What Are You Workin' On?

This is the life story of my dad/mom’s car, the 1966 SS396, that he ordered through the "GM Military Discount". Once he got his orders to come home, he grabbed the order sheet and proceeded to check 21 for his car. Dad said that the FIRST option he checked was Air Conditioning, because of having spent the last year in Vietnam under the most oppressive heat/humidity that he ever saw! The rarest option that he specified was the 3:07 gear ratio for the positraction rear end (3:31 and 3:73 was the standard choice), due to knowing that we were going to be immediately heading East on Route 66 to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina after we took delivery at Guaranty Chevrolet (Still there!) in Santa Ana, California.

My mother, sister, and I were sent by my dad to live in Fukuoka, Japan near mom’s relatives, just in case dad didn’t make it back, but in August 1966, we all met back at LAX airport. I remember the rental car we picked up at the airport. It was a gold 1966 Dodge Dart with a black vinyl top. When we arrived at Guaranty Chevrolet (just a little way from Angels Stadium), our salesman had dark sunglasses, red hair, a black jacket, white shirt, red tie, and what seemed like a huge smile! When I went back to that dealership, I recognized where we took delivery of the car, even though a lot of the dealership had been remodeled/expanded. I was 2 ½ back then and remember all of it!!! When I went back to the dealership in 2022, I got pictures of the area. I also went over to OPGI around the corner from there and got some pictures of their 1966 SS396 that had some unique options. That helped me locate and install some of the items back where they should be in my car!

After taking delivery of the SS396 on August 11, 1966, we immediately made our way over to Disneyland, and even saw Walt himself, with his crew, greeting folks on the train. We then headed East, after tanking up with Union 76 gas (got the card, and of course the antenna ball that I watched as we went across the country). Dad’s favorite picture of the SS is still the one of it parked at the South rim campground (we roughed it there) with the canyon in the background.

Through the years, the SS was our main family car, taking us back and forth up the East Coast, and finally taking us out to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1968, just before dad went back to Vietnam for his 2nd tour. It was during that time, just right after the warranty expired in 1969, the 396 ate a valve, leaving my mom and the two of us first graders stranded. My uncle and his friend (mechanic) repaired the engine by sleeving it and keeping the original block! I have the letter he wrote to dad in Vietnam outlining the work/cost of what they did. Mom also wrote dad a letter, threatening to burn the car down for leaving us stranded, which got dad to act as soon as he got home, to find mom a second car for her to drive (A 1970 Maverick, 6cyl. That’s a whole other story.). To this day, and as of this writing, mom (92 years old) still doesn’t like the SS, and still is amazed on the money/time that I spent restoring it! She did soften though and kicked in some money to help with the restoration.

Dad retired from the Marines in May 1974, and he purchased a 1972 Prowler 20ft, double axel travel trailer (towed by the SS) to take us on a cross-country adventure from North Carolina, to Canada, and diagonally across the US, ending the journey back in Albuquerque again. He wrestled with the carburetor and burned a clutch on the way out, but it was a memorable adventure. He had CBs in the SS and the Maverick, so we were able to ‘convoy’ across the country.

Fast forward to 2017, Dad and I had planned to restore the SS, which had been sitting in his back yard in front of the 1972 Prowler RV Trailer, and 1973 Suburban with a 454 for quite some time. Dad said a while before, “When they tell me that I can’t fly anymore, we’ll start working on the SS.” Dad loved flying. He flew in the Navy, Marines, Search and Rescue, and finally in the Civil Air Patrol. Dad flew up until the month before he passed at age 86. None of the men in his family lived past 67, so he truly blazed a new path there too.

In May 2020 when Covid was in full bloom and the world was shutting down, I decided that starting the restoration of the SS would be good therapy, and a distraction from all that was going on at the time. I have done some minor restoration and wrenching on cars through the years, but never an all-out, frame-off, last nut and bolt adventure! I have been watching Gearz for quite a few years and have enjoyed the episodes, '32 Roadster, Stunt Double, Sgt. Rock, Pro-Touring Cougar, Ted Nugent’s Bronco, and of course, the Catalog Camaro (My High School buddy’s 81 Z28). So here I go, just jump in and get my hands dirty!

