Projects '51 Chevy build journal

[robleticia]

Well, I have been on here for a while and have had this '51 for a while, but life, kids(3) and building a new house always seem to get in the way of me getting anything done to it. I know it's a 4 door but like I said, 3 kids and the price was right! I help a great friend Racrdad work on his car as much as I can and now he is returning the favor and some progress is being made. I am on a tight budget (again with the 3 kids thing) so progress will be slow. Plans WERE to slam it and drive it but Racrdad has A.D.D. so everytime he comes over we end up side tracked and adding to the list of stuff to do! Its a good problem he has and the car is looking way better than I could of ever hoped for. The idea now is a smooth looking car that everything flows well on with a few minor custom touches.No show car here, just a nice driver. I am trying to stay as traditional as possible as defined by me! haha! Since Racrdad has been on my ass for a couple of months to start a build thread I decided to finally do it, for me at the least. Please feel free to jump in with ideas and comments, I will take them good and bad. So here we go, please be patient as progress will be a little slow. I look forward to sharing with all who care to follow along and learn as much as possible along the way. Thanks and enjoy!

This is the car the day I saw it and bought it.

[robleticia]

Before I built my new house, I didn't even have a garage. So my wife's parents gave me this tent to use as a garage to store the car in and I started collecting parts for the motor as I could afford them to get it up and running. I got a 12V alternator, new intake and headers. Then I found some old carbs on e-pay and had them rebuilt. While I had it apart I put the quicky POR-15 job on the engine bay. Had to cut out the extremely rusted battery tray and install a new one and patch the inner fender. Bought a cheap chrome valve cover to make it look better until I could afford to buy a nice Wayne set. Here it is the day it first fired up and ran like a champ! My neighbors really liked the open headers everytime a got a few beers in me and fired it up! HAHA!

[Racrdad]

Finally, a build thread...... hahaha. There is a fair amount done to the car now, I am sure pictures of progress will be added soon. I really enjoy working on this car, its been a blast so far! A.D.D. with cars....... who? Me?

[Thommyknocker]

Hey, that thing looks like it's in great shape!

It's amaizing how much work you can do for next to nuthin'
Have fun

[robleticia]

Next it was time for some new shoes so I had the factory wheels powder coated black, ordered some Spider Caps, found some 6.70 X 15 firestones on Craigslist and ordered two more. Racrdad hooked me up with a new steering wheel and it was time to rip out the interior and see how bad the floors were. Also if you noticed, it's in the new garage!! YEAH!! At last a real place to work on it!

[Kaptain Kustom]

Hi, robleticia! Nice to see a build thread about a 49-52 Chevy like this. I can't enlarge your thumbnail pics though, if they are meant to be enlarged... do they work for you other guys?

[robleticia]

not sure what I'm doing wrong? its a crappy cell phone pic, but try this one.....

[robleticia]

I dont know what I was doing wrong but it works now? Here is what I found after I pulled the interior out. SWISS CHEESE! I knew they were rusty but damn! Oh well, might as well change to a floor shifter while I got the floor out! Sorry for the low quality cell phone pics, I have better ones I will post later.
Rob

[eddie_zapien]

I love the wheel/tire combo. I'm excited to see how it turns out.

[Joe515]

Is that the stock 216 underthe hood?

[robleticia]

Joe- 1958 235
Eddie- I will try and post some more updates tomorrow

[robleticia]

alright, I need to run new brake lines so screw the floor pans for right now. Time for some more fun stuff...like suspension! Dont get me wrong, I love bagged cars, but my thoughts were to keep it simple, you can bag the next one, next one?? For the rear I went with Jamco 4" springs and a 3" block. For the front, again Jamco, 3" coils with dropped uprights and steering arms. Jamco also supplied the new shorter shocks as well. Had to replace both tie rods while I was in there as the previous owner loaded it on a flatbed and they chained the tie rods, one was broke and the other was a "V". Needed some help with this one so once again Racrdad came down to help. Its a 2 1/2 hour drive between our houses so we try to get as much done as possible when we are at each others house. Here are a few pics of the front end going together and the final outcome. And that is Racrdad posing with the car, notice it was taken in August and he isn't even sweating? Thats right bitches, the garage has A/C and Heat! One of the benefits of being an A/C man by trade.

[Kaptain Kustom]

All pics from the post #7 forward work fine. And don't worry about the pics, seems like your cell phone is well up to the task!

I love wide white wall bias plys on the gloss black wheels, looks great!

My garage surely doesn't need A/C, its always cool like a cellar. In summer days I keep the door open to get some warmth in while working in it... I'm very lucky to have insulation and heat though, I keep it above luxorious 7°C (45°F) throughout winters.

[farmer12]

Great thread. I like how the car is lowered. Much better!

[robleticia]

thanks farmer12, your car is sweet. I've been following your build, great work. I never knew that body style could look so good! I love it!

[Joe515]

Love the stance! Where did you get the dropped uprights?
Did you notch the rear?

[farmer12]

Originally Posted by robleticia

thanks farmer12, your car is sweet. I've been following your build, great work. I never knew that body style could look so good! I love it!

Thanks Rob. What are your plans with your car?

[JGore99]

Looks good man. I love this body style and I'm really diggin the straight 6. Stance looks great too.

[robleticia]

Joe,
Dropped uprights came from National Chevy, i dont think they carry them any more because I just got their new book and they are not in there, however Fat Man and Jamco both have them. All the Jamco stuff went together very nicely, it just took FOREVER to get the parts, but I would use them again. From what I've seen they are all the same. I put my set next to a set of Fatman's and they looked exactly the same? As for the rear, it is not notched, I just removed the bump stops, there is still plenty of travel and it doesn't hit the frame, however, the torque tube hits the floor braces in two locations. I just finished raising the tunnel this weekend. Pics to come later. What are your plans for your car?

[Joe515]

Originally Posted by robleticia

Joe,
What are your plans for your car?

Get it back on the road I just got a '55 235 I hope to get in this spring, and hit some car shows. Then hopefully lower a bit, so I can still get in the driveway, I would like to notch is and air bag it, but that is going to have to wait. I need to figure out how to get a hitch on the back so I can drag around a 50's International pickup bed trailer that my dad made years ago. My plan is to use that to haul my pinstriping display.