With help from a lot of the guys here I think I might have something I can finally take for a cruise around town. Big thanks to everyone that helped along the way. This was the first ride where something didn't break during or immediately after so I'm pretty happy about that. Not sure why the damn temp gauge isn't working now though. Curious what you guys think about the car and what you would change or add to give it some more flavor or functionality. I have not seen many of these cars in person, other than my buddies "Mint Julep" which ill throw a picture in. .
Looks pretty good. I would loose that steering wheel and add some other valve covers, chrome or another color not black.
Drive it like you stole it !!!! A few things I would change on your car, steering wheel would be one . But why do you care what I like or not ? It’s your car have fun with it !!!!! it runs and drives nothing better then that. mint julep was posted here a while ago, a car that captures 70’s excess perfectly !!
Your car looks good, and if your happy that is really all that matters. Being your on this website that is much more traditional, I am guessing that if you are asking, that your trying to get a car that looks more so that way. If that is the case, there are several things I would change personally. The car has a bunch of parts from different era's. The fact they are muted dark colors, helps to hide them, but I'd still remove some of them. A set of stock steel valve covers to start, probably painted orange--or even chrome stockers---not the later really squared of versions, different air filters, and the steering wheel has to go, and if possible the shifter too. That would get you alot closer in my opinion. Don't change the wheels and tires though, they look good...at least to me. Again, YOU have to be happy with the result, and the target your shooting for. We are just the opinion that may or may not be wrong. BTW< your drivers headlight lens looks crooked...easy fix there.
Looks good to me. Steering wheel, valve covers, & air cleaners, as mentioned, would turn the corner on it. Good job.
Since you asked. like others have already said, change steering wheel and add some chrome to break up all the black. It looks like a lot of fun so enjoy it!
What most everybody else sez and........................any way to drop the front and raise the back some?! It needs some rake! And some 'fat tarz' for the rear! Like discussed on another post....This puppy needs some 'attitude' than only these two changes can give. IMHO 6sally6
Nice that it is on the road . Agree with ^^^^ steering wheel, matching orange valve covers some 50’s/60’s painted or rechromed air cleaners and tell your friend your whitewalls better match is top and you will trade him straight across for his wheels and tires .
You obviously bought the steering wheel, valve covers, and air cleaners because you like them. That is what matters now drive it. Ask what I would do. First put a flat head Ford engine in it with a blower and Ardun heads. Different wheels and interior and paint color. That is what I would do. You did what you did because it is what you want.
Sweet car man, glad you got it on the road. Now drive the hell out of it!!!! If you like it, well, that's all that matters. But i agree with those above that the steering wheel is a street rod looking piece. Cover that shifter cover with some crazy looking fur, and find you a sweet hamb shift knob
Thanks guys for the positive feedback, reason I asked what you guys thought was mainly to see what stood out as an eyesore and I guess the general consensus is definitely the steering wheel, and im wondering what my other air cleaner options even are with a dual quad setup. I only bought the valve covers, shift knob and front tires, buddy had the rears for me. Everything else is what came with the car when I purchased it. I did fix up that steering wheel though, painted the inner and polished the outer, guess it was a waste of time huh haha. Edit-Man air cleaners are expensive, think I'm stuck with what I got for now.
OK, so you didn't buy it. It came with the car but you spent time working on it to make it close to what you want, maybe. I don't know. You still spent time that could have been spent with your kids and wife or drinking a beer. I don't know. Never chalk it up to time wasted. You tried something and learned in return for your time.
