Why do I do this? A-Body project photos...

Catfish

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I keep telling myself how much cheaper it is to buy a finished car, but here I am with a basket case.....again.











 
It'll be nice when done......and expensive.

Good luck and keep us informed.!
 
It'll be nice when done......and expensive.

Good luck and keep us informed.!

thats the thing....expensive. I don't know how far to go because it's a beak car. Not my favorite a-body. I would rather have a 68,69. At least from the side they look pretty much the same. LOL. I have thought about just dropping in a running small block, putting it all together, and then punting the car. But the wife likes it........we all know how that goes.

At least it doesnt have a year of work in rust repair to do.

Passenger front lower fender corner needs some attention. Passenger floor has two patches already done. Rear lips have been patched, but not to my standards. Thankfully the trunk is super solid and the cowl looks very, very clean.
 
Those A-bodies are insane with a 440. That's what I would do if I was going to put it together.
 
Those A-bodies are insane with a 440. That's what I would do if I was going to put it together.
I've been saving links for years in a special folder on how to do that conversion slicker than grease.
A 4 speed - 440 and A/C A-body.
 
I'd try a 408 stroker small block. My brother had one pulled very hard. I think it was dyno at 450 hp and 550 ft of torque. What about a new Hellcat v8?
 
I'd try a 408 stroker small block. My brother had one pulled very hard. I think it was dyno at 450 hp and 550 ft of torque. What about a new Hellcat v8?

Thats the route I am planning on going. Why add the big block weight when you can get the same pump gas performance out of a small block? I have been researching 408 builds for a few months now.
 
Those A-bodies are insane with a 440. That's what I would do if I was going to put it together.

I have a couple 440's laying around, believe me I have thought about it. The RB is a damn tight fit. I think the heater blower fan has to moved a tad or else you can't even get the valve cover off. And unless you just use HP iron manifolds, fender well headers I think are the only headers you can get in there and then you have to butcher up the "inner fender". With stroked small blocks putting down such impressive numbers, other than cost I don't see much benefit to big blocking this car.
 
A friend of mine has a 69 Valiant that he wants to put his 392 Hemi into. He has had the Hemi for years and the Valiant for probably 10 years so I don't know if it will ever happen.
 
I got excited when you said 392 but then I realized you didn't mean 6.4L.....
 
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