I have lurked for a while, so I thought I would give an introduction. I'm a Mechanical Engineer, and I work for an Air Force contractor. I've driven home-built stuff since I first got my license. My daily driver is a '65 Fairlane hardtop, motivated by a warm 351C, C4 and 8" with 3.00 gears. But enough about that.. My perpetual project is the attached '31 coupe. My dad originally bought the rough body for $300. The lower 12" was completely rusted into "lace". I've never seen a body that was so dented. Dad chopped it 2 1/2", filled the roof with a '72 Mustang hood, and he performed a rough patch job on the lower part of the body. He gave the body to me as a college graduation present in '94. I had it on the road in '98, running the 351C that now resides in the Fairlane. It featured a home-built 2 X 4 steel tubing frame, Maverick 8",home-made IFS with torsion bars, and steel wheels w/ '46 Ford caps. It was quick, but I didn't like the ch***sis/handling, seat location, steering wheel location, and a host of other things. I decided to tear it down and do it right. The current build started in late 2001. I was tired of small blocks, so I decided to put a 460 in the thing. Scored an entire, running Lincoln for $200, and it donated the mill. I got a C4 for $40, a 351M/C4 bell, and a '69 Mustang 9" for $175. About $200 worth of rectangular tubing from the machine shop and I was ready to start. I plan on actually racing and driving the coupe alot, so it isn't exactly traditional. However, it will not be painted red (and probably not painted at all), it won't have billet tack-ons, and it won't ever run a SBC! I'm not building it to fit any category, but to my tastes. Sorry for the poor picture quality.
I'll build some outside-the-frame headers and a home-made air cleaner to finish off the engine. I found some tall, FE pentroof style valve covers that I will run, as well. Next week, we'll take 2" more out of the top.
Cool car, and welcome. It's good to see something other than a Chevy in a car once in a while. -Aaron
Welcome glad to have another member from Dixie where is fort valley at? several members in atlanta have started some informal meetings of the hamb.nice auto hang on you will enjoy this place.
Welcome Mang, I have a Model A with a 460 Lincolin too. My trans tunnel looks like the spitin image to yours. Has 429SCJ rocker covers and has run in the mid 12s so I know what you are in for. Looking good!
Thanks for the warm welcome, guys. K-member, Your burnout picture (or is that at half-track?) has me stoked! What headers are you running, and what are you using for a radiator/fan?
Brian, I was at a little circle track in eastern Wa. for a Burn-out contest. The headers are home built and the radiator is a worn out(little pin holes everywhere) reworked deuce unit. Cooling is done by electric fan inbetween grill and rad. It cooled great in 98 at B-ville, but now I think it's time to upgrade, it's been overheating a little bit lately and it's nowhere near that hot here. I would like to now more about the 460/C-4 setup. Lifespan, performance, durability ect. Thanks
Welcome, Nice project looks like its coming along well. You just might have trouble fitting the FE valve covers to a 460.What did you do to the shock towers to get a cleveland into that Fairlane?
I should have said that the VC are FE-style, meaning that they are a sand-cast, pentroof design. Engine Sustems makes them, and you see them on Ebay from time to time. I used a Crite's Restoration shock tower kit to fit the Cleve. Basically, they supply some control arm support brackets, plasma-cut flat sheet to fill the chopped hole, and fibergl*** cut templates.
Ive used crites before as well, love their stuff. That coupe is going to be alot of fun. I just got rid of a 32 three window chevy with a 390 fe. Man it was alot of fun im just too big for a three window. Good luck
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