Grandpa's 31 Chevy Hot Rod build

Thought I would start a "Build" Thread. Last year I purchased a Stock 31 Chevy Four Door Sedan to make a driver out of so I could take the Grandkids for Ice Cream. As does happen another 31 exactly the same found me and begged to be rescued! I caved in and now have two big projects going at the same. I joined the VCCA and recieved lots of advice for the Stocker. Now I'm here doing the same. So far I'm taking the "Rescued" car totally apart and will start with the Chassis and Drive Train. Here's the "Before" shot!

 

awesome projects . keep the updates coming

 

Hopefully, one day!

 

I got a 31 sedan myself. Ur benchmark photo is streetrod - what are ur plans for both ur projects? Chop? Stock ? Suspension? Drivetrain?

 

I'll be remaining flexible as to my plans. The Hot Rod 31 would make an awesome Rat Rod but that is not the plan. I'm 66 years old and am realistic in my views. The chassis will have a Mustang II P/S Rack set up. Power will be a small block with an automatic behind it coupled to a Ford 9". Rear will use the stock style springs with modern shocks. Sheet metal will be tubing reinforced framing with lots of power stuff. Windows door locks etc.. I'm hoping to one day take the completely stock 31 and the rodded 31 to a show and park them side by side! Al W.

 

well, you have some cool projects and plans. know that many full fendered rides have Must II front suspension. but, older ones like yours never look quite right. if you do some serious looking around can set up a dropped front axle with right components and have a good ride and easy steering. also, might want to upgrade rear suspension too for hanging a 9" and getting a good ride. hope you have a good warm place to work on them. keep progress posted with pics.
search here for current thread: any ideas how to hide an independent front suspension on a 34 coupe

 

Interesting thoughts! I'll definately do my homework. Thanks! Al W.

 

looks like you have a good start. i hope to see more updates. good luck with it...

 

I like your ideas. Hurry up as the grandkids grow up fast. I have yet to get my grandkids in for a ride as they are in the pittsburg area and I'm not to sure I want to take my ride there on antique plates.

 

Today I made some progress. The doors are off as well as one fender. Some bolts backed out great and others took some grinding with a cut off wheel. Christmas celebration will slow down the forward motion a bit but Grandkids are fun too!


MERRYCHRISTMAS TO YOU!

 

Best of luck with your build!!

If you can involve the grandkids, it will be something they will remember forever!

 

Have fun with your project. Hope the grand kids enjoy the build and the ride for an ice cream!

 

I glad to see a couple more Chevy's coming back to life. Over the 39 years that I've owned my 32 it's been reincarnated in a number of different forms and driving it has always been a blast.Good luck with your build however you decide to go with it.

 

Good luck on the builds, I like your car stand.

 

LOL! The Car Stand is very serious. It can be used to Jig Up a scratch built chassis. I'll be down to just a bare chassis before any hard decisions are made. My buddy is really after me to use a Vette Front Suspension but I'm torn between a traditional dropped Beam or maybe a Hiedts style IFS. All comments are really appreciated! Merry Christmas to all! Al W.

 

I also had a buddy that said to put a M II/Pinto in my car. That was back in '75 when I got it. I did that ,twice!. Once with original xmember widened. Then when someone aftermerked"d it I went with that.
It just keeps sucking the money out of my wallet.
If I was you I would seriously consider the dropped axel and keep the parellel springs. Eaton will make you new ones too.. Good luck !

 

Found some play time today so I continued to disassemble the 31. Hopefully, this will be the hardest part of the project! I pulled the right rear fender, gas tank and the Pan for same. Also I was able to cut four of the eight Body to chassis bolts with a sawzall. Four more and the body will be close to lift off time. Still need to pull the column and spare tire mounts from the front fenders. I'll do more3 next year! LOL Al W.

 

Im glad to see chevys tooo !!!! Nice projects . I took a little ride in mine today first time in about a year ..felt pretty good !!

 

Sitting here at my Computer planning my build and doing research. I found out that Superior Glass Works makes a plate kit for boxing my chassis. Cut by Plasma and should provide a great time saver. They also make all the Fenders, Pans and Boards I'll need, as mine are all very poor. Can I use a Rack n Pinion with a Dropped Axle? I can get an 89 Vette Front Suspension cheap and it seems to be the easiest install but does loose some of the cool factor. BTW, Happy New Year to all you HAMB'ers! Al W.

 

Don't jump thr gun on those fenders. They look cherry in your pics. I doubt the repops will be anywhere as good as yours would be after a good bodyman repairs them.
Go with the dropped axel and keep the parellel springs. Much less work and easier on the wallet.Yes you can use R/P steering on a dropped axel.

 

I agree, don't try repops- use those fenders! If you don't want the sidemounts, you can probably trade them on the VCCA site with someone who'd be more than happy to give you a set of cherry fenders w/o mounts for what you have.

Hey, if you're not going to use the enige, I'd be interested in the valve cover

 

After reading this info I mite change my mind about keeping the front susp. http://www.butchscoolstuff.com/talking_hotrods.htmsp.

 

Great info Bob1 I'd really like to use Rack and Pinion as a P/S setup. So I see a Vega Box, Dropped Axle with R and P. Is this possible?

 

I did a google search for you and guess what? Found a thread on the HAMB that covers it. I tried the link to NO Limit and got nowhere. I know I have seen the racks mounted to the axel. I think Stacy Davids rat rod has this. No vega box though , just a really small r/p. Have you seen his show on the speed channel?

 

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/4-inch-drop-axle-maval-rack-pinion-89424.html
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/0909rc_installing_unisteer_products_rack_and_pinion_kit/index.html

 

I copied this from another site. Am I giving u to much?

Nate,

I don't know what I'm going to use for the rear leaves. The stock ones are too long for the spot where I want to relocate them.. I need to find something a little shorter, but still with the 1-3/4" width. When I bought the '55 Chevy rear, I had the option to buy a pair of CHROME '55 rear leaves, but I was poor and elected not to. Bad move! I'll find something though! I might just have a spring shop make up a new set to whatever dimensions work out best on the chassis.

On the front, I'm keeping the stock springs. One of the main leaves is tweaked, so I'll have to have that one redone, but I think that's it. I have an MAS dropped axle in there now, but If I had it to do over again I wouldn't have bothered with the drop axle and lowered it entirely through the step in the frame. It is possible to mount later 30's-40's hydraulic drum brakes onto the '31 spindles, or you can bore out the boss to accept a '51-'54 spindle.

 

CapeCodBob, No, you are not giving me too much info.. Research is just as important as doing things rite! Please keep sharing your thoughts with us. I'm really leaning towards the Vette front end as it brings so much upgraded techknowledgey to the table. my car will be a comfortable driving street machine with no desire to impress folks. Old school clean and sharp in appearence. Enjoy the weather this weekend. Al W.

 

I have gone the 92 vette suspension front and rear on a 32 chevy coupe, but I had to modify the fenders quite a bit to hide it under the car. The vette suspension is kinda wide for a early 30s car so you might have a wheel choice problem. I had to use vette 18 and 17 wheels on mine, and as I said without the modification to the fenders it wouldn't have worked. all in all my 32 looked OK and handled great, but I still like the axle look the best and you can make them perform well.

 

Love that car

 

Try to keep the parallel leaf springs in the front,they look vintage race car.Ford axles belong on Fords.