67.5 racecar

[cole455]

Well, still need to copy the trunk pan to replace but did learn some new stuff from Rock Vest today.

He remembered trailering the car with Steve up
somewhere for a race (mid-Ohio maybe?). Steve was crowing about what all they’d done to the car and word spread to the wrong folks. Competition protested it and the car was disallowed! They drove all the way back to NC having not raced that weekend!

Rock did mention that the chasss modifications, roll cage, trunk pan and floors with removable tunnel were all fabricated by Robert Gee (grandfather of Earnhardt jr), which is pretty cool. More pics later in the week!

[notoptoy]

Very cool and interesting lore. The race blood runs thick in that part of our country!

[cole455]

Very cool and interesting lore. The race blood runs thick in that part of our country!

It certainly does! In unrelated news, Kevin Bush still has my U20 but is making significant progress! I may have it back in a week or so

[notoptoy]

You really have to stay on Kevin. He did the Impala's 327 and he did my H20 a few years back and I would "stop in" regularly, once, sometimes twice, a week to keep him moving. Great machinist that runs on his own time.
Have you worked with Aubrey at all at Clemmons Speed Shop? Aubrey balanced the rotating parts and lightened the flywheel for me. He's getting up there in age if he is still doing that.

[notoptoy]

I remember back when he had my H20, he asked me if I had the specs on the U20, I took my three different shop manuals and the Forum address and some info I printed out over to him to help him determine the best valve spring rates and options. I don't know who's engine he was working on, but thought it cool that he looked to me for info, I think it was because I seemed to know what I was talking about with my 1600 .

[cole455]

You really have to stay on Kevin. He did the Impala's 327 and he did my H20 a few years back and I would "stop in" regularly, once, sometimes twice, a week to keep him moving. Great machinist that runs on his own time.
Have you worked with Aubrey at all at Clemmons Speed Shop? Aubrey balanced the rotating parts and lightened the flywheel for me. He's getting up there in age if he is still doing that.

I’m open to suggestions and will check! I brought by an aluminum flywheel to Kevin to be cleaned up several months ago and he said, “I’m gonna finish up that head for you next week also”... keep in mind that this is the head that had belonged to the car that I sold to Chris S way back when (wasn’t it 2012?)!!

[cole455]

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I suppose this is more progress on the car? Trunk floor is removed and will be replaced exactly the same as it was.

In these photos you can see the roll cage going through the remaining section of original trunk floor, and welded into the frame rail.

Also pictured is the panhard bar.

Additionally, Sid was quick to ask what the clamps on the rear rail were were for! Not visible from this angle, but the car has additional lead weights that have been attached to bring the car up to weight.

Chassis is solid, but dirty. The leaf springs appear to have some sag. My dad and several others remembered Steve actually having these springs de-arched to bring the car down even lower. I’ll probably leave them and see how it handles. Any suspension changes/alterations can be made another day!

[RCMike]

I like the jacuzzi...

[cole455]

I like the jacuzzi...

It’s a spa!

Had no idea why the fuel cell wouldn’t come out. Turns out it was locked in place by the vacuum of all the water!

[cole455]

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Thanks to some fine folks in Greensboro, new pan is tigged together, welded in and seam sealed! Need to order a new fuel cell, soda blast the body and start on bodywork. But at least all of the structural aspects have been corrected! Anything else coming up is purely cosmetic on the body

[RCMike]

Nice work!!

[cole455]

Nice work!!

Thanks! These guys were awesime! It was obvious my little mig would’ve destroyed the pan in the process of stitching together all the corners.

Of all people, randy carter flagged me down on my way home with the car! We chatted in the liquor store parking lot at least 20 minutes about the old days of roadsters in the triad area!

[RCMike]

Of all people, randy carter flagged me down on my way home with the car! We chatted in the liquor store parking lot at least 20 minutes about the old days of roadsters in the triad area!

So cool.. Such a deep culture out there.

[cole455]

Found an old pic online. Says it was Jim Fitzgerald, but I believe it’s Steve in the 78 runoffs. Off to the media blaster in a few weeks then bodywork and paint to follow

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[cole455]

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So, the car has been blasted and ready for bodywork! I was a little concerned before starting, but aside from a few small holes, looks like I’m in pretty good shape!