Hot Rods Big Daddy's 55 2 door wagon gasser

I can attest to the comfort of those seats, I made several back and forth trips from Virginia to Missouri in my Hurst/Olds, 17 hrs one way sitting in them back in the mid 80's.
I agree that they're not right for the 55 though.

 

It seems like a hatchet was the most often used tool to cut shifter holes back in the day! Like, more often than not, it just didn't matter. Are you looking for a tri 5 bench? They're pricey these days. I've heard a Chevelle bench seat is close for width.

 

Thats where the license plates come in!

 

Those swivel buckets are one of the most comfortable seats GM ever made.

 

Awesome car Lloyd, I can’t wait to see it.
It would look good with some panel paint and freak drops and lace and candy and flake and striping and and and etc.

A cool big block would be awesome as well.

 

I have a late 60's-early 70's GM bench with a split back. I forget the measurement, but I think it'll work. It was too big for the AD truck.

 

We'll be in Bowling Green next year, kinda like a reunion lol... I'll be in another 2 door wagon and you'll be back in your vette

 

I may take the wagon I am unsure which it will be. I am planning on both of them being ready

 

Here’s some work a friend of mine did, for wagon paint insperation

 

Anybody wanna play a game? I'm sitting at the firehouse, building engines on paper. The sucking noise you hear is money being pulled out of my wallet. Let's pretend for a moment that you're big daddy, and you have this wagon, you have a late model 454 block, crank and rods, a set of 1974 oval port heads, and a performer rpm intake. On the other hand you have a 1975 350 Chevy 4 bolt complete engine, access to a cheap set of aluminum heads, performer rpm intake, and you already have a flywheel for the 350. Which direction would you go? Big block just because it's bigger? Sbc for the economical factor? Hmmmm.... I'm finding myself going back to the sbc. I could sell my bbc heads and have a very small out of pocket investment in a set of 64cc aluminum heads. And Keith black .150 dome pistons for a sbc are on sale for $250 a set right now..... I hate being in this predicament lmao

 

It all depends on what the goal is for the car. If the plan is build a nice car and flip it, go with the cheaper option with the most resale appeal. If you want a strictly cruiser, the nod goes to the small block. Parts are available everywhere. If you’re building it to keep, drive and occasionally take down the track, then the big block is the ticket. The big block can make respectable power without a lot of high end mods. The right cam, intake, and carb and you will just about be there for the big block.

 

Hey Brother, you know what direction I would go. I’m a Small Block guy all the way. Will the firewall have to be modified to fit the big block?

 

Can't really help since I'm a Ford guy but remember, "If some is good more is better!" Just saying

 

I don't think so, I'll be setting the engine where I want it because I'm not using the front mounts.

 

Oh absolutely, it's just money. I get it.

 

Just a couple of OT shifts, Eh?

 

I would rather have a stock big block over cheap aftermarket parts small block !

The old saying you get what you pay for rings true and today's offshore parts are horrible.

 

For everyday driving? Or just wow factor? I'm not gonna spend a fortune on the other parts to put behind 600ftlb of torque. I've pretty much convinced myself to stay with what I've done for the past 40 years. Anybody want a set of 781 heads that were built for a race boat? Lol

 

I never do anything for the "wow factor" I usually work around what's more efficient to get the job done.
The stock big block will make the same torque as a well built small block, big block works easier to make it too, if you have a well built big block it'll double the well built small block.
So bang for the buck the big block is the way to go.

 

I would go with the small block, I have had both and the small block will work better for you. Don

 

I'm a sbc guy but I'd go bbc just so I could put a set of these on it.

 

What a hell of a conundrum you have, on the one hand you have a Sbc = nostalgia, on the the other hand BBC = power and torque. Hmmmm I’m no help lol
Dan

 

A few years back I was going through Summits site. making note of parts to rebuild a BBC. Man, seems even bearing were 3 times more than a SBC.
The engine I had gotten for near nothing, but that’s about all that was cost effective.

 

I'd put a 409 in it.

 

I did find a mobile blasting outfit local, he's gonna come by tmrw or Friday and look at the job.

 

No replacement for displacement. BBC is the fun ride ticket.