John Horak's 70 Chevelle semi-replica

[Greg Birky]

I can hold my own when I can get focused, David!!!  I think that simplifying my build style will help me with that focus!!!  You are too kind sir!!!  This is a future build, my first ever late model hero!!!  I'm sure you're familiar with this guy!!!

[Greg Birky]

Thanks Bob P.!!!  Looks like your suggestion on using thumbnails was the trick!!!😎🏁

[MarkJ]

Looking good. Great looking cage. Looking forward to more.

[Greg Birky]

Thanks Mark!!!  It's fun to get excited about a build again!

[Bob P.]

Greg,

Your build is coming along nicely, looking real good. Keep us up to date on your progress.

I'm looking forward to your future build of the number 32 also.

Bob

[Greg Birky]

It is!!!  None other than Dean Montgomery!!!  Back in the 60's my great aunt and uncle lived in a nice little neighborhood in Davenport and they were were the ones who introduced me to stock car racing at the Davenport Speedway one summer while I was staying (having a ball) with them on summer vacation!  Not sure my mother ever forgave them for that, lol!!!  Anyway a few summers later I was staying with them again and we heard the mighty roar of a big block Chevy down the alley and went to investigate l.  Low and behold there sat this beautiful beast getting the tune put on her!!!  Dean wasn't there but the crew was there preparing for the weekend and they told me to hop in and check the car out while it was running!!!  Instant fan of Dean Montgomery!!!  I met him in Cedar Rapids a few weeks later after the races in the pits when that same crew member told him about me and the night in the alley!!!  I later became a huge Bill McDonough fan and I'll share that along with some other builds later but Dean was my first true hero!!!  Funny, all I can remember about that first ever race in Davenport was a cool looking pink Edsel that was a flat out beast!!!  By the way, this 67 Chevelle had a Lam-A-Glas front clip like Ray Guss' 67 Chevelle had...


See fellas, I can bench race with the best of 'em, lol 🤣🏁

[BobD]

Hey Greg! Awesome to see you building again; especially a RACE CAR!!  Looking great so far....I honestly can't wait to see your finished product!   BobD

[Greg Birky]

Thanks Bob!!!  It's fun to be building again...I'm on my way to Bozeman, Montana right now to visit a close friend and I'll be gone for a couple of weeks!!!  I had intended to take the Chevelle with me but I forgot to pack the model stuff so I'll be excited to get back to it when I'm back home.  It's been pretty easy so far, fun and quick!!! 🏁🏁🏁

[Greg Birky]

After successfully building their Oktoberfest 57 Chevy in a week and a half and taking Sunday off the guys at the speed shop were back to work today putting in a new trunk floor and got quite a ways mounting the rebuilt quick change in the car.  The new Chrysler leaf springs should be in tomorrow so by the end of the week it should be fully sprung in the rear. Great progress today and good to be back on the Chevelle after a month off!!!

[Greg Birky]

Funny thing...I didn't get to the shop until last night!  The guys had been there all day on their own...they just love what they do!!! 

[Greg Birky]

It's been a very productive week at the speed shop and the guys seem pretty motivated right now heading into the winter build season!  Got the Big Donkey springs rear leaf springs into the shop yesterday and over the past few days they got the dash and steering column built and test fit and the seat located!  Progressing nicely I think!!!  Here's a few pictures of the progress and thanks for looking!  All comments and questions are welcomed!!!

[Greg Birky]

A few more pictures:






Hosted on Fotki

[BobD]

Looking great Greg!   I don't actually remember this car, but do recall the earlier Nova.

[Greg Birky]

Thanks, David!  I'm having so much fun building again!


Thanks, Bob!  I want to say that this car was summer of 1976...In 1975 we had a 1968 Chevelle, orange with a black vinyl top that sat way too high in the front, looked like a whale taking a dump, lol!!!  It didn't work very well at all.  Just a stock 396 with an L88 427 cam, nothing great!  The biggest problem was that John couldn't drive, pretty much clueless and I think scared of it!!!  I stuck it out because I wanted to be involved so badly...The 70 Chevelle was built on a tri five Chevy chassis from scratch.  It was painted white with blue SS stripes, #27 with an orange Nesbitts Bottling sponsorship!  It was a sweet looking car and I believe was competitive with a 427 that year!  Once again, needed a real driver.  John ended up stuffing it in the wall in Cedar Rapids and bent the frame pretty good.  I don't know what ever became of it but I think it could have been put on a frame machine and fixed!  I'm considering getting some decals done and changing up this car to represent a true late model from Hawkeye Downs since I've already put a quick change in it...just need to figure out who's car it will be. 


The guys at the speed shop made a little more progress today and got the engine and tranny and driveshaft fitted!  Great progress!  Here's a few more pictures and thanks for looking!!!

[Brian Conn]

....I really like the Mid West dirt Late Models from the mid 70's before everyone jumped on the Camaro bandwagon ...... how ever you decide to go with it as far as color and decals I'm sure that it will represent quite well the Iowa dirt track scene from the mid 70's  ....keeping an eye on this build...looks great!