So, guys, what ya gonna do with your car?

Well, here's what we are doing...
318 Poly engine bored .040 over, forged crank (turned and polished), w/stock connecting rods (cleaned and checked).

-Factory 1957 dual-quad intake manifold
-Sealed-Power forged pistons
-(2) Edelbrock 500cfm Performer carbs
-Custom ground 224@050, .450" camshaft
-Clevite77 rod and main bearings
-Milodon windage tray and mounting studs
-Cloyes True-Roller timing chain
-Carter street super fuel pump
-Milodon high-volume water pump
-Melling high-volume oil pump
-Fel-Pro gasket kit
-B&M flexplate
-BHJ harmonic dampner
-Mopar electronic ignition
-Mopar Performance valve springs
Click here for the pictures section...
Torqueflight 727 transmission, had a rebuild done a few years ago (we will see...).

-Factory console shifter
-TCI 11" Breakaway torque converter (2400-2600 stall)

The rear end is a 741 casting, 2.76:1 SureGrip w/tapered axles.  That's changing though, as I've got a 3.73:1 ring and pinion ready to go in, once I get the engine running.
I've decided I want to build the car the way I would have bought it back in 1964 (well, other than the engine - I'd rather have a 426!!!).  You could get these cars with a heater-delete option (I removed my heater), a massive 426 Max Wedge engine, and a pushbutton transmission.  Money is forcing me to compromise, so I did the heater delete, am building the 318 Poly into a strong runner, and keeping my center console shifter.
So, right now the engine is out of the car and is completely disassembled out at Fred's place.  I've got all the new and/or replacement parts sitting in my garage, ready to go.  We've got to clean up some parts (block, heads, and pistons) and then we'll be ready to go!  We should be starting the rebuild sometime around the 12th of July.

In the meanwhile, I have the car in my garage here at home.  I gutted the interior and pulled the dash out.  I bought some used tires and wheels for it (temporary, obviously), and am working on getting all the loose wheel-studs replaced.  The engine compartment is getting cleaned up as I sand it down prepping it for some new paint.  I'm also doing some simply bodywork on the hood and front fenders, prepping those for some paint as well (that's more of a winter project for me).

The body is pretty straight...a small dent in the drivers side rear, and some minor bubbling behind the drivers side front wheel.  The hood has a small area (2"x2") that is banged in a bit, should be relatively easy to repair.  The passengers side is nice, except back behind the rear wheel, there are some small rust-holes into the trunk.

The worst part about the body is the cowl and firewall.  Apparently these cars had a poor drain design, because I know of many cars that have rusted though in these areas.  It's pretty bad - along the drivers side cowl, just at the base of the windshield, is rusted entirely through.  I can see the back of the dashboard through it... :(  Also have an area of rust that runs diagonal across the cowl, that one's not too bad.  With a lot of patience and a good body man, it will be no problem!  Unfortunately I won't be able to repair those areas now, they'll have to wait for awhile.
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