[marks73ta]

I picked up this really nice '63 Catalina. I've been searching for a good candidate for a modified street/strip car. Possibly a SD looking type build with modern engine drivetrain etc. I originally wanted a '60 to make a gasser out of but in looking for that I came across this.

http://s601.photobucket.com/albums/t...ranks003-1.jpg

I've just now found out I have a concsience. Do I keep this and start my build which will entail cutting and body mods or flip this to a restorer? It is in such great shape, 63xxx original miles, air conditioning car, etc, that it would be an easy restoration. I'm sorry but I can't afford to give it away but have to make enough money on it to help out the project as I move on to the next body I find. I'm not a buy and sell for profit monger other than to get money for my build.
Tell me I'm not crazy, this conscience thing is killing me. Mark L

[Sirrotica]

That's a really tough call Mark, well you can offer it up for sale and take the money and as you say put it towards another project. If no one wants to pay what you feel it's worth then you can use it for whatever purpose you need it for and you can have a clear conscience that at least you tried.

[poison heart]

You have to make sacrifices. Build that '60 motor, tub the rear, put on a few turbos and a manual trans and have some fun

It's going to take a lot of money to make money off that car. I don't think flipping it for a profit is likely, might as well do it how you want to and enjoy it

[Blackcat]

That's one nice looking car! I'd just build a sudo SD engine and make it a nostalgic racer. You can keep it stock looking and have a blast.

[mike nixon]

If it's a truely solid example sell it to someone who wants a nice one and find one a little rougher to build your project with.

Mike

[65FATCAT]

I don't see the issue here i guess, all i see is a rust free very straight body, everything else needs completely redone, the interior is gone, the rubber is rotted, the steering wheel, by itself, will run 900 to restore, and they are not rare cars.

Is your gasser supposed to look like a piece of junk?, if i built a gasser i still would want a solid body and i don't see what else of value you have there. There's no 8 lugs to sell, probably didn't have power windows(a few bucks), not a 421, so..........

If you're going fiberglass with front end parts, then just sell what's left over to a resto guy.

That'll be super cool if you do it gasser style, keep us updated.

[BigCat4spd]

Build it the way you want it! That's what you bought it for.

[MOJO Catalina]

I say YOU should do something with it.
You have the plans and means to. If you sell that car to someone else you may never now if they did anything with it. They may end up selling it to someone that may do the same thing you want to do or it may end up rotting under a tree somewhere.

You have it now because you knew a good deal when you saw it.
It's on a silver platter for you so definately take advantage of it.
As has been already said, there's nothing rare about it except it's got great sheet metal.
No need to start with a POS if you're serious about owning and keeping the car that you build..

[Deadhead]

I think that the whole concept of a '63 Cat gasser is so cool that it is worth it as long as the car does not get cut up & the project bagged before it is done. If you go through with it, it will so so unique that the attention it gets should overcome any conscience problem you might have. The lines of the car lend themselves to the whole gasser thing IMO.

Very cool idea.

[Engine-Ear]

Fortunately, it's not a '62, cuz if it was you KNOW I'd be all over it like Oprah on a baked ham...Although it is a pretty darn clean survivor, there is nothing especially rare about it.

Mark, build it as "MARK" as you can and enjoy the hell out of it.

As Arnold Schwarzenegger says, "DO IT."

[MOJO Catalina]

Anything ever happen with this car?

[poison heart]

He's made a lot of progress on it

[Engine-Ear]

Originally Posted by MOJO Catalina

Anything ever happen with this car?

Yep, Mark has a pretty busy thread on this - possibly in the RACE or BOOST subforum. It is a good read and lots of pics.

[marks73ta]

Hey guys. Just revisited this post, forgetting that I even made it. Remember that conscience thing that was biting my ass??? I shot the crap out of it and did my (as Matt said) "Mark thing" to it. And I ain't looked back yet. If you haven't seen the build post I really went ballistic on the motor. Matter of fact, it's still there getting completed. I built it to make high horsepower. '60 389 block .090 over to 406. The early blocks are super strong and thick. Splayed 3 center four bolt caps, filled water jackets, rods installed in the jackets from the decks down to the jacket bottom, to support the decks from flexing under boost. Ross dished forged light tw pistons, GRP aluminum rods (light), forged 3.75 stroke Ohio Crankshaft, KRE 325 cfm aluminum D-Port heads, Victor intake with a 750 CSU blow thru carb, or, I bought the Edlebrock Victor EFI manifold and fuel rails when they were on sale, so EFI is a big option. I originally bought a sinlge 75MM B/W turbo but I found a great deal on twin TC76MM ball bearing Turbonetics turbos and made a deal for a trade. The 75mm would have held me to about 1000 HP and the 750 Blow Thru is supposed to be good to 1100. But the twins are good for 1000 each so I need to make a decision on what to do for the intake. 750 and victor and restrict the horseower? EFI and go E85 which will allow me to build to whatever HP level I want. I really want to go to a manual trans but the turbos really work much, much better with an auto to spool up against. So I will probably end up with a TH400. Plus a manual means a clutch and I'm worried about finding one that will hold up and last on the street. I really would like a manual but the smart thing to do is a good automatic. I have a build Ford 9 inch with back brace and all the bracketry for ladder bars. You know a gasser has to have ladder bars. I just need to finalize the rear gear ratio once I settle on the trans. I already have a Detroit Locker for it, 3:00, 3:50, or 3:89gears I already have too. I had to have the 9 inch WIDENED, not narrowed. The welder laughed at me. He's never had to widen a rear end before. I still need the axles to finish. OK that's the mechanical. I narrowed the rear frame rails by adding additional rails from the front frame under the firewall to the rear just ahead of the trailing arm mounts. Cut out the rails over the rear end and made new ones. I now have enough room to put 20 inch sidewall tires, with the right rims/backspacing etc. Not trusting my ability to make it right and safe I had a chassis expert build and install my front '57 Chevy pickup beam axle/leaf springs up front. Cut the entire frame away just ahead of the firewall and built all custom rails and crossmember. Did a great job. I cut the center of the firewall from inside of the front frame rail to the other one, cut out the floor and moved the firewall back 12 inches and welded it back in. I then built all new sheet metal to close it all in. And mounted the mock up engine back 11 inches. The engine sets with the number 6 spark plug hole even with the firewall. I built a steering wheel column support to move the wheel back 12 inches and I reupholstered the front bench seat in an old Indian patterned blanket and installed it so the back of the seat would be touching the back seat if there were one. I've also cut out the rear wheel wells in the trunk and mini tubbed them for the tire clearence. Oh. I also made the entire metal front end one piece and tilted it. A Gasser must have a tilt front end. I had to stop working on it for the summer because it is just too damn hot down here. But it is beautiful now so I have to get my arse moving and get some stuff done. They had a problem with the rotating assembly for my engine. It turns out that all the parts are so light that they could not balance it without cutting down the counterweights. The short stroke, the light wt parts and twin turbos this thing is going to rpm like crazy. Anywho, if you go to the boost section you can find my build. I documented most of the build up to this point. Other than the professional front frame, the rest is all my work. I'm not a craftsman by any means but I did it all myself. So far it is still going according to my vision. My only regret will be going to an auto because it just makes sense, not because it was what my vision is. But I can live wih that. I just thought I'd bring you up to date on what you guys helped to create. After all you talked me into making the '63 work. It's going to be unique. I also wanted to thank you all for getting me on track and going forward. I'm having fun with the build. Mark L