I want a build thread too....'63 Chevy II Wagon.
06-20-2012, 11:40 AM
#161
Finished it up last night. I'll give it a B-. It didn't really turn out exactly how I intended but it's together and it all fits. I may come back to it later.
The good news...
The intake temps used to settle around 150 degrees on a 75 degree day while cruising around town. I don't think the engine bay gets a lot of airflow because the temps wouldn't drop much when moving. Last night it was 80 degrees out and the intake temps were 85-90. When stopped the temps would go up a little but then fall pretty quickly when moving again. Didn't see them rise more than 10 degrees above the outside temp....more testing this week
The good news...
The intake temps used to settle around 150 degrees on a 75 degree day while cruising around town. I don't think the engine bay gets a lot of airflow because the temps wouldn't drop much when moving. Last night it was 80 degrees out and the intake temps were 85-90. When stopped the temps would go up a little but then fall pretty quickly when moving again. Didn't see them rise more than 10 degrees above the outside temp....more testing this week
08-27-2012, 04:20 PM
#164
Only ran the car three times, but it's consistent 
I'm much happier with the MPH than the ET. This was run just the way it was driven there with street tires at 32 psi...and it weighs 3360 with me in it on their scales (previously said 3460 on a CAT truck scale). I tend to believe the dragstrip scale.
Pass 1: 13.29 @ 104.55
Pass 2: 13.20 @ 105.75
Pass 3: 13.28 @ 105.33
I'm much happier with the MPH than the ET. This was run just the way it was driven there with street tires at 32 psi...and it weighs 3360 with me in it on their scales (previously said 3460 on a CAT truck scale). I tend to believe the dragstrip scale.Pass 1: 13.29 @ 104.55
Pass 2: 13.20 @ 105.75
Pass 3: 13.28 @ 105.33
08-27-2012, 09:43 PM
#167
Yep, it certainly doesn't feel so sluggish around town once it's up to temp. I'm looking forward to next year! I've been considering a Yank 3000, shift kit, and a cooler...that should be enough for 12.70s-12.80s. I'd like to see how close I can get to 11's without a cam swap or any other internal engine mods.
08-28-2012, 05:26 AM
#169
08-28-2012, 10:42 AM
#170
Yep, it certainly doesn't feel so sluggish around town once it's up to temp. I'm looking forward to next year! I've been considering a Yank 3000, shift kit, and a cooler...that should be enough for 12.70s-12.80s. I'd like to see how close I can get to 11's without a cam swap or any other internal engine mods.
for what it's worth I swapped to a 3K stall in my s10 that was running 12.70s at the time and went back to the track and ran 12.70s. It felt spunkier and seemed to pull better out of the hole but also caused traction problems and I gave up a mph or 2 on the top end. For a mostly street truck I wish I would have left the converter alone.
10-19-2013, 09:39 PM
#173
Haven't updated here in quite a while. Been working on it all summer changing a few things...let's get this thread up to speed 
10/24/2012: The winter projects have started.
For the longest time I've been torn between 15" or 17" steel wheels (wheel vintiques). I was planning to do 98-02 Fbody brakes, but decided I didn't want to be locked in to 17" wheels. So, the old girl is back up on jackstands CPP brakes and 16" rallye wheels have been sold 
Found a good deal on the 11" Wilwood kit and I'm planning to keep the rear drums for simplicity. Wheels are 15x6 series 62.
The wheels will eventually be color matched if the car ever gets painted. '67 caps will go on, the '66 cap was just a test
Since there's 6 months of hibernation ahead...I started another HUGE project. Could be a mistake, could turn out great, we'll see! The cars that appeal most to me are the ones that still wear their original paint, no matter the condition. The factory color of this car is Adobe Beige and I have found several spots on the car where the original paint is very nice...although some places have worn thin and the red primer is showing.
Here's a small test spot on the roof...we have the white top coat, second coat of gray sealer, middle coat of discolored white, first coat of gray sealer, and finally the original beige.
So...starting with the roof, the wet-sanding has begun! It will all be done in stages and the key is PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE
I'm using the drywall sander and 120 grit to quickly go throught the white top coat, second coat of gray sealer, and middle white coat...just enough for the first coat of gray sealer to start showing. After than I'm doing it all by hand with 400-600 grit until the majority of the final gray sealer is gone. After that it's being cleaned up with 1500-2500 grit, and then it will be buffed out.
