1961 Biscayne drag car

[DonSSDD]

Tom, your old Chevies are multiplying nicely, retirement suits you I'd say.
Don

 

[Dick MacKenzie]

Congrats Tom!!! Great find! I've always wanted a 61 flat top but none have turned up near here!

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Mearl: That's the same guy! He still has that '66 and another '67 Ford Fairlane in the buildings out back. Good guy, he was honest to deal with .

Dick: I've been looking specifically for a 1961 Biscayne 2 door flat top for about 2-3 months, to be used as the basis for a drag car. Then this one popped up, and we zipped down the very next day to examine her. We're jazzed to be able to acquire the car, I look forward to moving the project forward with the objective of getting it prepped for Kentucky in 2016!

Best, TomK

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Hey, Tom.......... I know if you turn James loose on the '61 that it will be ready for Bowling Green, however, why not update the rear end in the black '62 and you drive it at Bowling Green and James drive the '61???? Low 12s in the '62 does not require a cage so you could have a blast driving it and James could probably be deep in the 11s with the '61... No doubt you can overcome the logistics problem and get both cars there.

 

[jim_ss409]

She's a beauty!
No VIN and it's already tubbed,,, so no guilt about turning it into a drag car.
I'll throw out the first name suggestion,,, how about "Cloud Nine"

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

Don: Early retirement is kinda nice, but I am still about 60% at least for the next year. I still have toooo many things going on, it's just I have a better attitude about things now that I've "retired" .

Ronnie: We think alike! I told James we should consider campaigning both cars next year, with an emphasis on the 1961. That idea surfaced after we lunched the soldered-up peg leg on the second run of a Friday night Test and Tune. If we had another car we wold have played with that a bit while the other was down for the day (James swapped out the rear on Saturday).

James has a good friend Raymond who is contributing a 1957 Pontiac rear end that we plan to four link that housing and stick in the rear of the '62. Unless the 12 bolt in the 1961 turns out to be a lemon or otherwise undesirable .

Jim, James came up with a name today: "Mint To Be". The paint code is Seafoam Green (kinda minty...) and the interior is Green. Now we don't have to repaint the car .

Cheers!
TomK

 

[La Hot Rods]

I did pull the cover on the rear diff
It has a posi and no C clips
Didn't have time to count teeth but looks like 4.10 gear.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Rock and Roll !!!!!!!!

 

[blown 409]

nice car , hoping i would have the only 1 that color,,,

 

[La Hot Rods]

We will just have to line them up.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

James, no offense, ole buddy, but you probably don't want to do that.

 

[La Hot Rods]

I ain't scared.

 

[Tom Kochtanek]

I remember that car from Thompson a few years back, very fast .

It's "Tim", isn't? I knew it was a Biscayne, I just didn't remember your exact colors. Now I remember! You should bring that baby to Bowling Green next summer .

James, I'm sure you noted the M/T crossram .

Cheers!
TomK

 

[No409]

my first car was suppost to be a 61 Biscayne. Dad bought it, FLA car, 283/4-speed. after it was roadworthy, He decided it was 2 nice for my for me to have as a first car. I learned to drive / and drive stick on that bad boy. ended up with my 63( which is my baby) so I cant complain

 

[La Hot Rods]

Well after some checking last night it's looking like one of those cars that has been narrowed three times and still to narrow.
Looks like I will need to narrow another rear end. I don't think that I will need 15 plus inches of rear tire.
I will try and get some better pictures tonight.
I am thinking that I can get some new brackets for the ladder bars and move them outside the rear frame and set it up for a 10.5 rear tire. Should be about wright.

 

[La Hot Rods]

Have any of you guys installed the Chris Alston Chassis Works roll cage kits?
I am wondering how tight they fit.
I have installed the Chassis Engineering kits before and was not happy with the fit. Thought it could have fit tighter and the ones that I have bent myself were much closer fit.
Just looking to save some time and I know that could bite me in the ass.
Thanks James

 

[boxerdog]

We put an Alston cage kit in my Nova. It fits very well, and there is enough extra length everywhere that you can pretty much make it as tight as you want. Their shop is not too far away, and all I can say is that everything is first-class in my opinion.

 

[63 dream'n]

We put an Alston cage kit in my Nova. It fits try well, and there is enough extra length everywhere that you can pretty much make it as tight as you want. Their shop is not too far away, and all I can say is that everything is first-class in my opinion.

Do they use halo or door bars.....if door bars are they long enough to go thru the dash in line with the "A" pillar????

 

[boxerdog]

I have no idea what their kit for an X frame car might look like. Here is some info:

https://www.cachassisworks.com/c-163-roll-cage-1-58-tube-drag-race.aspx

 

[La Hot Rods]

I did talk with the tech department and they do not use the halo type cage for this car so one car get a tighter fit.
But as we know everybody has a different standards.