This car was purchased roughly 40 years by a well known local engine builder. Frank built engines for a lot race cars in New England and local muscle cars too.
His dream was always to put a blown big block in it.
He purchased the car as a true, numbers correct, Capri Cream over Gold interior, SS 396 car, from who is believed to be the second owner of the car. He quickly pulled the engine, dropped it into a 64 Chevy pick up and sold it.
Progress was slow over the years, gathering parts, getting the body done and painted, building the 502 (bored out to 509). Unfortunately, Frank passed before the car was finished and it sat in pieces as probate and other struggles kept the build in limbo.
Once his daughter had the car wholly in her possession, she brought the car over to Innovative Restoration, along with the interior (which had already been reupholstered), and all the parts her Dad had amassed, for them to finish.
His daughter didn't have a lot of detailed info on how the engine was built or what brand many of the internals are, but knows that it has a steel crank, roller lifters/cam, forged pistons, oval port GM aluminum heads, the block is a GM 502 bored 30 over to 509, alum-coat Hooker headers, Weiand 6.71 blower, and 2 Holley 750 double pumpers finish off the stack, with a dual port, polished aluminum bird catcher mounted on top. An MSD adjustable distributor and coil are under the hood along with a Holley electric fuel pump and adjustable fuel pressure regulator. All that is kept cool by a Weiand water pump, Champion 4 core aluminum radiator and 2 Spal electric fans.
The 803 dyno'd horsepower is funneled through a hydraulic clutch, Doug Nash 5 speed manual protected by a Lakewood scatter shield. A heavy duty driveshaft and u-joints continue the drivetrain back to a GM 12 bolt posi with 4:56 gears and what the daughter believes are 35 spline axle shafts. The lower control arms are boxed.
A 3 inch x-pipe stainless exhaust with Magna-Flow mufflers moves the spent gases out the back.
All new bushings throughout, including body mounts, new gas tank, new brakes (disc brake conversion up front and drums out back), brake lines, fuel lines, almost everything on the car is new. The gauges are original and all work ( new gauges come with the car), the console is original, the glass is original, all sheet metal (except the hood) is original (the original SS hood comes with the car), front floors were replaced though. There is also power steering and power brakes.
The interior was reupholstered with the original design in mind but the seats are slightly bolstered and just a bit wider than stock. Dash pad is new, door cards, trim and all weather stripping is new. 3 point seat belts keep the driver and mechanic in place, lap belts for rear seat passengers. Two front speakers and one trunk mounted speaker bring some tunes through the Custom Autosound digital/bluetooth OEM style radio. Odometer is original to car and shows 44,839 miles, but actual since restoration is less than 500.
Vintage Air comes with the car with all needed bracketry, plumbing, compressor and condenser.
The car starts right up, even when cold and settles into a lumpy idle, with the beautiful whir of the Weiand blower. The hydro clutch makes shifting much easier (it was installed so his daughter could drive it, but she's frightened by the power and after driving it a bit, has decided it's now time to move it on and maybe buy a Corvette, her Dad's other favorite car.
The BFG Goodrich Radial T/A's (275/60 15R - 215/70 15F) are wrapped around Center Line aluminum wheels and struggle to keep traction under hard acceleration, however, once warmed up with a little spinning, do a better job. BFG G-Force T/A Drag Radials would be a better choice.
The car drives well, although it was designed in essence to do one thing - Go Very Fast in a Straight Line. The brakes stop the car easily from 60 MPH or so, I didn't have a chance to get her up to any kind of track speeds.
This car is pretty much a brand new car, with a professionally built 509 Chevrolet Big Block.
This would be considered a mild Resto-Mod and in a high #2, low #1 condition.
A whole slew of additional parts come with the car, the aforementioned Vintage Air, some original parts, like the hood, the original gold door cards, lots of original trim pieces, the original steering wheel, door handles, etc.
As such, it's priced at an asking price of $92,500
Any questions, for many more photos and video, to schedule a time to see her in person or to make an offer, please don't hesitate to contact me.
