62 Bel Air advice

[Gus68]

Hey guys!!! I am a young dude so I do not "remember" anything from the ol days (I'm 28). Anyway, I have a 62 Bel Air 2 door post that I'm in the process of making a cool driver/drag car with that cool 60s vibe. The car was originally a 6 cyl with a 3 on the tree, I recently installed a 350 (with 283 stickers on the valve covers) and a 4-speed. The car needs some interior help, the bench seat is cracked and faded, but the cool thing is that it came with the factory radio deleate. I have installed a hurst shifter and a Mooneyes tach. I have also put on a set of steel wheels painted body color, 14x5 on front and 15x7 on the rear. I would like some tips on making this thing look like a 60s drag car. Also, what type of things did guys do to the rear ends to mke them live?? I allready broke one set of gears. I recently bought a ford 9" that I might make work, it has 33 spline axles and 3.70 gears. Is there anothe option for the rear ends??? Would an olds or pontiac rear of the same year work??? What did they do to the rear suspensions to make them hook??? I have seen lots of old pictures of these cars with big long bars under them, what were these?? how did they work??? How could I make a set??? I know this is a long question, I would really appreciate any help you guys could offer!! Thanks

 

[droptop62]

Another Minnesotan!!
How about some pics of the Belair.
Tow bar mounts on the front would make it look like a vintage race car.
There has been a lot of talk about these lately, look through some of the other threads.
Vintage or period correct speed parts are really making a come back and I like it!!

 

[jim_ss409]

Welcome to the forum Gus.

I have a 62 Bel Air 2 door post that I'm in the process of making a cool driver/drag car with that cool 60s vibe.

Here's a photo from a magazine that might just have the look you're after.

 

[Gus68]

60s look

Hey thanks guys for the advice!!!! Keep it comming!!! By the way my car had brackets for a tow bar when I got it!! Cool huh??? That car in the photo is Frigin COOL!!!!! Did they put straight axles in the front of these cars or just tall springs? How do they drive on the street?? how did those big long traction bers work??? Thanks guys!!!!!

 

[jim_ss409]

That picture didn't come out too clear but I can tell you what the caption says about the suspension. It says..."Those ladder bars are six feet long, and since it's not a solid-axle, we have no idea how he made it sit so high." As for the front suspension, I also have no idea what he's got going on there. It must have some crazy spindles or something. Most cars that are jacked way up like this have a strait front axle (truck style) Axles were often taken from light vans of the sixties. And there were also companies that made lightweight front axles out of pipe. I think some are still producing them. It's hard to see clearly in the photo but this car is using what is called a ladder bar suspension in the rear. I don't think I've ever seen any quite that long though. They don't usually ride very well on the street but I've read that they can ride okay if they are built with swivels on the atachment points. They work well for racing but have are far less comon now of days because of the popularity of the more adjustable 4-link suspension. The reasoning behind the mile high suspension was to improve weight transfer, which it did. And of course if raising the car a little helped a little, then raising it alot would have to help alot. I think improvements in race tires and the beter aerodynamics of lowered cars make that the way to go these days but I'm with you. I think these Gasser style cars are just plain cool. Cars like the 55 Chevy or old Willies were the most popular candidates for this look but that 62 sure looks tough to me.
Here's a 62 from the Gasser Madness site... http://www.gassermadness.com/members/carlson1.jpg It's not really as radical looking but it sure looks fast. The same guy owns this 55... http://www.gassermadness.com/members/carlson6.jpg Here's a clip of it racing a Willies sedan... http://www.gassermadness.com/Thompson03/oslapas/ErkCarlson-DonBenedict-Thompson.avi Here's there homepage... http://www.gassermadness.com/

 

[Skip FIx]

I'm sure some of the current guys will chime in that are running faster. My 64 Impala when I ran IHRA Formula Stock in 1972 had the following suspension-air bags in both rear springs, just a single upper arm. 4.56 posi with thick gears(no ring gear spacers been there done that) 64 Chevelle 6 cylinder wagon front springs, no front sway bar, 80/10 shocks. 29" cheater slicks on Keystones. Was good for 12.20s @ 108 with 6000 rpm sidesteps(aluminum flywheel easier on the launch). Had the higher rear end rake popular at the time and Keystones all around,couldn;t afford and Cragar S/S wheels.

 

[Gus68]

62 Bel Air

Hey Guys!!!! Thanks for the replys!!! I have read that super stockers and F/X cars back in the day used to use hood scoops off of Ford trucks. But I have not been able to figure out what year and type of ford truck had these scoops. I am thinking of doing some thing like that (I have a spare hood), but I don't know what to look for. Or is there a better hood scoop to use??
By the way, that mile high, over kill, crude lookin 62 in that picture, kept me up half the night!!!!!! I couldn't stop thinking about it!!!! I'm thinking if painting mine flat black with crager ss, and jackin 'er up!!! God I DIG that!!!! You should't show me stuff like that!

 

[jim_ss409]

I think the hood scoop you're refering to came on the 950 series of Ford trucks from about 1960 to 1970. These were trucks that were comonly used as tandem axle gravel trucks and short haul tractor trailer use. I think the 950 model came with either a 478ci gas engine or a small diesel the models with smaller engines had no scoop. There's not many of them left and the scoops are probably missing off of most them.
If you pick up the Feb. issue of Chevy Rumble there is an article in there about a guy installing a hoodscoop on a 62 Biscayne 2 door post. It's a nice reproduction of a scoop that was used in the sixties. Here's the link to the place that makes them. Look under "Universal Bolt On" http://mpmotorsports.net/frame.html