Resto Mods or Not

Marc,

Please start a new thread.

Matt

 

Yeah, I wouldn't want it as low as the above. But it looks great when parked plus the bagged suspension lets you ride higher.

I'd be satisfied with old school drop spindles and shorter springs out back.

 

To bag or not to bag is a big question. I bagged my 50 Olds 76 and it was a compromise. When I went to a show I could drop it on the ground like my Merc, but the Olds turned into a floater going down the road. I never sorted it out because I sold the car.

 

Not rally a question for me. One object to me is to improve handling (not a trait of air bags) and I really do not like the looks of lowered cars when it is to low to be practical. Your Bel Air was good, all the following shots were awful. Lowered like an old Cup car good, lowered like a low rider is the definition of tasteless to me.
And the widened steel wheels with dog dish hub caps is perfect.

 

Thank you, Brian.
It took an awful lot of effort to get the stance on the Bel Air the way I wanted it. The car goes down the road, slate straight and has no problem in the twisties around Lake Tahoe. I selected the Bel Air to avoid the Impala low rider thing. I built the car as a power touring cruiser with awesome air conditioning. Lucky it is a car that I am happy to keep because I have just about given up on a sale. BaT is the only outlet that I haven't explored yet. I probably should just keep her.
Cheers,
Marc

 

How about the auctions?

 

The Jag swing arms are terrible with any power put through them too. The only support is at the pivots clear inboard next to the diff. On anything with power it either needs better triangulation or an outboard support. I really like DeDion rear suspension on a car with any power if you really want to avoid a live axle.

 

I have been following the Barrett-Jackson auctions forever I actually have bought and sold this car though B-J in the past. I'm an idiot.
https://www.barrett-jackson.com/Events/Event/Details/1963-CHEVROLET-BEL-AIR-2-DOOR-POST-177131
In the last two goes of B-J and Mecum the cars went across the block so fast they didn't have a chance. B-J puts cars like mine through on off times like the Thursday or Friday morning when the place is empty. I have a friend that has run dozens of cars a year through the auctions and lately he is slowing way down after repeated bad results.

 

I used double A-arms and a solid rear Ford 9" axle on my Corvette. Location is a four-bar setup with a panhard bar. It's very simple but works quite well.

The best solid rear axle setup I ever drove was my 330 GT 2+2, but that's Ferrari content!



Matt

 

And thats a good system. The 9 inch is pretty bullet proof. All of Nascar used them until purpose built diffs came along. The Jag rears were really popular with the Roadster crowd because it looked cool but I think a good DeDion could look cool too. In most of the standard cars we are talking about though Id just live with a live axle positioned well with a Watts link and be done with it.

 

And you can change ratios surprisingly easily.

I should have added that my new rear suspension allows me to put enormous tires in back if I want, where the original leaf springs limited tire width severely.

Matt

 

You can put a chev V8 in ford and visa versa because the mtors feel and sound so similar and its an american V8 so the essence of the machine remains intact.
To me a Jag has to have aJ ag motor, thats part of the essence of the thing.

 

In many cases I agree but anyone who wants to retire one of those disastrous Jag V12s has my total support. Those things were a waste of raw materials.

 

Let's agree to disagree on that one. Jaguars are available cheap and make great donor cars for rodding projects. I am a purist on cars I choose to keep original, but the entire point of rodding is making a car your own, with whatever parts you choose. Look how many ways '32 roadsters are built as an example.

https://www.hotrod.com/articles/hrdp-1010-jim-rileys-1932-ford-roadster/
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

And that is the restore or resto-rod question in a nutshell.

 

That motor is gorgeous!

 

What do I know, I'm just an old guy that calls all of this "Hot Rodding".

 

Personally, I find "restomod" to be more diverse and empowering.

 

My '63 Bel Air is a "Power Tourer" but I still think of it as a Hot Rod. I guess I am old school. When I think of Resto-Mods Matt's Corvette is what is cool.

Most Resto-Mods I see in the last couple of years have ugly 24" wheels on them and they are slammed like a lo lo.

Old Guys Rule!!!



Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That thing's cool! (still rock 'n roll to me ...)

 

Thanks!!! That was my last '32 that I sold last year. Maybe I should have donked it with some 24s. LOL