I think this is my next project car

If your not in a rush I have a contact that knows who has what. He has a tree cutting hauling business in Wa.
 
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alloy said:
I've offered him $17, 500. Will see if he takes it.

From what I can tell from the pics the engine/trans has been swapped. 55's didn't have a transmission cross member and had the core support brace cut out. I really don't care one bit about the engine/trans/rear axle. They will all be replaced. Thinking another LS3, and either a 4L80e or 6L80E trans, ford 9" rear, disks all around.
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Back in 1966 I purchased A Belaire 2 door hardtop to temporarily replace a 1963 Corvette that was in an accident. The 55 came with the "Power Pack" V8 (265 cu. ins. 4 bbl. carb, and dual exhausts), power seats, "Wonder Bar" radio (precursor to today's seek & scan) automatic (PowerGlide) transmission, and a few other options. It had about 60,000 on the odometer. I paid the asking price of $50.00 with no hesitation.

The Corvette was hit in December of 1965 and went directly to the only body shop in the area that did fiberglass work. I purchased the 55 just before Christmas with the intent of reselling it in a few weeks when the Corvette was back on the road. As it turned out I didn't get the Corvette back until August of the next year. Even then it was a mess.

It turned out the body shop owner was an alcoholic that went on regular benders. He spent nearly every dime he took in on booze rather than parts to fix the car. When it did finally return one of the rear bumpers hadn't been replaced, the right front wheel was bent, and after closer inspection I found he'd patched the right front and rear fenders with pieces from a blue car. Then put on the chrome and painted only the visible surface. The insurance company was no help. Even though the body shop owner had tried to hide his poor workmanship the insurance company claimed since I'd given him the check they were no longer involved.

With all its flaws I was still able to sell the Corvette for more than I'd paid for it. I ended up keeping the 55 and driving it for another 3 years until I bought a 1969 Nova. The 55 went to a younger brother who drove it another couple years and was eventually destroyed in a demolition derby.
I went to a 50th high school reunion several years back to find one of my classmates had married the guy I bought the Corvette from. We started talking a bit and he mentioned he'd found the Corvette again and was restoring it to its original glory. Knowing what that car had gone through I'm sure the restoration wasn't cheap.
 
If you have the money Alloy then go for it. But take a good amount of time (and a magnet) looking for rust first. A friend of mine buys repairs and resells old American cars with rust damage, replacing any rusted panels, and a couple of times has bought a car that a guy paid allot more for only to discover rust issues. He currently has a Fairlane 500 in good garage that he's working on
 
Aukai said:
If your not in a rush I have a contact that knows who has what. He has a tree cutting hauling business in Wa.
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Not in rush at all. I'm just bored, but for the right car I can be bored a little longer ;)
mattthemuppet2 said:
If you have the money Alloy then go for it. But take a good amount of time (and a magnet) looking for rust first.
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I have the money, that's not a problem.My transmission business has been very good lately. Unfortunately unless it's within a few hundred miles I'll have to buy it sight unseen so to speak. Have to rely on pictures. The two that the guy has he has taken extensive pictures. I've never seen anyone document a car as good as he has.

projectnut said:
The 55 went to a younger brother who drove it another couple years and was eventually destroyed in a demolition derby.
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Are you even speaking to your brother now?

I remember seeing a 57 ford skyliner at a demo derby when I was little. Before the race the guy was putting the top up and down. My dad was sick about seeing it there He had a 57 ford and he would have loved to have the skyliner. Unfortunatley after the derby no one wanted it.
 
@alloy

You know how some members like to help others spend money.

If you find a car too far away for you to inspect in person, don't hesitate to ask for help from the membership. Somebody might be close enough and willing to go take a look.
 
extropic said:
My comments are not positive because I have followed your Nova process and know how much trouble you have had with previously undisclosed defects and POOR workmanship.

The '55 looks like a poster child for undisclosed defects and poor workmanship. I know you 'gotta do what you 'gotta do

All mechanicals/chassis look like they've been sprayer with oil to pretend they haven't been touched lately. Got to love that shinny new chrome air cleaner. ROTFLMAO

It looks like they have sprayed some areas (like the whole trunk floor) to hide condition and make it one color.

If you plan to put an aftermarket frame under it, disregard the following comments. Art Morrison, 800-929-7188 :grin: :grin: :grin:

View attachment 411912
It's been hit hard on passenger side front end.
Even has two different upholstery panels on the doors.
Look at the fender support brackets at rear edge of front wheel openings (between the foot well and the fender lip). Drivers side OK, passenger side not.
Bumper support present at drivers side wheel well, not at passenger side.
Frame weld repair (poorly aligned) on passenger side at center of angled brace between main frame rail and crossmember.
No oil filter.
One exhaust pipe into the torque converter/flex plate.
The other exhaust pipe cut off short.
Don't know WTH is going on with that power steering kluge.

This is a Frankenchevy and a huge project. Please don't give them any money before you go to inspect it in person.
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at first I thought you were being a jerk, but you are dead on. That motor is not running straight either. There's a lot of indication that this is not what it should be. Good eye.
 
Wow. 17.5 for that? That would be around 8 grand a few years ago around here. Maybe I need to sell mine.
 
alloy said:
I have the money, that's not a problem.My transmission business has been very good lately. Unfortunately unless it's within a few hundred miles I'll have to buy it sight unseen so to speak. Have to rely on pictures. The two that the guy has he has taken extensive pictures. I've never seen anyone document a car as good as he has.
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that's a tough one. For that kind of money it'd be worth trying to find a local mechanic/ restorer who would be willing to inspect it for you for a fee. Shoot, I'd do that even for a 20 year old car if I couldn't see it myself.
 
With you 100% on start with the least rust body you can find.

Columbus swap meet was a good source for Ford 9” Center sections, they typically have a lot of used NASCAR stuff for decent price. I picked up an indestructible Moser with billet caps for a bargain on the final day.

Lots of cool cars to see, I think my favourite was a 65 Cyclone with a 427SOHC and stickers for first place fastest street car in America not sure what year it won that.

Lots and lots of cool stuff

I came back with way too much stuff, I was thinking I’m going to pay a lot of taxes at the border. Agent asked me how much and I was honest “well….. it would be over a thousand”, I was expecting the “park over there”, but instead got the “okay your good enjoy the day.”
 
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