When I first saw this I presumed a typical SBC swap, but turns out to be a mid-engine 455 Toro Olds. Lots of work went into this. And I kinda like it.
Thoughts?

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/172451494265?...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

Too much motor , too little car !

 

never a problem

 

I think Mike [Slantflat] has a similiar set up

 

There's no such thing

 

Very nice car.

 

That cowl hood....so out of place.

 

Price aint bad...

 

I'm sure Ralph Nader would give that two thumbs up!

 

With the exception of the hood, I think it is pretty cool. The hood probably needs to be vented to get air to the radiators.

 

I like it, price seems good but I would use a different paint color on the cowl hood and wider tires on back. Looks like a tire shredding machine. I got to ride in a 60's Volvo with an LS motor and narrowed nine inch rearend once. Power to weight ratio dreams are made of. I didn't eat for two weeks cause my stomach was wrapped around my spine from the acceleration.

 

Not hardly. Look at the pictures. Nothing under there but the trunk.

Considering which, I think the cowl hood on that particular car is dumb, since not only does it serve no purpose, but it CAN serve no purpose.

That car would be ten times cooler without that hood. Well, maybe nine...

- Eric

 

Interesting...I agree with the comments about the cowl induction hood! It took me a second to figure out why it looked different, and once my brain engaged, I couldn't stop laughing! I would tone that paint scheme down a bit too!

 

Perfection as a sleeper everyone know it was a factory rear engine car. Perfect as the average guy thinks it is a dog. Not knowing what the power plant is. I would darken all the rear glass and back wind shield to hide the dog house in the rear seat area.

 

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I don't mind the color combo since it's a hot rod but most gear heads would recognize immediately that a cowl induction hood serves no purpose on a Corvair.

 

I really like this car. The hood does have to go. I'd be interested to know how they got the rear wheels to tuck up inside the quarters like normal. The Toronado is a wider car than the Corvair. I've seen other Toro conversions and the quarters had to be widened.

 

Yeah, a hood scoop on a rear-engine car just says that the builder is clueless. I once saw an otherwise stock Fiero with a hood scoop.

This Toro drive swap in a Corvair is not unusual. There was one for sale at Carlisle a few years ago. I've seen several. Far cooler was the Toro drive in a Porsche 912 that was featured in one of Petersen's Guide to Engine Swapping books that I had as a kid. The best part was that the builder of that car made an engine cover out of old luggage bolted together and cut out on the underside to make the car the consummate sleeper.

 

Very simple. This car doesn't use the Toro suspension arms. Other conversions I've seen like this use Corvette rear suspension trailing arms with custom length half shafts. This one appears to do the same.

 

yup, hood does it no justice. flat hood with monotone silver paint job is way to go.
that would be a sleeper.

 

With a factory curb weight of 2,480 pounds, plus a couple of hundred for the 455, and all that weight right over the rear wheels, it'd be a helluva sleeper.

- Eric

 

Some of you guys don't get it with the hood scoop! It's what draws in the suckers. It is like this you don't know what i got! Till you see my tail lights and how does my bumper look!LOL

 

Kinda like Farm-truck.

 

Whoa. That's way too "meta" for me.

- Eric

 

Yep just add a beat up cowboy brain bucket!

 

And a red grease rag in the fuel filler.

 

I agree. But when was the last time you saw any Chevy without a cowl induction hood. It is almost like an addiction. lol

 

That's a good point. Plus the Chevy RS wheels with white letter tires are pretty standard fare too.

 

The cowl hoods don't have to be functional. I'm sure it was put there for the look. Just like the idiots with the Imports with the wing in the back. Makes absolutely zero sense but put there for the look. To each their own. Always easy to criticize something that someone else does. You could always buy it and replace the hood so you could sleep at night.

 

Im not crazy about the cowl hood on this car but i like the car. I have one i started, i have the frame rails for a V8 Chevy. I built a 4.3 V6 instead. Has Brodix Busch Grand National heads with T&D shaft mounted rockers, Ross .040 pistons, H beam rods, Comp roller cam, Electromotive crank fire ignition, GM motorsports intake, Bilit Fab valve covers, custom made 7 qt. oil pan. Internally balanced, electric water pump. Built it about 12 years ago and have never fired it up yet. I really want to hear that motor run, lol or watch it blow up. Im not sure whats going to happen if i ever start it. Ill have to make custom headers for it. I converted the brakes on the car to 4 wheel disc and thats where i stopped to build an Oldsmobile. So i understand the build here on this car, very cool IMO, must be one bad a$$ ride with that big Olds motor.

 

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