Projects First roll out of the 32 project (PICS)

Thanks everyone, its been along time collecting parts (yea some from dads stash) and awhile paying them off. Definitely wouldn't be possible without access to corndog's parts stash.

The car does have hot rod history, wish I had some old pictures. It was channeled with a 409 and 4-speed. It was from the northern Indiana area. Somewhere around Lapaz Indiana I think. It belonged to a guy my dad knew back in the 70's.

Dad tried to buy the car back in the 70's but instead wound up helping the guy update it. My dad did some frame work and suspension updating in the late 70's when the guy wanted to redo the car. They chromed many parts, redid the chassis and installed a 302 DZ motor and 4-speed. The car was going back up on top of the rails.

Dad finished his work, returned the chassis to the owner in 79 and that was all he heard.

FF to 2001. Dad found the number of this guy and called to see if he still had the 32. He did. When asked if it might be for sale the guy hesitated and said only to dad, and without the DZ motor, but we could come take a look.

When we went to look at it, it was a rolling chassis that never saw daylight since dads updates. The body sat on wood pieces perpendicular to the chassis. It had been in a small house fire that just burned all the paint off the driver side body. The chrome was (still is) all flaked off and crusted up but never saw any road time. The drivers door had a bag of driveway salt leaned up to it and was rusted through in a 12" hole right in the center.

Needless to say I saw immediate potential, and asked if I could be the new owner since dad was less interested. The man agreed to sell it to me via dads checkbook. I spent the next 7 years paying dad back and collecting cool parts.

I recently got a decent sized shop to work in, so I now have my saturdays booked for a long while ahead, and Im enjoying it.

 

Mate that ride has "it" in spades....keep the progress pics comin' mate !!

Rat

 

awesome story! On one hand, it's too bad it was left to rot like that...but on the other hand, you may never have got if it didn't!

 

Looking good so far, keep posting.

 

Great looking five-winder. Im lookin forward to seen the progreess

 

Looks like it's gonna be nice. Hope you don't chop it.

 

Lookin good. Keep at it.
Don't get discouraged as things progress. It'll be worth it in the end.

 

Very nice stance, I like it a lot!

 

Cool

 

I like original firewall. When back Japan?

 

Wow Im fom Lapaz and had several 32 5 windows in the late 70's and ealy 80's. I dont remember any 5 window with a 409 but it is suprising what you find next door!!!
Like to know who it was from Lapaz.

 

Good story,love the car,damn I want one(I'll put my name on the list)Keep us posted

 

That's a cool rod with a neat story.

 

Nice!

Do you have a spring in the rear? If so how do you have the rear set up?

Thanks, Phil

 

Paying that thing off was 7 years well-spent.

I love an unchopped 5wd.

Please keep us updated in this car. It's a killer.

JH

 

I will come back to Japan Nori! Not sure when...
Here is an old (bad) picture of me sitting on dads lap, while him and his dad take a break from setting up the Hurst motor mount for the guy I bought the car from.

Here are a few more shots as found, on the way home, and at home mocked up.

 

Sure hope the front end dosen't take a big DIVE when engine weight,etc. goes together!-------Lights(?)----Whatever turns your crank!!!!!!!--------------Don

 

looks good,dig the head light placement