Mark I

65 Skylark Gran Sport. 66 Impala, 396. I’m workin on it.

You asked. In July I went through the brakes on my 66 Impala 396 car. I did new shoes, wheel cylinders and hardware in 1986, and by 2019 the shoes were almost worn out and a couple cylinders were leaking. I don’t know about what others here do, but I avoid buying offshore parts. Disassembled everything. The cylinders were still looking pretty good inside so they were just cleaned, honed and old stock US made cylinders kits were used. I reused all the hardware from the 86 rebuild. The shoes and drums were sent to Rochester Clutch & Brake. They relined the shoes and machined the drums, arcin

From the Crower website- Chevrolet - 366, 396, 402, 427, 454, 502 & RodeckPerformance level 2-3 - Power Compu-Pro - These cams provide excellent low end and mid-range power and extended rpm range for spirited street and off-road driving. A perfect combination of mileage and power. Modifications should include small diameter tube headers, low restriction dual exhaust, aftermarket manifold, increased cfm carburetor and reworked or performance ignition. Increase in compression ratio to 9.5:1 is recommended for maximum output Works well with automatic transmission or 4-speed.INT/EX

Hi Frank, Happy to help. The cam, lifters, valve springs, retainers, pushrods, etc. are all Crower. When I ordered the cam, I had to tell them it was a 65-66 and needed the groove. When I got it, the groove wasn’t as wide or deep as the original cam but probably would have worked fine. A friend of mine who was assembling the motor put it in a lathe and machined the groove to match the original. Other than Wiseco 10.8 forged pistons (+ .030) the only other deviation from stock is Comp Cams roller tip rockers because I didn’t know a source for US made stock stamped steel rockers and I knew

Interesting question. I have an L35 66 Impala. Looking in the assembly manual and other documentation, the 325 hp 396 appears to have been made with either the Q-Jet or Holley. No idea why other than covering contingencies for supply. But beyond that, if you like the 350/360 hp cam, why not just use it? I rebuilt the L35 in the 66 with forged pistons, and a mild Crower hydraulic flat tappet cam. Made 397 hp on the dyno with the iron Q-Jet intake and stock Q-Jet. As far as I know, AACA won’t tear you down looking for the right cam! And yes, I had to have the groove cut in

I took this image August 10. Mark

In the third photo, car on the left is a 66 Chevelle. Mark

Earlier this year I ordered a qt. of lacquer from TCP Global. 66 Chev aqua to paint a tilt column. About $175. shipped. Mark

Hi John, His phone was not on the sign. Just mileage, and a few other things about the car. He doesn’t have it advertised anywhere else right now. I got his number so I could post it here. The condition of this car is what it might look like a few weeks after new car delivery. I was surprised by this one, and like most of us, I’ve seen a million cars. With minor repair on the RF fender, this one would be an HPOF winner. IMO.... I would post it but I don’t want scammers calling him. Mark

I saw this in WI last Friday. Car is located in West Salem/Lacrosse area. 74 Mercury Marquis; 19K miles; didn’t ask the owner what engine it had. Car looks to be in new or near condition. Was stored in an aircraft hangar long term, there was a minor mishap with the RF fender as can be seen in the pic. Underside of this car looks new, I’m not sure if it’s ever been driven in rain. Original tires still on it. He’s asking under $10K. PM me for his phone number. Mark

Great thread. Never heard of “old man gold” before, but here it is. Mark

Nothing in MN yet. Mark now 3/26. How much longer before contacting AACA?

I’ll respond to you guys asking about the gears. Sorry for the very tardy response. Didn’t see that this thread was still active. Mark

Rear wheel opening trim is different between the Skylark & Chevelle. Mark

The Skylark Gran Sport sitting out in the shop. I don’t think anything was done once on that resto. The paint & upholstery, only because those skilled tasks were done by someone else. Ever lay awake at night wondering why the hell you’re doing this... Mark