New Member, New Polara

[Stev]

Still waiting on the bodyshop to get around to me. But events are transpiring.

Motor is off for machining. After talking the build over with the guys at the shop they basically said "Yup, good build. No notes", which was reassuring. Gonna enlarge the oil galley to main holes, have the crank balanced, stronger spring in the oil pump bypass, full groove bearings, ARP hardware on the bottom end, etc etc etc. Throwing the entire book of tricks at it.

The deck measured out of level, as mopars are want to do, so it'll get milled flat. Since it already needs premium gas, I figure we'll bump the compression up to 11.5-1 or so. Jaguar v12's ran at 12-1 back in the 70's so i think that's pretty safe. Should be as hype as a stock looking 383 can be. Also picked up the tranny while i was down there.

Really impressed with the casting tolerances on the 440 source head. Very close to the ideal, won't need much touching up to gasket match. Might need to open up the pushrod clearances though.

Less impressed with the Edelbrock manifold.

Also bought the carpet and radio from Retro Manufacturing, because who knows what's going to go on with the tarriffs.


Avanti.

 

[3175375]

Still waiting on the bodyshop to get around to me. But events are transpiring.

View attachment 705261

View attachment 705262

Motor is off for machining. After talking the build over with the guys at the shop they basically said "Yup, good build. No notes", which was reassuring. Gonna enlarge the oil galley to main holes, have the crank balanced, stronger spring in the oil pump bypass, full groove bearings, ARP hardware on the bottom end, etc etc etc. Throwing the entire book of tricks at it.

The deck measured out of level, as mopars are want to do, so it'll get milled flat. Since it already needs premium gas, I figure we'll bump the compression up to 11.5-1 or so. Jaguar v12's ran at 12-1 back in the 70's so i think that's pretty safe. Should be as hype as a stock looking 383 can be. Also picked up the tranny while i was down there.

View attachment 705264

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Really impressed with the casting tolerances on the 440 source head. Very close to the ideal, won't need much touching up to gasket match. Might need to open up the pushrod clearances though.

View attachment 705266

Less impressed with the Edelbrock manifold.

View attachment 705263

Also bought the carpet and radio from Retro Manufacturing, because who knows what's going to go on with the tarriffs.


Avanti.

You might be stuck with additives or running on racing fuel with the compression ratio that you cited. Remember, in the early 70’s, 103 octane, leaded pump gas was available.
I am sure others will chime in.

Beautiful engine eye candy!

 

[Stev]

You might be stuck with additives or running on racing fuel with the compression ratio that you cited. Remember, in the early 70’s, 103 octane, leaded pump gas was available.
I am sure others will chime in.

Beautiful engine eye candy!

Talked to everyone i knew, including the engine builder at the machine shop and they said 12 is the ceiling for pump gas. But the timing curve has to be really exact. Those XJS's with 12-1 motors still run just fine today.

 

[3175375]

Talked to everyone i knew, including the engine builder at the machine shop and they said 12 is the ceiling for pump gas. But the timing curve has to be really exact. Those XJS's with 12-1 motors still run just fine today.

Glad you did the research. Game on!

 

[Stev]

Hey guess what, still waiting on the bodyshop and machine shop. Neato.

However my next project is settled.

I inherited my dad's uncle's 1957 Mercury/Ford Meteor. A werido canadian basemodel ford sedan that was gussied up to sell at mercury dealers.

The car is a total disaster, but I've always wanted a Kustom, and to learn to chop a car. If I don't take this thing it's going to scrap, so what the hell. Perfect car to learn on.

Drew up a concept drawing for it. 1958 Hood, two tone black and gold. Airbags, channel it slightly to get the rockers lower than the frame etc. I also want larger fins, tempted to buy some 58 DeSoto tail lights and fab some long low and straight fins off of them, get some of Harley Earl's design language in there. But DeSoto lights are like 1000 bucks for a bad pair so iunno. 57 Fords also have a problem where the front bumper is miles taller than the rocker, so I was hunting around for a taller bumper with horozontal lines and a negative space in the middle to frame the V in the grille. 1959 DeSoto bumper is the best candidate but is also pretty busy. Not sure on that either.

