Found my next new car!

[Griff]

Well... new to me! With my son navigating, we missed a turn... so I went a block turned left and there it was... sitting in the driveway, a '55 210 "Handyman" wagon! Just like my very first car! Well, almost, this one's got a 396ci big block & 4-spd. Mine had a .030 over 283 & powerslide! Same primer gray tho'!

I did my best Danny (of Kounts' Kustoms), impersonation and went and knocked on the door! Yes, the owner said it "might" be for sale! We haggled a while and came close to an agreement. My financing will either close or kill the deal. I crawled over, under & thru it, it's mods are done right! Although lowered, it ain't a hack job. dropped spindles in front w/discs... relocated spring hangers in the rear. Front springs are made for a big block and it handles very tight and silky smooth. A new 12-bolt posi in the rear, but with 4.88s, it ain't no freeway flyer! But, I have 4 gear sets @ home for that diff., incl. 3.23s, 3.55s, 4.11s & 5.88s! I'm not sure my 3.08 or 3.73s fi that housing tho'!

All new interior, but sorta cheesy buckets. He has the original front bench & rear seats, along w/the original front sheet metal... currently has a 1-piece tilt front end. Neither the rear wheel wells or tubs have been cut, although the wells are slightly flared to fit the 10x15s back there. But no metal was added or removed, just moved ¾" outward. Still has a "stock" line, unless you're VERY observant and know the correct lines. A solid, "no rust" CA car.

For those that need a picture, here's an example:


An original ad:

[jnyork]

Wow, a guy could haul two elk out of timber with that: one inside and one on top.

[RIHMFIRE]

JUST IN TIME FOR THE TURKEY ROD CAR SHOW IN DAYTONA.....

[Chuck 100 yd]

Pretty cool rig.

[hayabusa]

Hope financing goes in your favor.



busa

[Rusty]

That is one sharp ride!

[Blaine]

Very cool....

[Shasta]

Nothing quite like the tri-five Chevys! Sounds like you found a good one and I hope it pans out for you.

SHASTA



oh yeah... here's a pic of my own '55 wagon I've had since 1969:

[Sixgun]

Now THATS something different. A big block with .488's???? That baby will nail you to the seat.

You say the trans is a 4 speed....maybe it's one of those rare m-22's.

Will be interesting to see the results. I have most of the chrome for a 55 Chevy, including the hood bird.------6

[Derailed]

I'm in the middle of restoring one of those. Mine is getting a LQ9 6.0 from a 2002 Caddy Escalade and 4L80E.




I just got the engine started.

http://youtu.be/xKGNTkB5_2Y

[Griff]

I'm in the middle of restoring one of those. Mine is getting a LQ9 6.0 from a 2002 Caddy Escalade and 4L80E.




I just got the engine started.

http://youtu.be/xKGNTkB5_2Y

Nice!

[Derailed]

Nice!

Thanks

I had one also when in high school.
This build is taking longer than I had planned but should turn out good. My money tree is in quarantine, I think it has Ebola

I hope your offer works out for you.

[rjohns94]

Sweet rides Gents.

[Gaucho Gringo]

Had a '56 4 door sedan in '70. A $65.00 shot rod for basic transportation. 6 cyl engine smoked like a banshee, 3 on the tree linkage would lock up on a regular basis, heater didn't work. I wish I still had it but when it gave up the ghost I had to have something that ran. Nice car, hope the deal goes through.

[JohndeFresno]

How well I remember those '55 Chevy wagons! Great cars, beautiful lines, and a good year for that GM product. My neighbor had a blue and white one just like the one above. Maybe Shasta bought it from my neighbor's son in L.A...?

Congratulations on your find, Griff!

[Griff]

Well... the loan went thru, no problem... Then the Mrs. reminded me that SHE promised my Mom & cousins that she'd save up for a trip to NZ for s, Mom & the boy. So... I had a choice to make, I could break her promise or buy the car. A no brainer. We'll be visiting NZ... 70 ain't too old for a red stag hunt is it?

