1961 Biscayne drag car

Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Uh oh!

James and I went to a little town called "Fordland, MO" with an empty trailer and came back with this:

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She's a 1961 Biscayne two door sedan "flat top" that a previous owner had begun to convert into a drag car.

She has a modified back end (tubbed) and a narrowed rear end carved from a GM 12 bolt with Strange axles.

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Our plans are to evaluate the current effort then continue the effort to lighten and strengthen the vehicle.

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She will get a 409 of some sort, we're trying to figure that one out right now ;).

Cheers!
TomK
 
dakota tom

dakota tom

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
looks like a nice body. It looks like the builder kept the center tube of the frame?
My red '62 was cut just behind the transmission cross member and is tubing from there back.
Jegs show rollbar/cage/chassis kits for these cars.
 
Rickys61

Rickys61

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Looks good Tom!!:brow Is it a real 348 car or did someone just switch the emblem?
 
1961BelAir427

1961BelAir427

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 3
Looks like someone got off to a good start and a clean solid car like others said. Reinforce those upper shock mounts before you close off that section of trunk floor above.
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
Ricky, the car did have the 348 emblems on the front and back decks, and they did look somewhat "original". The guy we bought it from just acquired it himself and did not know it's history. Older fellow who passed away was the previous owner. It does have pedals and was a column shift. BODY is a "1211" which was a V8. Could have been a 348 from the factory, we'll probably never know for sure.
Front fenders are from an Impala (has the spears and the holes filled) and we think the trunk lid was Belair. More scrutiny needed there, but hey, it's a drag car from here on out. No title and missing the VIN tag...

Cheers!
TomK
 
Tom Kochtanek

Tom Kochtanek

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 13
The BA 409 car has been a great start, but I think I held James back by not making tooooo many alterations to the factory design :). We plan to continue a few refinements on that car, but over the Winter we hope to focus more on the '61 Biscayne. James wants to fabricate a cage and improve the existing rear end design and make the car more rigid. We are thinking 409 stroker (427 crank) with ported 690 iron heads and something a bit wild for induction (possibly a cross ram or fuel injection?). Not sure on trans right now. Same for the rear end, at least until we determine what's in there now.

The car needs a name and possibly a new paint scheme. Could be a candidate for a "shiny car". It will likely be lettered in the old school fashion. There will be many a beer downed as we move forward on this project!!!

The goal is to have it ready for Bowling Green in June 2016 :) :) :). Might be that we bring one or both cars :).

I found it humorous that we saved a Chevrolet from Fordland, MO :) :) :).

http://springfield.craigslist.org/cto/5284107590.html

Cheers!
TomK
 
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Mearl

Mearl

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
I know that place Tom, he had a 66 Fairlane there back in the summer. There was also a SSr or whatever they are. That place used to be a home for wayward elephants, if the circus had one getting old or with killer tendencies, they would send it there to live out its days.
Congrats on the 61, it looks like a very cool drag car. I love the patina'd old blue.
 
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