I want to do about a 4" chop. I'll have to quarter the roof around the B pillar and move the rear rearward, front forewards and widen it in the middle. I figure i'll weld some angle iron in there with slots cut into it, and bolt it up square before cutting it. That way I can just open it up along those tangents and it'll stay square. Glass is all ****** and needs replacing anyway. JR Imports carries all laminiated glass that can be cut down for a chop.

For power I have a Jaguar v12 with race cams lying around. Found some squarebore intake manifolds for it. Dual quad v12 Meteor, why not?

Gonna enjoy big blue all summer then go pick up the Meteor in the fall and spend all winter fabbing again. Why do i do this to myself?

 

[D Cluley]

Nice!

I've never been a fan of that '58 Ford hood scoop thing, but it works well with the dip in the Meteor grill.

How about adding '59 Cadillac taillight bullets to the Ford ones?

 

[3175375]

Hey guess what, still waiting on the bodyshop and machine shop. Neato.

However my next project is settled.

View attachment 712813

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View attachment 712815

I inherited my dad's uncle's 1957 Mercury/Ford Meteor. A werido canadian basemodel ford sedan that was gussied up to sell at mercury dealers.

The car is a total disaster, but I've always wanted a Kustom, and to learn to chop a car. If I don't take this thing it's going to scrap, so what the hell. Perfect car to learn on.

View attachment 712816

Drew up a concept drawing for it. 1958 Hood, two tone black and gold. Airbags, channel it slightly to get the rockers lower than the frame etc. I also want larger fins, tempted to buy some 58 DeSoto tail lights and fab some long low and straight fins off of them, get some of Harley Earl's design language in there. But DeSoto lights are like 1000 bucks for a bad pair so iunno. 57 Fords also have a problem where the front bumper is miles taller than the rocker, so I was hunting around for a taller bumper with horozontal lines and a negative space in the middle to frame the V in the grille. 1959 DeSoto bumper is the best candidate but is also pretty busy. Not sure on that either.

I want to do about a 4" chop. I'll have to quarter the roof around the B pillar and move the rear rearward, front forewards and widen it in the middle. I figure i'll weld some angle iron in there with slots cut into it, and bolt it up square before cutting it. That way I can just open it up along those tangents and it'll stay square. Glass is all ****** and needs replacing anyway. JR Imports carries all laminiated glass that can be cut down for a chop.

For power I have a Jaguar v12 with race cams lying around. Found some squarebore intake manifolds for it. Dual quad v12 Meteor, why not?

Gonna enjoy big blue all summer then go pick up the Meteor in the fall and spend all winter fabbing again. Why do i do this to myself?

Great idea!

You may want to get some insights from this guy as I have been watching his YouTube channel for some time and plan on leveraging from what he’s shared:

 

[Dads300]

Very cool, I kinda have a thing for 57 fords. In the late 70s/early 80s my dad’s boss had a half dozen or more 57 fords out behind their shop. He had a thing for 2 door ranch wagons and rancheros. He had a really nicely restored 57 ranchero with a Paxton supercharged 312 in it. He also built out a factory black 61 Starliner with a 427 sohc and a 4 speed. Dude was a hardcore ford nut. As a young boy going to work with my dad on saturdays, those cars made an impression on me.
Travis..

 

[fullsized]

Welcome for Georgia! First get a ballast resistor for the car if it has the points still in it. If it has electronic you should be ok. We here are working on a 65 Chrysler wagon. Some parts are the same from 65 to 68. Tail lights are hard to find. Wagon only part. 66 and up is a good range. 65 has many older parts/systems in it.

 

[Stev]

Welcome for Georgia! First get a ballast resistor for the car if it has the points still in it. If it has electronic you should be ok. We here are working on a 65 Chrysler wagon. Some parts are the same from 65 to 68. Tail lights are hard to find. Wagon only part. 66 and up is a good range. 65 has many older parts/systems in it.

I feel you may have missed a few things

Great idea!

