Anyone have a muscle car, sports car or a hotrod???

[NYH1]

I've been getting the bug really bad to get another toy (besides guns :grin: ). I got rid of my 78 Camaro about 10 years ago. I wish I still had it. I put a small block 400 (406) in it. When I was done doing everything I did to it, it was actually a little too radical. It ran pretty good, 12.70's at 106 MPH on street tires. The car probably would have went low 12's if I put slicks on it.

Anyway's I'm thinking about getting another car either a 70-81 Camaro, 67-72 Chevelle/Malibu, 68-72 Nova or a 70-72 Monte Carlo. I'll stick with a Chevy, not that I don't like other brands because I really do, I just have a lot of experience tinkering with Chevy's. I'll probably build another big inch small block for it. This car is going to be a daily driver, I'm not going to get carried away with this one.

What do you guys and/or gals have for a muscle car, sports car or a hotrod? Something different to talk about! :-D  :grin:  

[Graybeard]

Haven't had one in a lot of years. My first was a '66 Mustang 2+2 with full Cobra kit added. That high lift cam had it shaking and vibrating so at stop lights that folks sure looked strange at us. My wife would ask me if I couldn't stop it from doing that so folks wouldn't look so strange at us. I merely said nope.

I kept it awhile, sold it to my wife's next younger sister who drove it a year or so and then we bought it back and kept it awhile longer. Don't think it ever lost a street drag.

One time I guess it was about '67 we were driving back from Piedmont toward Jacksonville on a rather desolate stretch of road with nearly no traffic when a fellow with a Fairlane that had the full Cobra treatment also with twin four barrel carbs tried to pass me. I shook my head at him and put my foot to the floor. We ran along side by side with neither gaining an inch on the other for several miles. My car's speedometer registered 140 mph. It was pegged well beyond that. How fast we were going I have no clue but it was fast.

I've had a couple of Monte Carlo's both a '70 and a '72. Both were fast cars but didn't hold a candle to that hot rod Mustang.

[Shorty]

NY Hunter,
A "daily driver", huh?  
'Guess you don't drive very far, daily.  :roll:  :wink:

[fe352v8]

NY hunter,

For the last 20 years I have been using, “special interest” cars as daily drivers / company cars all, except a Citroen DS 21, have been convertibles

Currently I have a 64 Cutlass convertible as a daily driver/company car.  It has a 455 out of a 72 Olds 88, a 200R tranny, out of a Buick Grand National, posi rear end and gets 16 MPG with a 750 carb.  I visit my accounts 3 times a year in it, KC to Denver, Denver to El Paso, El Paso to OK City, and Tulsa, then to St. Louis and back to KC.  Kids and I went to Chicago and then LA doing a route 66 cruise and to Williamsburg over the summer.

Prior to that ran a 66 Galaxie 500 convertible for 2 years as a daily driver.

I have found buying one with the body ready works best for me, as the mechanicals on these old cars is more grunt work then artistry.  Also find it smart to convert to disc brakes, up front, and HEI.  I will drive these until it is bodywork time and then sell them, always for more than I paid for them.  If the top goes down the price won’t.

I too like Chevy, but have found that I can get a sister model in an Olds or Buick, with easy parts interchange, except on some trim items, for several thousand less.

For what crate motors go for, it may be cheaper to buy it built, then to build it.

I have a craving for fins now or something pre-war.  Casually looking for a 59 Electra convertible with a straight body and interior and no running gear, or a Ford cabriolet or even a Packard 120, sub frame it with a C-5 Vette front and rear end, add a 350 or 502 stroker crate motor, and viola, fun ride and dependable.  Good luck and have fun.

Life is no joke but funny things happen

jon

[Sturgis]

I've got a 68 el camino with a 396,350hp auto and 4:10 gears 12 bolt posi rearend
 
Lots of fun

Sturgis

[DirtyHarry]

My last toy was an 85 S-10 with a 419ci small block and a tubbed 4 link rear. Not real streetable, sold it about 5 years ago and have since been playing around with trucks/jeeps. Right now I have an 01.5 Ram 2500 with the Cummins Diesel that runs 12.80's. It sure is fun to be able to tow/haul anything you want and also blow the doors off mustangs...
The prices the old chevy's are going for now are nut's. I do have my eye on a 1970 340 4spd duster right now though.

