Last build-grille ID
 

Brett or anyone, this is a pic of the last build that my Dad did. It was a clone of a car he built as a kid that was contracted by a local business owner.

This car
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/018.jpg

Is that a Corvette grill? Can anyone ID that grill.

Was turned into this car
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/055.jpg

Is that a Corvette grill? Can anyone ID that grill.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/056.jpghttp://zr1.net/forum/<a href="http:/.../Cars2/056.jpg[/IMG]

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/058.jpg

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

This is us going for a spin. We are literally sitting on milk crates.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/066.jpg
Here is the ad to sell the original Diamondback. This was late 60's. That Vette engine was a crate L76 365hp/327 that Dad bought from a local Chev. dealership. Its an L76 which is the same longblock as the 375hp L84 fuelie 327. Excellent L76 vs. L84 fuelie dyno comparo http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/vem...o/viewall.html

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/017.jpg

And here is the same car after being sold to a friend in front of the house that the money helped to build. House(that Dad built himself) and 1 acre was $18,000 back in 1971.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/016.jpg

A picture of Diamondback from 1995. Someone trailered Diamondback to a car show that Mom and Dad put on in Woodstock. I remember the year as I was on leave from Basic Training and I got shipped back to see the carshow on the few streets that were closed down.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...4cd8dcb77f.jpg

Diamondback back at Dads shop(on trailer) This was in 2008. The local business owner who contracted Dad to build Clone #1, went and located DIamondback and brought here home. They were going to use Diamondback at 1st, but she was in too rough of shape. I asked the business owner to sell me Diamondback when they were done with her, but he sold her to another guy who was going to build CLlne #2. It was this Clone #2 gentleman that donated the car back to me(after sinking thousands of dollars into the car and including a trailer and truckload full of parts) after Dad had died.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/021.jpg
Diamondback, Southern Belle and Clone #1 all in a row.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/047.jpg

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

Then after someone started a job, the original Diamondback is back home in the same driveway that she helped to pay for over 40 years prior. The guy heard of Dad's passing and asked me if I wanted the car. If I did, he said to bring a trailer and truck and come pick up DIamondback.

As pictured, the car has NOS quarters and fenders, brand new tires. Its in much better shape than it was when Dad was building Clone #1.

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...n/Cars/005.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/...n/Cars/007.jpg


Sorry to plaster all the pics, but I tend to get all caught up in my family's car history.

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

Kool story thanks for sharing.

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

Very cool history! So are you restoring the car now?

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

It is in storage as of right now. Time is a major factor right now. But I really need to get on it.

Thanks guys.

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

Not a Corvette grille - it's some aftermarket part that was available back then. I don't know who was the supplier - maybe Honest Charlie or JC Whitney ...

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

I agree completely. They were simply known as "tube grills" for the obvious reason. There were very popular and a lot of sources. I noticed another popular mod, the solid front axle. The one shown looks like an early Ford. They were also fabricated and known as a "tube axle" being made from a piece of pipe and lighter than "solid." A lot of the 55-57's were butchered with radius rear wheel wells for tire clearance (before tubbing) and fender-well exit headers.

Ahhh, those were the days, 6 deuces, Schaler double lobe, half speed cams, pop-up pistons, Hurst 3-speed floor shifter conversions, radio speakers made from drive-in speakers, cheater-slicks, Thrush & Cherry Bomb glass packs.......

I had a 56 Ford with a 406, 3 deuces and a roller cam, Lincoln overdrive 3 speed, red/white laminated plexi-glass tear drop knobs, exhaust straight out of the manifolds because the clutch linkage was in the way & circling the A&W drive in.

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

Here is a better pic of the straight front axle As installed in Clone #1.
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/036.jpg

And another
http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/038.jpg

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/.../Cars2/048.jpg

With better pics, are you still confident hat its a 1950 Ford truck axle?

I know that the straight front axle that was in the original Diamondback was a 1950 Chev truck. The builders of Clone#2 removed the 50 Chev straight front axle from Diamondback, and replaced it with a conventional 57 Chev front suspension.

Thanks for the responses guys.

Re: Last build-grille ID
 

No, I'm not certain at all. Just going by recollection, however faulty it may be.