It's been a long two months seeing my 65 up on jackstands. Late last year I purchased new wheels and tires (Fikse Profil 5S forged 17x9.5 rear and 17x8.0 front rims and Nitto Extreme ZR 555 285/40ZR17 rear 245/45ZR17 front) , installed them for a couple of photos, then promptly took them off and stored them upstairs in the garage. I finally finished installing the Wilwood brakes (12.90"/6-piston front and 12.20"/4-piston rears), all new brake lines, new Lokar emergency brake cables and hardware, Hydroboost power assist unit, new master cylinder w/combo valve, removed the original 12-bolt and installed another powder coated housing w/new Eaton posi, original 3.07 gears and Superior axles, Edelbrock adjustable upper rear control arms, ceramic coated "X" pipe from the headers back to the mufflers. This is all in addition to the GW upper and lower front control arms, QA1 adjustable front coil-overs and QA1 adjustable rears installed last year.

Still have the same 12-year old paint which is the next task but still looks pretty good from 20'.

It handles and brakes like a totally different vehicle - unbelievable by comparison and the sound with the new "x" pipe is great. Here are some links to the photos I took yesterday.
Dave's 65 #1 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_1s.jpg)
Dave's 65 #2 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_2s.jpg) Dave's 65 #3 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_3s.jpg)
Dave's 65 #4 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_4s.jpg) Dave's 65 #5 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_5s.jpg)
Dave's 65 #6 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_6s.jpg)
Dave's 65 #7 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_7s.jpg) Dave's 65 #8 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_8s.jpg)
Dave's 65 #9 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_9s.jpg) Dave's 65 #10 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_10s.jpg) Dave's 65 #11 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_11s.jpg) Dave's 65 #12 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_12s.jpg) Dave's 65 #13 (http://home.comcast.net/~bates150/images/dad/elky_040607_13s.jpg)

Dave

Wow! Looks great. I bet it really does handle like a different car. graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Lookin' Good! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Getting pretty close myself. I last drove my elco during the Summer of 2001. Rebuilt the motor, put 500 miles on her and promptly pulled it back out to tackle paint and body...what an adventure.

Great looking ride! Is that a custom tonneau cover I see there. Looks like it doen't cover the chrome at all. Who made it and do you have pics of it?

If it were 2-3" lower I'd be REAL jealous, as it is I'm only a little jealous. Nice ride-drop it a little and I'd call it perfect. Hows the hydro-boost working, it looks like a nice kit.

SWEEEEEEET my 65 was WHITE but now is GREEN with Envy tongue.gif

graemlins/hurray.gif graemlins/hurray.gif graemlins/hurray.gif job well done

Very very nice and I really like the wheels. :D Mine is white but very tempting to change color.

Thanks for all the comments! I do plan to drop the nose another 1/2 to 3/4" to give it a bit of a "raked" look. The tonneau cover was on the El Camino when I bought it and is starting to show it's age. It is nothing more than some 1" aluminum angle screwed th the inner bed sides/front for the cover to snap to. It is by no means water tight and just serves to cover the bed. A friend of mine who is in the street rod/restoration business has some ideas for a custom unit similar to one he is fabricating for a 1955 Chevy Pro Street two-door wagon turned into an El Camino. I'll try to get a couple of photos of that for reference. The Hydro-boost is gradually settling in as Paul at HydraTech indicated it would. I'm trying to take it out every day to get more warm-up/cool-down cycles on it to purge the remaining air (micro bubbles as he calls them) out of the system. In one of my initial conversations with him, he indicated the unit was set up to be a bit on the "aggressive" side and with the big Wilwood's and the wider tires now on the Elky that's a definite fact. Seat belts are a must unless you want to kiss the windshield! I'm sure any of the other TC folks with the Baer brake systems will attest to their stopping power. Now, if there was a way to incorporate an affordable anti-lock system . . . .

Nice!

I like that color!!!

Looking good David graemlins/thumbsup.gif :cool:

Wow! That's one nice car/truck! graemlins/thumbsup.gif

ill trade you grilles looking nice cant wait to hook up my brakes so i can start drivin it again. only took me 3 weekends tho. dont get how u can go so long with out drivin ur car