This is the definition of insanity
10/24/2012: The winter projects have started.
For the longest time I've been torn between 15" or 17" steel wheels (wheel vintiques). I was planning to do 98-02 Fbody brakes, but decided I didn't want to be locked in to 17" wheels. So, the old girl is back up on jackstands
CPP brakes and 16" rallye wheels have been sold Found a good deal on the 11" Wilwood kit and I'm planning to keep the rear drums for simplicity. Wheels are 15x6 series 62.
The wheels will eventually be color matched if the car ever gets painted. '67 caps will go on, the '66 cap was just a test
Since there's 6 months of hibernation ahead...I started another HUGE project. Could be a mistake, could turn out great, we'll see! The cars that appeal most to me are the ones that still wear their original paint, no matter the condition. The factory color of this car is Adobe Beige and I have found several spots on the car where the original paint is very nice...although some places have worn thin and the red primer is showing.
Here's a small test spot on the roof...we have the white top coat, second coat of gray sealer, middle coat of discolored white, first coat of gray sealer, and finally the original beige.
So...starting with the roof, the wet-sanding has begun! It will all be done in stages and the key is PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE
I'm using the drywall sander and 120 grit to quickly go throught the white top coat, second coat of gray sealer, and middle white coat...just enough for the first coat of gray sealer to start showing. After than I'm doing it all by hand with 400-600 grit until the majority of the final gray sealer is gone. After that it's being cleaned up with 1500-2500 grit, and then it will be buffed out.
This is the definition of insanity
10-19-2013, 09:41 PM
#175
Ready for some ugly????
All the gray will be removed, hopefully leaving only the beige and whatever exposed red oxide primer there is. There's hope I think? I so anxious to see how it looks after it's buffed out and the "spottyness" is reduced.
Getting down to the last coat over the original paint...
Just a footnote, I'm not a fan of fake "patina". I'm actually not a fan of the hip term "patina" at all...to me it's just age and originality! What I'm trying to do is preserve as much of the original paint as possible. In some places the gray sealer was applied right over the red primer. Maybe it adds character? Who knows...but no fake patina will be added!
All the gray will be removed, hopefully leaving only the beige and whatever exposed red oxide primer there is. There's hope I think? I so anxious to see how it looks after it's buffed out and the "spottyness" is reduced.
Getting down to the last coat over the original paint...
Just a footnote, I'm not a fan of fake "patina". I'm actually not a fan of the hip term "patina" at all...to me it's just age and originality! What I'm trying to do is preserve as much of the original paint as possible. In some places the gray sealer was applied right over the red primer. Maybe it adds character? Who knows...but no fake patina will be added!
10-19-2013, 09:42 PM
#176
A little more progress. Almost ready to clean up the edges and then switch to 1500 grit to take off the final coat of sealer
A little more progress with 1000 grit. I'm surprised how much primer is exposed, especially around the windshield. There are only a few small places where I went through the beige and I learned my lesson I've been very careful since then. Most of the spots showing now were already exposed under the sealer...wierd.
A little more progress with 1000 grit. I'm surprised how much primer is exposed, especially around the windshield. There are only a few small places where I went through the beige and I learned my lesson
I've been very careful since then. Most of the spots showing now were already exposed under the sealer...wierd.
10-19-2013, 09:44 PM
#177
11/14/2012:
Started messing with the new brakes today...just test fitting stuff.
Mocked up one side to get an idea of what it's going to look like
The new brakes are on...looking forward to seeing how they work and eventually want to add the rear wilwood kit with the internal parking brake.
Here's a view of the caliper mount to upper a-arm clearance at full lock. The gold nut you see is actually at the lower end of the caliper bracket, the silver bolt head is the clearance I was checking.
Steering arm clearance with 15x6 wheels and 3.75" BS...
And just some random pics...
Started messing with the new brakes today...just test fitting stuff
.Mocked up one side to get an idea of what it's going to look like
The new brakes are on...looking forward to seeing how they work and eventually want to add the rear wilwood kit with the internal parking brake.
