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57 Pontiac "Zero Fox"

76zimmer said:
One thing everyday! How’s the to do list looking?
That first drive will make it all worth it!
Click to expand...

Install diff and springs (today)
Measure for and order driveshaft
Refigger E-brake stuff.
Rear shocks (Need to be ordered)

That's pretty much it under the car

Up front

shim water pump pulley and alt
Install rad and fans
Fan relay wiring
Synthetic Dex 3 for trans
80W90 for rear diff
Bleed brakes

front sheet metal install
front and rear bumpers
Some sort of heater assembly. Stock won't work due to the fenderwell headers

Get tires mounted, balanced etc (waiting for valve stems and lug nuts)

Gauges (need to order)
Horn etc
Windshield, possibly see if the crack can be repaired and pass inspection.

Finish rust repair in front of rear tires both sides. Ugh

Get the car inspected

Then, cage, harnesses

Plus whatever I forgot so far.
 
Well, the springs are in, and the diff is in place...except the holes in the spring perches are 1/2" and the heads of the center pins in the springs are 9/16". I really wish I checked this before throwing it all under the car. Now I get to drill out those holes in the most awkward place possible.

Sounds like a future me problem...
 
As for clearance It looks like a 295 will fit easily, and a 315 with a 1/4" wheel spacer and rolling the fender lip. I'm leaning towards the 295 with no drama.
 
If you use spacers, use billet per NHRA spec
 
If you are running drag radials the 275X Pro drag radial will likely hook better than the 295 ET Street SS radial, unless you can fit the 295/65 ET Street "R", which is a 30" tire.

If if you have a radial tire in the front you'll like it better with a radial in the rear too. Radials in the front and bias in the rear gives you that floating around feeling I don't like, with radials in the back too it's straight as an arrow down the track.
 
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I'll have a better look at the class rules and make sure a Drag Radial is OK before making a final decision. I think I can get a 30" tire in that wheelwell..it's cavernous. :waytogo:
 
WHEELS AND TIRES •Gasser class cars must use tires on the dragstrip that are no greater than 11.5 inches wide at the tread, as measured with a go/no-go gauge with the tire carrying the vehicle’s weight and at 20 psi of tire pressure. Tire edges may not be shaved or cut to meet the 11.5-inch maximum. •Wheels must be traditionally styled; no billet. •Wheels may be no more than 16 inches in diameter

So I mocked up a 28" tire I have here, with weight on the suspension. Pic two is stock, pic one is 3/4" rearward.



PXL_20230511_004138814.jpg

Hard to believe that's a 28" tire there...but i do think 3/4" back is what looks best. The wheel opening is just huge, larger than the '57 Chevy wheel opening. A 30" tall DR would not look out of place IMO.

PXL_20230511_003534718.jpg
 
I agree on the tire placement, especially if you go with a larger tire diameter.
Do you plan to trailer to Marks, Wades, the start point, or another location?
 
At the very least trailer to Mark's place, we'll see in the coming months I guess. I think Mark is lacking a decent tow vehicle. Either we drive the Hot Rods from his place to Darlington, or there was some mention of Mark finding a two car wedge trailer, and we can tow both out to the start point with the Denali?

Nothing sorted out for sure yet.
 
Couldn't get a pic of them but on my way north from Vegas last week I seen two full on drag cars stuck in traffic on the interstate with Saskatchewan plates and at least one was running race gas. I thought damn that's gonna be an expensive trip. As soon as traffic cleared they were gone.
 
Got some time on the 57 this weekend. Yesterday I installed the rear diff with the Cal-Tracs. I settled on moving the diff back 3/4", which is about the limit before needing longer bars for the Cal-Tracs.

PXL_20230513_205324308.jpg

I also upgraded the U-joint caps to billet pieces...

PXL_20230513_205448037.jpg

I drilled a second hole in the perches to move the diff rearward. As usual what seems like a straightforward job took hours longer than I thought it should. Once it was all together and torqued I decided I needed to do something not under the car. I'm good for a few hours under there, but it beats the shit out of me.
 
So in an effort to not be under the car I thought I'd mount the radiator. Another job that should be straightforward... :doah:

I came to realize I needed the front sheet metal on the car to find out exactly where the rad support ends up, which tells me my rad fitment situation.
Y'all might remember this car was crashed way back in the day, so to be honest I wasn't looking forward to trying to get the front sheet metal on the car. I have two sets of fenders, and two hoods. For now I'm not making the fenders pretty, I'm just using them to locate other stuff.

Passenger side first...

PXL_20230514_161222616.jpg

This fender is straight but has some rust issues. My other passenger fender is nearly rust free, but isn't straight. i have the same issue on the driver's side. Between the four fenders I should be able to make two good ones...but for now I'm using the straight ones to nail down where everything goes., and ultimately what mods I need to make to the rad support to make the rad fit.

Driver's side.

IMG_20230514_111739_01.jpg

Kinda looks like a car now...

IMG_20230514_113750_01.jpg

IMG_20230514_113750_02.jpg

So here is the problem, things get kinda snug near the water pump pulley. I have the rad loosely mounted on the lower bolts, and pulled back up top to get maybe 3/4" clearance. I think I can just make some 1"x1" spacers pushing the whole rad out.

IMG_20230514_113750_03.jpg

more later...
 
I get what you are saying about everything taking longer than it should. I built the Jimmy in 6 months of nights and weekends. Would take years now.

Nice progress. And making it look like a car again should give you some motivation.
 
tRustyK5 said:
As usual what seems like a straightforward job took hours longer than I thought it should.
Click to expand...

ktmoutfront said:
I get what you are saying about everything taking longer than it should. I built the Jimmy in 6 months of nights and weekends. Would take years now.
Click to expand...
These statements make me feel so much better. I was thinking I was the only one going thru this.
As always I'm loving the updates on this car.
 
Well, in for a penny, in for a pound. I dug out the better hood I have...and immediately found one bolt busted off nearly flush. Again, what should be an easy job expends to include more foxin around. Took three tries welding a nut to the tiny stub and gently turning it back and forth, adding penetrant etc. I did finally get it out, chased and lubed all the threads and then put the hood on by myself.

PXL_20230514_225217546.jpg

lubed up the best hinges I have, which are really decent. I really had zero expectations as far as it closing properly...but it closed and latched on the first try!

PXL_20230514_225158118.jpg

I'm diggin the no front bumper look, and might make my own grille with expanded metal and some generic signal lights.

I sorta looks like a car now...
 
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