A longtime friend (Lil John Harvey, paint and body man from LA) took the body off the frame and let me haul back the rolling chassis to my little garage. From there, Lil John had the body blasted, painted the original color (Chateau Slate) in ~2months, and left it covered on the rotisserie while I started dismantling the rolling chassis. Dear friends loaned me the assembly manual, and I also had the manuals from dad (He saved everything!). Before I took anything apart, I took as many pictures as I could so I can leave breadcrumbs on how it went together originally, and I also found that dad saved parts he took off the car, like the original Holley 4160 ‘California smog carb’, and the original AIR pump for the smog device that dad had never taken off! All were found, documented and pictures taken! Anytime something was taken apart, I would look for serial numbers and part numbers to confirm that the car had never been apart since the day dad drove it off the lot. If I could not refurbish the part, then I would order the new part to replace it. Some items were not available on the reproduction market due to their rarity, so some in-garage reconstruction had to happen. Taking the engine apart proved to be a whole new adventure that my wife helped me do out there in my driveway late one night. Dawn has been with me for coming up on 40 years now and has been there during some of the most challenging times in my garage! Before the SS, she helped me install a gas tank in my Olds. She bench-pressed that in place while I got the bolts started! Dawn helped me take the SS’s engine/transmission out of the frame and helped me to get it back in once it was back together. Another good friend, Keith Adelsberg (Of Impala SS427 fame) walked/talked me through the entire engine build, working with Mark Jones (VortecPro) who did the complex machining/foundry work to save the original 396 block that was cracked back in 1969!

We finally got to the finish line, and once we got the body back on, I had the SS hauled it down to my high school buddy, Jim Guthrie @ Guthrie’s garage, because he had the tools/expertise to handle the final items with the frame/suspension and firing it up for systems functionality. Once finished, the first place I took it was over to mom’s house for her to look at it. Even at 92 years old, she was most amazed at the Star Trek themed magnetic mini ashtray that I restored from the dealership that dad left on the dash as a reminder of when mom used to smoke! Every time I drive my dad’s car, a new memory comes to mind, and of course, it’s my true time machine to take me back to 1966!!

This project began with ideas I’d wanted to implement from years of magazine articles, many summers on a tractor, junk from around the farm, and a couple TikToks from a college buddy.

Being more budget friendly than conventional 4x4 platforms, along with the inherent uniqueness of this build, appeals to both me and my kids. The challenge of fabricating a 1200lb rig on 42” tires also appeals to the kid in me, harkening back to monster trucks of my childhood.

Plans for the build include an AMR500 roots style blower, 5.38 gears, and I’m currently adding four-wheel steering. This should wow spectators at local parades, as well as anyone out on the trail. 

The only parts original to a lawnmower are a Briggs and Stratton 16hp opposed twin engine and the original body. Initially I’d constructed a ladder frame and utilized the original peerless transaxle. It was short lived, and I replaced it with an automotive transmission. I’ve since upgraded yet again to a 1-5/8” chromoly tube chassis and an AX5 Jeep Wrangler transmission to feed the Suzuki Samurai axles. The front steer axle is flipped to work with the NP231 transfer case, while cut and flipped 1/4 elliptical Jeep YJ springs hold everything up. With the 42” powered implement tires, this monstrosity boasts ground clearance of 15” under the differentials.

My 1st vehicle was a '52 Studebaker pickup when I was 19. Now I am retired and had a 1000 sq ft shop built in my backyard. I found a '52 Studebaker pickup in southern Washington that wasn't running and decided it would be my retirement hot rod. I am using a '94 Dodge Dakota chassis, a crate LS3 drivetrain with a 6L80E six speed trans, and a Ford 8.8 rear end. One night, a cordless lithium battery on a charger failed, and burned down my shop. The Studebaker was parked next to the shop and was charred down the driver's side. As I work towards having the shop rebuilt, I decided not to let this tragedy stop my dream. I purchased another Dakota (not running), this one a '95, as my next chassis donor. I’m starting over when the new shop is finished. 45 years of tool and equipment acquisition gone in the fire, but I won't let that stop me!