Here's a view of the caliper mount to upper a-arm clearance at full lock. The gold nut you see is actually at the lower end of the caliper bracket, the silver bolt head is the clearance I was checking.
Steering arm clearance with 15x6 wheels and 3.75" BS...
And just some random pics...
10-19-2013, 09:46 PM
#178
5/29/13:
Worked on the roof a little more tonight. Almost time to switch to 1000 grit, clean up the areas that are showing primer, and then buff it. Well see how it goes
The new wheels and tires. I'll be using '67 caps unless I can find a nice set of '66 caps for a reasonable price. Fronts are 195/60/15 and rears are 215/60/15, wheels are 15x6 with 3.75" BS.
Front tire clearance with CBR lower a-arms and coil overs...
Worked on the roof a little more tonight. Almost time to switch to 1000 grit, clean up the areas that are showing primer, and then buff it. Well see how it goes
The new wheels and tires. I'll be using '67 caps unless I can find a nice set of '66 caps for a reasonable price. Fronts are 195/60/15 and rears are 215/60/15, wheels are 15x6 with 3.75" BS.
Front tire clearance with CBR lower a-arms and coil overs...
10-19-2013, 09:47 PM
#179
6/7/2013:
The roof is coming around. You're probably wondering who would want paint that looks like this...well, I don't know. But the areas that aren't showing primer are really nice and after buffing shine up great. For now, having part of the car showing original paint is better than nothing. The drivers half is what it looks like after 600 grit..the passenger side is after 1500 and some minor buffing. It should really be done with 2000 but I've already done enough sanding for one lifetime.
After 7 months it's back on the ground! Again.
And so it goes...
6/10/2013
The entire top part of the roof is now done with 1500 grit. Looks like a case of the chicken pox Gonna clean up around the edges and break out the buffer.
Finally out of hibernation
The roof is coming around. You're probably wondering who would want paint that looks like this...well, I don't know. But the areas that aren't showing primer are really nice and after buffing shine up great. For now, having part of the car showing original paint is better than nothing.
The drivers half is what it looks like after 600 grit..the passenger side is after 1500 and some minor buffing. It should really be done with 2000 but I've already done enough sanding for one lifetime. After 7 months it's back on the ground! Again.
And so it goes...
6/10/2013
The entire top part of the roof is now done with 1500 grit. Looks like a case of the chicken pox
Gonna clean up around the edges and break out the buffer.Finally out of hibernation
10-19-2013, 09:49 PM
#180
7/2/2013:
Making some changes
Gotta love careful shippers....
Started the 4 link install over the past couple days. I chose the ridetech kit because of the minimal fab and modification of the underbody it requires.
Installing this kit requires eliminating the stamping where the fuel sender wire goes through the body...wagons have the same stamping as a coupe, just no hole for wire. I traced out where I wanted the cuts and drilled the corners...flattened the four pieces, welded it up...flapper disc'd it smooth on both sides and painted it.
The upper arm brackets installed...
You can barely see in the last pic...I made some 1/8" aluminum spacers for between the brackets and the stock shock mount area. I had to make these so the lower part of the bracket would sit tight against the body. Without these, the bracket would slide 'up' the floor and there would be space between the floor and the vertical part of the bracket. 60's tolerances?? Just an FYI if anyone is considering this kit...it's probably not going to be a 100% direct fit since each car is a little different.
Making some changes
Gotta love careful shippers....
Started the 4 link install over the past couple days. I chose the ridetech kit because of the minimal fab and modification of the underbody it requires.
Installing this kit requires eliminating the stamping where the fuel sender wire goes through the body...wagons have the same stamping as a coupe, just no hole for wire. I traced out where I wanted the cuts and drilled the corners...flattened the four pieces, welded it up...flapper disc'd it smooth on both sides and painted it.
The upper arm brackets installed...
You can barely see in the last pic...I made some 1/8" aluminum spacers for between the brackets and the stock shock mount area. I had to make these so the lower part of the bracket would sit tight against the body. Without these, the bracket would slide 'up' the floor and there would be space between the floor and the vertical part of the bracket. 60's tolerances?? Just an FYI if anyone is considering this kit...it's probably not going to be a 100% direct fit since each car is a little different.