Hello all, I have a couple of questions about my 150. It had recently been brought to my attention that it was kind of an odd car. It apears to be a business coupe, but has had a back seat added, the rear windows do not roll down but has factory v8 motor mounts. I was under the assumption that all of these cars came with 235's. My vin even reads "A" wich I thought meant it was a 150 with a 235. Also another weird thing I noticed when I replaced the brakes the other day was that my front spindle had originally been a different lug pattern, a larger patternt than the 4 3/4. Somebody has re drilled the spindle for the 4 3/4 bolt pattern. I am just so curious as to what this car could have been, maybe a special order? Anyway I am new to the tri 5 world and just trying to figure out what I have. Any info anyone could share would be greatly appreciated.
Larger pattern? 6 lugs were used on some for racing. This vehicle may have been changed over the years by its many owners, unless you have a detailed history.
Yes it's a larger pattern but still a 5 lug pattern. Unfortunately I have zero history on the car. It appears that it was restored in the early 90's.and I'm guessing there only due to the pattern on the seat covers. It's the same pattern used in the early 90's chevy trucks.
Here some pics of the car, excuse the wiring mess. I've since went in and cleaned it all up. Actually I've done a lot since these pictures lol
What do you mean by "factory V8 motor mounts"? The six and V8 had the same frame, the factory stuff to mount a V8 was just bolted on, and is easy to add later.
Lug patterns aside, that's a great lookin' start ya got there. A bare bones 150 makes a great hotrod!
If the bolt pattern is now 5 on 4 3/4 then it could have been of larger car, ie: buick/ olds. I would suggest you join tri-five or chevytalk for the best info on your car. The non back seat/ fixed window cars were salesman or postal etc cars. http://www.trifive.com/forums/ http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/showforum.php?fid/31/keyword/1955-1957_Chevys/
Thanks guys, I've got a dz302 sitting on the stand ready to go in with a Muncie 4 behind it. Car had a 12 bolt with a 4:11 posi already. Squirrel the guy just told me it was odd that if it had been converted to v8 that they would have went with stock mounts on the front of the engine. It really just got me curious more than anything. Just like to find out more about the car.
TriFive.com is THE place to go for info on your car. My 57/150 wax an original V8 car. The VIN number tells you that, if it starts with a V its a V8. No v is a 6 cylinder car. The rear windows in my car didn't roll down and it had a back seat, and was V8 car. I called it a "white widow".
One thing I've seen over the years, is that there's no telling what any particular person will do when hot rodding an old car. Everyone has their own ideas of what is the "right" way to do it. Should be a fun car!
You know, if that is a real DZ motor, you should goto CamaroResearchGroup and post the numbers on it, you could reunite the engine with its car and maybe make a few bucks.
It's not. It's something I put together. Wanted to build one most of life and when I got the 57 I decided that car needed it lol
Screaming SBC and a 4 speed sounds like a great combo to me. The '57 is 57 this year and the car has been modified . No telling what's been done over the years. When you say the spindle was drilled, I'm sure you mean the hub. It may be from a GM sibling as a past replacement (junk yard part). People do funny stuff, someone had a mill and could center and drill the hub properly. Love a 150!!
Couple things stand out as modified: Bel Air gold louvers on the front fenders Gold ''V" on hood and trunk (If your VIN doesn't start w/ V) Most 150 series wouldn't come with bumper bullets - optional JC Whitney "Hide 'em" grille bar cover up Clock & radio - again - could have come with 'em but ya probably won't find the factory speaker or uncut harness. I keep looking back at the pix of your car, it looks solid, good glass & tail lights. Are you planning to use side mounts on your new engine? Tri fives had the front mounts and bellhousing mounts. No crossmember holding the tailshaft of the transmission.
Nice car! what brigrat & chevy57dude say. check the cowl tag and the vin tag on the door pillar. 1211B on the cowl tag for body style, I'm pretty sure denotes the Utility Sedan. That's the body style they made the Widow Cars from (lots of info on the web about the Black Widow '57). Truck parts, boxed a-arms, shock mounts and stuff. The 1211 is the 2 door sedan like mine. My back windows would roll down if I had them in! Utility Sedans don't. Check the cowl tag. Danchuk's website should still be good for all your tag info as well as the vin breakdown.
Does the radiator set in front of the core support are behind it? The cowl tag will tell you if it's a utility are not for sure. Guy in Fla. makes the brackets to reinstall the wooden floor. Another large thread here someplace about the 1211B. I think that's the code.
Hey Blademan I had a 57' belair 2 dr hardtop 270 bored an 1/8 to a 301 The hot set up in the late 50's early 60's was to get a set of Hedman headers and split them at the collector flange, then run 4 pipes out to the rear bumper with glass packs This makes for a great sound, plus put in a Duntov cam and you will have a cool old time street racer like we had cruising Bob's Big Boy out here in so-cal Great car for some street action & chasing a few skirts too Watching your build, G Don
Man thanks a bunch for all the info guys!! Chevy57dude im planning on using the stock mounts on the front and the bellhousing. Those are exactly the kind of things I was looking for, the add on stuff, should I remove the louvers on the fenders? 325w the radiator was setting on the engine side of the core support. I'll have to check out the cowl tag when I get back over to the shop Tuesday. I think I'm more exited about getting this thing on the road now then I was before if that is even possible haha.
I'll nit-pick a little here. 283 bored 1/8th over brings it out to 302cid. When bored .120 over you get a 301. .120 over pistons were a common oversize back in the '60s.
Had a nice 150 for over 20 years, have lots of original parts and repo parts to build another or get rid of. Wish I had it back! Found another one I was thinking of picking up but it's missing one of the quarter side spears and I don't think they repo them or I would jump at the chance to build another......................................
Bademan make sure your engine is drilled and tapped for the mounts. Went thru that once! So many 150 and 210 cars had Bel Air stuff added to them over the years. To my eye, less is more on these cars.
Don't know if anyone's mentioned it, but 150's should not have stainless window trim- just the rubber.
The Jalopy Journal
