old80cs

Hello guys and gals,

I bought this car from my dad when I was 15 or so and have owned it ever since (I'm 41). I drove it all through high school and decided the 260ci wasn't making enough power. So I told dad I wanted a 350ci. to throw into it. He said "Don't!" Well now I just had to!

So I located a 350 at a local wrecking yard for $100, but it was a 79 block with webbed mains. Not a huge mistake for me, but not the most optimal set up to be sure. So I tore it down, punched it out .030 and ordered TRW forged 10.25-1 pistons from Summit and an assortment of Edelbrock parts, cam, intake, carb, timing chain and an overhaul kit from Sealed Power. Got the block and heads back from the machine shop and with a close friend ( a Chevy guy ) put it back together. Installed a Chevy TH700R4 automatic and 3:73 gears in the rear with the new engine. She ran strong and was pretty quick for what it was. Would smoke Mustang GT's and Camaro's of the day, and alot of other various challengers along the way. Wasn't a serious street racer by any means but did line up more than a few times.

So coming home from work one night and hitting the traffic circle the rear of the car made a heck of a clunk and bang as the body leaned over on the hard turn (I loved hitting the rotary at 60 mph or so). checked it out in the morning and found most of the body mounts under the trunk were shot and no longer tied to the body itself, not to mention the floor that was rotted through that I already knew about. New England winter had killed my car. So off the road it came for a major rehab.

-Sand blasted the frame
-all PST polygraphite bushings and suspension components
-new fuel and brake lines
-fuel tank
-replaced entire floor and all rotten body mounts ( A donor Monte Carlo gave them up)
-re-installed drive train

This has been going on for 2 decades, with no work done to it since 1997 or so, with everything done in a quonsett hut in my folks back yard. I met a girl, married her, bought a house that needed work, had 2 children etc. and the car has sat in my 3 stall dream garage untouched.

Here are some pictures, since they seem to be all the rage. I'll update this thread as I get stuff going again. My goal at this point is to get all the door jams and inner fenders and trunk painted so I can reseal all the windows and doors. Then install the entire interior once and for all and drive it around some. The finish paint job for the rest, I'm not even worrying about yet, baby steps. LOL

Take care...

Mike

old80cs

A few more pics, the last one is the car when I first bought it.