NOTICE - Dallas Area Classic Chevys Message Board Will Soon Be Deactivated

[David Graves]

just wondering .. what other 'play cars' do you have or had in the past besides your Tri Five Chevy? I know of a few guys in the club with some really neat cars in their garages right now .. tell us !

[Bill Preston]

Funny you should ask...

This Wednesday, if all goes well, Neil & I will be hauling all the parts of a 1966 Pontiac Lemans Convertible up here from Houston, that I'm going to restore for my daughter's 40th birthday.

I've been at this car thing a long time. I had a really neat 1946 Chevy Areo Sedanette Coupe with a slope back in high school and college.

In 1963 I had a 1959 Red Cadillac Convertible with the BIG fins.

In 1969 I bought my 1957 Corvette for $1,000. That's the same one I'm still driving today.

I built a radically customized 1965 Corvette Coupe for Diane & the kids with 3 rear facing child seats and a television. Surely a precursor to the current fad of having the dvd players in the vans these days.

Throughout the 70's I restored or refurbished a multitude of 1956-1967 Corvettes... Kept some several years, turned others in a month or two.

I've built several cars for our kids, starting with the first restoration of my son's 1956 Chevy Nomad, that we're currently driving and 1966 Pontiac Lemans convertible that I am now beginning to replicate for my daughter. For the kids a 1977 Firebird, 1974 Camaro and a 1973 Jensen-Healy with a 215 ci aluminium V-8 Buick engine and 5-speed transmission. All requiring varying degrees of paint, body work and mechanical work.

In the 80's I restored or refurbished several 1968-1975 Corvette Convertibles. Also restored a Lincoln Mark IV that I "saved" from the junk yard for $400.

Somewhere in here we designed and built custom interiors and paint jobs for 2 Chevy vans... still can't stand to be without some kind of van.

... aren't you sorry you asked!!!
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Bill Preston

[57boxman]

Not that cool but 25 years old and very rare, now anyway.

A 1980 Chevy Citation with only 77,000 miles. A one owner.


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Texas Classic Chevy Experience
http://www.texasclassicchevyexperience.com/

[acardon]

The first car I ever owned was a 41 Ford, but I purchassed a 55 Chevy Bel Air 2 dr shortly after that in 1957. Drove it for about 10 years. But this is the car I took my driving test in 1953. Dad bought a 41 Dodge new, when he heard they were going to stop building cars for the public because of WWII. I still have the 41 Dodge and I have plans to restore it after the 57 Chevy. I guess it runs in the family, I bought a 66 Corvair new and still have it.

[nealb]

not much in the way of Classic Chevys

learned to drive on a 52 MG TD

took driver test in a 55 MG TF 1500 RHD (quite rare) after my father brought it to Cincinnati from our previous home in Aruba

the tester didn't know what to do with the RHD, but I passed and wore that car out one summer as a teenager turned loose

first car was a 59 Austin Healy 100-6

then got an MG 1100, then Plymouth Fury III (huge boat, but in college it worked)

then 66 Pontiac Tempest Sprint 6 OHC

built a V-8 powered 65 Corvair and autocrossed it for years

had a bunch of not interesting family car stuff and several fun Jap sports cars

bought a 97 and an 00 Camaro and enjoyed getting back to RWD and torque

now have a 2003 Z06 as the daily driver, with the 56 BelAir for cruising
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56 BelAir cruiser
03 Z06 and 04 Silverado daily drivers

[55jlc]

This caused me to think about what I have been blessed with over the years.
My first vehicle was a 1939 Ford Pickup with the flathead 85 in it. I started having trouble with it and only knew one way to fix it for good…so it received a 1958 283 Chevy and has run well since until I broke the reverse gear in the transmission. It currently is sitting in my barn waiting patiently for the $ for a new gear or an automatic swap.

I drove a ‘55 Chevy 2 dr hardtop from ’74 to around ’87 then sold it do to a layoff. Shortly there after I had to also sell my ‘57 Nomad.

I had a ‘47 Ford Coupe and a couple of Model A’s during all of this also. I taught my wife to drive a standard transmission in my ’69 Firebird with the Ram Air IV 400ci motor in it. She enjoyed that car.

I currently have my ’55 Chevy 2 dr sedan, and a ’66 Mustang (needing a new home) that my son drove to the car shows this past summer. I am working on a ’55 4 dr Bel Air w/ 265 / powerglide that is in process and also needs a new home. I hope to have it streetable this spring. I also have a ’40 Ford Coupe project that my dad started before he got sick and passed away.

I just wish that I did not have to work to support this addiction.
I have been blessed with these automobiles and the many friends and memories that come with them.
Jim Conkle

[fiftysixbowtie]

My first car was a 57 Ford that smoked worse than a freight train. It smoked so bad it came into the car and scared the hell out of anyone who was riding with me. It must have come through the firewall. Don't know for sure. Once I picked up a hitchhiker (not unusual in California in the 60's) and after a block or two he couldn't get out fast enough. I didn't keep that car very long.
After that, I got a 56 BA from my Dad. You can read all about that in a past issue of the newsletter. I eventually sold it for about $300.
Since then the only cool cars I've had were 2 Triumph Spitfires. I loved driving those cars through winding mountain roads in CA.
Oh. I also had a Honda Coupe. That's the model that had the 2-cylinder motorcycle engine. I saw one last year at a car show. You don't see them very often.
Currently I own an 88 Chevy Cavalier convertable and a 99 Tahoe that's kinda rare because it's a 2-door. I've tricked out the wheels and installed a custom cowl-vent hood. I get almost as many compliments on it as I do my 56. The Cavalier has over 240,000 miles on it and you can almost eat off the engine it's co clean. I don't drive it much any more. It may go on Ebay soon.
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John Rush

