Around the 1984-85 time frame I was getting the urge to run quicker and faster. I decided it was time
to tear the car down and give it a complete frame, roll cage, and a 9 inch Ford rear end. I started on
the project thinking I could just back half the car, but when I started cutting out the floor I just kept
finding more and more rust. Before I knew it I was at the firewall. So away it went too! All that was left
at that point was the shell from the tail lights to the radiator support. I remember thinking, what the
heck did I just do? This car was fine before I ripped it apart. Its funny how you can be so determined
and focused on something and then one day step back and get this overwhelming feeling of being
lost. Here I am standing at the back of the car looking through the hatch opening at the concrete
garage floor and almost noting else. Ok, the dash is still hanging there, but past that I am gazing
trough the hole in the radiator support at my bench. Hmmmm. What now? I did have Ideas in my
head, but right at that moment in time, I could not have told you what they were. It wasn’t long though
and I got my bearings back and started putting a plan together. I started with the new frame rails. I
welded 2x3 heavy wall box tubing along the rockers on both sides for the rest of the frame to attach
to. I then branched out front and rear from these and boxed around the drivers compartment and to
the front support via the same path the original rails went. I built a rear cross member into the frame
and ran frame rails from there back to the rear panel of the car.
to tear the car down and give it a complete frame, roll cage, and a 9 inch Ford rear end. I started on
the project thinking I could just back half the car, but when I started cutting out the floor I just kept
finding more and more rust. Before I knew it I was at the firewall. So away it went too! All that was left
at that point was the shell from the tail lights to the radiator support. I remember thinking, what the
heck did I just do? This car was fine before I ripped it apart. Its funny how you can be so determined
and focused on something and then one day step back and get this overwhelming feeling of being
lost. Here I am standing at the back of the car looking through the hatch opening at the concrete
garage floor and almost noting else. Ok, the dash is still hanging there, but past that I am gazing
trough the hole in the radiator support at my bench. Hmmmm. What now? I did have Ideas in my
head, but right at that moment in time, I could not have told you what they were. It wasn’t long though
and I got my bearings back and started putting a plan together. I started with the new frame rails. I
welded 2x3 heavy wall box tubing along the rockers on both sides for the rest of the frame to attach
to. I then branched out front and rear from these and boxed around the drivers compartment and to
the front support via the same path the original rails went. I built a rear cross member into the frame
and ran frame rails from there back to the rear panel of the car.
The first winter it went back into the body shop for its next paint job. I had long
since closed my auto repair shop and had started working in Aircraft when a
co-worker informed me he had a paint and body business on the side. He took
on the project which initialed removing the window drip molding, and
smoothing. Finishing the Hood, and molding in the scoop, front air dam
mounting. Some light body work, and then painting. After its completion the car
took on a whole different look than before, and stayed this way for some time.
since closed my auto repair shop and had started working in Aircraft when a
co-worker informed me he had a paint and body business on the side. He took
on the project which initialed removing the window drip molding, and
smoothing. Finishing the Hood, and molding in the scoop, front air dam
mounting. Some light body work, and then painting. After its completion the car
took on a whole different look than before, and stayed this way for some time.
I started on a nine inch Ford housing when my interest just seemed to fade out. I
thought at one point I would get back on it but I really never did. A few months went
by and a good friend approached me about buying the car. I ended up selling the
car and agreeing to help him finish it. Well, his interest in the project fell short as
well as mine, and the car just sat untouched for the next several years. In the mean
time I had moved back into racing a Chevelle again. I also built several other V8 Z’s
for other people in that time, as well as 2 drivers for my self. Both a 78 280 and a
few years later a 1981 ZX t-top car with all the options reinstated. Both big blocks of
course. Things were good. Then one day I got surprised by my wife at the time. It
seemed she had bought the Lonely ole Z back for me. I guess she had heard me
make a comment a few months prior, that I wouldn’t mind getting it back and
finishing it someday. OPPS! Some times ya need to watch what ya say!!!
Well, I guess that is what I needed, because from that point on I thrashed until it
was alive again a few months later. In 1990 it made it first debut at the track. I had
started out with another 427 and Turbo-400 combination with a tunnel ram and two
fours. It was not all that quick at first but, but it would stand up in a nice wheel stand
from the very beginning. Most of these pics were taken after it had sat for those
years, and I had just got started back at it.
thought at one point I would get back on it but I really never did. A few months went
by and a good friend approached me about buying the car. I ended up selling the
car and agreeing to help him finish it. Well, his interest in the project fell short as
well as mine, and the car just sat untouched for the next several years. In the mean
time I had moved back into racing a Chevelle again. I also built several other V8 Z’s
for other people in that time, as well as 2 drivers for my self. Both a 78 280 and a
few years later a 1981 ZX t-top car with all the options reinstated. Both big blocks of
course. Things were good. Then one day I got surprised by my wife at the time. It
seemed she had bought the Lonely ole Z back for me. I guess she had heard me
make a comment a few months prior, that I wouldn’t mind getting it back and
finishing it someday. OPPS! Some times ya need to watch what ya say!!!
Well, I guess that is what I needed, because from that point on I thrashed until it
was alive again a few months later. In 1990 it made it first debut at the track. I had
started out with another 427 and Turbo-400 combination with a tunnel ram and two
fours. It was not all that quick at first but, but it would stand up in a nice wheel stand
from the very beginning. Most of these pics were taken after it had sat for those
years, and I had just got started back at it.
Frame Retrofit
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What did I just do?
New Paint
Loosing interest....and it's return
