What Stella's got: 1959 Sedan Deluxe Factory ragtop 1776 Cima 90.5mm pistons Modified stock rods Counterbalanced 69mm crank 040 heads ported and polished 40mm intake/35.5m exhaust valves Engle 120 Straight cut gears Webber 44 IDF's K&N air filters 1700 lbs. Kennedy clutch 1 5/8" Merged header with dual turbo muffles Compu-fire DIS-IX distributerless ignition system MSD Superconductor spark plug wires Bosch Platinum's Trans. built by KCR Welded 3rd and 4th gears Super diff Solid tranny mounts Carter electric fuel pump Perma Cool fuel filter/water separator 3/8" aluminum fuel line -6 Aeroquip braided fuel line -6 Aeroquip fittings 205/60 R15's on back 195/50 R15's up front Centerline wheels Shitty paint job (I bought it that way) VDO gauges 150 MPH speedo 3.5" tach Amp gauge Oil temp gauge Oil PSI gauge Fuel level gauge

What I want: More power! Berg 5 speed Close ratio trans New select a drop Dropped spindles 4 wheel disk brakes Roll cage Fuel cell

The story: My parent's bought this car for me when I was 13.  They knew it would be hard to find another of it's kind with it's potential.  Besides, for $700 it would be hard to find another cheaper.  It definitely had potential, my dad had to air up all the tires and deal with the embarrassment of driving a corral bug (yes, it really is a color) with the headers and one head about to fall of 75 miles from LA, I am sure glad he did.  It barely made it to 55 MPH that day.  My first time at the track, 3 years later, I pulled off a 15.9 second (6129) 80 MPH pass with tires spinning, and it wasn't running right.  I think I have it dialed in now, but it is hard to get to the track now with time and distance restrictions.  It may not seem fast at only an 80 MPH pass, but I feel that for a car designed with a 25 HP engine built in 1959, that's not bad.  Plus it's on a 1.7 litre.  The vast majority of the car has been funded by myself.  I have had a few loans from my parents which I paid back while I was still in high school.  They did make the initial investment of the car and a few parts to get started, but they swear I paid it back from working around the house (I know I still owe them).

What's in the works: TO3 sitting in the garage from a Chrysler. A/C evaporator to box up for a water/air intercooler. Megasquirt EFI to control fuel

This page was last updated on: February 7, 2004