Mods
Lowered\r
353" Vortec SBC 4 Bolt Carb
353" Vortec SBC 4 Bolt Carb
Build story
This is my dad's car. He passed away in 2014 from cancer. He bought it from my uncle when I was a young fella and was always working on it. It's been in the family for a long time - since around 1990. There are some things you should know about my dad.\r
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He didn't show his emotion easily - as many may relate to a father who didn't show a very kind and loving figure. It was harder to make him smile. This car made him smile. I remember the first time he got to drive it after he had the transmission rebuilt, how excited he was. This car was his little bit of freedom from whatever was holding him down. \r
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I've grown up a bunch now - from sitting beside his chair watching NASCAR every Sunday to now working as an Automotive Technician for a living. There were few moments where I could see him flicker with some confidence - something he wants to say and never felt he could. The things you wish you knew eh? \r
\r
That leads us to this car. This car was special. It was the car we drove around to get ice cream and feel like we were going as fast as NASCARs with the T-Tops off. Fewer things made him smile. \r
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He passed away and the car was left to me. He had restored it partly the way he wanted too. He lowered it, had the wheels re-machined, all new brakes, and some other small touches. But he never touched the engine. He wanted to go big, but never got too.\r
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It took me some time to think of what to do. I didn't want to leave it alone, I couldn't - I was chasing that feeling; I wanted to know what it was. I found an engine in a junkyard - a 4 bolt 350 Vortec. So my friend and I pulled it and tore it all apart. It sat that way for a while then I got a job at a machine shop rebuilding engines (mainly drag race engines, once again chasing that feeling). \r
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I spent the better part of a few months collecting parts and thinking of what exactly would've made my dad smile. Keep it original looking, but let it run wild.\r
\r
I did all the machining (except honing the block, that was for the masters). Assembled it in 3 days after work, and put it on that weekend with my uncle and my friend Justin. All that to say, I do everything my dad would not do. I launch it, do burnouts, wide open throttle any chance I get - because it makes me smile and I now know what he was chasing.\r
\r
353" Vortec SBC 4 Bolt\r
850 Quadrajet Carb\r
.492" LT4 GM HOTCAM\r
Heads machined for screw-in studs\r
Comp Cams Roller Rockers\r
ARP Connecting Rod + Head Bolts\r
Flat Top Pistons\r
Roughly 300hp + 400ft-lb
\r
He didn't show his emotion easily - as many may relate to a father who didn't show a very kind and loving figure. It was harder to make him smile. This car made him smile. I remember the first time he got to drive it after he had the transmission rebuilt, how excited he was. This car was his little bit of freedom from whatever was holding him down. \r
\r
I've grown up a bunch now - from sitting beside his chair watching NASCAR every Sunday to now working as an Automotive Technician for a living. There were few moments where I could see him flicker with some confidence - something he wants to say and never felt he could. The things you wish you knew eh? \r
\r
That leads us to this car. This car was special. It was the car we drove around to get ice cream and feel like we were going as fast as NASCARs with the T-Tops off. Fewer things made him smile. \r
\r
He passed away and the car was left to me. He had restored it partly the way he wanted too. He lowered it, had the wheels re-machined, all new brakes, and some other small touches. But he never touched the engine. He wanted to go big, but never got too.\r
\r
It took me some time to think of what to do. I didn't want to leave it alone, I couldn't - I was chasing that feeling; I wanted to know what it was. I found an engine in a junkyard - a 4 bolt 350 Vortec. So my friend and I pulled it and tore it all apart. It sat that way for a while then I got a job at a machine shop rebuilding engines (mainly drag race engines, once again chasing that feeling). \r
\r
I spent the better part of a few months collecting parts and thinking of what exactly would've made my dad smile. Keep it original looking, but let it run wild.\r
\r
I did all the machining (except honing the block, that was for the masters). Assembled it in 3 days after work, and put it on that weekend with my uncle and my friend Justin. All that to say, I do everything my dad would not do. I launch it, do burnouts, wide open throttle any chance I get - because it makes me smile and I now know what he was chasing.\r
\r
353" Vortec SBC 4 Bolt\r
850 Quadrajet Carb\r
.492" LT4 GM HOTCAM\r
Heads machined for screw-in studs\r
Comp Cams Roller Rockers\r
ARP Connecting Rod + Head Bolts\r
Flat Top Pistons\r
Roughly 300hp + 400ft-lb