[Tn Jim]

The car sitting in my driveway is my wife's, not mine . Bought it for her 11 years ago. '81 Trans Am Turbo, Black, T-tops, last years of the big body style. The old Smokey and the Bandit car. All original and going to have the engine rebuilt in about a month. This one is loaded with air, tilt/cruise, PW, PD. Someone offers to buy it everytime she drives it. Fun to drive, a cast iron bi### to work on. Everything is crammed under the hood so tight you can't get your hands in there and parts are getting very hard to find. But she would get rid of me before she got rid of that car :-D  :eek:

[rockbilly]

Shortly after buying a new 1972 Chevy pick-up I got orders to go to Germany.  I sold the pick-up before leaving.  I returned to the states and retired in 1977, the individual was still driving my old truck.  In 1988 he blew the enging in the truck and I bought it back for next to nothing.  He had taken fairly good care of the truck and my intentions were to restore it to new condition.  After new paint, interior, engine, transmission and many thing I can't think of right now, one afternoon in 1996 my wife and I took it out for a drive.  About two blocks from home a delivery driver for a furniture company (talking on a cell phone) ran a red light and broadsided me on the passenger side.  We were lucky, no one was hurt, and there was a city policeman stopped at the light, he witnessed the accident.  Their insurance company paid off (full bore) but I was so discouraged I haven't touched it since.

My son is into cars knee deep, he has a 1964, 442, Olds, about 75-80 perceent restored, a 1967 Camero that won't be street legal, about 95 per cent restored, and a 1974 Chevy P/U dragster that is street legal.  He told me he has over 14K in the enging alone, it is an expensive hobby, but he writes it off as advertising for his enging and transmission shop.

If any of you old farts want to take a walk down memory lane, check out:

     http://www.cars-on-line.com

You may even find something to spend the grandchildren's inhertance on... :wink:  :lol:  

[unspellable]

I like sports cars, never cared for muscle cars or pony cars.

So this came up in a conversation and I remarked that the Mustang was the original trend setting pony car and was followed by others, a couple of which I named.  So this person then asks, "What's a pony car?"  I thought it had to be a candidate for dumb question of the year.

[NYH1]

I like sports cars, never cared for muscle cars or pony cars.

Thats cool. What kind of sports cars do you like? :grin:

[NYH1]

I have found buying one with the body ready works best for me, as the mechanicals on these old cars is more grunt work then artistry.

That's my way of thinking as well. The interior is A LITTLE more important to me then the body. My best friend does outstanding body work. Don't get me wrong I'm still not going to get a rust bucket, been there done that....it sucked!

Also find it smart to convert to disc brakes, up front, and HEI.

Honestly, I'm leaning towards another Camaro. More then likely a 74-81. They have disc brakes and I'll use a MSD distributor and a MSD 6AL ignition box. But you're right disc brake up front is a very good idea!

For what crate motors go for, it may be cheaper to buy it built, then to build it.

Yes and no. If I was to go with a big block then the GM Performance Parts 454 HO for $4800 plus shipping is an outstanding deal. 425 HP @ 5200 rpm and 500 FT. LBS of Tor @3200 rpm is awesome. If I go with a small block I can build an engine for about what I can buy a crate motor for maybe a little cheaper. The difference is I can build it the way I want, which is for low end torque. GM Per. Parts makes a 383 stroker that makes great power and torque, its just at a higher rpm range then I want. I would have to run a lower gear and a higher stall converter. If I go with a small block 400 (406) I can get just about the same power but at a lower rpm range.  