[LDRollow]

I have several cars other than a tri-five. 3 or 4 Corvairs, one that I re-did and it became a national show champion, one I built with a Olds Toronado driveline in it (rear ended after leaving a Norma's cruise night, ultimately totaled by the insurance company). But the most notable is a 1951 Studebaker. I purchased it in 1965, tore out the flathead six and installed a Dodge V-8 and a torqueflite trans. I drag raced this car at most of the now closed drag strips around Southern California. I had a lot of fun with this car, even driving it to college for a while. I joined the Navy and went on active duty in 1968 and was posted to Alamdea, California in late 1969. I got the motorcycle bug and sold the Stude in 1970. I soon wished I had not sold it. In 1995 a friend, still siving in SoCal, sent me an ad from the local auto sales magazine, and lo and behold it was my Stude. Anyway, I bought it back and it now is awaiting work to bring it back to life. It will now have a blown 350, TH400 with a GV overdrive, narrowed 12 bolt and so on.

[belairvette]

1950 Mercury Coupe, Fenton floor shift, Copper Paint w/ copper/white int
1962 Corvair 2DR, while I was on my first USN hitch-couldn't break it!
1964 GTO 2DR HDTP, Red,blk int, #340 HP, 4spd, Roadrunner killer
1956 Bel Air 2DR Post, Blk/white, '68 Truck 350, 3spd-miss it alot
1965 Malibu SS, 327/300 HP, 4spd Midnight Blue, blue int, great car!
1963 Impala SS409, 4spd, Brown/Tan int, wornout when i got it-let it go
1969 Camaro SS350, a bullet that outran everything except a radio...
1970 Impala SS350, married, tried to slow down...
1971 El Camino SS402, Red/blk vinyl roof/int
1957 Chev 3100 short bed, '69 Vette 350,4spd, good fast truck!
1971 Chevelle SS350 Convertible,silver w/blk top+int, sold it too cheap!
1971 Vette Coupe, Red,red int, engine was mangled by a high school shop
1967 El Camino SS, factory exec. produced 7/67 in Arlington, only one before El Camino SS were std production for 1968, verified by Doug Marion of Super Chevy,sold it to best friend in '83 he still has it.
1958 Vette, only "owned" 3 months. Guy with real title wanted it back!
1970 El Camino SS, 3 HR Power Tours, never shown. Sold to a guy too cheap in 2001, won 5 trophies @ Autorama incl. Popular HR "Top Street Performer Of Autorama 2002". He got the plaque, I got a copy.
1957 Bel Air Post, needed alot, sold it to guy in Australia, shipping tycoon.
1956 Bel Air 2Dr HDTP, currently under const., will getting the Vette susp+RamJet 350, see my progress on www.CarDomain.com, Bel Air, 1956, Hickory Creek, TX

[belairvette]

Dave, just the the '56 Bel air 2Dr HDTP. The only thing I've done to it is pulll the engine/trans/driveshaft out(don't ask-I've already given those away). My Car Creations frame with the polished '96 susp sits right beside it. I'm waiting for a call fm Street&Perf in Mena, AR to pick up my '06 RamJet 350 with the converted sidedraft intake. It's been up there for about a month now. My Monster 200-R4 trans is beside the frame. As I get the chassis+drivetrain complete incl. exhaust, I 'll start on the disassembly of the '56. Thanks for asking, Ed

[redrury]

I have a '37 Chevy coupe in the barn (is it still considered "under construction" after 4 years of collecting parts ??) and the '55 2-dr belair next to the barn....the question I ask myself when going to feed......How much bologna am I going to have to eat to get at least one of these done ???

[belairvette]

Heck, Big Steve, four years isn't long to wait on either one of those cars. I think the '37 had the best-looking grill of any of the pre-48 Chevys. I could have had my '56 on the streets before now but I guess I love prolonging my projects and overdoing them sometimes. I'm impatient because I see the other guys in Dallas Classic Chevys cruising and enjoying theirs now. But it'll be my last hot rod(Ithink...).

[redrury]

Thanks Belairevette for the reminder that nothing good comes easy !!!
The '37 was sitting in the pasture since the mid 40's according to my Grandfather. I found it when I was about 12 and it only took 25 years for me to get it....we cut down trees for a full day to get to it.... I am looking fwd to really getting to the building part of the project. I feel that I may sell the '55 in order to get the '37 done....but that is still to be decided.

[belairvette]

Wouldn't sell either one until I was absolutely sure I wanted to or had to. Both are still appreciating in value as long as they're not rusting away. But I did last year when I sold the '57 Bel Air 2DR Post project to keep the '56 2DR HDTP going. It's not easy. One thing to think about is cruising room inside the '55. But you can always buy a trailer for the '37. Availability of parts may be another concern with the '37. Not so with the '55. You can buy everything to build it it just the way you want it. Alot of guys, including me, would like to have your dilemma. C-Ya!

[redrury]

Yes...room in the coupe will be limited, but the trunk is a monster.
I have all the hard to find parts except 1 piece of trim...and my ebay $$$ has'nt been enough to get one yet.

I have a friend thats customizing a 55 and he is giving me the fresh 6cyl/trans, interior door trim and all handles in and out, 75 % glass, column with steering wheel, door panels and lots of exterior trim, stock wheels/hubcaps with new tires......it was sort of weird to get the phone call today becaues he did not know I had this '55. He asked if I knew anyone who needed a free, newly rebuilt 6 cyl with all the trimmings and it all sort of went off the deep end from there. Guess I am going to have to make this car a stocker...be a waste to not use a garage full of free parts.