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Thread: Another new guy

  1. #1
    Registered Member dan60231's Avatar
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    Another new guy

    Just found the site.

    About a month ago I picked up a 55 2dr post. Had it shipped from VA.

    Has a 350, 700R4, 10 bolt. Really nice black paint and a great interior. The paint and interior is the only thing that was professionally and properly done. With the car came a big box of receipts and the previous owner said he did this, did that. Turns out he paid to have it done. Unfortunately every single shop he took it too screwed him with what I'd call less that substandard work and he as far as I can see he couldn't tell the how bad the work being done was. A friend of mine that saw the car calls it a "well dressed mess". The previous owner said it was a rabbit hole for him.

    But I love this car. It's exactly what I wanted. The rear axle is too wide and a 2.76 and the tires rub badly. I've got a 9" going in with 3.70's. I also have a holley sniper going on it. After fixing the brakes, the steering (has a jim meyer rack and pinion) cleaning the fuel tank out and changing the carb and a set of plugs and completing the power window install I was able to drive it.

    The wiring harness was replaced back in 2003 and after that everyone that worked on it scabbed on to the wiring, and did that badly, very badly. The AC install seems ok, but everything else is horrible. I'm not sure if I'm going to try and keep the harness that's in the car of just get a new AAW harness and start over. I did a AAW in my nova and it's really nice.

    There is a lot of things that need to be done, but I'm pretty happy with the car.

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    Last edited by dan60231; 09-11-2022 at 03:38 PM.

  2. #2
    Registered Member Dragsix's Avatar
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    Welcome my friend! Really glad you are here with all the rest of us crazies!

  3. #3
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    I started a lot deeper in the hole than you did 6 years ago and many dollars/work later.
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  4. #4
    Registered Member dan60231's Avatar
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    You did a really nice job on yours. What does it have in it? I'm a died in the wool 55 guy and I always want to know about other 55's. (56's and 57's too)

    I have a 55 handyman wagon in about the same shape as yours was. I'm going to sell it soon. I just finished a 3 year nova build and didn't want to start another ground up build, especially after my stroke 2 years ago. I can only work a few hours per day, if that now.

    I paid $23k for this one, and $2.5k in shipping. In looking at the prices these cars command these days I stole it. With the 9", fuel injection, digital dash and misc. I'll have at least $32k in it. I was able to drive it once up to my local gas station and a guy offered me $40k. I told him no because I can't find another one for that.

    I had a 55 when I was in boot camp 46 years ago. They stole and stripped it and I had to sell it. I finally was able to afford another one and I'll never sell it.
    Last edited by dan60231; 09-11-2022 at 07:28 PM.
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  5. #5
    Registered Member busterwivell's Avatar
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    Welcome, Dan! Glad to have you here.

    You have a better start than a lot of us. My best friend sold me his 56 210 project 2 weeks before he passed away from cancer. It came home in pieces, 3 or 4 trips.

    I wanted to build a cruiser. I think I've accomplished that. My car has a 350/700R4, 6.5 10 bolt rear with 3:42 gears. I've rebuilt the suspension, added disc brakes front, AAW wiring kit, Vintage Air, all new tinted glass, Specialty power windows, Ididit tilt column, Rastra cruise control, Retrosound radio, new headliner and carpet. I'll eventually redo the seats, but they are serviceable for now.

    It's got 15 x 7 steel wheels with dog dish hub caps, 215/70R15 front and 255/70R15 rear tires. No rubbing. While the car was apart, I sprayed the inside of the roof and the floor with Lizard Skin. Driving it in 100+ degree weather is comfortable. On the flat, I can drive it at 80 mph with the cruise set and the AC blowing cold and get 20mpg. Mission accomplished.

    This is one way to do it, you may differ. Feel free to ask any questions you have. There's very friendly, knowledgeable people here who are happy to help.

    BTW, when I was in basic training and AIT in the US Army at Gt Leonardwood, Mo. in 1966 I had the same problem with my 55 Pontiac. It was only vandalized though. I was able to fix it before I was shipped to Germany. My brother totaled it while I was gone.

  6. #6
    Registered Member BamaNomad's Avatar
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    Welcome to the site, Dan!~ and Good Luck with your new '55...

    Buster: I'd say you were 100% successful in achieving your goals in building a great '56 !
    Last edited by BamaNomad; 09-12-2022 at 05:33 AM.

  7. #7
    Registered Member dan60231's Avatar
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    Well with this car I started better, but not with my wagon. I've had the wagon for 20 years and all of that time it's been in my car trailer. I decided that I didn't have another ground up build in me, so I bought the black one. With the wagon there is no way at today's prices I could build it for the $23k I paid for the black one. So I'm going to sell the wagon. So far with shipping the black car to me and parts I've bought I'm at $32k. The includes fuel injection, new tank, 9" rear, intelatronics dash, harness and I might get the holley distributor that the sniper injection can control.

    Right now I'm just starting replacing the wiring harness. I absolutely hate doing wiring. I really tried to sort the existing harness out, but in the end I gave up. The final straw was on my only test drive I was on my way home and fire truck passed me on my road. A guy has a chevy square body and it was on fire in his yard. Burned to the ground and I could just see the 55 doing the same. So I parked it and started tearing out the old harness.

    I guess next summer is my goal now.

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