I had a couple of Rancheros, a '73 and a '72 GT. I took the front clip off the '72 (it was really rough and I just bought it for a parts car) and put it on the '73, making it look like a '72 GT. That's what I had the 351C in, till I yanked it out and put it in the F250. The cars both got junked by my bro-in-law without my knowledge or permission while I was living down south. I still have bunch of parts from them I should eBay or put on CL or something. But I'd love to have a '71 Torino or Ranchero, either one would make a great home for the Cleveland.

I think we're straying from the original subject just a bit...!

 

I like all the banter.

The thing I have been pondering with all the CV swap talk is simply will it handle more predictably?

I like the twin I beams okay, but I don't remember being super confident with that setup in the old '65, but that could honestly have been more due to it being worn out than an intrinsic design flaw. My Chebbie friends swear that the I beams will eat tires and be impossible to keep aligned, but I'd like to submit those concerns to folks with more experience with Steve McQueen's truck of choice.

...he had a bumpside.

 

Screw swapping out the rear end just to match the lug pattern... Its a lot easier to have new aftermarket axles made (Strange, Mosier, etc). Im all about the CV swap though! Deal with the different offset on the rims, worse case have the rims you want cut and widened with the correct offset done for ya...

 

Ibeams run fine on tires.

 

So I decided to go the 390 route. The motor is in the machine shop now. It'll be a mild build with stock crank and rods, forged flat top pistons, D2TE-AA heads (I asked about big valves, no word yet on price,) and a pretty decent size cam. Lift is .513/.520 with more duration at the exhaust. Carb is a Holley 670, ignition is an MSD Pro Billit, intake is an Exelbrock Performer RPM, and I have a set of Hooker full length headers for it.

Now I get to look at it in my garage for about a month while I save for a transmission. I'm looking at the TCI Street Fighter C6 with their Saturday Night Special converter. I have a coworker who will give me a disc brake front end that I will rebuild and use. The rear end is already a 9", so I'll probably have that rebuilt and get limited slip installed.

Then I won't be allowed to spend any more money for like a year.

 

Is that Holley brand new? It may be set up a bit lean for that much cam and free flowing exhaust. What is the "list" number stamped in to the air horn?

 

I'll have to check out the carb. I also have an Edelbrock 750 floating around that is newer that I may use for break in since it seems to run rich as hell, hence the Holley.

Also, my mufflers came in today! I decided to go the road less traveled and buy Hooker Aero Chambers. The exhaust system that goes with them is apparently illegal to ship to California, (Thanks, JERRY,) and so I have to have my brother drive it out from Nevada when he visits in a month or so.

 

390 is being assembled by Modesto Engine Re-Nu here in town.



I found a C6 in Sacramento and will be picking it up tomorrow, with a torque converter. It's FINALLY coming together!

 

Really? I know it's now "illegal" to have a gas can without the stupid sealed spout but now the rule has been extended to exhaust system for a smog-exempt vehicle?

Usually the disclaimer is "Not to be used on pollution controlled vehicles". I am curious as to what system were you attempting to have shipped?

For those not in CA, "Jerry" is a reference to the current state governor Jerry Brown... also known as "Governor Moonbeam" because he has been described by pundits as a "granola chewing, illegal alien importing, global warming, and climate change loon."

 

He is the son of Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, former governor of California.

Believe it or not boys and girls, California used to be a well run state, but probably before these goofballs.

 

Living in Arkansas, I don't have to deal with such idiocy --no smog checks, no annual inspections (not since January 1, 1998), and no restrictions on engine or exhaust modifications.

It used to be that California had a very pro car culture. Sad to see the type of government that's taken over there has moved the culture from being very pro automotive to being more and more of an anti-car culture.

 

Here's the kit.

http://m.summitracing.com/parts/hok-16562hkr

Yeah, it's pretty dumb that they are attempting to regulate non emissions controlled vehicles by restricting business from shipping here. Oh, well.

Also, have any of you guys played with lifting a 2WD Twin I Beam truck? I found a 5" lift kit that comes with beams, springs, shocks, and whatnot, and I think with a 32" tire, it would look pretty mean.

 

Thanks.

Clicking on the Applications tab specs that system for a 76 F100 which would be a 'pollution controlled' vehicle.

Summit's inability to send it to CA makes sense based on that. Did you use a 76 F100 as your vehicle profile?

 

I used a '72, but as far as I can tell, it will git as long as it's got an FE. I'm pretty sure it would still fit with a small block, but would need a little persuasion up near the headers by way or welder and/or torch.

 

Transmission is currently in the back of my wife's Subaru. We picked it up for a song on the way to visit family, so the car smells like ATF, but the trans supposedly runs, and doesn't have any signs of leaks, so I may pick up a torque converter and try to run it as is.