Life is no joke but funny things happen

jon

You aint kidding! :grin:

[Lone Star]

My current daily driver is not an older car rebuilt, but instead a modern incarnation of the 60's muscle car - as close as I could come anyway.  No IRS ponycar, but an honest-to-god live axle tire burner.....it's a 2000 Dodge Dakota R/T pickup.  It came from the factory with some goodies - 3.92:1 LS HD rear end, HD trans-brakes-cooling, larger wheels and tires, lowered.  
Most of what I've done (with my own hands) has been to the engine:
360/5.9  Magnum
Large bore TB
Custom intake manifold
Head gaskets
Roller Rockers
Performance PCM
Custom free-flow exhaust (stealthy)
NOVI2000 supercharger @ 9.5 psi
405 rwhp, 465 ft-lbs

You can barely hear the blower "wistle" at idle.....traction is the biggest issue....... :twisted:

[crashm1]

Well I have a 2000 Buell X1 sportbike as my hotrod. Street cars aren't involving or fast enough  for me to get lost in. :grin:  I raced autocross with a Fiat X1/9 for a few years till I got bit by dirt track racing.  I have a Rayburn Late Model that my father and I built into a Wissota Superstock that I can't really afford to race, (racecars are huge money and time pits) so it rests quitely in my garage for now.  I find motorcycles to be an effective outlet for my adrenaline fix as well as a way to lose myself in an activity that requires a high level of concentration.

[williamlayton]

I wish I had learned the mechanical skills you folks have when I was growing. I have no idea what most of this talk is about.
That said I do have a love for convertables and owned a Triuph Spitfire too many years ago for most of you folks too relate too.
I would seriously love to have a convertable again before I pass but, alas, it does not fit the need, the drive-way or the Hen.
FE
That is a dream way of making the living fun and the drive better.
Blessings

[xs pro-comp]

Current muscle car is a 2003 Mustang Mach1 but my daily driver is a 2000 superduty with a Banks powerpack. I like suprising people with a crewcab lifted 4wd diesel pick-up. When it makes smoke all is good.

[Sourdough]

The wife has an RX-8 (Mazda, Red).  If I'm good, she lets me drive it sometimes.  But I keep forgetting about that sixth gear.  I keep driving down the highway in fifth, like I do in my Ford truck.  So I'm usually the passenger.  She gets a kick out of driving it anyway, more than I do.  She says I baby it too much.

Got stopped last Saturday night at the North Pole Mall by the local cop.  I was driving my son's ZR-2.  The cop said he was just curious who was driving that hot little truck.  Sure did not expect to see an old man with a graybeard.  Same cop that caught me doing broadies in the mall parking lot last summer, in my Volkswagen Beetle.  My son thinks I'm giving him a bad reputation.  He does not want me driving his truck anymore.

Wife says I'm just going back to my youth, doing the same things I did as a teenager.  "It's part of getting old", she says.  I asked her "Since I'm reverting back to my teenage self, can I start dating multiple girls like I did then"?  She said " Sure, just remember one thing".  She picked up one of my skinning knives and pointed it at me and said "Remember Lorania" (Bobbitt).  That's what I get for marrying a young filly.  And a redhead to boot.

[379 Peterbilt]

This must be the mid life crissis thread for us who wished we had our hotrods back

Mine -  '89 camaro IROC. 350 w/R700 trans. Greybeards story reminds me of mine. Sunday morning, no other traffic, and on a long straight 4 lane highway. I was racing a freind with a nissan who thought he had a fast ride ( yeah right )

Anyway, speeds of 140 mph were achieved by both of us, tho it took him far longer to get up to 140. I think there was a little left in mine, but there was a curve ahead that I doubt one could handle even at 100 mph. Man that was some serious fun. The car had T-tops that never leaked a drop of water, but at 140 mph, the air was a howlin' through them. To this day we wonder what the fine would have been. Maybe straight to jail, haha

I would LOVE to go do 200 mph for a few laps around Talladaga. Say, that's near you Graybeard. You can pull some strings here caint ya???  :mrgreen:

[crashresidue]

Cheers,

I'm not really sure what my "daily driver" qualifies for.  She's a Opal/gray 1972 240Z Datsun, red interior, 280Z 5-speed tranny, totally restored, with mag rims.

