Project Fool's Gold

[WS6]

Looks great Tommy. If you don't mind, why did you go with the LD 3 link instead of the Quadralink considering how much else is DSE? I'd love to build my TA up like that one day.

[PARKERRS]

Moparcar, I'll be glad to measure for you when the shell comes back from media blasting, it went there on Tuesday.

WS6 I went with the LD because at the time I ordered it, July of '07, the Qaudra-link was not yet available for the second gen.. They came out with it around October of '07 and by the time I got all of the LD parts in for installation it was Thanksgiving of '07. If it hadn't of come in when it did I would have swapped over to the Qaudra-link. I was going to try a different sub-frame and didn't get the prototype until April of '08, it needed some more R&D to work and I had just run out of patience waiting and killing time so I switched gears and ordered the DSE which took 6 weeks to get.

Now you can see what I was saying about FINALLY making a little progress. Waiting on parts for long periods along with some medical issues I had in October of this year has really held this thing up. Maybe I can move a little quicker now. I've been waiting on Marquez taillights since early August and they aren't here so I ordered a set of Feslers. The only other wait I foresee of any length will be hood hinges, I want the new design from Ring Bros. but right now they only have them for first gen.

Tommy

[Ron S]

I'm very interested in what the body looks like when it gets back from media.Looking at yours pics again,that body looks really,really cherry.A great find for 1k.And great fab skills by the way.Ron

[PARKERRS]

Thanks Ron that's a real compliment coming from you. You are the mad welder-fabricator around here this year with the Mustang project. The only known issue with the body shell is the rear valance below where the bumper mounts. I know it has about a half inch of filler in it but everything else is good, normal pin holes next to the door in the lower forward part of the qaurters. Thats normal for these cars though so we'll see.

Tommy

[craigs73]

that rendering is bad a$$

[1971CHEVELLE]

Wow awesome metal work, coming along nicely. Keep posting pics

[David Sloan]

Hey Tommy
The cars looking good. I like the rendering, the color combo is killer.

[Lemons]

Tommy,

That is an awesome project that you have going. That's an outstanding rendering, parts, and fabrication. Very impressive.

For a while that rendering was the background on my desktop at work. I love the paint scheme and the way the exhaust exits. Very nice. I have a 73 that I'm working on, and I might have to steal some ideas from your build. I will definitely be following this one. Your plan is very close to the dreams that I have in my head, and I can't wait to see her done.

Good job so far, looks great.

[MoparCar]

[quote=PARKERRS;478649]Moparcar, I'll be glad to measure for you when the shell comes back from media blasting, it went there on Tuesday.


Thanks, I really appreciate it. If you could tell me the distance from the centerline of the axle to the front support that would be really helpful also.

Wes

[PARKERRS]

Pictures coming probably next week. I got the body back from media blast and took it to my friends Brad and Shane at Thunder Valley Customs in White, Georgia. They are the ones who painted my gray car and did an absolutely outstanding job.

It was good news at the blaster. I had a small rust hole the size of a silver dollar on each qaurter between the door and rear wheel opening which is almost a given on these cars. The fenders are useable with a small hole the same size on each in the common area again behind the wheel opening. The rear deck lid was great and even the filler was excellent and reusable. The doors however were the bad item, the frames are excellent but both will recieve skins due to previous repair (drill and fill) which would have made repairing the skins an utter quilt work with a skim coat. I'd rather skin them and forget it, less labor and less hassle especially since we will be modifying the skins anyway to accept the late model door handles and late model power mirrors. The rest of the body is clean and solid with only a couple of door dings to deal with. WOOT!

The wheels and tires came in last week and every time I glance at them I get wood so I haven't snapped any pics yet (Thanks Frank). The engine I'm tearing down this week and taking the block to the machine shop for a torque plate hone and decking. I'll be installing a Callies Dragonslayer crank with 4" stroke, Callies Compstar 6.125" rods, Wiesco 8cc dish pistons along with Federal Mogul 3/4 groove bearings and plasma moly top rings and napier second rings finished by chrome moly oil rings. The pistons will be 4.005 so that is the reason for the torque plate hone on the 4" bore, they will also protrude .010 out of the deck which is the reason for decking. Topping it off with a special grind Comp Cam, Trick flow 225 cnc heads with 65cc chambers, Yella Terra rockers, Comp lifters and push rods and a 92mm Fast intake ported by Vengeance racing here in Atlanta. They are also porting the factory drive by wire throttle body.

