1955 Chevrolet Bel Air More Door For A 16 Year Old

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
6,076
Reaction score
7,743
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
Been after a big one. I think 68-73 is what im after Sir.
Yep, 3.25" stroke will be the foundation of a new engine I wanna build.
I wanna build a 40 year old 327 and smoke some fancy vortex with it.
Prolly have to lie and say its just a 350 cuz nobody would believe me anyways.
I have a 60 year old 327, but no camel humps…
 

idahovette

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Posts
7,237
Reaction score
15,790
Location
Weiser Idaho
First Name
Perry
Truck Year
1975-1979
Truck Model
K20-K10
Engine Size
350
@Frankenchevy you have a first year 327? Cool !! Where did you get it? How long you had it? The .030 over 327 we put in Kooper's S10, is an early 327 block. It has later 1.94/1.50 heads and a Quadrajet and matching manifold, later, 69 up style. Got some old double hump heads, but we needed the accessory holes. Son, Tony has a February 65, block that a guy in Seattle was looking for, to use in his 65 Corvette. The numbers were exactly what he wanted, but he did not want to pay Tony's price!! We were going to deliver it! Will clean up easily at .020/.030. Have the crank and the rods all of it for $500. Not bad for the correct numbers for your Corvette!!!! Any way yours may be worth some thing to the right person, Jeremy!!!
 

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
6,076
Reaction score
7,743
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
@Frankenchevy you have a first year 327? Cool !! Where did you get it? How long you had it? The .030 over 327 we put in Kooper's S10, is an early 327 block. It has later 1.94/1.50 heads and a Quadrajet and matching manifold, later, 69 up style. Got some old double hump heads, but we needed the accessory holes. Son, Tony has a February 65, block that a guy in Seattle was looking for, to use in his 65 Corvette. The numbers were exactly what he wanted, but he did not want to pay Tony's price!! We were going to deliver it! Will clean up easily at .020/.030. Have the crank and the rods all of it for $500. Not bad for the correct numbers for your Corvette!!!! Any way yours may be worth some thing to the right person, Jeremy!!!
It’s been a while since I ran the numbers, but I believe it would be correct in a ‘62 impala…

…62 something anyway. It is what was installed in my truck prior to the Vortec that Rusty dreads so much. It definitely liked being above 3000rpm.

I’ll snap another photo of the numbers today. IIRC, the gunship battleship gray block paint was correct for that year. Can’t recall though.
 

Frankenchevy

Proverbs 16:18
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Posts
6,076
Reaction score
7,743
Location
USA
First Name
Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
Here’s the casting number:
You must be registered for see images attach


Edit: upon further research, 62-67 327. The grayish color was only on truck engines, so probably not an impala.
 
Last edited:

Catbox

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Posts
4,443
Reaction score
16,632
Location
Just Outside of Portland Oregon
First Name
Peter
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Silverado Camper Special
Engine Size
461
I'm a fan of 4 doors. Love the car and it's great to see you and youe son with a great project. I love the original battery. If I had one of those, I'd figure out a way to gut it, and use it as a small storage box in the car. Best of luck to you both, and I'm sure I speak for a lot of us, keep the pics coming
It turns out that the battery was a total loss.
When it was removed, it was in very bad shape everywhere you couldn't see it.
Sadly, it will be missed...
 

Catbox

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Posts
4,443
Reaction score
16,632
Location
Just Outside of Portland Oregon
First Name
Peter
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Silverado Camper Special
Engine Size
461
This car has been sitting in my driveway for 3 years now with not much love being handed too it.
It has the front clip removed and all the suspension is gone as well.
Just sits on jack stands in the front.
A few people a year stop and ask if it is for sale, not yet is the reply.

A pic for Rusty.
You must be registered for see images attach


So currently the city is on my back due to a stupid neighbor that wants everything her way.
After the 1949 truck is up and running, I told Max that this thing needs to get worked on.

Either sell it or build it.
He still owes me $2k for it as that is what I bought it for.

So I told him, to get the city off our backs you can stuff the spare big block in the nose of that thing with the turbo 400 and have it running in no time.

His eyes got so big.

"You just gave me the go a head to use the 454 for my car?"
Yah, now chop chop.

But after some thinking, the headers for the car to run a big block are going to be pricey....
We already have 2 sets of Tri five small block headers in the stash.
So it may be simpler to ****** (* D I N G L E) berry hone the roller 350 in the backyard and toss in some fresh bearings and rings along the way, than to buy a new set of headers.

Plus he already has a feisty roller cam for the small block on the shelf.
I think that will be the eventual way to go.