Now, ya got to realize that Maui only has about 8 miles of straight road - and they ain't connected, so I really have no idea how fast she'd be if I still had the nerve to open her up.  I just know that she'll pull the "Pukalani grade" in 5th and accelerate.(It's similar to "Priest Grade" in California).

cr

[stimpylu32]

My last toy was a 1976 Chevy Monza , Fancy Vega , dropped a 355 v-8 with 2/4s and NOS .

Mama hated it , she could not keep the front wheels on the ground , Did a DINO on it at 702 HP , not bad for a car that came with a 4 cyl. auto .  :roll:

It was like a boat , Just a hole that you throw money into .  

[buckmaster_kp]

Had an all original '66 mustang coupe until last september when I sold it to my mom to get my real love.

A 1969 Oldsmobile 442, ahhhhhhh, now that's a car. Got a 455 in it which I'm in the process of trying to find someone to rebuild. Got the interior all done with a few free weekends I had before hunting season. This is what it looks like now, but wait till this summer!

[clodbuster]

Just a plain old '99 Pontiac TransAm 6 speed.  Its black and T-tops.  In 6th gear at 75mph it turns 1700 rpm.  It doesn't have a governor as many people believe.

[RCL]

I don't own it or drive it, but I put a lot of hours in turing wrench's on it.



 

[kevin.303]

got my uncles old '67 C10, it was a farm truck, so it needs some heavy TLC. figure i'll swap out the straight 6 for a 396, turn some heads. just wish it was a dodge

[GRIMJIM]

I had a '66 mustang coup as well. Kind of a beater when I got it, bought another one for parts. Spent three months in a freezing garage. New floor pans, new trans ( went from three speed to four) hurst shifter, glass pack dual exhaust, hypo 289 (still my favorite motor), the interior of the other car was so new the dash pad came right off. new rims and tires.

Put it in the interior shop for new carpet and headliner. All I needed to do was finish the paint job. Took it to my friends wedding the next day, and two days later a woman doing 40 rearended me and totalled it. Pushed the rear bumper up against the back seat, crushed the gas tank like a beer can. Luckily the front bolts on the seats pulled through the floor and I ended up on my back looking at the roof. If not I probably would have launched out the window. the cop asked me to get in the squad car to fill out the report and i told him " don't put me in the same car as that (expletive deleted) cause i'll (expletive deleted) kill her!"

funny thing is afterwards the car started right up and i was able to drive it around the corner so the police wouldn't tow it. The insurance ended up giving me more for it than I thought they would and I got to keep the car to sell for parts ( one of the hardest things I've ever done). Still, no money can make up for that car. I always thought if I could ever get another muscle car ( I've had others, camaro, nova) that's what I'd get.

G.B. mine was a head turner at stop lights too. I miss that steady badup-badup-badup sound of the heavy cam.

[ronbow]

Does my 04 Ram 4x4 hemi qualify as a hot rod. It's the fastest production 4x4 on the market. Had a 383 'Cuda when I got back from Nam in 1970. Still have dreams about that car.

[farmall]

Does a Hotrod tractor count? Got a 1971 International Harvester 1066 that we pull in the Hot Farm classes here in NE. 466 cubic inch inline six, inline Robert Bosch injection pump, ported head and fire-ringed block, H20 and alcohol injection and reworked Schwietzer 3-LM turbo. Kevlar faced clutch and Aer-Vac Torque Amplifier!  Rolls on cut and screwed 20.8x38 Firestone 23 degree radials.
 For a few years we were very competitive in the 11,000 through 13,500 pound classes, but have come up against some stiff competition lately. It's been alot of fun, but gets time consuming to campaign all summer, not to mention expense for trucking, parts and beer. I keep telling myself that I'll sell out my share of it someday, but when you open the throttle, build up 50+ pounds of boost, see the smoke turn from white to black and let her rip, theres nothing like it in the world!!!
 "Open Throttle, Drive 300 Feet, Collect Trophy" Thats all there is to it!

[peakoftherut]

I am currently working on a 1970 Dodge Challanger.