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Bought something different for the track

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
I bought something different for the track next year.

http://picasaweb.google.com/corr0864/Healey

It has a 283 Chevy and fuelie heads. Supposedly it was raced in the late 50's but I would guess the body was converted closer to 61-62. It could have been 58/59 but the styling ques suggest just a hair later.

Anyway... believe it or not... it is a steel body. Cosmetically, I would like to change wheels, go back to red, change to ray-dot mirros, and a list of other stuff, too.

The old Skip Adrian Alpine is almost ready to go. I just need to hang the alternator and an exhaust system.

STeve
 

V6 JOSE

Donation Time
Hi Steve,

Is this a Devin? I think it is a beautiful car. The pictures of it when it was freshly painted are fantastic. I love sports cars powered by American iron, even if it is a Chevy.

Jose:)
 

64beam

Donation Time
Hi Steve,

Very nice looking car :cool:. Does this mean the 74 car is going into storage or is it still going to have a few runs? When is the Ford engine transplant?

Good luck with the new car.

Regards, Robin.
 

Bill Blue

Platinum Level Sponsor
Beautiful car Steve. I think I might be jealous, just love the looks of the big Healeys. That ought to pull you out of the corners and whiz down the straights real good.

Bill
 

sunbeam74

Silver Level Sponsor
It isn't a Devin. They are sort of similar in style on the front but, oddly, somebody had a steel body (front clip and rear clip) made to fit this Healey.

I am dying to find out more on the history of this car.

I'll still race #74 but I saw this car and thought it might be a good opportunity to end up with a 50's C-modified racer. It has drum brakes and all the pieces that should allow it to run with the pre-60's cars.

It will require a good bit of work to get to the track but I think it is a good starting point.

Steve
 

Armand4

Donation Time
Man, that's a cool car. It kinda makes me wish we could go back to the old days of racing, where you could build a "special" out of parts you found (although I don't suppose a Big Healey comes under the category of "stuff I found in the back of the garage") and race it. I've seen cars of that category at vintage races, and they're always some of my favorites.

As for aesthetics, I think red paint and Ray-Dot mirrors are a good idea. Might I also suggest black steelies and whitewalls for rolling stock? Whitewall tires that had been recapped with softer rubber were one of the speed secrets for Max Balchowski's Buick Nailhead-powered "Old Yaller." They also looked cool, which is always a plus.
 

motor man

Donation Time
vintage engine parts

to Steve from steve, i came acrossed your hybred beam, i have been a chevy guy forever, but the rear distributor has scared me away from tying to stuff one into one of these little guys, a crank triger ign would be the only way i would be interested, but that is not the reason i am contacting you, i have aquired lots of early small block parts over the years, i have quite a few blocks, cranks, heads(461 casting #) of course great rods are now available now as u probably already know. I also have a machine shop and have been building motors for dirt track cars for many years, i just wanted you to know if you ever hurt your motor, and still want to stay with chevy, dont hesitate to contact me i am in western nevada, shipping is not a problem steve Kostenbader,,,sgkos@hotmail.com later
 
L

Lee DeRamus saoca0404

This sort of brings back memories. In 1965, at 18 years old, I bought a 1955 Austin Healey 100-4. It had a rod sticking out of the block, and back then I couldn't find a replacement engine. If I only knew then what I know now. I put a fuel injected 283 Corvette engine in it. The engine was bored out to 301 c.i., and I had Darr Engine service in New Orleans blueprint and balance it. I had the Duntov injection with the matching cam and heads. 12 1/2 to 1 pistons, and super quiet mufflers connected to the 4 inch Headman headers. WOW, WHAT A SLEEPER.!!!! I had a Chevy 3 speed with overdrive, but I never got the overdrive working. Years later I swapped it to a mechanic at Mike Persia, the Chevrolet Dealership, for a 58 Chev, 348 c.i. Full race car that ran in the low 11 second bracket. He was able to supply Stewart-Warner with the specs for the transmission and rear end. They made a 200 mph speedo, for the Healey, and we did run it up to 155/160 mph several times. I will be 62 in a few weeks, and sometimes I wondere how I made it.
Lee
 
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