No more saving for metal work, just get the stupid thing running and in your name.
 
Last edited:

Catbox

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Posts
4,443
Reaction score
16,632
Location
Just Outside of Portland Oregon
First Name
Peter
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Silverado Camper Special
Engine Size
461
A few years ago Santa bought him the engine and transmission mount kit to install the later style clamshell mounts to the chassis.
You must be registered for see images attach


For the suspension that is missing, he already has it all for the front.
Coil overs and tubular A arms with nice disc brakes.
You must be registered for see images attach


He has a Flaming River column for it, just needs to choose either a better steering box or rack and pinion.
Then pull the trigger on the purchase.
You must be registered for see images attach


I believe that he even has a sway bar kit for it out there.
You must be registered for see images attach


After that it is all the little things to do to a car that has been off the road since 1976.

He can drive it with floppy metal.
He can patch that floppy metal as he wants after it moves.
He has a full floor pan for it in the garage.
Lazy and no want to work on it makes it a garbage barge in my driveway.
I have told him to clean it out or somebody is going to complain.
Now here we are.

Shee-it or get off the pot kid.

You must be registered for see images attach
 
Last edited:

Catbox

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Posts
4,443
Reaction score
16,632
Location
Just Outside of Portland Oregon
First Name
Peter
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Silverado Camper Special
Engine Size
461
A pair of these were sourced from Craigslist back in '21.
$600 for the pair was a deal as the feller we got them from had to pay a buttload in shipping for them.
You must be registered for see images attach
 

Soundmound

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2022
Posts
1,809
Reaction score
5,465
Location
North Central Washington
First Name
Dave
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
Scottsdale
Engine Size
305
A few years ago Santa bought him the engine and transmission mount kit to install the later style clamshell mounts to the chassis.
You must be registered for see images attach


For the suspension that is missing, he already has it all for the front.
Coil overs and tubular A arms with nice disc brakes.
You must be registered for see images attach


He has a Flaming River column for it, just needs to choose either a better steering box or rack and pinion.
Then pull the trigger on the purchase.
You must be registered for see images attach


I believe that he even has a sway bar kit for it out there.
You must be registered for see images attach


After that it is all the little things to do to a car that has been off the road since 1976.

He can drive it with floppy metal.
He can patch that floppy metal as he wants after it moves.
He has a full floor pan for it in the garage.
Lazy and no want to work on it makes it a garbage barge in my driveway.
I have told him to clean it out or somebody is going to complain.
Now here we are.

Shee-it or get off the pot kid.

You must be registered for see images attach
He might be one of the luckiest kids in the NW... one day he will look back with new understanding and appreciation for this. Good on ya papa Peter!
 

Catbox

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Posts
4,443
Reaction score
16,632
Location
Just Outside of Portland Oregon
First Name
Peter
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Silverado Camper Special
Engine Size
461
For this pile of sheet metal in my driveway, I have devised an even quicker engine plan for it.
We have two sets of actual Hooker Headers for this specific car chassis from the swap meets.
So exhaust should be simple.

For the engine, he has a recently running 305 bottom end and a recently refreshed 307 pair of heads.
We have 4 or 5 versions of SBC intakes here that can top all of those pieces along with a 650CFM Holley.
So for the price of gaskets and some other little odds and ends that we probably have already the engine can be sorted out.

We have a perfectly good working Turbo 400 waiting to go in and bolt to the original driveshaft / rearend.
Drive train is going to cost maybe $100 for doo dads and gizmos.

He purchased all the frontend junk while he was working at the parts store with his discount.

Just hafta bite the bullet on the $1200 steering set up which ever way he goes with it.
New performance box or rack and pinion, sameish price.
 

idahovette

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Posts
7,237
Reaction score
15,790
Location
Weiser Idaho
First Name
Perry
Truck Year
1975-1979
Truck Model
K20-K10
Engine Size
350
605 ps box from a mid size late 70s early 80s GM can be adapted with out too much trouble?.....ya already got the Ididit column
 
Last edited:

Catbox

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2018
Posts
4,443
Reaction score
16,632
Location
Just Outside of Portland Oregon
First Name
Peter
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Silverado Camper Special
Engine Size
461
605 ps box from a mid size late 70s early 80s GM can be adapted with out too much trouble?.....ya already got the Ididit column
Yes sir.
He just needs to figure out which way he wants to go.
Handling was what influenced most of the parts purchases thus far, so I am sure that will be kept in mind with this as well.

Similar prices.
I am not sure which method works better though?
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,068
Posts
948,744
Members
36,137
Latest member
maduwane
Top