Just an update, hope to have some pics soon. We chose the final colors today and I think it will be a knockout. HOK Zenith Gold and Dupont Hot Hues hot rod black. Making progress, just need to slow down long enough to snap some photos.

A special thanks goes out to Jeff Tate for helping me out on several parts the past two or three weeks.

[Lemons]

Tommy,

Glad to hear that the body came out pretty solid. My 73 is pretty solid, but my 70 is a rusty heap. It was first car, so I don't know if I can get rid of her. I think it would be easier to cut her up with major modifications though. That 3 link looks pretty good under a 2nd gen.

You're motor sounds absolutely wicked. I can't wait to see more pics and updates. Looking good. This is gonna be one killer ride.

Chris

[PARKERRS]

Finally I got around to taking a few more pics today. This is the body as it left my garage.



After blasting and a coat of PPG DP50 I carried it to my friends Brad and Shane at Thunder Vally Customs. They have sanded the bottom side as well as wiping some welding pin holes and seam sealing the weld joints.

The trunk floor will get some modification to help clear the exhaust as well as patch a few thin spots next. I'm using a Rick's stainless tank which I had built 1" deeper than stock as well as 2" wider. The front corners of the tank are clipped at an angle to provide exhaust clearance also. I'll get some pics of the tank once the trunk floor is done and it's mocked up.

[PARKERRS]

The only rust problems were between the door opening and wheel opening which is common on these cars. We are patching these areas.
Right side


firewall being prepped for smoothing, the holes were welded up on the left and wiped, still need to be finished and sanded. The lip between the cowl and firewall was cut off and the cowl smoothed up with a wipe. The right side has had all holes dressed down and prepped for a filler plate to be attached when we drop it off the rotisserie.


The qaurters look great except for the small patches shown above.

The sad news that really pi$$es me off is that the blaster screwed me! Evidently he let a new guy with no experience blast the car and consequently damaged my smooth roof with no filler in it. Now the roof feels like a washboard from being shrunk and stretched in different areas. After two nights of lying awake thinking about it and haveing a long pow wow with my body men we've decided that with the caliber of this build that wiping 20pounds of filler in the roof just will not cut it. I ordered one of the new Dynacorn second gen. roof skins today from NPD. Less labor and a better repair overall it just gripes my a$$ though that they did this.

[PARKERRS]

Well I finished tearing down the 07 LS2 last night to the bare block and got it ready for the machine shop once all parts are here. The pistons, rods, bearings, and rings arrived today.

The crank should drop ship from Callies next week and I'll be ready to machine and build the bottom end.

[Blownsvt]

man this thing is looking good so far! I used to work at Thunder valley when you had the first car there... i actually buffed some on it before i left there and went to another shop... my brother worked there too for a couple of years.. (he was the red head that allways worked with shane)... is Jimmy still up there doing body work??? that dude is good!

[PARKERRS]

No Jimmy is gone, this economy I guess. It's just three guys including Brad there right now. Jimmy is good at metal work for sure, I remember Cayle too, nice guy.

[Blownsvt]

ahhh that sucks man... yea i need to swing by the shop and check out the car man... looks awesome so far... yea cale is workin for bob tascas funny car team now...

[protouring70]

Tommy the car is looking good. Keep it up!

[WS6]

Tommy, how can you go wide on the fuel tank with the DSE tubes in there? I thought you had to use a narrowed tank? Car's looking good. Sucks about the roof though. Have you talked with the blaster about it?

[Ron S]

I need to take you with me the next time I'm looking for a project Tommy.That body is pretty sweet,shouldn't take much to make that one pretty.All the suspension parts look cool hanging off the bottom of that body.Ron