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Not something I personally would have done, but you have to admit, it is pretty cool.
Many times while I am driving my 57' on roads filled with curves, I think to myself, I wish I had my Camaro right now.... maybe this guy had the same thought, just went a few steps further than I would...
Just goes to show what enough time and money can do.
I did a similar swap back in the early 90's. The key to an easy swap is to use donor vehicles with the same wheelbase.
I had a 51 Chev torpedo back 2 door and 82 Buick LeSabre 4 door. They had the same wheelbase. I cut the body off the Buick leaving just the floor attached to the chassis. I then cut the 51's body off it's floor and dropped it down over the 84's chassis. Everyone was amazed at how well everything lined up. I then had a 51 Chev sitting on a modern 84 chassis.
The same thing could have been done with that 56 instead of using a unibody chassis.
__________________
87 IROC-Z
All engine, no power adders! Bests: 9.348@144.71
so they put a TPI setup in a bel-air. ya that was done in the late 80s. I don't see how this is out of the ordinary at all.
If you had looked closely it is more than the engine, it is basically a stretched Camaro under a Bel-air body. Very well done, an updated drive train/suspension for a classic car!!
some people have more time than money is all I can say, it`s cool,- but, If I had to choose a donor car to fit up under a car like that, it sure wouldn`t be a 3rd gen
If you had looked closely it is more than the engine, it is basically a stretched Camaro under a Bel-air body. Very well done, an updated drive train/suspension for a classic car!!
i gave it a 5 minute flip through. not like the pics were organized in any fashion at all. just clicked a few different dates.
I agree that there isn't a whole lot of rhyme or reason to the website...but what a build! The guy had a cool idea and followed through beautifully. I like it even more than those LS1-powered Miatas!
some people have more time than money is all I can say, it`s cool,- but, If I had to choose a donor car to fit up under a car like that, it sure wouldn`t be a 3rd gen
I had both cars.....it was economically a smart move. And since this is the third car done like this we KNEW the third gen made a great donor car!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by david86camaro
If you had looked closely it is more than the engine, it is basically a stretched Camaro under a Bel-air body. Very well done, an updated drive train/suspension for a classic car!!
David, it's nice to know some people KNOW what they are seeing...or maybe not seeing Thanks for the Kudos!
Last edited by hozona; 04-09-2008 at 10:16 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Just goes to show what enough time and money can do.
I did a similar swap back in the early 90's. The key to an easy swap is to use donor vehicles with the same wheelbase.
I had a 51 Chev torpedo back 2 door and 82 Buick LeSabre 4 door. They had the same wheelbase. I cut the body off the Buick leaving just the floor attached to the chassis. I then cut the 51's body off it's floor and dropped it down over the 84's chassis. Everyone was amazed at how well everything lined up. I then had a 51 Chev sitting on a modern 84 chassis.
The same thing could have been done with that 56 instead of using a unibody chassis.
YOU STILL WOULD HAVE HAD A BUICK UNDER IT! OLD TECHNOLOGY!!!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GTA_IN_T.O
i dont get............i mean i can appreciate the time and effort........but what a waste.
he has a belair with a tpi set up and iroc rims.........what was the purpose of chopping the iroc??
THE RIDE.....HAVE YOU EVER HAD A 56 CHEVY?
THIS ONE HANDLES LIKE THE IROC!
Last edited by hozona; 04-09-2008 at 10:22 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Thats nothing. Somone localy dropped a 57 nomad body on a W body chassis. FWD 3.1L and all!
Quote:
Originally Posted by GTA_IN_T.O
i dont get............i mean i can appreciate the time and effort........but what a waste.
he has a belair with a tpi set up and iroc rims.........what was the purpose of chopping the iroc??
It's not just the engine and wheels. He has an old car upgraded with new(ish) suspension technology. I'm sure it handles better than any stock belair would.
Thats nothing. Somone localy dropped a 57 nomad body on a W body chassis. FWD 3.1L and all!
It's not just the engine and wheels. He has an old car upgraded with new(ish) suspension technology. I'm sure it handles better than any stock belair would.
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT! SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T GET IT.....NO IMAGINATION EITHER. ANYONE CAN BOLT ON AFTERMARKET STUFF....IF THEY CAN READ THAT IS!
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT! SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T GET IT.....NO IMAGINATION EITHER. ANYONE CAN BOLT ON AFTERMARKET STUFF....IF THEY CAN READ THAT IS!
I take great offense to that
Why not throw it right back at you...
