Here is the actual ad that I circled and cut out of the Want Ad Press for the 1966 Chevelle. The seller wanted $4,500 for the car, but I was able to get it for $3,000 in 1989. It had a 350 with a 4 speed, a 12 bolt posi rear and a big block hood. The shifter was not installed correctly, and the lacquer paint job was flat and fading from the day I bought it...but I loved this car. Even when I found out that the rear body mounts were rotted away under the pop-riveted trunk panel, and the previous owner stuffed an entire can of Bondo into the hole to try to repair it...I still loved it. Cleaning the spark plugs of oil and adjusting the dual point distributor every other weekend...I still loved this car. Blowing through synchros in so many transmissions that I couldn't count didn't make this car loose any luster. This car got me to college for the last few years, and to my first job, right up to my wedding. I raced for the first time at the drag strip with this car. Then one day while driving to work, I slid off the road and smacked up the passenger fender. During the early 1990's, it was quite a task to try to find a replacement fender, and there was no online community or EBAY, so I hit the swap meet in search of a new/used fender. After a year or two of unsuccessful efforts, I eventually sold the Chevelle to my friend Cary for $850, and bought my first Corvette. A few years later, I wanted to try to get the Chevelle back and set out in search for it. Car had sold it to someone else, who sold it to someone, and it was reported to be "somewhere" in the town of Metuchen, NJ. So I spent my free time driving around, looking up driveways and in garages and backyards for my old car. Years later, I buy my first home, and after a New Years Eve party at the neighbor's house (Chris from Ace Motorsports) I come to find out that he was the owner from Metuchen, and moved the car across the street from my new home. Years of searching, and it was right across the street from my home...unbelievable. Unfortunately, the years had not been so kind to the Chevelle, and Chris sold it. I also didn't have the funds to track it down....just bought the house. I had to wait 15 years to get another 1966 Chevelle.
Even though spring is officially here...the weather has decided not to cooperate. We have been dealing with snow, rain and the cold here still, and as I wait for a few parts, POR-15 paint and the warm weather, I figured I would post a visual time line of my personal cars. Here is my first car I bought way back in 1986...a 1977 Dodge Charger SE. It had a blown transmission that only ran in reverse, so I was able to get it for $400. It had a 318 c.i. motor, power windows, seats, A/C, and air shocks! I learned a lot with that car, and did my first engine dress-up with some chrome valve covers and air cleaner. I drove this car until we realized it wasn't going to handle my commute to college, so we needed to get something else.
I also bought a 1973 Dodge Charger SE with a 400 c.i. motor for $150 with my pal Eddie. We forgot to get the title however, so we never put it on the road, just beat it up the parking lot of my fathers work lot and eventually gave it away for free. Ouch! By the way, this wasn't going to get me to college either.
My third vehicle was a 1986 Jeep CJ-7 Laredo that we picked up from the owner of the local pizza shop. I don't think that he could drive a manual, so my father helped my out with the quick purchase. We always had a Jeep in the family, and this was a practically new one....and not our last.
We also had a 1976 Camaro at this time that was my girlfriend's (now wife), with the full 1980s theme of window louvers, Cragers, roses and playboy bunnies etched into the windows....classic!
The last car I purchased during the 1980's was by far my favorite, and my first real muscle car. I think I'll have to devote a separate post to my first Chevelle.
The Ace Motorsports Altered has been traded in for a new car! Chris now is enjoying a new, faster ride compliments of a trade he made, and the 505 c.i. big block powered 2002, 240 inch Worthy dragster has completed its test and tune trial run at Oldbridge Township Raceway Park this past weekend. Details to follow soon.....
UPDATE - The dragster ran a best of 8.05 @ 164 mph so far. Chris hopes it will run 7.85.
My pal Jason found this cool clip for me of a 1950's newsreel and a car that was modded by its owner to deploy its spare tire as a tight-spot parkind assist.
It is raining today, and usually I would be bummed out...but at least it isn't snowing! Yesterday, we got a call from Tommy that he was all done with our engine hoist. He has the big block back in the wagon, and it looks good! The hoist has been floating around this winter to a couple of the guys who needed to borrow it. I knew that the front casters were pretty well worn (they looked like the letter "D"), and I realized that they weren't swivel casters. This made it very difficult to maneuver the hoist around because the front wheels didn't steer. A quick trip to Harbor Freight and 10 minutes with the welder fixed the hoist right up with a new set of wheels. Now we can use it to help put the body of the '66 back on the frame.
We also stopped by Pete's to check on the small block he was offering us for the '66 Chevelle. It is a partially disassembled 4 bolt main 350, and still sitting under the hood of his old C-10. Looks like one exhaust manifold, a ground strap, starter wire, motor mounts and trans are the only things holding it in. This should be an easy pull, just need it to stop raining now.
I've blogged before about how I've always been fascinated with cars. I remember watching my grandmother race her 1967 Jaguar, or playing with my best friend Bill and our Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. But I think that my love for the automobile is something much deeper, genetic somehow....and that the same passion has been passed on to my son, Zach. Of course, he had more environmental exposure to classic cars than most kids his age....hell, he had more exposure than most adults. He could identify most car manufacturers, knew all the muscle cars and could even tell you what type of car just passed by the sound of the exhaust when he was in elementary school.
I wanted to post a few pics of Zach, and some of our projects, as we get ready to get back to work on his first car - a 1966 Chevelle. Of course he is no longer this little boy here (he's now 15 years old, and already 6 foot tall and 190 pounds), but he will always be my best friend. Here is Zach behind the wheel of our 1979 Camaro (with a Pat Musi small block). We had a lot of Jeeps, and Zach learned to drive this electric Jeep like a pro. You should have seen his skills!
Zach was always willing to come out and help work on a project car, because he knew that earned him a right to sit in the passenger seat or a trip to the local cruise night.
The pic of the two of us with my 64 Stingray was taken by Tommy, and was the initial start of our friendship. He thought it was cool that Zach came to the cruise night with me, so he took our picture and gave it to us the following week. Tommy and I have been pals ever since! Finally Zach and I are pictured with Jimmy Shine at famous SO-CAL Speed Shop in Pomona, California.