@MikeG5211 See all of my suggestions below. For under $200-300, you can drastically change the look for the better...if thats what you want to do. You have to think of it as less is more in these areas. My biggest suggestion if you really want to change something, pic a era style you like and study it. There are threads on the HAMB with 50's style Hot Rods and 60's style Hot Rods (Which I think yours would fit in either of those the best in my opinion). But again, you have to like what you have and are doing in the end, don't build it because of us or this site, but because you love and appreciate what you have and want to do. Even these cheapo 6" filters would look better IMO. They can be found for $40-$50 shipped for a pair on Ebay Also You could buy a cheapy chrome set of valve covers for under $40 shipped like these (of course you'll need gaskets, and definitively no need to get any fancy hardware) Someone might have an old set to nearly give you if you look. Of course as I also mentioned, You could always buy (heck someone might even give you) a set of stockers and paint them.....Cut the brackets off and clean them up and paint. Quick, clean, and easy. (this would be my first cheap choice as these should be near free). As far as your steering wheel goes, I cant offer anything specific, but a Bell style 4 spoke would look infinity better. Again, start looking at other cars, you will see styles of certain eras, and you'll start to see what fits that time frame.
I really like that 4 spoke steering wheel, on my project I found an old Superior custom steering wheel in pretty nice shape for $50 on ebay. You just got to look because most people think their used stuff is worth a fortune now for some reason. It seems in the last 6 mths used parts and hot rods have really gone up.
It's your car if you like it the way it is drive the hell out of it and don't worry about what everybody else says.
Thats a good looking build. If youre asking for opinions, everything in the engine compartment is black, you have an exposed engine car, find some vintage parts to brighten it up. Get rid of the wood, brushed or machined aluminum or painted steel would be an improvement. No rush, drive it all summer and get the bugs worked out, have fun, build a winter parts pile to make some changes.
For the exhaust, If it was me, I'd try to build an exhaust that could sneak back under the car and just add a removable cap to the header. Otherwise, id probably try and modify the header so it was more parallel with the ground and add a "sidepipe" of some type, heck, even a glasspack with a turn out would be better that just being open. My hearing already sucks, I wouldn't want to listen to that open header for more than a 1/2 hour of driving. But again, I'd try to find a style to build from. Not just add parts willy nilly. BTW, great score on the air filters, plain old wing nuts are fine for them....remember, less is more.
I would use block mounted gauges if my engine was visible a few feet from my dash.. Most times its the capillary tubes that block the pressure or temperature signals to the gauges... That car looks too new, to 80s.. I'd look at rods from the 50s magazines. 1 Get a Grant steering wheel with the holes in it, maybe even metal flake. 2 Get rid of those velocity stacks and air cleaners and use two smaller air cleaners. I would also get rid of the intake and run a low riser. Maybe go trip duce. 3 Get stock valve covers and paint them the stock engine color. 4 I'd get rid of that shifter and use a Hurst Autostick I or some other old style looking shifter.. Make it regular length too.. Or just get rid of the base of that shifter. Make a steel box to cover the shifter or just let it all show. That shifter base and that steering wheel just ruins the look of that interior. I would use chrome gauges and put some vintage indicator bee hive lights in the dash.. 5 The wheels and tires look great! They are what's holding the cars look together.. 6 Maybe a pair of Pontiac tail lights..
Are your valve covers aluminum? If so, you could strip the paint and polish them. They might be tall to give clearance for roller rockers and shorter VC's might not clear. I like the stance as is, and believe it probably handles good because of it!
Hot Rods are like people, we all have different likes and tastes. Find what "makes-you-grin" when you sit back and look at it. If you would like to see what others have done, take a look here: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/the-t-bucket-list.1013968/ You don't have to go out and spend a bunch of money buying stuff to make others accept it, be creative, you can make it like you want on a budget if your willing to hunt around. As a fellow Floridian, the summer months is the time to make changes so when fall comes we can really enjoy the drive much more. I've built several T-bucket roadsters, and they can be a blast to drive and have fun.
Here's a little update, I took most of the easy to do advice and I am much happier with how the car looks, and I don't even care what the steering wheel looks like just having some leg room now with this new wheel makes all the difference. Question is I bought a Tach just to break the engine in and check idle and whatnot, do I mount it up permanently or nah?
I would add a brace to those rear hairpins before you wrap them up under some hard acceleration. Like these:
The Jalopy Journal
