Projects Bad Banana Resurrection - 55 Chevy Gasser

Very cool that you dad still had the original valve covers. The thing will look great with them on. Its a nice touch with even more history. Keep us updated on when the episode will air and what events you are planning to run. I know that I am pretty close just over the boarder in Canada and I would love to see it run next year.
Grand Bend is actually pretty close to me and I am going to make a couple other state side Nostalgic Drag Events next year. Have you thought about running it at the 2012 Hunnert Heads Up next year?

 

10.13's nice job, I've said it before the build and car are plain cool. It's also great that your dad gets to live his youth through you and the car again. I could only wish for the same when I'm up in age.

 

One of the best threads on here...no doubt.

 

WOW........ having been told storys of this car and I just stumble upon it on the hamb. My goosebumps have goosebumps. Great read!

 

No pics yet but I did get the Corvette 7 fins finally completely installed last night. Had to replumb my breathers into the spacers so not to modify the covers themselves. It looks a lot better than those OT covers that were on it. I have some home made wingnuts my dad made for my big block on it now but they are pretty tall for these covers. If I get time, I may cut them down ... or not. Maybe just leave them as is. If I get a chance, I'll post some pics of the engine with the new covers installed.

 

I was wondering how you were going to get oil into the engine with the Vette valve covers. I assume through the spacer/breather?

 

Same way I did with the other ones. Remove a valve cover and pour it in. Only 4 wingnuts... no real tools required.

 

I just took the old Vette valve covers off my car for that reason. Decided I wanted to add oil easier, and not have to go through gaskets every time I needed a qt. of oil.

 

Just buy the reusable rubber gaskets with the metal impregnated in them for $10 a set from Summt/Jegs or your local parts store. They last pretty much forever and it is a snap to remove and reinstall the covers and they don't leak at all. This engine I have the valve covers off about every week just to keep an eye on the valvetrain. I can't afford to hurt it.

 

Can't wait to watch it on TV. Question though,in the first pic in post #449
it shows some breathers or puke cans that seem to be hooked into the front of the valve covers with flexible radiator hose. These caught my eye as I thought it was a Genesee beer can but now I'm not really sure what I'm seeing. Maybe an earlier setup?

 

Good eye... you are right. These covers had a hole cut into one end if each. There was a home-made tube blind rivited into them and that hose you see in that picture into a catch can. When my dad put them on the pick up, he removed the breather tube and made a plug then epoxied it in there then put the epoxied end at the rear of the engine so you can't see it. The covers have been like that now for a long time and I did not want to open that back up. So I merely put them on the same way (patch at the rear) and I put my breathers into the spacer. That way I can remove the covers without having to unhook the breather hoses every time. Maybe post pics of it today so you can see.

 

OK... here are the pics of the covers installed. The wing nuts are ones my dad made for my big block engine a few years ago. They are a bit tall for this application but I am going to leave them for now. I might cut them down later. I have extras since this engine only needs 8 and the big block used 14.

The last pics show the inside and outside of the covers today that show the old repair of the breather hoses from when they were modified back in the 60s as seen in the old pics. I believe it is done with JB weld and shows no evidence of leakage and is in good shape so I plan on leaving them that way.

 

FYI.... SpeedTV is going to air the new season of Passtime starting on February 29th at 7:30 pm. They don't say what epsiode will air first and in what order. I was on the 5th episode shot but it sounds like SpeedTV will air them in whatever order they see fit. No telling at this point what date we will be on. Have to watch it every week starting the last day of Feb to see it I guess..

They say they will air 12 new episodes shot at Milan, MI so it will be on sometime between Feb 29 and the middle of May.

 

Bookmarked. I want to read this one all the way through.

Very cool project.

 

Looking forward to seeing you on my favorite show

 

I was wondering when you were going to be on, I was just thinking of it lastnight while watching the show.

 

Got some new video editing software and this is my first shot a doing this. I still want to edit the video I shot of my dad last winter talking about the car. Once I get this figured out, I'll tackle that job... Let me know what you think of this.

Edit - Passtime asked me to remove the video from you tube until after the show airs. They can"t enforce that but I don't really want to piss them off. It needs more work anyhow. I may work on it and then repost it on you tube as a private video and post a link. Sorry..

 

Cool video... the B&W fade is a nice 'timewarp' ..

CC

 

Shhhh... video is in my signature line...

 

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!!!!

 

Rusty,
This is an awesome thread! Having a 55 Chevy myself, this re-build is very informative and downright cool that you were able to do it so quickly and have such great results! I cannot wait to see it on "Pass Time".....good luck wilt your car .....I think it looks great! Zman from Detroit!

 

I just read the all story. Those old photos are awesome. Nice work you have done with that car. I think that your father are proud of you. . . Nice car and godspeed!

 

OUTSTANDING shot from inside the car. Great thing that your father gets to enjoy the car again also.....

 

Cooooooooooooooool!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

That's a great video !

 

The in-car is the best... up, up, up...

Too cool for school!

 

SPEED announced the Pass-Time episode order. Looks like the show we are on will be aired for the first time on March 14 at 7:00 pm. Mark you calendars!

 

Done!