Thanks for the compliments guys. It's a driver. Paint is 17 yrs old and looks it close up. It's very solid, very little rust, never wrecked. D/S quarter has been repaired but that seems to be about it. Engine is a 390 but not original. It is an original GTA car but was ordered with a 2bbl engine. Who knows why. The one "rare" thing about this car is that it has
in dash factory air. You don't see that very often.
I'm not going to restore it. I'm going to play with it. Plans include mini tubs, front suspension upgrade to probably a strut setup. I think I'll keep the leafs in the rear. My goal is a legitimate 9 sec daily driver. I have a polished Littlefield 1071 sitting in the garage and ultimately want to see that sticking out of the hood. Everything I do will be classic hot rod. I
may consider putting some sort of OD automatic in it since it is a GTA car, but don't rule out a 5 spd. I'm going to do this in three stages; the engine it has now is a fresh rebuild, pretty much stock with a Comp FT cam of some sort and some Comp valve train. I sold the tripower. They're cool and nostalgic, but no good for any real performance. I opted for a Performer RPM and 750 for this engine. I'll clean up the engine compartment and do some drive line upgrades as it is. I bought headers, an oil pan, intake, carb, a better ignition, got rid of the AC and power steering and upgraded the rear end to a Strange small bearing aluminum center section (found a deal I couldn't pass up o RJ), Tru Track diff, new 31 spline axles, new wheels and 275/60 MT ET Streets. Also got a set of CalTracs and will probably go with their spring with 1" lift. I agree... the front end needs to come down at least an inch, maybe more. Ultimately I'd like a 315 on a 10" rim underneath. It'll get some sort of sub frame connector as well. It needs a paint job but it looks nice enough for now that I can drive it and be proud of it. This winter I'll start on the 422ci engine and that will hopefully get me into the tens. Hoping for ~600hp. (I know, tall order.) That will be a 4.100 x 3.98 x 6.8 rod pump gas motor, hyd. roller with some sort of middle of the road alum. head. Maybe a ProMaxx or Edelbrock with a decent valve train. Hopefully by then I'll have found a medium riser dual quad intake. That engine will have to satisfy me till I get the blower engine built which will be on a BBM block and at least 500ci.
Here's where it's at right now;
Fitting the intake...needs some oddball gaskets to fit right. Kind of a pain to do in the car...
Threw the valve covers and carb on...little "motivational" mock up...looks like just about every other hopped up 390 in a Fairlane...
I did go with some 3/8 pushrods and did correct the geometry a little...had to take .030" off the stands. I was going to re-cam this engine but I just decided to run it and focus on the new one.
