Build Update Pics

[55Jim]

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[carls 56 (RIP 11/24/2021)]

going to be a cool ride, thanks for sharing Jim. what you do after lunch?

[Slim57]

That is on the way to being on very nice ride. Thanks for sharing!!!

[55Jim]

...what you do after lunch?

?
Carl, not sure about the "reference" to lunch?





That is on the way to being on very nice ride. Thanks for shrinking!!!


Thanks for the compliments guys!

j

[57fleetside]

Nice looking car. Love the color choices. You are at the fun stage of the project. Steve

[55Jim]

Nice looking car. Love the color choices. You are at the fun stage of the project. Steve

Thanks Steve. Kicked around a few ideas on paint. Originally I was thinking a matte black color scheme. Hot rod black always appealed to me and I have never had a black car. I also have never had a red car. My wife has had a black car and a red car... but not I :)

Anyways after much discussion and thought, I decided to combined the 2 colors into a two-tone scheme and do a clear coat pure-black over a metallic red. I figured the metallic red could sparkle in the sun like jewelry while the black soaked up all the rays. I like the contrast.

j

[BamaNomad]

Jim, I like your car also... the colors look great (but I have to forewarn you... yes, the black soaks up the sun, but it also gives up the HEAT!).. :)

We'd love to hear more about your car.. the engine, trans, rear, etc.. How long have you worked on it and are you doing it yourself or hiring it out? I'm thinking that you are doing it yourself and that all those other cars in the building (in the photo) are yours as well? :)

[55Jim]

Jim, I like your car also... the colors look great (but I have to forewarn you... yes, the black soaks up the sun, but it also gives up the HEAT!).. :)

We'd love to hear more about your car.. the engine, trans, rear, etc.. How long have you worked on it and are you doing it yourself or hiring it out? I'm thinking that you are doing it yourself and that all those other cars in the building (in the photo) are yours as well? :)

Gary,

You are so right, black is hot and it shows every spec of dust :). Both are reasons why I never bought myself a black car. However, all the old hot rods I used to see around when I was a kid growing up were painted hot rod black... and that speaks to me. Most of my Mustangs were white with black strips or blacked-out hoods. My son one time ask me if I knew there were other colors in the world besides white? (The clean look of white always appealed to me.... as long as it had a black strip:D). I did inform my son I had a yellow Mustang, and a gold Mustang, with black pin strips and a blacked out hood with a Boss 429 hood scope, no less!;). He wasn't impressed...LOL. I gave him the gold one (69 coupe) when he turned 16. It became Kool to him then. Black and gold was his school colors and I thought it was very cool of me:cool:. He sold it a few years ago and now wishes he hadn't. It was his daily driver for nearly 10 years, but he got himself a modern car and didn't drive the 'stang much and sold it. Now he has decided that modern cars aren't as Kool as classic cars for daily driver's. When he drove his Mustang, he got all kinds of attention, not so much with a standard run-of-the-mill modern car.

Anyways years ago I sold all of my Mustangs (6 of them) and stopped renting my shop. (I had rented a little shop a few miles from my house for the "ponies".) I never did any painting. Never appealed to me but there was a old semi-retired painter who had a shop beside my shop, so it worked out great.

Anyways due to family sickness I had to sell everything and I sized down. However, I knew I wanted a Tri-Five one day so I made sure I bought my little house with a garage for that future purpose.

I eventually sold the last of my real estate and the family members have sadly all "passed away". My wife came to me and told me to start looking but she had one caveat... I had to buy one already built and ready to go or have a custom one built. No working on it myself and renting a shop. She wasn't going to be a hot-rod widow :). She had places for us to go and see on my new hot rod. I said, 'Yes ma'am'.

After looking around and not finding what I wanted, without 'modifying it', I decided to have one built. The pictures you see were taken in the builders shop. Those cars are future builds. Most of the cars they build are restomods built to take to Barrett Jackson and Mecum. They only build a few full custom customer cars. However that seems to be changing because they are getting a lot more calls for custom cars from what I am hearing.

The basic Theme/criteria I gave them for the build was to build a restomod like it could be a car I purchased new from a Chevy dealership:
>The car is not a show car but a daily driver and must perform like one, including starting, stopping and handling.
>The vast majority of the parts must be GM parts which I can purchase from a Chevy dealership or a national franchise parts house. (For example, not bushings unique to Ford or Mopar etc...)
>With the exception of the Body and modified frame; all nuts, bolts, glass, trim, parts, & rear-end components are new. (One exception to this is I decided to go with an engine/trans combo with 18K miles.)

