Project High School Sweetheart (65 Chevelle 2dr Post)

I've been lurking for a long time and posted my intro last fall. Let me first say that there are some fantastic cars on here and have no illusions about my project. Some of you may even scoff at the fact that I'm posting this in the pro touring forum, but the car will fit here more than in the other forum areas I think.

Here's the story: I grew up in a hot rod, muscle car, and motorcycle family. I remember handing my dad tools at the age of 4, attending my first NHRA top fuel race at 3, and spending Saturday nights at the local dirt oval where my older brother raced flat track motorcycles. I remember falling asleep at Ascot Raceway in California at the age of 5 after my family drove all day from Phoenix to get to the races. I listened to 50s and early 60s music when I should have been listening to 80s and 90s music. Cars and motorcycles are in my blood.

So, at the age of 15, my dad and I purchased my first car. It was a primered 1965 Chevelle 300 post sedan with very nice custom interior, a Muncie 4sp and a 305 small block (I know, I know). I learned how to drive in this car and drove it to school and work every day once I got my license at 16. With said job, I saved my pennies to build an engine and get the car painted. At 17, I went to a local engine shop and commissioned them to build me a 4 bolt main 355 with flat top TRW pistons, Stage IV Chevy heads, Pete Jackson gear drive, balanced rotating assembly, and a mild cam. I needed a reliable car that still had enough power to get up and go decently. My Dad and I assembled the top end and then put the car back together. I then commissioned the local paint shop to shoot some silver paint on the car for 300 bucks. lol I purchased some Weld Draglites, and to me, the car was done. I drove it for about one year of high school, then joined the military, parked the car in my parents' garage in Arizona, and left.

My M and D drove it around to local car gatherings once in a while, but for the most part, it sat in the garage.

Fast forward 16 years. I'm 35 now, made it to commissioned officer status, bought a house finally with a 2 car garage, and had the car shipped from AZ to MD where I currently live/am stationed. I was going to drop the car off at a restoration place, but they were shady and wanted too much cash. For 10 years of my enlisted days, I was a Damage Controlman and was an expert welder and metal fabricator and am an engineer by trade anyway. I figured I'd just tear into the car and do what I can on my own.

So, because it's an Arizona car, it is in decent shape; however, the previous owner did some shoddy bondo work in the quarters, rear cowl, and crap floor board rivet work :sad:, so some metal work is needed. I'm not going to pull the body off the frame because the frame is in good shape and looks good after inspecting everything under there. I'm doing a frame on, refresh/mild resto.

I'm on a military guy's budget, so nothing crazy here. The purpose of this project is to end up with a car that handles nicely, stops nicely, is reliable, and can be driven without the worry of messing up thousands of dollars worth of crazy expensive paint and fanciness. I don't plan to auto x it, race it, or etc. Just some cruising to local car gatherings and occasional Saturday and Sunday drives.

I've already started assembling the new parts and plan to install boosted drilled/slotted disc brakes, tubular upper and lower control arms, new spindles, close ratio mechanical steering box, new column, new steering linkage, 2 or 3 inch drop springs, new sway bar, boxed rear arms, etc, etc. I'm keeping the Muncie, but will have it rebuilt. The engine is in good shape too, but I'm probably going to install a bigger cam and aluminum heads with an aluminum radiator and new ceramic coated headers. I'll be using new brake lines front to rear and will probably rebuild the old 10 bolt or source a new one. I also plan to go with and 18 and 19 inch wheel combo from Rushforth. Jason is a very helpful guy by the way.

I'm doing all of this in my 2 car garage with simple hand tools and mostly on my own. I may or may not tackle the final body finishing when I get to that point, but we'll see.

Anyway, I need to get the car back on it's wheels by the end of the Summer because I may have to transfer out of the area and selling a house is difficult enough without a garage full of old car parts!

Pics of the progress so far:

When it arrived to my house and how I left it over 16 years ago. Looked the same.











I stripped the old paint, rust scale, grease, and grime using a needle scaler by hand over every inch of the frame.



cutting out the smooth firewall panel:



Welding it in place:



That's it for now.

Dan