Customs 57 Chevy Budget 4 door build

And now the fun begins.Be sure to get some safety goggles to keep crud and rust out of your eyes when working under the car.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

I looked on napas website and didn't find much, i might call around though because i'll be home tomorrow night and would like to get something done this weekend still and ecklers shipping is 3-7 days

 

Probably 5/16. 3/8 is probably for v8 or hi-po v8. Get a manual like the other guys said.

 

if i plan on going v8 eventually should i get the 3/8 sending unit now though and just get that over with?

 

what kind of fuel pump would i want to use for a pretty stock 350? i'm either going that route or just a 283 with a cam.

 

Tens of thousands of tri fives have been changed over from a 6 to an 8 and never had the fuel system modified. A stock 350 or warm 283 should be fine with a stock mechanical fuel pump.

 

alright, i'll cross that road if my sending unit is junk, until then i'll just hope its fine.

 

It will probably be a rusted up lump. Mine usually were.

 

Question for you. Just curious about this. You say you are going to school. What is your major?? You don't have to answer if you don't want to. My major was Art and the furthest thing from Hot Rods.

I got through it OK but had to change my approach to life because my Art wasn't supporting me.

 

The tank will need boiled out and coated inside with a type of sealant. Radiator shops used to do it but around here they are all gone. The stuff I used to use for tanks the EPA decided it was bad for your health or something, can't get it now. I would take the advice given before and check Rock Auto, if there is any crap in the tank, it will haunt you for a long time. You will be an expert at taking carbs apart. Glad your taking interest in the old cars and wanting to do stuff for yourself. Listen to these guys, we done went and made all the mistakes before.

 

My major is computer science, so i should be able to support the hobby for a long time into the future. About the tank, do i really need to have it boiled out? I mean what would be wrong with it that i would need to do that? If it's the same or cheaper to get a new tank i'll just do that

couldn't i just put a bunch of vinegar in the tank with some gravel and shake it around for a while then let it sit over night? Maybe even CLR?


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It's a crap shoot. You will have choose between spending time or money. Sometimes you will spend the time and then the money. But in general, the more you have of one, the less you need of the other. If the car is a northern car, rust and corrosion will have a greater effect (negative) on everything on the car. So your tank nay be beyond repair. Or not. You will only know once you get into it.

 

Not sure why i never thought to just unhook the fuel line and feed the fuel pump from a coke bottle of gas. That should work too right? That way i can move the car out of the garage to actually work on stuff


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That pump may have a bad diaphragm, and might not pump. You may have to feed the carb fuel to fill the bowl.

 

Did you ever get the exhaust and intake manifolds re-installed? And new studs so the pipe can be hooked up? Get the engine together along with the carb rebuild and make sure you have spark and pour a little gas into the throat of the carb and turn the key and try to start the engine. You don't need to have any of the accessories or the belt hooked up or even water in the engine, all you want to do is see if it will run for 10 or 20 seconds. If it does get a helper to crank the key while you slowly feed gas from a coke bottle into the carb trying now to keep it running for a minute. Don't forget to make sure there is oil in crankcase before trying this. Do all this then check back with the HAMB and we'll help you further. Good luck , Ralphie

 

I think last time i tried to start it i flooded it, because like i said i poured almost a full water bottle of gas down the carb. I'm gonna draij the oil/gas tonight, put the intake back on, and at least check the carb and fuel pump to make sure they aren't completely gummed up, then try running my fuel line from a gas can. I'm not at all experienced with carbs, so this is all completely new to me especially because i've never had a dad/uncle/grandpa mentor me about this stuff


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I should also mention, i won't be home for another week and a half at least after tonight so theres no way the carb is getting s full rebuild for another couple weeks since no stores have what i need in stock


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Make sure you push that car outside when you try to start it that way and have a fire extuingisher handy.