You took 80's technology and spent a ton of time to STEAL that suspension and setup because you were either too dumb or too lazy to sit down and calculate a better suspension geometry
3rd gens handle great, but they are not the best
This is why you dont see this happening a million times over
Your work was well done, quality and well documented
Dont let it get to your head that "your crap doesnt stink" because of it
Several members on here have done alot more than "bolt on aftermarket stuff"
probably pratical reasons, he already had the camaro, fiberglass is harder to weld to.. not sure of dimensions but i think the camaro is probably closer..
Why not throw it right back at you...
You took 80's technology and spent a ton of time to STEAL that suspension and setup because you were either too dumb or too lazy to sit down and calculate a better suspension geometry
3rd gens handle great, but they are not the best
This is why you dont see this happening a million times over
Your work was well done, quality and well documented
Dont let it get to your head that "your crap doesnt stink" because of it
Several members on here have done alot more than "bolt on aftermarket stuff"
I'm SOOOOOO Sorry I offended you! First of all I was agreeing IS SIX's comments....if you follow the thread....and the reason you don't see this happening a million times over is that very few people are willing to commit to the time it takes nor do they possess the skills that Ron has in fabrication. This was over 500 hours of work....If he hadn't been my friend, I never could have had it done. And as far as 80's technology, it's what I had to use at the time...if I could have found a 4th gen in the same shape for the same price I would have used it.....but being on a school teacher's salary, it WAS ALL I COULD AFFORD!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RexKarr
I think some of you guys are acting ridicules. The man did an amazing job and has a very unique car.
THANKS REX!
Last edited by hozona; 04-10-2008 at 09:42 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
probably pratical reasons, he already had the camaro, fiberglass is harder to weld to.. not sure of dimensions but i think the camaro is probably closer..
The Vette conversion is bolt on suspension parts. IMO it is rediculous to fit a body on a chassy of another car when the aftermarket has everything available. At a less expensive approach. That would be like taking a '67 truck and cutting the body off the floor so you can weld it on a '95 truck chassy because it has a lift on it. Just buy the correct parts for the application and save tons of time and money.
The Vette conversion is bolt on suspension parts. IMO it is rediculous to fit a body on a chassy of another car when the aftermarket has everything available. At a less expensive approach. That would be like taking a '67 truck and cutting the body off the floor so you can weld it on a '95 truck chassy because it has a lift on it. Just buy the correct parts for the application and save tons of time and money.
Vette parts still cost a lot more and I already had the IROC....cost with engine and tranny and alot of other new parts....$3500. The 56 cost me more than that! And it was a piece of crap! You are welcome to your opinion though. In the days when I started hotrodding you put things together with the best used parts you had.....kind like, "run what you brung".
Beautiful work. Some just don't appreciate a different approach.
Thanks, some people would have to see/drive it to appreciate it. It's OK........you shoulda heard the Ford guys when we did the same thing with a 1966 Ranchero ......I call it the "Camchero" We used all the Camaro eqipment under the hood including the firewall(a lot of fabrication here too!), ac power steering, radiator, etc and the Camaro interior inside including gauges, console, seats, armrests, to use the rearend we modified it to be mounted on the leaf springs so the pickup bed would look right (Camaro gas tank sat too high in the chassis)
I think this guy did a great job on the car,I know alot of us on here wouldn't cut up a camaro,but lets face it the car looks nice and it should handle great.It takes alot of work and imagination to do a car like this.Awesome job.
I think this guy did a great job on the car,I know alot of us on here wouldn't cut up a camaro,but lets face it the car looks nice and it should handle great.It takes alot of work and imagination to do a car like this.Awesome job.
THANKS! Ron and I value EVERYONE'S OPINIONS even the negative ones....Ron just smiles when he reads them......I had bought a TA Firebird hoping to use it as a donor car, but the rockers were just too beat up! This Camaro had already had about everything replaced.....so it was my next choice....Thanks again! Geoff
I hate to see a good IROC get hacked up like that, but I can appreciate the "use what you got" approach. Plus, my mother is a teacher, so I can relate to the teacher's salary statement. However, one of my dad's favorite cars was the '56 Belair. Just mention 56 and he'll go on about driving his buddy's '56 vert back in 1958. But then again all I talk about to my wife and kids is IROC this and Trans Am that. Long story short, it's a great build. It looks like a lot of time, care, imagination, and patience went in to it. Geoff and Ron thanks for taking mine and my father's favorite cars and making something that we can both appreciate.
I hate to see a good IROC get hacked up like that, but I can appreciate the "use what you got" approach. Plus, my mother is a teacher, so I can relate to the teacher's salary statement. However, one of my dad's favorite cars was the '56 Belair. Just mention 56 and he'll go on about driving his buddy's '56 vert back in 1958. But then again all I talk about to my wife and kids is IROC this and Trans Am that. Long story short, it's a great build. It looks like a lot of time, care, imagination, and patience went in to it. Geoff and Ron thanks for taking mine and my father's favorite cars and making something that we can both appreciate.
