[63 Falcon with a 350]

I recently bought a 1965 Ford Galaxie 500XL after I sold my Falcon. I've intended on making it a classic street-racing car a farm-kid would have had in highschool. After talking to my grandpa, he said in Burlington, Illinois kids would have cars with original paint, original motors (no up-grades), original interiors bought off grandmas and would make them fast (for the day) cars. He said they would keep the ****ty and worn paint the same, get new rims (reversed chrome OE), keep the worn interior the same, and build the engines with whatever money they had. Brakes, paint, interior and suspension were nothing to worry about back then with the poor kids. Only what lay under the hood counted because good brakes and paint wouldn't make you go faster.
I've decided to keep the worn white paint, "ok" shocks and springs, worn interior, and drum brakes in front and rear. In exchange for saving money on all of that I'll spend it all on engine parts like a cam, headers, carb., and manifold to give it a little gitty-up.
The car already has a 390 FE big block with a 4 barrel, but the carb. is ****ty and I'd rather have a Holley.
I was just wondering what all you old rodders out there thought of my plan on making a budget 'rod'. One some of you older men might of had in the late 60's, early 70's and would be happy to see a young kid such as myself with my hair butched up top and slicked on the sides and a pack on unfiltered camels in the sleeve of my plain white T-shirt.

Off I go to cruise the main drag and search for some broads to take to the sock hop. Then race someone that claims to be the hottest wheels in town.

[FrankR]

NEVER skimp on safety. Make sure your brakes are in good shape. And I don't mean "good enough" either.

I have a 66 with a 352. Those drum brakes can be scary in the front. No matter how much adjusting I did, it will always pull a little to one side or the other when you get on the brakes hard. Don't skimp on your shocks either. You're talking about a big ole boat. It NEEDS good shocks if you want to be able to keep the thing straight. Its hard to keep control when you are bouncing around.

I had a hard time buying headers because a lot of companies don't list them. A 65 & 66 are pretty much the same car. I purchased a set of header from Speedway a few years ago. I had to send them back three times to have them reworked. They would never fit in a million years. After finally getting to talk on the phone with the owner, he admitted they had never actually fit them on a 65-66. They fit on a 64 just fine and assumed they for 65-66 as well and were selling them as such. Pissed me off with all the headache they were.

[poncho62]

Don't remember that fad..........maybe because of different locations. We couldn't afford much, but always tried to have nice paint etc. You are right about the shocks and brakes though......love "Brake Fade", it really wakes you up. Years of experience has taught me that a complete package is the only way to go.