Old cars rotting away on your route?

[slantnosechevy]

That's a pretty nice resume, I'm sure there are a few in there you'd like to have back. I'm partial to Pontiacs, so the Tiger and the Bird stand out to me.

I have a soft spot for Tin Indians myself. I have the Gee to Tiger. I rode shotgun home from the dealer in it. My uncle bought it new. I asked him what the grab bar was for. He said," I'll show ya" I'll never forget that day as long as I live. I still have the 45rpm record that was in the glove box by the Tigers and on the reverse side is the G.T.O. road test from the Pontiac Proving Grounds.

 

[slantnosechevy]

My deam car would be to have another Early 70s Firebird with a 428 in it.

I know they did not come that way.

The rod to stroke ratio are great on the 428 and the tourque output was very good on those engines.

The 428 is good but the SD421 is better. The 421 was made for Nascar and handled those Mopars and Fords pretty good until GM pulled the plug on racing. Fireball Roberts was an early Dale Earnhardt and rolled those Ponchos in victory lane often. Love to find a nice '73-'74 Firebird w/ SD 455. Those Super Duty motors are some of the very few motors produced by anyone that would gain 100hp just by putting on a set of headers. Ponchos all gain from headers because of those big exhaust valves, but the SD's really gain from the head design. They're pretty close to a hemi design.

I've got a '66 Catalina 2+2 421 4-speed posi staked out on my route. It's a ragtop w/buckets. I've been workin' this guy a couple years.....he's growing weak and his wife is helping me.

 

[slantnosechevy]

Definitely has potential. B bodies are very solid cars.

Seems J. Edgar Hoover agreed. He ordered a few '66 4-door Coronets with 426 Hemis to be used as pursuit cars. Garlets has one in his Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala

 

[texan]

426 Hemi - a documetary history and explanation - YouTube

 

[slantnosechevy]

426 Hemi - a documetary history and explanation - YouTube

Great vid, but the joke is the new hemis are hemis in name only. I love hearing today's street squirrels brag about their new hemis. Marketing at it's finest.

 

[65Goat]

I have a soft spot for Tin Indians myself. I have the Gee to Tiger. I rode shotgun home from the dealer in it. My uncle bought it new. I asked him what the grab bar was for. He said," I'll show ya" I'll never forget that day as long as I live. I still have the 45rpm record that was in the glove box by the Tigers and on the reverse side is the G.T.O. road test from the Pontiac Proving Grounds.

Now THOSE were some memories! If you are ever in a tri-power car when the secondary carbs fully engage you will never forget the feeling. Like you said, you find out what the grab bar is for. A friend of mine used to call it the "Oh !?%%" bar. Those 45-records are hard to find too, most wound up in the landfill.

 

[65Goat]

The 428 is good but the SD421 is better. The 421 was made for Nascar and handled those Mopars and Fords pretty good until GM pulled the plug on racing. Fireball Roberts was an early Dale Earnhardt and rolled those Ponchos in victory lane often. Love to find a nice '73-'74 Firebird w/ SD 455. Those Super Duty motors are some of the very few motors produced by anyone that would gain 100hp just by putting on a set of headers. Ponchos all gain from headers because of those big exhaust valves, but the SD's really gain from the head design. They're pretty close to a hemi design.

I've got a '66 Catalina 2+2 421 4-speed posi staked out on my route. It's a ragtop w/buckets. I've been workin' this guy a couple years.....he's growing weak and his wife is helping me.

Yea, give me a '61 bubbletop swiss-cheese Catalina all day long. There was a guy on the Performance Years forum the other day that had a '73 SD four-speed for sale. It was B Green with 40K mileage. I think he ended up getting around $225,000 for it. I think it went that high because of the 4-speed, you can count the number of SD four-speeds on two hands. Good luck with that '66 Cat, it sounds sweet.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Seems J. Edgar Hoover agreed. He ordered a few '66 4-door Coronets with 426 Hemis to be used as pursuit cars. Garlets has one in his Museum of Drag Racing in Ocala

Jay Leno has a 2 door 500 (Hemi)Coronet. He says it's his favorite muscle car. jaylenosgarage.com

 

[65Goat]

I don't know the year, I'm guessing '67 or '68? Turn signal indicators in the hood. Nice old car, driver's side window broken out but seems to be fairly solid.

 

[texan]

I want to say 1967. They were so close in rear tail lights and the hood turn signals.
68s had rear quarter panel lights, missing from this photo.

 

[65Goat]

Jay Leno has a 2 door 500 (Hemi)Coronet. He says it's his favorite muscle car. jaylenosgarage.com

Does Jay Leno really know that much about collectible cars? I would like to be able to test drive perfect examples of some of the greatest muscle cars of all time. What do you think, Shelby GT 500KR, Yenko Camaro, Hemi Superbird or Daytona, GTO Judge Ram Air IV, Chevelle SS 454, L88 Corvette, Olds 442, Buick GSX 455 Stage 1, Shelby A/C Cobra 427, and I could go on. I know most of the modern muscle would blow their doors off, but there nothing like a carbed car opening up.

 

[1BROWNWRENCH]

Does Jay Leno really know that much about collectible cars? I would like to be able to test drive perfect examples of some of the greatest muscle cars of all time. What do you think, Shelby GT 500KR, Yenko Camaro, Hemi Superbird or Daytona, GTO Judge Ram Air IV, Chevelle SS 454, L88 Corvette, Olds 442, Buick GSX 455 Stage 1, Shelby A/C Cobra 427, and I could go on. I know most of the modern muscle would blow their doors off, but there nothing like a carbed car opening up.

