As it sits it's got more of a later '60s vibe going for it. The W blocks never made much of an impact in gassers, and big blocks showed up in '65 and, to my memory, were a little slow in getting to the "regular" guys for awhile. Probably a matter of the devil you know (the small block) vs the devil you don't (the big block). If you were going into the '70s for inspiration (though I think the gas classes went away around '70 or so didn't they?)then I'd say definitely BB. Personally though I'd go small block with big, sweeping fenderwell headers and the Hilborns, medium stack. Tilt glass front end, but a three piece wouldn't be out of character either. I remember the Scribner Bros. car popping the hood about mid track at San Fernando one day. Hood must have shot about 30-40 feet in the air, and sort of floated down to the ground in a flat spin.

I don't recall the big truss type ladder bars until into the '70s, the stuff in the '60s was a little more subtle. Tubular steel rear bumpers full of concrete or lead were kind of common for the mid '60s.............had one on the '39 Chev H/gas coupe. Some aluminum paneling inside would be just right, and a single thin shell or van seat. Big 'ol truck battery in the trunk for weight distribution. Plexiglass side windows in deep blue, orange, red, yellow, whatever works with the car color.