Hack Weld Solder Sculpt: 1959 Chevrolet Bel Air

In 2011, I picked up this 1959 Chevy. I am not very fond of numbers-matching cars† so I liked that the original 248 cid engine was long gone and replaced with a small block 327 cid engine from a '63 Vette. It is in my opinion one of the best looking cars ever produced in the 50's. It runs fine, and gets plenty of thumbs-up on the road. Appreciation ain't enough to slow her down unfortunately. I need to upgrade the brakes and the suspension. It kinda swims down the road and barely slows on the brakes. It should be a matter of adding air ride and a large power-boosted master cylinder.

I will be pulling the 327cid engine. Seems the Corvette guys are burning the candles at both ends these days restoring all of those C2 Sting Rays. I have an engine they'd want- plus I have a big block 396 from a 67 Chevelle I want to drop in. This car is at my North Broadway Speed Lab awaiting the work, which will begin in earnest once we finish the '65 Mustang. "project INVADR"

† Sure, numbers-matching cars are neat. Popular cars, especially ones with rarer sport engine and/or handling packages become time capsules, a real historic monument. But that's the problem. I love to drive my cars. If I had a 1968 L88 Corvette, or a 1959 Mercedes 300SL Gullwing, or any historic/important car really, I would totally drive it, possibly hard if I wanted to experience the car the way intended by the original designers. I know myself well enough to know I couldn't help myself. I also like putting new engineering and tech into my vehicles- things like power steering, modern 5-speed transmissions, disc brakes, coilover shocks, electronic fuel injection. I don't want to become "the museum curator." I want to reimagine certain cars in my garage. And I want to drive them without worrying about destroying the integrity of a true original survivor, or having to listen to some purist's rant about defiling his cherished memories. Well, that still happens occasionally, but I get to tell that guy my car was not a numbers car when I got it. On purpose yo, step off.