What a little Gem !
I see may hours of therapeutic chrome polishing ahead. :)
A 5.7 litre engine , that must really move. (!)
Yes. It’s true. But I have to look on the bright side of life, here; I now have a use for my used toothbrush.
The 5.7 gets it going nicely, but it’s a fairly heavy car, so you don’t get the kick in the backside you might expect. Base curb weight for this model is over 3700lbs; nearly 1700kg.
The original 250hp (190kW) 327cid V-8 with the two-speed Powerglide slushbox could take the car up to nearly 120mph, and run a 1/4-mile in the 17-second range. Now, with nearly 100 extra horses, and the three-speed automatic — I’ve no real idea, but I’m guessing it MIGHT have the gusto to run in the 15’s.
Now, all that said, this handy little ET calculator over here says otherwise.
https://robrobinette.com/et.htm
Citing 3700lbs curb weight and 350 flywheel horsepower puts the car through the traps in 13.4sec at 112mph. Theoretically, at least. Drop it to 330hp and it’s across the line in 13.7sec at 110mph.
I don’t plan to wind it up like that very much, tho. We didn’t buy the car for competition; just good fun.
Took it out a couple weeks ago on Friday to the local diner to rub elbows with other local hot rod & custom owners. Good bunch of folks driving a nice selection of iron.