THE PLEASURE WAS ALL OURS!! REALLY!! AND STILL IS ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS!
The corvette parts are not bolt on. They require plenty of cutting and welding to install. Unless you spring for an entirely new aftermarket chassis.
A 4th gen proabably wouldnt do any thing that the 3rd gen chassis cant do in this application. It's basicaly identical except for the front clip in other words not exactly "high tech".
And the weight ride height and if he did it right the structural rigidity are proabably far ahead of where the stock body on frame car would be after the corvette suspension swap.
Very nice job Hozona..... I like everything you did.
Just a note though, I would ditch the IROC rims, the car is too nice for them, Iw ould go with more like a set of A.R. salt flats?
The reason I used the IROC rims is ECONOMICS.....they had new tires, the off-set was right, and they fit the car. Plus I had the machined surfaces polished so they would look good on the car....No 18's or 20's for me.....I LIKE MY IROC RIMS.....it goes with the theme of the car....56 IROC
IROC rims are some of the coolest rims ever to come out of an American car company, understated, but oh so much attitude just oozing out from their subtle accents...
Awesome looking project.... I'd be worrieda bout hacking up a unibody frame, but if you guys got it properly reinforced then I suppose that's a non issue.
IROC rims are some of the coolest rims ever to come out of an American car company, understated, but oh so much attitude just oozing out from their subtle accents...
Awesome looking project.... I'd be worrieda bout hacking up a unibody frame, but if you guys got it properly reinforced then I suppose that's a non issue.
Go check out the website and you will notice 4 1/2" tubing running along both rockers after lengthening the floorpan 14 1/2". Ron has had his on the road for over 12 years with his 53 Ford Courier http://www.ronboatmanfabrications.com with no structural problems being encountered. Thanks for your comments. http://members.cox.net/56iroc
Geoff
for those that have never worked on a tri-5, 2years ago I put a spec inspected 12pt cage in a 1955 bel-air and let me tell you those frames are flimzier then a third gen...trust me. they need reinforse all over the place. take a look
LOOK at that size of those crossmembers....oh..oh wait there isn't any exept under the engine.... really heavy frame that twists more then a t-top 1988 mustang. So that should show why "frame to unibody".
I think the car is pimp. I don't think I would do it. but hellll not too many idiots would put a HX55 turbo and Nitrous on a stock short block 1987 Formula 350 like I have.
But from experience anything you do to help those horrible frames is a plus++++
__________________ [
Ram Air Firebird Formula 350 1987
Powder Coated Holley Stealth,
HX50W Holset, monster SX pump,
42lb injectors, FMIC, FS BOV [[Tuning in progress]] and I still have my Nitrous back up my 10psi... bent 3 rods..... now 6.0L/ 4l80e going in
for those that have never worked on a tri-5, 2years ago I put a spec inspected 12pt cage in a 1955 bel-air and let me tell you those frames are flimzier then a third gen...trust me. they need reinforse all over the place. take a look
LOOK at that size of those crossmembers....oh..oh wait there isn't any exept under the engine.... really heavy frame that twists more then a t-top 1988 mustang. So that should show why "frame to unibody".
I think the car is pimp. I don't think I would do it. but hellll not too many idiots would put a HX55 turbo and Nitrous on a stock short block 1987 Formula 350 like I have.
But from experience anything you do to help those horrible frames is a plus++++
Thanks for the positive feedback....I see you went to my webpage....I KNOW THAT RASTY OLD FRAME VERY WELL!
I attached a fun pic of my car and a model "hot one at that" This car is kind of a "Chick Magnet" ;-)
Love that 56! Nice build! I think that building a street rod is like a piece of art. To each thier own. Build it like YOU want it. Who cares if it is the latest technology or not, it works.
CRAZY!!!, but i like it, hate to see a nice third hacked but i do like the idea of the custom work, doing what you can with what you got, its cool to see like a 90's chevy truck with a 60's bed on it (and done right)..... and people are right the 50's chevys drove like bean wagons through the turns
Thanks for the Kudos! 
Just buy the correct parts for the application and save tons of time and money. 
You are welcome to your opinion though. In the days when I started hotrodding you put things together with the best used parts you had.....kind like, "run what you brung".
AND STILL IS ALMOST ON A DAILY BASIS! 
but i do like the idea of the custom work, doing what you can with what you got, its cool to see like a 90's chevy truck with a 60's bed on it (and done right)..... and people are right the 50's chevys drove like bean wagons through the turns 
