Projects 1950 Fleetline Deluxe build

Sway bars front and rear make things a lot better. Some times you have to hand build what you need.

 

If anyone knows of someone who can use a nearly zero mile 216, give me a shout. The original motor died and ugly death back in 1985. We bought a new/rebuilt long block and transferred the externals over and installed it in the car. Put maybe a couple hundred miles on it then put it in storage in a nice dry building where it sat before moving to my garage. Dad put some diesel in the cylinders back then and I let them soak with Marvel for a good while before turning over by hand, then starter with no plugs before putting it all together and getting it running and driving.

 

Thanks.
The dual carbs are each progressive 2 bbl. They are the smaller ones (Holley Weber) that Langdon Stovebolt recommended. They work great also.


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I'm excited to see where your build takes you.

Having recently picked up a '51 Fleetline with 235 already swapped in and also living in the greater Seattle area, we're looking at a lot of the same resources.

The Langdon setup people are referring to are the 32/36 Webers. He's already dialed in a setup that works reliably. Replacing the rear end and torque tube to a better gear ratio will give you as much get-up and go as the twin carb setup and at a much lower RPM where the 235 is happiest. I'm still going with the carbs first as I lost the shop in South Park that we used to rent out (it's getting gentrified, how original!) so there is no place to make enough of a mess to swap rear ends.

Following your thread here and hope to see some updates!

 

Hi everyone,

Long delay with other projects, but 5 cars now sold and out of the way so now on the Chevy in earnest, pics to follow.
One of the tasks coming up is power brakes. I have seen a lot of under the floor systems that use the existing floor pedal and I have seen several builds using a hanging pedal (Walton Fabs). I am installing a T-5 5spd with a 235 and adapter plate. How well does the hanging brake pedal from Walton work with the original clutch floor pedal? It seems like it would be weird to have one going up and one going down.

 

Your sure right about that. Stay sway from weird! Something to take into consideration with swing pedals in our early cars and often overlooked till it's to late. How well do they work and fit with the steering column? Cars designed with swing pedals often have the column passing through the Firewall up high and the pedals swing below it. How well will that work with your project? Should you go with swing pedals do them both. Make sure it works well.

 

Okay, I need to put in my two cents. First, you said it's a 53 235? Was it a powerglide car or a three speed? I think the 53 powerglide is the high pressure oiler where the three speed engine was a babbit engine? Now here is where I would go with the Fleetline. Leave the bench seat! No buckets in that car. A T-5 and 235 combo is nice. I have that in my 52. But, the Fleetline is a nice cruiser and a 235 with a 350 or even a 200 4R overdrive will be freakin nice to drive. The open drive with 373s seems to be the most common rear end gear. I have them in both my 52 and a 51. The dual carbs is a must. That Tattersfield is the intake, period! The Fentons are a must. Get rid of the 6 volts and go with an HEI. You and your 235 will love it. The stock chassis is fine. No need to spend $10,000.00 plus for a Morrison! There is so much you can do to make that car fun, safe and reliable, without changing its character. Go slow, there is a lot available for your build. The Fleetline should be a low and slow cruising ride. No need to make it a hot rod.

 

Why wouldn't you use the original clutch linkage with the T5? The linkage goes in through the bell housing. You have an adapter to mate the T5 to the bell housing. That's how mine is set up anyway.

 

After my recent experience with the under-the-floor M/C and booster on my '41,
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/a-little-excitement-yesterday.1190360/
I'd say go with the Walton and hanging pedals especially if you plan to lower it. That's what I'll be using on my '50

 

Thank you all very much for the comments and discussion, please keep it coming! I am a talk to think person rather than a think to talk, so I sort of figure things out through the discussion of ideas. It makes me sound wishy washy and undecided sometimes, I know. This weekend we got the tents up and the car under cover. Plan to remove the front body clip today and get ready to remove the old drivetrain..

FTR, according to the block number it is a 1954 235 out of a 3100 truck, manual and is a pressure oiler, not splash, with solid lifters. It has been completely rebuilt by Action Machine in Seattle ($4500)

I have already installed a Fenton dual carb manifold with Chevs of the 40's Daytona 1bbl and Fenton split exhaust.
Direct fit bolt in was promised, and yes, there was grinding. How hard could it be to make to complimentary parts with the same flange thickness?

Stock flywheel, resurfaced, stock pressure plate and a 49-52 235 bell housing and clutch fork. The guys at Old Car Parts in OR say that is what I need for my application. Everything bolts up and I am picking up the clutch disk today to complete assembly.

The car is going to 12 volt and I already have the HEI ignition and wires.

It is getting an S-10 T5 trans with adapter plate and rear cross member from HotrodWorks.

I am looking for an S-10 or similar rear end, posi, with disk brakes. The local yards here say they have plenty around so shouldn't be a problem. I want to upgrade the leafs, any suggestions?

I have to improve the steering. I'm deciding between manual R&P or power steering. Ebay has a complete power steering setup for just under $1000 that looks good, but it would still be a lot of turns lock to lock. Any thoughts?

