come on guys let's keep this tread alive. lol

 

Ok, well Sat. I had a show to go to, so I washed the Camaro for the first time since last Nov. Wasn't really dirty, but dusty and needed a good detailing. In the morning I got to the wrecking yard and bought some spring plates from a Nova to use for the Austin project gasser.
Today (Sun.) my friend and I tore the Austin to pieces and got the narrowed Dutchman 10 bolt under it. Still need to set the ride height, pinion angle, and weld the perches, but it was a great start!
I also got the front sheetmetal off so I can access the engine for installing the SBC, and weld the frontend together to make it a steel tilt frontend. We played with some mock up tires and wheels to see what it might look like, but the little 14" rears looked funny. I'd like to steal my buddy's front tires, but he wont let them go!
Here's a couple pics:

 

Dude thats is a car after my heart. Ugly (in a good way) cheap, light and fast. I toyed with the idea of 60somethin Datsun diesel pickup. The estate selling it thought it was gold though. It was so small I was gonna build one seat in the middle. I loved the 65HP badges on it. Turns out another guy I know bought it and put it on a s10 frame for his kid.

 

I actually finally did a little work on my car this weekend haha.I pulled off the rear pieces,not sure what they are called,the parts on a 78-81 that covers the edges of the rear bumper cover where it meets the quarter panel.Anyway pulled those off to get them sanded and get the rust off and found that the studs that hold them on were so rusted they were almost non existent,so i spent a few hours making and welding new studs.I figure the original set lasted 30 years so i should be good for another 30 now haha.

 

put my inners in my 80 Z

 

Thanks Damon! It is a body that grows on you, and I'm growing fonder of it as I go along. Definitely cheap and lightweight! I hope to end up under 3,000 lbs when it's all done. Even an average SBC should move pretty well at that weight.

 

I do't see an issue getting under 3000#. I got the Chevy II down to 2775# with me in it. So, just a tick under 2600#. With a 13:1 355, Lunati solid roller in the 630's, an d the same heads I have right now, I was running consistant 10.5's. Also had a Coan 'glide and 4.56s. With a 150 shot it went 9.97. Once. That solid axel should pucker you up at 120. LOL

 

Yeah, I've had two '57 and one '55 Chevy with straight axles, and it can get busy at over 100 mph with them! They're better if they're aftermarket, rather than '55-'59 Chev truck axles like I always used in my old tri 5's.

 

I drove one 57 pickup that still had the straight axel. Never went fast in it, but it seemed to like the cracks in the pavement as is just wanted to keep going for them.

My heater box is going to be delivered today. Really curious to see if its crap or not. Also supposed to get some headlight covers I bought for 15 bucks delivered too.

 

Put my interior in after getting camaro back from the welder. He installed my 8-point cage. Also put in a lot of carpet padding, fixed a header leak, carpeted the trunk, painted the tail lights and some other stuff.