Page 46 - Issue 34

Bob O
Bob O’Brien

ILLINOIS
PERSEVERANCE AWARD
WINNER

WRITTEN BY RICK LOXTON
PHOTOS BY JERRY RIPLEYPHOTOS BY JERRY RIPLEY
AND ALSO PRO
AND ALSO PRO
AND ALSO PROVIDED BY BOB O’BRIENVIDED BY BOB O’BRIENVIDED BY BOB O’BRIEN

epr
epr
epresenting Piper City, Illinois esenting Piper City, Illinois esenting Piper City, Illinois
is Bob O’Brien, who decided
is Bob O’Brien, who decided
is Bob O’Brien, who decided
t
to go the postwar route with o go the postwar route with
to go the postwar route with
a ‘6
Ra ‘63 Chevy Corvair
a ‘63 Chevy Corvair 3 Chevy Corvair
Spyder convertible. The
Spyder convertible. The
rear-mounted fl at-six
was long gone so he
did what any other half-
did what any other half-
crazed hot rodder would
crazed hot rodder would
do with it: he slapped it
do with it: he slapped it
on a ’91 S-
on a ’91 S-10 Blazer chassis 10 Blazer chassis
on a ’91 S-10 Blazer chassis
and shoehorned a small
and shoehorned a small
block Chevy under the hood. vy under the hood.
block Chevy under the hood.
block Che
The 283 bolted up to the
The 283 bolted up to the he 283 bolted up to the
T
stock 700R4 tranny with little tock 700R4 tranny with little
stock 700R4 tranny with little
s
issue, other than the need for a sue, other than the need for a
issue, other than the need for a
is
special oil pan t
special oil pan to clear the front o clear the front
special oil pan to clear the front
axle
axle. The two vehicles have identical
axle. The two vehicles have identical . The two vehicles have identical
wheelbases so it was just a matter
wheelbases so it w
wheelbases so it was just a matter as just a matter
of slicing 3” off the front and rear
of slicing 3” off the front and rear ont and rear
of slicing 3” off the fr
of the S-
of the S-10 frame and it was pretty 10 frame and it was pretty
of the S-10 frame and it was pretty
much a done deal. The body had
much a done deal. T
much a done deal. The body had he body had
t
to be channeled over the frame to o be channeled over the frame to
to be channeled over the frame to
get the pr
get the proper ride height, forcing oper ride height, forcing
get the proper ride height, forcing
the engine to stick out of the hood
the engine to stick out of the hood o stick out of the hood
the engine t
T The Corvair was he Corvair was
rather unapologetically. It only adds ather unapologetically. It only adds both unique and
rather unapologetically. It only adds
r
both unique and
bursting with
bursting with
to the car’s character. personality.
personality.
46 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE THIRTY-FOUR
46x49_BuildOff_ObrienRR1601.indd 46 10/26/15 3:29 PM