Suppose guys that a fella had a 1960 Bel Air 2 door hardtop that somebody started a frame off restoration on it back in the late 80s then it sat in a barn for 30+ years. That fella is my Dad and if I can convince him to sell it to me as I have been trying for a couple of years off and on I’d like to make it look like a 1960’s Late Model. Since he don’t have most of the chrome for it and the interior is gutted already.
I know that a 60 with an X frame and wings on the quarters that would have gotten bent every race in an era where you raced 6-8 times a week was probably never a great race car. But I know some of them raced and I suppose Rex White did win the Grand National championship in one etc.
But I’m not really talking about recreating a car that ever really existed. It would have my #97 on it or my Dad’s # V8. I want to be able to drive it on the street so the glass stays the lights get put back on and the doors have gotta work. If I can convince Pops to sell to me so he can go for a ride in it before he kicks the bucket:

Should the roll cage be built by me and be black iron pipe? Or should I take it to Howe and tell Chas to have his guys build an era appropriate looking roll cage? I’m thinking 61- 66 would have been the last era these were run above Hobby Stock. Low back aluminium buckets, for sure (going to get modern seat belts)

The Brakes, Okay when did Wide 5’s become a thing? Do I need to get 32 Ford Wide 5 Drums? Or should it use truck hubs? Or are 5 on 4 ¾ (stock) okay? 5/8 studs acceptable? I’m really not willing to compromise on the car actually stopping. We’re gonna drive it on the street. So maybe I just do a disc brake conversion on the front end and live with the fact that the car will actually stop if it has to.

The rear axle? Do I put a quick change in it? I know lakes racers were using them how about stock car drivers? Do I take the truck arms out and put in leaf springs?
Carbs, Dizzy, is a 4 barrel Holley Okay or does it has to have a pile of Strombergs? Or something else? I have a 283 with a 327 crankshaft pushing flat top 307 pistons on 5.7 rods, 461 heads and 30-30 camshaft already. I have a Mallory Uni-Lite distributor that I got in a parts buy but I think that’s 70’s era unless it’s acceptable, Points distributor? Or Magneto? Gotta be rams horn manifolds, I know that much.

Tires need to be those firestone bias tires Coker sells I think. I know the old timers used to build their own wheels so I’d have to figure that out.

Granted it takes years to build a hot rod so I won’t have all of this stuff at the end and plans would change 700 times. Or even at the start because Dad might never make the deal. I’m trying to see if I’m on sort of the right path to something that looks like a vintage stock car but isn’t really a vintage stock car.

Gauges? Umm oil pressure water temp and mechanical tach or something?

People that know, let me know. I wasn’t born till 77. What am I missing here fellas? Where am I right and wrong?

Sorry about the long post.