Came home today with a '64 Polara 500

[Outlaw525]

Sorry for no updates, that would have meant slowing down on getting the car finished.

I finally found a set of front wheels that I liked. Powdercoated the cop car wheels and used a couple hubcaps I had on the rear. I painted the hood scoop and mounted it along with painting the roof dark blue to match. Also detailed the engine with a correct '64 water pump housing, Indy dual plain intake, white headers & chrome valve covers. I replaced the cam with a .488 lift 303 duration cam, new timing chain, valve springs and seals. Rebuilt the front suspension and rear leaf springs and added disc brakes and a dual master.
The door panels from Legendary arrived last night and the seats are back from the upholsterer. I will post pictures of the interior tonight after I get the parts installed.


- - - Updated - - -

Here's one that my buddy took of my '64. This is my favorite picture of it. It's got it's fair share of scratches and battle scars and the engine compartment paint is a little rough but I figure it's earned the right to have them over the years and I am going to leave the body the way it is for now.

 

[vanrj1]

Wow, she is looking Hot...... Nice car!

 

[Outlaw525]

Did sound deadener on the roof and floor. The car has no rust in the floor or trunk. We added a little silver metalflake to the seats for that '60's feel.The door panels were a birthday present from my wife and sons.

 

[lxmodguy]

great car. I really like it. It looks like it has an absolutely amazing dash.

 

[moparker]

Fn love it!!!!!!

 

[Outlaw525]

Thank you. The dash was in decent shape with a really nice dash pad. I repainted the plastic bezels and glove box door with Fusion plastic paint, silver on the edges and nickel in the textured parts.

great car. I really like it. It looks like it has an absolutely amazing dash.

 

[Outlaw525]

Decided to paint the roof to match the hood scoop. It's now silver with metalflake blue panels. It's going to get some '70's style pinstriping on Saturday. Sorry for the crappy picture, it was getting late last night and all I had was my cell phone.

 

[poly1963]

that car is looking awesome :headbang:

 

[Outlaw525]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. Got alot done this weekend. Replaced the rear leaf springs with HD springs, cleaned and painted the rear wheel wells and painted the rear drums red. Finished the engine compartment other than the 3 foot power steering hose that I am going to have shortened.




Took the Polara to local sign painter that's been lettering race cars since the '60's and had him outline the panels and do some pinstriping and lettering for me.



Yes, it is actually a 440 dressed to look like a 426. If you look close on the scoop, there's a little + after the 426.

Thanks again for the kind words.

 

[Outlaw525]

The Polara is finished and my wife and I just got back from a 400 road trip in it this weekend. We went to our home town of McMinnville Oregon for the annual "Cruising the Gut" event. The car ran perfectly and other than a little leak in the new windshield when we hit rain on the way home, it was a great cruise.

Here's a picture of the final result the night before we left:


I had to take a little detour for a history shot. Here's the '64 sitting in front of the old entrance to the McMinnville dragstrip that closed in 1964. It is now used for gliders. Yes, that is fresh pavement and yes I did leave a couple fresh tire marks in it when we left. My wife just smiles and shakes her head.


I promised the family that I bought the car from that we would bring it by when it was finished. It was a little out of the way on the route home but worth it. It was pretty touching to see the 95 year old Dad and the brother that I bought it from shed a tear of happiness over what we had done to their passed away son and brother's old car. Here it is back in front of the carport that I pulled it out of 11 months ago.