One day, the idea popped into my head that I really wanted a Checker Marathon, and I wanted to build it into a true gasser (the first in the world to my knowledge). I’ve always been intrigued by the A11/A12 Checkers and loved the utilitarian look about them. They look like someone blended a ‘58 Chevy and a ‘58 Rambler together, except using all the worst parts. A few months after I had the idea, this basket case of a one-owner, non-taxi ‘73 dropped into my lap. After some haggling, I got the car for $900 and the TH400 that was in it, even got the original title from ‘73!

Once I got it home, I realized I now own one of the worst Checkers that still had 4 wheels.

The driver’s side frame rail had rotted in half just under the toe board, along with the coil spring jutting up through the bucket. Even the steering box had ripped out of the frame. Body wise, the exterior shell was decent, as in, everything was there. The floors, however, were rotted, patched, and rotted again.

Knowing the pile of work ahead, I just started plucking away. I braced the body and removed it from the chassis. Luckily the rear ⅓ of the chassis was usable, meaning I only had to build the forward ⅔’s. Seeing as my plan is to build a gasser, I wanted a straight front axle. Also, I want to build it on a budget, so the Speedway axle kit for $500 was out. Instead, I found a 2WD XJ Cherokee axle for $150 and bought the “Nova” straight axle spring kit from Speedway.

With the plan set, I bought 8 feet of 2x5 .120 wall rectangular tubing and 6 feet of 2x3 .120 wall rectangular tubing and began to cut, mockup, cut some more, and weld up the tubing to form the new 70% of the chassis. This was the first heavy fabrication project I’ve ever had, so I took my time and advice from those smarter than me to build the chassis. Next was to hang the axle; using the rear end, I squared the front axle at the 120” wheelbase, set the springs up and welded the perches in to have an initial caster measurement of 10 degrees.

Drivetrain wise, I knew I wanted a Big Block Chevy and a 4-speed. I picked a Gen IV 454 up for $600 and was pleased to see it has 781 heads. I was less impressed when I tore it down to see the cam wiped, an improperly aligned thrust bearing, and the #1 rod journal on the crank that had self-machined at least 0.10” off it. At least I could use the block to mount the motor plates in the chassis!

Keeping with the budget, I found a Borg Warner Super T-10 from a mid-70’s F-body (w-code ratio) for $400, a Lakewood scatter bellhousing for $150, and a set of good Eagle H-beam rods with 0.060 over SRP +10cc forged pistons for $500. I want the big block done right, so I’m taking my time to have it machined and collect parts as my budget allows. Ultimately, it will be a 10.0:1 468 cu in with a tunnel ram and a matched set of 1850 Holley 600’s that I found for $125. For the time being, I’ll run my AFR headed 350 in it with the corresponding front motor plate as a shake down power plant.

Now onto the body. Wanting the gasser look with wide meats out back, I bought a set of Tri-5 Chevy radiused wheel arches and patched them into the rear quarters, taking care to blend the lip of the arch into the factory bodyline that formed the original wheel opening. I also had to hand form a lot of patch panels, ranging from small to the entire upper edge of the right rear quarter. With the looks coming along, it was time to tackle the floor. Knowing that I couldn’t do the job myself, I towed the car to my friend’s garage, and we began regretting almost all our life decisions. We decided to brace the body further and cut the entire floor out along with what was left of the inner/outer rockers. My buddy then hand-made hat channels and inner rockers, I fabricated inner kick panel replacements, and we got to work setting the body in its final location before building the floor structure. We made the floor out of 3 pieces, a full sheet per side, formed and bead rolled, with a custom tunnel made in my buddy’s metal brake. For the first time in at least 30 years, the car’s body was solidly attached to the chassis.

 The time came to bring it home and get it to its current state. I finished the rear of the floor and fabricated new inner side panels for the rear along with a custom “gasser” style hood scoop. It’s been a pile of work, but it’s been absolutely worth it to save this car from the crusher. I’ve made this much progress in 8 months while also working my day job as an over the road trucker, and I’m fairly confident it’ll fire up for the first time by January! The name of the car is “Fare Enough” inspired by the history of Checkers in the Taxi world, and the fact that I’m getting it built well enough to function safely and have fun without breaking the bank.

It’s still what I consider a budget build, I have about $4500 into the car at this point (including the purchase price), building basically from the ground up to a solid platform that just needs a simple fuel system, brakes, clutch setup and other minor trinkets.