Me for that. I love that sound of the secondaries opening up. WOOOOOOORP

 

[slantnosechevy]

Does Jay Leno really know that much about collectible cars? I would like to be able to test drive perfect examples of some of the greatest muscle cars of all time. What do you think, Shelby GT 500KR, Yenko Camaro, Hemi Superbird or Daytona, GTO Judge Ram Air IV, Chevelle SS 454, L88 Corvette, Olds 442, Buick GSX 455 Stage 1, Shelby A/C Cobra 427, and I could go on. I know most of the modern muscle would blow their doors off, but there nothing like a carbed car opening up.

You might be thinking more of Dennis Gage of My Classic Car. Leno does know a lot but has a complete staff he pays to do his resto work. He really seems to go for the odd things and stays away from mainstream stuff that's easy to get parts for. He likes the challenge to his wallet and his mind I guess.

As far as the new muscle whipping old muscle....I'm not a big believer. The old muscle was let out of the factory with sloppy tolerences. We used to machine, balance, re-cam, etc., etc. We did things back then in our garages that factories do now to the new muscle. I knew local guys who would make it far at the U.S. Nationals in the stock classes with 8.5-1 compression motors. A few could pull the front wheels with 3800lb. cars. I remember 4cyl. Iron Duke Novas running in the 12's.

 

[65Goat]

You might be thinking more of Dennis Gage of My Classic Car. Leno does know a lot but has a complete staff he pays to do his resto work. He really seems to go for the odd things and stays away from mainstream stuff that's easy to get parts for. He likes the challenge to his wallet and his mind I guess.

As far as the new muscle whipping old muscle....I'm not a big believer. The old muscle was let out of the factory with sloppy tolerences. We used to machine, balance, re-cam, etc., etc. We did things back then in our garages that factories do now to the new muscle. I knew local guys who would make it far at the U.S. Nationals in the stock classes with 8.5-1 compression motors. A few could pull the front wheels with 3800lb. cars. I remember 4cyl. Iron Duke Novas running in the 12's.

I totally respect your knowledge of the mechanical aspect of engines, transmissions, hp to weight ratios, etc. I do, however think Leno has an incredible knowledge of collectible cars. He may not necessarily know how to repair one but, as you stated, that is what his fat wallet pays for. I enjoy My Classis Car as well as Chasing Classic Cars with Wayne Carini and any other auto related show that happens to be on(graveyard carz, overhaulin, etc). There is nothing I like more than someone finding a hidden gem in a garage in some remote location.

I like to think you're right about the old car whipping the new car muscle. I just read too many articles about the new Vettes and Camaros and Mustangs and the stupid ET's they are turning. I just recently sold my '65 GTO with a 421 tri-power(NOM) 4 speed, and as much as I would like to think that it could have competed with modern muscle I really have my doubts.

In the meantime, I totally respect you, Texan's, 1Brownwrench's and several others takes on old cars. As you can tell I have a passion for them and could talk about them all day long. I will someday have another muscle car, I just have to get the kid through college first. Thanks for you excellent posts, I learn something every time you make one.

 

[texan]

ahhh Muscle Car stories............ I could go on and on.

I bought a 1964 Nova, that was originally a 6, but someone put a 327 in it.

It had a 4-speed, the rear single leaf springs, were replaced with multi-leafs and had a minor lift
applied, and traction bars.

It had a Holley 4 barrel and an eldelbrock aluminum manifold and headers.

The body was perfect and metal-flake green.

So I thought I was bad, you know. I was 22.

My long time high school friend and I met at a party. I had not seen him for 4 years
and I was so excited to tell him and take him for a ride in my Nova.

But before it came out my mouth, he said hey want to take a ride in my car?

I said ok sheepishly, as I wanted to be first.

He had a dull faded yellow, northeast salt eaten quarter panels, skinny street tire Pontiac Lemans.

He handed me the keys and said here lets go.

That ratty looking Pontiac had a 4-speed with a hurst shifter. I pushed in the clutch and turned the key and
the sound of 11 1/2 to 1 compression starting and the hit and deep rump rump startled me.

I took it out for a ride and it must have had at least 3.73 gears.

It was a 400 that someone modified and it was scary fast.

When we got back to the apartment the party was at, I never mentioned my Nova.

I knew this Pontiac would eat it. sigh..........

 

[Tiny Panda]

No old stuff on my route but plenty of exotic metal.

 

[soberups]

 

[65Goat]

It looks like mother nature is trying to retake that one. Nice find!

 

[rod]

It looks like mother nature is trying to retake that one. Nice find!

do these people know the price of scrape metal is at an all time high. There is probably 5-6 or 7 hundred bucks just rusting away in the woods there.

 

[slantnosechevy]

It looks like mother nature is trying to retake that one. Nice find!

That looks like a '60 or '61 and if it has the 305 V-6 still in tact with tranny, you could get some pretty good money for parts. Not a lot of 305 parts around any more. Plus any parts stamped or labeled GMC or worth a few bucks too. OEM Chevy parts are easier to find than Jimmy. Those Jimmys were made heavier duty than their Chevy counterparts back then. Heavier duty options were standard on GMCs and special order on Chevys. That 305 was made by Pontiac if I remember correctly. It was definitely a stump puller with plenty of torque.