http://i80.imagethrust.com/i/749478/58chevy.jpg (http://www.imagethrust.com)



second choice (if the '58 falls through)
what you see is what i get, no interior and its a solid roller
http://i80.imagethrust.com/i/749476/gta.jpg (http://www.imagethrust.com)

[DustinsDuster]

personally, id say skip the Del Ray. big heavy car, lots of fab work and all. i'd say go with the Fbody. a lot bigger aftermarket, a lot better platform allway round.

[Malibu]

Like Dustin said before the G body cars (Malibu, El Camino, Monte) make good little V8 Cars. If you would have said something about 6 months ago I had a El Camino I would have given you. I have worked on these alot, the parts are easy to find and the cars are easy to work with.


Aaron

[sLoWnStEaDy]

FTR:
-the third gen f-body has a gross vehicle weight of around 3100
-the 1958 2 door DelRay has a gross vehicle weight of around 3400

i have actually "somewhat" made up my mind. I will be getting an older car, 1959 or older to be exact.

[Accord4sale]

I know you didn't say you were looking for one, but would you be interested in a 1987 Supra, complete interior and exterior. The motor is already out, so you could put whatever your working on in that.

[DustinsDuster]

FTR:
-the third gen f-body has a gross vehicle weight of around 3100
-the 1958 2 door DelRay has a gross vehicle weight of around 3400

i have actually "somewhat" made up my mind. I will be getting an older car, 1959 or older to be exact.

i have a hard time belivving that. all other full trim 3rd gens ive ever seen were up over 3500lbs. and BHavliks 55 Bel Air weighed 3500 with a fiberglass hood and aluminum block. just saying, until i see them scaled, that seems like a pretty light guess as far as weight goes..

[warchild145]

FTR:
-the third gen f-body has a gross vehicle weight of around 3100
-the 1958 2 door DelRay has a gross vehicle weight of around 3400

i have actually "somewhat" made up my mind. I will be getting an older car, 1959 or older to be exact.

Numbers are alittle off. I dont think a 58 anything weighs in at 3400. My 66 weighs in at 3800 on the light side. Full trim its roughly 2 ton.

[black88gt]

vega would be fun, might be a little tight i know a 383 would fit but not sure w/ the turbos; vega w/ remote mounted turbos would be a fun little car thats fairly unique

[sLoWnStEaDy]

from book; 75 Years Of Chevrolet
"Delray.....sold for $2,208 US and weighed 3,347lbs"
it would be "mini-tubbed" (dont know if that would add or subtract weghit...)
those big heavy ass stock bench seats would be out. I could easily see getting the car under 3K lbs.

reading a bunch over on the thirdgen.org board, the average stock weight is 3550-3850 for 3rd gen Trans ams. Depending of course on the engine/trans and options. so seems the '58 is actually ligther.

[warchild145]

the 58 may seem lighter but if they had the same things including a/c and emissions junk they would weigh in roughly the same.

Also the 3rd gens are going to have more re enforcement in the body work then something from the 50's. When have you seen a 58 del ray with crumple zones?

[Drifte]

what about the fiero! i want to see pics of it still. the finished pics.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

well, it not COMPLETELEY finished, but i will get some pics tomarrow when i oull it out to move the TA in so i can pull that engine/trans...

still working on the headllight buckets. I am making the kinda "lazy eye" ones where the only opan a few inches, got rid of the big 'ole square headlights and picked up four projectors with 2 "angel eyes" to replace 'em. Other than that, basicaly just needs an intake (useing a CRX cold air intake) and then paint which will be coming next spring/summer when i am finishing up school and have access to a booth and such...