Guess I'll have to study up on the rules about firearms, ammo & whether it's best to go under a US or NZ passport, need to check out cowboy action clubs & the timing for their Nat'ls & red stag seasons... The last trip I had to choose between the family reunion or the Nat'ls! The good thing is we'll mainly be staying w/family!

[BILLYDIXON]

I went to high school in a suburb of Denver, Colo. In the early 70's. I was able to buy a 62 vette with both tops for $1100. My best friend wanted a 55-57 Chevy we looked for months and found a 55 Chevy 2 door 265 with a powerglide tranny with out the posts for $95. It had the usual rust on top of the head lights a little body damage on one side. But the amazing thing was there were no cigarette burn holes in the headliner. I was able to get a 283 motor for almost free. He had it sent out to be bored out to 292 he put solid lifters a mild cam. He bought a tunnel ram putting a 780 Holley on top. Bought a borg warner tranny low first gear. He at the time didnt have money for the rear gears. He wanted to blow those gears. He never did even tho he would rev it up to 5 grand and dump the clutch.We cut a hole in the hood put a scoop on facing the windshield. Put some nice aluminum wheels on with bigger tires. He finally got I believe spider gears and at the drag races he blew the new gears the first race. Those were the days gas was 30 cents a gallon for high test.

[Pete44ru]

.

A (pre) Bad Nomad !

Nice snag, IMHO - at this late date, classic cars with gennie steel bodies are hard to find.



.

[Grizz]

lots of good memories Griff, from the car guys and coming up on the NZ trip. you made the quality choice of course, and I hope you get lots of pictures.

[Rube Burrows]

I love those old cars.

I'm building a 65 Chevy C10 pickup that can be seen on this build thread. Go to the last page for most recent pics. Still a ways to go.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/show ... ost6204879

[BenT]

Awesome! My first car was a 57 chevy 210 2 door wagon.

[Blaine]

Well... the loan went thru, no problem... Then the Mrs. reminded me that SHE promised my Mom & cousins that she'd save up for a trip to NZ for s, Mom & the boy. So... I had a choice to make, I could break her promise or buy the car. A no brainer. We'll be visiting NZ... 70 ain't too old for a red stag hunt is it?

Guess I'll have to study up on the rules about firearms, ammo & whether it's best to go under a US or NZ passport, need to check out cowboy action clubs & the timing for their Nat'ls & red stag seasons... The last trip I had to choose between the family reunion or the Nat'ls! The good thing is we'll mainly be staying w/family!

You gonna let her push you around like that? Better lay down the law, before it gets to be a habit....Trust me, them women like the tough, manly approach.

[Canuck Bob]

Classy rides!

[Griff]

You gonna let her push you around like that? Better lay down the law, before it gets to be a habit....Trust me, them women like the tough, manly approach.

I get to buy one when we get back! The seller said, "... call me when you get back... it ain't goin' anywhere." So it may still happen!

[crs]

"70 ain't too old for a red stag hunt is it?" - Griff , I was older than that when I took my Cape Buffalo in Africa- surely , a kid like you can handle a red stag!

Also- I too have a new Chevy 4wd station wagon and have already had it to the deer lease and pulled a trailer:

[Griff]

crs... that appear too big to merely be a "station wagon"... at least by today's standards! I smell a rat! Er... Suburban!

[crs]

You are about two feet long -
it is a Tahoe LTZ (the Chevy equivalent of the Yukon Denali) and it takes some getting used-to on things like ride, quietness, trim, and a very busy dash board - cars have changed a lot in the 15 years since I bought my 1999 Yukon!
If it lasts 15 years like my Yukon did, I may have time to learn all the features! Fortunately for me, the basic features like brakes, steering (now electric powered), turn signals, etc are the same to the driver, so I can get to the shooting range and back.