You may want to get some insights from this guy as I have been watching his YouTube channel for some time and plan on leveraging from what he’s shared:

Yeah that's basically what I have in mind to do.

Was tempted to chop my 48 ford but the entire roof is nothing but compound curves. Notoriously difficult.

 

[Stev]

After doing some photochopping of the DeSoto and Lincoln bumpers, I like both but I think the shape language of the Lincoln is the better pick.

What do y'all think?

 

[3175375]

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After doing some photochopping of the DeSoto and Lincoln bumpers, I like both but I think the shape language of the Lincoln is the better pick.

What do y'all think?

Second bumper is cleaner. The top bumper seems too busy.

 

[68-NewYorker]

Good story to follow. You put an amazing amount of work into your Polara. You're an inspiration to everyone to keep going toward the finish line. It's definitely not easy to work a job and then keep the energy level high enough to focus on reaching your goals after work and on weekends.

 

[Stev]

Hey guess what, still waiting on the bodyshop and the machine shop.

Except the machine shop phoned me today after the block was sitting since january to inform me the guy who does stuff has retired with terminal gout and it's not getting done. Womp womp.

So i'm getting some other stuff done while i wait for the bodyshop.

Fabbed up some torque boxes

Mocked up the exhaust system and made some boom tubes because why not.

Also polishing off all the boring crap like fuel lines and what have you.

I wish I could say "Soon TM" but it's been done since Christmas waiting on other people to get their ******* act together.

I hate.

 

[3175375]

Hey guess what, still waiting on the bodyshop and the machine shop.

Except the machine shop phoned me today after the block was sitting since january to inform me the guy who does stuff has retired with terminal gout and it's not getting done. Womp womp.

So i'm getting some other stuff done while i wait for the bodyshop.

View attachment 721135

View attachment 721136

Fabbed up some torque boxes

View attachment 721137

View attachment 721138

Mocked up the exhaust system and made some boom tubes because why not.

View attachment 721139

View attachment 721140

Also polishing off all the boring crap like fuel lines and what have you.

I wish I could say "Soon TM" but it's been done since Christmas waiting on other people to get their ******* act together.

I hate.

You’ll find the right shop for the engine. Stay on it!

 

[Stev]

Alright update:

Still getting "just a week or two" 'd by the bodyshop. Having serious doubts about this thing seeing the summer sun.

Also got the block to another shop who said they'd have the work done in 3-4 weeks, so that's nice. Probably gonna put in KB400 pistons and get an 11-1 compression ratio, full groove bearings, balanced bottom end, high volume oil pump, All ARP bottom end hardware on stock caps, all that good stuff. Should be a screamer.

Since I'm waiting eternally on the body shop, i figured i'd bite the bullet and make the LH quarter panel myself. I was going to dump it on them because i'm sick of looking at this thing but whatever. The wheel arch is made of angle iron and is totally the wrong shape, and the side's body crease is garbage and is missing the radius at the bottom as well, bottom edge is just folded over 90 degrees. Not very well, either.

The entire quarter panel was of course 1/2" thick and 3 distinct layers deep of bondo, because of course it was. Despite the 50 pounds of bondo, it was immaculate metal underneath. So they made the quarter panel from scratch but still had bondo applied overtop with a ******* road grader or something. Why.

Took a template, going to take the body crease off of the fury quarter, as i have no way to reproduce that shape exactly. Very glad i kept it.

Fun.


Also, does anyone have a bad pair of wheel skirts they'd be willing to sell?

I basically just want the mechanism on the inside, as i'd be making the skin from scratch even if the skirts were immaculate. No skirts were ever made for the wagon opening as far as I'm aware.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

You are correct - no skirt for Polara or Monaco wagons in 66. None for Fury either, only Chrysler.

Something to keep in mind - and I don't know if this applies to Dodge or Plymouth C body wagons, but on my Chrysler wagons the wheel opening profile is something like an inch shorter than non wagon wheel openings, due in part to the difference in wheelbase. Sedan/hardtop skirts don't fit my wagon - they're too long! Different part number in the book.