Looking for a good sway bar set, front and rear. I saw several options online, anyone have any experience with these?

Everybody in the world throws a 350 or 383 SBC with turbo 400 or 700r4 in these and it's just boring to look at. I started out wanting a very driveable car in modern Seattle traffic that looks stock and, under the hood, looks like it might have been put together 50 years ago. Good, comfortable, reliable driver, not a hotrod.

 

Russ, if I'm not mistaken, if you have the truck bell housing, you shouldn't need an adapter plate? I seem to remember from many years ago that the T-5 tranny will bolt up. If you're going with an S-10 rear, I think you want the 4x4 which is the correct width. As for the rear springs, I went with Posies Super Slide dropped springs. They are the stock width that allows you to use the stock shackles. They are also drilled to put the tires in the correct location in the rear wheel well. The 54, 235 is good. When you said a 53, 235 that could have been a problem.

 

The truck bellhousing won't work due to the angle of the clutch linkage, I'm told by a guy in Arlington who's been doing this stuff for about a hundred years. I have a 49-52 car bellhousing and clutch fork, stock 235 flywheel and pressure plate.

Looking now for the clutch disk to go with it. 1in 14 spline shaft in the T5. Anyone know what size disk I need? Stock disk was 10in I believe so that's the plan unless someone here knows better?

 

Let me dig into my notes and I will be right back to you......

 

Sachs Bbd4203 is what I came up with.....YMMV.

 

Sounds like you're talking to Buffalo, Russ. If so, you can trust whatever he tells you.

 

Yep, I agree on that one. I have a number of parts from Buffalo. In both of my cars. He's an artist with metal! From dropped uprights, to rear shock mounts and U bolts for both my cars. An adapter for a 700 R4 to a 261 and another adapter for the T-5 to my 235. I'm hoping he can do it for another 100 years!

 

Yuuuuup. Tom Langdon will send you to him as well. He has modified bell housings or can tell you what you need. Can just recall all the combinations that work from memory (and some that don't work without a liberal application of funds)

Thankfully you and I are both local so we don't have to deal with shipping.

 

Yes, Buffalo it is. Got the clutch disk in the mail yesterday, test fitting everything today. Got the nose off and apart, ready for pressure wash if I can get the son to show up. Supposed to be a more or less joint effort... Will start posting some pictures soon, see what other advice you all have.

Still looking for recs for a wiring harness. Anyone ever use the one from Eckerslys?

Also, going to need to shop for new seat covering, or else pay an arm and half a leg to an upholstery shop. Suggestions?

 

Just out of curiosity, what disk did you end up ordering?

 

I may be a bit late to the game here, but the bell housing used in the C4 Corvette with the Doug Nash 4+3 trans has the same linkage angle as the 49-54 Chevys. My car is set up with one and a T-5, and uses the factory pedals and linkage with a longer "link" to make up for the V8 location.




Ignore the red shims... I had the input shaft a bit too long and was testing to see how much more I needed to take off before I took it back apart and did the trimming.

 

Another view...

 

Lol, that didn't last long.
Anyway, on the wiring- yes, I'd recommend Rebel Wiring in Tennessee- on top of their excellent harnesses and great customer service and tech support, they are Alliance members so it is a Good Thing to help them out with your business!

 

Just a couple of pics of where things are at. I'll try to post more as we get closer to reassembling and the process therein.

 

For the record, the 216 that just came out is a runner, with spares, that has fewer than 500 miles on the long block. I don't want to scrap it, but I also have no use for it. If anyone in the PNW has a use/need/want for this, please get in touch. I'm happy to help with delivery or pick up.

 

If you understand anything about the relations between A-Frames and R&P geometry you would not spend 1K for that Kit. All your getting out of it is ease of turning at the steering wheel. You won't like the way it travels a 2 lane mountain road. And, if that's the kind of country you live in you won't be able to keep tires on the Front End.

Okay, you don't totally understand R&P plus Electric power steering. So, you shouldn't do both at the same time. Kind of like having 2 fuel pumps on one motor. Electric power is made to work spliced into the stock steering column all by itself. One or the other, not in conjunction together. The electric units are big, bulky and ugly. However they do seem to make the steering easier.

 

On the 216 might I suggest putting it in the classifieds on here to sell it. If you can keep your original seats, I would even if you have to have someone cut a notch in the middle of the seat to clear your shifter. I'd also suggest the posie's rear springs. They make a great product. If wanting to save money, see what a local spring shop would charge you to de-arch your originals, then maybe use some rear lowering blocks. Butch's makes good ones.

 

Found this cool 50 Fleetline in an old car book.

 

All of my countless hours of reading on it reaped stories of bump steer and very large turning radius at lock. No personal experience though...

The center steer rack kit seemed to be the most well received.

 

OK, going to stay with the original steering, probably install the power steering setup that bolts to the original holes selling by EZSteer on ebay. Anyone with any experience there?