Projects No Fuzzy Dice...Digging the History of my '57 Chevy Convertible Drag Racer

Restorers can't have all the good cars! Modified is the true history of your car.

 

The solid lifter 283hp version's were stick only. If you wanted an automatic you settled for the hydraulic cam 250hp version.

 

No. They were coupled with power glides and a few turbo glides. The GF suffix is the fuelie with a turboglide.

 

I find it interesting that he immediately started modifying it but settled for the 250 hp and swapped in a 3 speed manual early on. Maybe it’s all he could put his hands on at the time, but I always found it curious.

 

I don’t know a lot about them other than what I’ve read. Seems like the biggest issue was people using the GR (grade retarder) position as a low gear and tearing them up early on.

 

Incredible car with an incredible story .

ALLLLLLL the additional speed parts are a story all their own .

the fact to OG owner modified the car early on , raced it , painted it . ( unfortunately it burned a bit)
And seems to have continued to collect and amass a huge stock pile of stock and race parts is incredible .

I am curious as to why he never got the car together after the fire ? Frustrated and at the end of his rope ? Life got in the way ?

either way, you building the car as a hot rod AND building the fuelie engine is the right course .

would be really cool to find a turboglide trans to go along with the fuelie engine.

go man go , and keep us updated along the way !!

 

The 250 hp cars could be had with an automatic.

 

The widow said he was frustrated and parked the car in the garage after the fire. They were recently married so that was likely part of it. He went on to have several muscle cars as this sat by the wayside. I know a 442 was one of them.
I would expect that when he parked it in 63 he would have had the makings one of the most potent combinations…but with the muscle car era just starting the car would have been “obsolete” pretty quickly. So probably a combination of everything- frustration, life, and more “modern” muscle car offerings.

 

In the next few days, I'm going to go drop off my 57 convertible with a friend who is going to do the paint and body work. Once it comes back, I have an L33 LS all aluminum engine for it and I've got an upholsterer in line to upholster it and put on a convertible top. I don't know when I'll have it done but It'll make some progress this year.
I've also came up with a hardtop beater that I'm going to get running and make a daily driver out of.