Project "Heavy Metal" redux...

A few years ago Car Craft built a 1965 Impala with a fuel-injected mega-inch Rat Motor,upgraded suspension and brakes and called it "Project Heavy Metal."  It was wildly popular with readers; unfortunately the car was stolen and never recovered.  I have some Ideas for a similar project that I think would be very cool and could be built relatively cheaply. Maybe if enough people write to Popular Hot Rodding or Hot Rod-maybe they'll serialize the build in the magazines. Anyhow here's the Ideas. # 1. 1965-66 Pontiac Catalina / Bonneville / Gran Prix. These cars had gorgeous styling, cool interiors and at least 389 cubes under their long hoods. You could easily adapt front disc brakes with spindles from a later model-or just buy an aftermarket kit-anything that fits an Impala will fit these cars. Ditto for suspension-Pontiac built ambulances and hearses in the '60's-the wrist-thick sway bars and heavier springs from one of those would work-or again just get aftermarket pieces for an Impala. That's the beauty of '60s and '70s GM stuff-almost everything interchanges. I see one with a snarling 467 inch Pontiac with either 3-2bbls or 2-4bbls backed by a 4-speed or the ubiquitous TH400 with a Gear Vendors overdrive, and 16" or 17" Torq-Thrusts with modern Z-rated rubber.  # 2. 1967-69 Olds Delta 88 Coupe. These cars have cool fastback styling, sumptuous interiors and 425 or 455 cubes under the hood. Some of these even have factory front disc brakes. You could go two ways-a Pro-Touring style "G" machine-or a '60's drag-racing "Gasser" tribute-remove that big front bumper, radius the wheel wells for monster slicks or drag radials. Their long wheelbase and excellent weight distribution would actually make them a good drag racer.  # 3. 1966-69 Buick Riviera. These cars have the swoopy styling of the Olds Toronado but are still rear-wheel drive. With 430 cubes under the long hoods, they move pretty good too. I see one jet-black with either a pumped-up 455 Pontiac-( the BOP TH400 would bolt right up ) or a snarling 572 Rat Motor-( all you'd need is some Chevy motor mounts and a Chevy bolt-pattern TH400 ). Some people may frown on the prospect of cross-breeding-but like it or not the reality is there's way more speed equipment for Chevys, Olds and Pontiac motors than there are for Buicks. I'm looking at the bang-for-the buck factor here. And it's not like your "ruining" a '70 GSX-no one cares about old Rivieras anyway.  # 4. 1965-67 Ford Galaxie. These cars have the racy "Coke Bottle" flanks very much like the '65 Pontiacs-and most have 390 cubes under the hood. Edelbrock claims 452 hp with their "Performer RPM" dual-quad package. It would not only look and sound badass-it would be. Magazine writers spew numbers flippantly-but 450 honest hp will turn any street car into a rocket. Just a thought. Mastermind