Day 2 resto considerations - ex 69 Z/28 drag racer

[NorCam]

Day 2 Considerations?

Bought this documented 69 Z/28 drag car after it was raced for 45 years on tracks around the Pacific Northwest. It spent its first 14 years being raced in Super Stock by original owner Kym Miller (1970 through 1980) & then by his good friend Randy Becker (1980 through 1985). Kym won a Division Championship with the car in 78 and randy went on to race the car against many of the heavy hitters in Division 6. It was later sold, repainted silver & continued being raced as a big block bracket car until being retired in 2014.

I started the restoration last year with plans to go towards a day 1 resto, but still think it should retain some of it's day 2 character. The body is back in it's original state with original panels intact and the wheel openings sectioned back in. The roll cage and mini tubs were removed and the car is now painted back to it's original colors. It's a documented X77 with full ownership history to day 1 and many pictures of it being raced from 1970 through 2014. Now that the body is restored and ready for assembly, I'm toying with some ideas of adding some Day 2 nostalgia to the car to keep with it's history.

It's numbers matching drive train is gone so I am restoring the car with a date correct DZ302, 4-speed and a 4:10 Posi. I'll be adding a blow proof bell housing, Hooker headers , Torque Thrust wheels and old school Lakewood Traction Action lift bars but need more ideas to give it the right look. Thinking of some dated drag shocks and vintage style M&H slicks for the rear of the car now. While the engine will look mostly stock it'll have 350 internals and a much larger cam with some undercover head work. I'm now looking for other ideas/suggestions on some other vintage Day 2 add ons to give this car more of the original day 2 flavor it deserves? What else would you add to the restoration that keep it original looking but dating it more towards Day 2 status? Here's some pics of it raced by Kym, and the way it sits today before I start reassembling the car. Both Kym and Randy are keeping an eye on it's restoration and are both happy to see it's gone back to it's original color/style but wouldn't be unhappy to see some nostalgia items added to it.

Kym at his first drag race in street trim (1970)


At the old Sheppard Raceway track in Calgary (1970/1971)


Edmonton International (1972)


After being converted to S/S and mini tubbed (1973/1974)


Racing in Seattle with new paint scheme (1974)


Seattle with upgraded paint scheme (1978)


Edmonton before winning Division Championship (1978)


National Event courtesy Randy Becker / 2nd owner (1981)


Same car painted silver and bracket raced in Edmonton (2011)


Final year being raced in Edmonton (2012)

[NorCam]

Here's the car in it's current state before I start putting it back together. Sub frame and suspension all restored to stock and now thinking of some drag shocks, rear shackles, cheater slicks, wider rear wheels, Sun tach and maybe some other bolt on items added for a nostalgic look. Hard to see but rear end now has the old Traction Action bars in there but painted black. These are J-bar style with new hardware.

Other Ideas?

[markinnaples]

Maybe give it a little rake, paint the traction bars yellow, maybe a little fatter rear tires? Looks great and love the history, congrats.

[mike1971]

Great story!

[novadude]

Second picture from the top "At the old Sheppard Raceway track in Calgary (1970/1971)". Duplicate that look with the wheels / tires, etc minus the lettering.

EDIT: Wonder how many Z/28s lost their original engines in favor of the winning 350/255 S/S combo?

[cook_dw]

I would have left it like this but painted it back original color.. Then would go out to the track and have fun with it.. Sorry but Im getting the racing bug again and Im even considering cutting up my 67..

[cook_dw]

I would have left it like this but painted it back original color with the correct silver grille.. Then would go out to the track and have fun with it.. Sorry but Im getting the racing bug again and Im even considering cutting up my 67..

[NorCam]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: novadude</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Second picture from the top &quot;At the old Sheppard Raceway track in Calgary (1970/1971)&quot;. Duplicate that look with the wheels / tires, etc minus the lettering.

EDIT: <span style="font-weight: bold">Wonder how many Z/28s lost their original engines in favor of the winning 350/255 S/S combo?</span> </div></div>

I think it would have been a popular swap for anyone racing S/S back in the day. I know this cars original DZ block was swapped out and sold at a swap meet in the mid 70's. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img]

On the restoration we're building 2 motors. The one that's going in the car is a decked 010 block with a forged 1182 crank, Manley I Beam SRS rods, Manley Ultra Lite pistons, Crower 00471 roller cam and 492 ported heads topped with an original intake, carb, dist, alt etc. Done to look anatomically correct but 360ci to make better horsepower and torque. The second motor will be a date matched DZ302 built top to bottom and kept aside in case I want to swap them out down sometime the road. Trans will be a fresh M22 with a fully restored BV coded 12 bolt. Should make for a nice 425 to 450 hp street build to bang gears with. Might even add the 350/255 letters to the side as it was when raced?

Still looking for a choice V0425DZ to V0430DZ block to use for the 302 build but have an April 010 block to use if a choice original block cannot be sourced. Please feel free PM if you know anyone with a late April original DZ block for sale.

[NorCam]

Thought about leaving it that way Darrell but it would have drove like poop on the street. Spooled 12 bolt with 4:88 gears (twisted original diff) and old school ladder bars. Once I decided to close up the rear wheel openings and strip the car in favor of original paint, the decision was made to put the stock suspension back under the car and do it all at the same time.

I hear ya though. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/smile.gif[/img]

[NorCam]

Grill has been redone in silver and original Endura bumper was trial fit and painted green again. It came with the car but was also painted silver in the 90's. These parts are awaiting install with the restored bright trim and the re-chromed rear bumper.

Kym couldn't remember changing or painting the original grill black but it was like that from the early 70's onward. Same with the cowl hood as he recalled it being factory ordered but pictures told another story as the early ones showed a flat hood. It was however installed later and appeared on the car from 1973 ish.