General overview: It is a 55 Bel Air post car;
<>L83/6L80E engine/trans
<>4 wheel power disc brakes
<>GM Rear-End housing with new internals and ratio to match engine/trans combo.
<>Power Steering
<>Tilt column
<>Frame reinforcement upgrade
<>Front sway bar plus their in-house custom built front suspension/steering package & rear suspension-leaf spring package.
<>2 inch drop all the way around.
<>Vintage air
<>Dakota Digital gauges
<>Front 6-way low-back bucket seats with console and seat-belts and bench rear. Custom upholstery (nothing fancy but durable).
<>RainGear wiper system
<>Larger fuel tank
<>LED lights, head & tail
<>Relocate the side mounted gas door/filler cap to the 1956 location behind the tail light.
<>Smooth bumpers
<>Smoked glass
<>2 tone paint job


That covers most of it.

j

[BamaNomad]

Wow Jim... your requirements are not much different than most of us building restomod type cars, but yours should be a real dandy being built by a quality shop (whereas I'm trying to do mine in my shop behind my house!).. :)

Do you have a schedule for completion?? I'm looking forward to seeing it at a show here in Bama one day soon!~ :) '

OR the Trifive nats next year?

PS. Being in the HOT SOUTH, I tend towards White cars/trucks also.. but on our classics we have to build what appeals and triggers our pleasant memories... :)

[55 Rescue Dog]

Awesome. Right now I wish I could just tell somebody how to build my car, instead of me. Most of it is more torture than fun having to work on it, when I should really be doing something else, or driving it! The other problem is, that most of the stuff I have farmed out wasn't done exactly the way I thought it should have been done.

[BamaNomad]

RD wrote: "The other problem is, that most of the stuff I have farmed out wasn't done exactly the way I thought it should have been done"...

THAT is the reason I generally do everything myself... or it doesn't get done. When I do get it done, it generally takes me 5X longer than it would paying out the $$ and being disappointed/PO'ed about the work that was done..

[BamaNomad]

RD wrote: "The other problem is, that most of the stuff I have farmed out wasn't done exactly the way I thought it should have been done"...

THAT is the reason I generally do everything myself... or it doesn't get done. When I do get it done, it generally takes me 5X longer than it would paying out the $$ and being disappointed/PO'ed about the work that was done..

But man.. it sure would be nice to be driving 5X faster... :)

[454bbcman]

Very nice 55Jim, my bet is your son will think this car is KOOL. I like your colors, I'm sure your going to be turning heads everywhere you go. Joel

[55Jim]

The other problem is, that most of the stuff I have farmed out wasn't done exactly the way I thought it should have been done.

There is 'that'....



Right now I wish I could just tell somebody how to build my car, instead of me. Most of it is more torture than fun having to work on it, when I should really be doing something else, or driving it!

... and there is 'this'.



I lean toward 'this':)

j

[55Jim]

RD wrote: "The other problem is, that most of the stuff I have farmed out wasn't done exactly the way I thought it should have been done"...

THAT is the reason I generally do everything myself... or it doesn't get done. When I do get it done, it generally takes me 5X longer than it would paying out the $$ and being disappointed/PO'ed about the work that was done..

But man.. it sure would be nice to be driving 5X faster... :)


Gary at this point in my life I lean toward the 5X faster.:cool: .... plus my wife told me to :D

j

[55Jim]

Very nice 55Jim, my bet is your son will think this car is KOOL.

I think he will too. I told him it was gonna be Cool not Kool, but he just rolled his eyes:rolleyes:




I like your colors, I'm sure your going to be turning heads everywhere you go. Joel


Thank you Joel. I am looking forward to driving it.

j

[55Jim]

I think he will too. I told him it was gonna be Cool not Kool, but he just rolled his eyes:rolleyes:

I was wrong again Joel... it is not Cool with a "K" now.... it is Kewl!

Damn I can't keep up :)

[Dave the Wave]

still Kool!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,always will be. example, " decal i saw on e-bay. WRONG! it`s a sticker, period! decals were water slide, end of story. thank you.

[55Jim]

still Kool!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,always will be. example, " decal i saw on e-bay. WRONG! it`s a sticker, period! decals were water slide, end of story. thank you.

:D

When I call some of my younger buddies, they wonder why I leave a message:eek: I wonder why they don't ;) hehehe


I like your colors, I'm sure your going to be turning heads everywhere you go. Joel

Anyways thanks again. You are Kool for saying so:)

Hanging in my man-cave, I have the metal spray-out tin of the red color I chose. I love the way the two colors react together.

j

[carls 56 (RIP 11/24/2021)]

what you do after lunch? --------> it meant to put a smile on your face. i have to get out more.

[markm]

what you do after lunch? --------> it meant to put a smile on your face. i have to get out more.

Why are you bothering to reply to a thread that has been dead fo over a year. Are you just obsessed with being the post king.

[BamaNomad]

I'm wondering what's happened to 55Jim... I never even learned where in Bama he was located....??

Did all the 'non car' related posts run him away??? I'm thinking 'probably'..... Maybe we should only have ONE ongoing thread for 'non-car-related' rants... that way we'd only have to SKIP one thread each day instead of 6 or 7...

[Troy]

Here here, it's getting worse here every day!

[markm]

If I wanted to see crap about the idiots in DC I would watch the news.

[Al_Dente]

That engine's tilted so high that it looks like it would just clear the hood, if at all. It's a good thing that it isn't using an original oilbath aircleaner. It might just be an optical illusion from the angle of which the photograph was taken, though :confused:

[WagonCrazy]

Just get it done 55Jim, and drive it. Time is a wastin'...

