Try Murray Park (Tiffin Ohio). His specialty is 'C'Bodies.
1966 Sport Fury. Where to start?
- Thread starter UFO007
- Start date
UFO007
New Member
I realize about show car paint. That’s not what I am looking for, I just really don’t like the current color. The Chevy guy comment was just a joke. It’s all good with everyone working on what they like. My chrome and trim are in pretty good shape and can be worked on and improved. Again I appreciate all on this forum and thank you for your help
Triple Pickle
Senior Member
Even a half-assed decent paint job will run $5k and that would include you removing as much of the trim, weather stripping, ect as you can. And that’s if it requires no body work. The drivetrain stuff is easy, fun, and relatively inexpensive compared to preparing a nice car to put it in.
That’s why the patina look is so popular with people who don’t want to end up with $30k in a car worth half that much. That, and a half assed restoration looks worse than an decent honest car to most enthusiasts. Not trying to discourage you, just trying to brace you! Best of luck and please don’t hit me! Lol
That’s why the patina look is so popular with people who don’t want to end up with $30k in a car worth half that much. That, and a half assed restoration looks worse than an decent honest car to most enthusiasts. Not trying to discourage you, just trying to brace you! Best of luck and please don’t hit me! Lol
Last edited:
IMHO, it looks like you have a solid, drivable car as it sits.
My philosophy with cars like this is to give the advice of getting it reliably drivable and then going out and having some fun with it. Do small projects that won't keep your car off the road for months... and months often turn to years and years turn into the car that's all apart in the garage that never gets down.
Paint and bodywork is $$$$ as said. You'll never get any return on the investment and it's gotta be just done for the love of the car. Body shops push those cars into the corner as "filler work" which means they never get done and all the parts get lost... Find a shop that paints old cars and gets them done.
Regarding the engine... Geez... A 318 Poly motor.... Not something you see a lot and they do have a ton of potential along with a great visual appeal when the hood is open. There are a few builds out on the intrawebs for these engines. They share enough with the LA small block and the heads are pretty decent. I'd stick with that... and then you don't have to worry about mounts etc. The engine already fits! Don't forget the price of gas is not going down anytime soon (probably not at all) and the octane on ethanol free gas has been dropping... Building a killer engine sounds really cool until you realize you have to wrench on it more and it drinks deeper (read $$) at the pump. Too many cars sitting around, not driven because the killer engine either needs work or that $5 per gallon at 10MPG bites the wallet so hard that making it to "cars and coffee" isn't as much fun as it used to be.
Again, this is my opinion and it's based on owning and working on a lot of cars over the years.
Ripinator
Old Man with a Hat
Hey! Welcome to the asylum. You said you were drawn to this car, because it is unique, and it certainly is - especially since it has a Poly 318. That makes the car stand out and makes it really unique. If I was you, I would seriously consider keeping the Poly and make a few common sense mods to improve performance. You wouldn't need to spend a whole lot of money to make that Poly run as well or better than some of the alternative engine choices already mentioned. Here is a video of a guy who appears to have almost the exact same car and engine you have, and he discusses at some length what he did with it:
ANOTHER CHEVY GUY TRYING TO HANG WITH THE FUN CROWD! LOL J/K
Triple Pickle
Senior Member
I hope to own a Mopar myself someday. And when I do I’ll go around beating up Chevy guys. I just gotta play it cool till I get my disability.
Here ya go;)
I didn’t realize Emmett, Idaho was halfway between Australia and Arkansas because if you were in Australia your Sport Fury would be upside down instead of climbing walls sideways. Boy my head hurts.
That’s a solid looking SF and a lot of solid advice is coming your way Ian-Secret Alien Man.
The Poly is one of those unique animals, and I agree with others, that itself can bring attention when perched in the SF’s engine bay. Dual quads are an option too.
Good times, Happy cruising!
I didn’t realize Emmett, Idaho was halfway between Australia and Arkansas because if you were in Australia your Sport Fury would be upside down instead of climbing walls sideways. Boy my head hurts.
That’s a solid looking SF and a lot of solid advice is coming your way Ian-Secret Alien Man.
The Poly is one of those unique animals, and I agree with others, that itself can bring attention when perched in the SF’s engine bay. Dual quads are an option too.
Good times, Happy cruising!
66 Fury III Convertible
New Member
I have a 66 Fury III convertible with 383 2bbl. Longing for 440 4bbl. Just saying.
just build one of the 440 source strokers out of your 383, will be wayyyyy more fun!lol
Margos Dezirian
Member
I'm diggin the Poly 318 .
Stroked and a multi carb intake might be pretty cool.
Stroked and a multi carb intake might be pretty cool.
65sporty
Old Man with a Hat
Nice project, I like the stroker 408 idea
livininharrow
Senior Member
i personally would do as suggested above and make that poly work for now. then put some bucks aside for a stroker later. that way you could have a **** load of fun now and toil later.
UFO007
New Member
Well guys all great responses. I think my plan will be to make the 318 run as good as it can right now. I will work through the brakes and suspension and after that is done I will either build a 408 or have one built. I have heard some responses about some builders and I also see blueprint sells one as well. Who builds the motor is undecided but that is the plan for now. I will continue to update as I make progress. Thanks guys.
66 Fury III Convertible
New Member
Just looked up the those source stroker kits you mentioned... If I understand it right the 383 becomes 438 with simple crank, rods etc. ... Seems fantastic. [I am adding it to my bucket list, lol]
Mine looks like this one....and I call it RoadKill, because I want to drive, not show. Almost to the point to try the road now, after wiring and steering, and the normal minor stuff. But, fuel tank still full of crap, so stuffing up my filters yet, oh well. My last job was on an MGA that I put in my shop and garage, took the body off the frame down to every nut and bolt. And, I tried a paint job for first time in a makeshift paint booth with plastic and fans. Worked maybe OK. Not a professional job, but after the heavy sand and buff of my four clear coats, it was nice. You can do it your self if you have the gumption, but mostly time and energy. I have not as much left of that today, and no money. So, my roadkill will maybe hit the road one day....if I can keep going. Fun, but, it does take a bit of a dram along the way to keep things moving.
Similar threads
