Blog

Hooked on Classics

Apr 16, 2015

My wife Debbie and I first got hooked on classic cars about ten years ago. We had a Chevelle at that time, but I had always wanted to own a ‘55 Chevy. After a considerable discussion with my wife Debbie, we sold the Chevelle and went looking for a ‘55.

By the time we attended the 2006 Winter National event in Orlando, Florida we had only been looking for a ’55 to buy for a few weekends. While viewing all the great Tri-Fives at the show, we noticed a ‘55 Be1 Air 2-door Sedan along a fence with a For Sale sign in the window. I asked my mechanic friend, Larry Hays, who was with us, to check out the car. After crawling under, on, in and all around the car, we decided to purchase it and start a frame-off restoration. We learned that the previous owner was from our home state, Virginia. Debbie later found out the car came from her hometown, Staunton, Virginia.

A Front Yard Ornament?

Apr 16, 2015

I found and purchased my ’69 Chevelle in July, 1985. It had been sitting in someone’s front yard for some time. My wife and I would see it on our way to church each Sunday morning. The red paint was faded and dirty, the wheels and tires were mismatched and the whole car was nothing special, but what really caught my attention was the straight sheet metal. In those days it was fairly common to find Chevelles parked in yards, but most had some kind of body damage or rust.

As time went on, the more I thought about the car, the more I wanted it. I had just sold another car and had some available cash, so I located the owner and made an offer to buy this neglected SS. This Chevelle seemed to be just another ’69 that needed some TLC.

2015 Corvette Z06 On The Autobahn

Apr 16, 2015

The C7 Corvette Z06 has the straight-line performance to outgun a lot of other performance cars on sale today, but the car is mostly about being a serious performer in the corners. The automotive media hasn’t stopped chattering about its jaw-dropping capability on the track, a characteristic you can chalk up to its effective aerodynamics and Michelin Super Sport tires, among other features.

Posted in Corvette, C7 2014-19 and Featured

When Pieces and Parts Make Sense

Apr 16, 2015

Imagine you’re driving down Highway 74 in Columbus, NC one fine day and you see this cool Camaro with a huge hood scoop coming toward you. You think to yourself, “What a nicely tricked-out, blown ’69.” But as the car passes by you mutter, “That was a ’67, not a ’69.” While your mind is trying to sort out how you misidentified the Camaro from the front and then the side, you check your rearview mirror and see the back end of a ’70 Camaro driving away! About this time, you’re starting to think about alien control of your mind. So in order to preserve your sanity, you whip a quick U-turn and catch up to the Camaro at the next traffic light. The owner, Billy Edwards, assures you that your mind is sound and that his really cool Camaro is actually a hybrid of ’67, ’68, ’69 and ’70 body panels and trim parts!

Dyno Don's Comet

Apr 16, 2015

I started this journey when I found out that the 1965 Comet Cyclone I had found back in ’03 was previously owned by the legendary Dyno Don Nicholson. The supporting paperwork stated that Dyno had later given the car to his head mechanic, Dave McGrane.

Dave had been on Dyno’s team touring and racing the funny car circuit back in the ’60s. The team of Nicholson, Earl Wade, and Dave McGrane had nearly 50 straight wins under their belts!

1964 Comet

Apr 10, 2015

In May of 1964, I was passing by a Lincoln-Mercury dealership, and noticed this beautiful black ’64 Comet sitting in the showroom. It was the Cyclone version, which had a 4-barrel 289 and a 4-speed. I had to stop and look at it - what could it hurt? To make a long story short - I left with it.

In 1966, I took it to the track to see what it would do. It was not impressive, but I had fun. I went back the following weekend and ran a little better. By this time I was getting hooked. We fitted a Hurst shifter, Hooker headers, and some cheap cheater slicks.

1959 Mercury Commuter Wagon

Apr 3, 2015

My neighbor Marie was the original owner of my wagon. Marie was a school teacher working in the China Lake, CA, area. Her parents lived two doors down from my house. They wanted her to have a heavy car for safety when she traveled home. Well, then she moved back to San Jose and the car was too big for her in town. She told me that one day she drove the car into her garage and said that she would “never drive that car again.” I believe that that was in 1969.

Boxed Rear Control Arms

Apr 3, 2015

Time: 1-2 hours

Tools: standard socket set, standard wrenches

Cost: $300 (new), $30 (conversion)

Tinware: factory style or aftermarket boxed rear control arms (new bushings included), or weld-in boxing plates (new bushings optional)

Tip: When replacing older rear control arms, use quality polyurethane bushings to help stiffen the rear end and reduce deflection.

Performance gains: positive gripping power to help eliminate wheel hop.

Project '55 Bel Air: March 2015 Update

Mar 27, 2015

(continued from Project Car: ’55 Bel Air, 2 Door Hardtop) 
Project ’55 Bel Air: April 2014 Update
Project ’55 Bel Air: May 2014 Update
Project ’55 Bel Air: June 2014 Update 
Project ’55 Bel Air: July 2014 Update 
Project ’55 Bel Air: August 2014 Update
Project ’55 Bel Air: September 2014
Project '55 Bel Air: October 2014 Update
Project '55 Bel Air: February 2015 Update

Now we are installing the small-block side engine mounts. Part # 18-02. (We powder coated them red for appearance.)

Corvette Museum Wants Your Corvette

Mar 27, 2015

It’s always a pleasure to show off your pride and joy at a local car meet, or classic car showing. But if there’s anything better than having the general public admire your ride, it’s having the public admire it in a time-period correct display. If that piques your interest, you’re in luck. The National Corvette Museum is looking for Corvettes to fill in its various displays, and they want your help.