 

Even if you hook up tank to pump to carb your still going to have to prime the carb from a bottle of gas to get the engine to run long enough to suck fuel from tank and fill carb float bowl. Use very little fuel when you pour it in, couple of tablespoons should be enough, don't drown the engine and fill up the crankcase with gas. If it don't start something else is wrong. Ralphie

 

I guess we have all realized that you have very little if any experience in working on old iron, but stick with it and the knowledge here on the HAMB will bail you out. Just to make you feel better I'm old enough to be your "Great" Grandfather and I have owned my 57 mor-door for more than 50 years. I don't feature that car here as it's mostly stock with exception of Fuel Injection. Ton's of guys here have Tri5s and can help you out. Ralphie

 

My advice is first of all STOP. Stop jumping from issue to issue. Do not take the tank off until you get the manifolds back on. Don't disassemble the carb until the manifolds are back on. You're going to get that car scattered to hell and back, get overwhelmed, pissed off, and walk away from it, having wasted your money and your time (and ours, if your "looking for a car thread" is any indication of a possible ADD condition). I appreciate your inexperience, as we were all there once. That's no problem. When you ask for advice and get some of the smartest guys on the block giving you great, hard-won advice for free and you blow them off, you're going to be on your own pretty fast. Slow down, do one thing at a time, keep asking questions, and realize you are in a long-term relationship with this car. Prioritize and be disciplined in starting and finishing each aspect of this rehab. Some of it will suck, some of it will be a blast. That's just the way it works. Do the best you can and learn. You are not going to build the best 57 in the world. So what. Build the best you can, stay focused, have vision, and listen to good advice. Best of luck.

 

And be careful with pouring gas in the carb when you get to that point. Never pour gas when someone else is cranking the car. A backfire will ignite the gas in you can, you will panic and throw it, burning yourself, you car and your house. Pour a little in the carb, set the gas away from the car, then crank. Repeat as needed. Fire sucks.

 

I guess the best you can do when you're gone for weeks at a time is to just think of what you'll do when you get back. Obviously im not going to tear the whole thing apart at once...


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And theres no need for insults either. You may have had tons of experience wrenching on these cars, maybe you have tons of car buddies in real life. I don't. If you're going to throw insults into my thread, stay out. My mental health is nothing of your concern. I don't need that and neither does anyone else on this board.

 

I think Belair just came across a bit strong in his typing, that's always an issue on internet boards, just think back a bit, as he's been really helpful to you offering some great advice....especially in his last post about doing one task at a time, he just doesn't want to see your vision in 6 years with all the removed parts stored in the cab and trunk, like we see so often.

Just realize that everyone is not just offering technical help, but life lessons as well, that's what makes this place so good.

 

Belair is trying to help you not fight with you. You would be wise to take his advice. We have all seen great projects like yours end up abandoned because the owner got frustrated. We all want you to succeed and we are here to help you along.

I personally think it's going to start but you are going to have to change the gas tank. Gas sitting that long can turn into shellac and cause you more problems than you have now. Get it running first with an auxilliary tank of some kind and then go from there.

 

Make a plan. Make a list. Put the list in order, then work on one thing at a time. Dream all you want when you can't work on it.



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Slow down grasshopper, or should I say Pineapple. We have been following you since your search thread and then subscribed to your build thread, we are all pulling for you. I second Budget36 on the life lesson comment. We were all young once (and most of us hard headed) you are getting sage advise here, don't loose your best asset on this build, experience.
Keep up the good fight.







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Do you understand the theory of operation for a carburetor? Knowing how it works will be important. Fuel needs to go in to the bowl, not down the throat.



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I like a 2 or 3 dollar spray can of starting fluid just to get er fired initially instead of pouring gas all over the place, not to mention its more potent and will make it fire up if its going to, if only for a second, then you can focus more on if your getting the rite amount of gas coming through etc.

...once you are ready(points,plugs getting fire) to start it just spray a little in the carb then jump in the car and try to start it up, or have a buddy help, It may take a few tries.

I have finagled around and got em fired up and kept em running for a bit by spraying the starting fluid intermittently in the carb, not sure how good that is on one but never seemed to hurt anything I fooled with.