[210Chevy]

Nice looking project

[redmanf1]

Wow, what a nice build.... What size wheels & tires??

[55Jim]

"I'm wondering what's happened to 55Jim..."

Gary, My wife was diagnosed with cancer. All my time and energy was with her. It was tough... chemo, radiation, chemo, surgeries. Things are good now. She is still in the cancer center system so they can check her several times a year. She has a couple more years of that.

Here is the car. Eventually I will post the story of the car here.

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[BamaNomad]

Very very nice... :)

[55Jim]

Thanks!

Some Final specs:
Engine: Summit Racing Gen-3 LS 5.3L SUM-150153, Summit Racing Pro LS Roller Cam, 799 heads, 10:1 compression
ECU: Ultimate LS FiTech fuel injection system, 92mm throttle-body, drive by cable, with Transmission control
Transmission: 4L60E with LoKar floor shifter
Brake System: 11" Four-wheel disc brakes with JEGS 555-631250 Electric Brake Booster and Master Cylinder
Rear Diff: 3:25 posi
Power Steering: Rack & Pinion
Suspension: Front sway bar, pocket rear suspension-leaf springs, 2 inch drop spindles, 18 inch Rims
A/C: Vintage air
Gauges: Dakota Digital
Interior: Front 6-way low-back bucket seats, camera console, seat-belts, rear bench, leather.
Wipers: RainGear 2-speed
Fuel Tank: Standard, modified to use FiTech in-tank fuel pump/regulator & 1956 filler cap location
Other: Smooth bumpers, Convex side-view mirrors, Cruise control, electric exhaust cut-outs & Smoked Glass

NOTE: I will admit the one change I would make is a bigger fuel tank. Not going to do that now, but will at a later date.

[567chevys]

55JIM

What a beautiful Car , Great Color ,great Stance & one more thing least you can drive it

Thanks Sid

[55Jim]

That engine's tilted so high that it looks like it would just clear the hood, if at all. It's a good thing that it isn't using an original oilbath aircleaner. It might just be an optical illusion from the angle of which the photograph was taken, though :confused:

Yes that was just a mock-up as was the wheels and some other stuff from that picture.

ENGINE STORY:

So the 1st engine referenced above was a L83 (LT 5.3) from a Chevy Truck with low miles (less than 35K if I remember right). This engine was completely stock... same manifold, same intake, same Cam and OEM ECU. All we did was re-tune it. Found one guy who was pretty good with the LTs and that bad boy pulled on dyno 435 lbs of torque at the rear wheels. Great low and mid-range torque! (I have always been a fan of truck engines in muscle cars.) It felt like a big block and would light the tires at 70mph with ease with the 3:25 rear-end. My wifes SS Camaro couldn't pull away from that engine below 100mph and that car is scary fast. That engine was amazing and my first experience with direct injection on a hot rod. I wasn't really looking for that kind of power because this car was suppose to be a cruiser, but it also got better-than 19mph with my foot in it, so, best of both worlds right! The DI offers some interesting performance.

However, this was also the first time the builder had ever dealt with the LT DI engines and we had fuel issues. He had talked me into the engine and said he would eat the development cost and I said sure. While we were working thru the fuel issues his tuner got hired away and left the state. Now understand this was during all the covid crap and we were having a hard time finding a good tuner for the LT engine in the area. Eventually found one and they did several tunes several times trying to work out the kinks.

Anyways long story short... they blew up the engine. After that I decided to just go back to the LS since that was my original plan in the first place. Summit Racing had their LS327's in stock (not Summit's name, my name.) I call them that because GM Performance had some early LS 5.3's they sold under the LS327 moniker, so I decided to borrow it because I liked it and because my Grandfather had 327 Impala back in the day which I loved to drive.

So I am enjoying the LS327 and it is more in line with my original plan, but it does not hold a candle to the L83 when it comes to torque. The LS327 is cammed so all of its torque and HP happen on the high end of the RPM band. It is a little screamer. I ran her up to 120 before I ran out of room and she does her best work over 6K RPM. The engine is a little lopey and sounds cool and cruises great.

With all that said, I have another build in me down the road (thinking 57 this time) and I want to try the L83 or the L8T (if I've got enough money) in the new build. The tuners are getting better with the LTs and more parts are being developed. Scoggin-Dickey seems to be a leader in the LT market and I am watching their stuff with interest. So we will see.

The picture of the engine with the FiTech intake/thottle-body is the LS327. The engine I am running now.

j

[55Jim]

55JIM

What a beautiful Car , Great Color ,great Stance & one more thing least you can drive it

Thanks Sid


Thanks Sid! I appreciate it.

Yes driving it is nice. They have the suspension dialed in and handles as good on the interstate as it does the back roads.

jim

[55Jim]

Wow, what a nice build.... What size wheels & tires??

FRONT: 225/45 R18

REAR: 235/45 R18

[55Jim]

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[55Jim]

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[55Jim]

Below is the L83 that blew up. We pulled 435 lbs-ft Torque at the rear wheels. Stock ECU, manifold and intake. Just tuning. Unfortunately lost my tuner and the new guys weren't so good with LT's :)

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