Best performance up-grades for my 53 Pontiac Chieftain 8 cylinder 3 on the Tree.

[Alweeja]

I am just getting her ready to go, but I am looking to spend $$$$ wisely.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Al

 

 

 

 

[JUSTA6]

Safety items 1st.  BRAKE upgrade!!  New tires/rims of your choice.

[Wrongway]

13 hours ago, Alweeja said:

but I am looking to spend $$$$ wisely.

Wish I would've done that! 

[Alweeja]

No Doubt......It is Real Easy to get carried

 

 

 

 

away

[Frosty]

Your car, your wallet, your rules. These are some of my suggestions.

A front disc brake conversion would be an excellent safety upgrade.

A mild custom cam to tweak performance of your inline 8 without going crazy.

Consider installing an overdrive automatic transmission or adding a Gear Vendors Overdrive kit if you want to keep the manual tranny - to get better highway economy.

New shocks, replace all the suspension bushings and body mounts with new ones. Most, if not all, are shot, sagging or rotting.

Install a rear sway bar if you car doesn't have one.

Definitely replace every bit of rubber vacuum hose and rubber fuel lines on the car. This is mostly a safety issue. If your hoses are still original, then they were made at time when unleaded and ethanol fuels didn't exist. Ethanol will destroy old hose from the inside out and raise the potential for a failure or possible fire. Today's modern hoses are made to deal with the effects of ethanol.

Carb rebuilt kit with parts to handle ehtanol fuel

Harden seats on the valves to handle unleaded fuel

 

THose are my suggestions without trying to break the bank and keep the car mostly stock.

 

[Alweeja]

21 hours ago, JUSTA6 said:

Safety items 1st.  BRAKE upgrade!!  New tires/rims of your choice.

Great Suggestions.....Thank-You.   I have a Lot to do.