After yesterday's round of Michigan Monsoons, it was almost refreshing to see patches of sun today, despite high winds and temps in the 30s, so I decided to tackle a few items on Blue Jean's 'To Do' list! First up was a trip to the parts store for a new radiator cap (the old one took some effort to remove!). Once home, the coolant was checked and topped off and the new cap popped into place as it should. I also applied some killer Rat Fink stickers I scored at Autorama this past weekend! So much for the EASY part! Next came the primary order of business...getting those old black wheels and dangerously deteriorated bias ply tires off there and replaced with something a wee bit nicer, and safer! Back in the 70s sometime, I built a model of a 56 Chevy that sported what we always called "Daisy wheels" (now called 200S wheels by American Racing), and thought they were the coolest looking wheels for Tri-5 Chevys. In 2009, however, they aren't the easiest things to come by! American technically still offers them, but when I inquired about them at a few tire and wheel shops that specialize in aftermarket wheels and tires, I was informed that they are special order only and that it takes 8 to 10 weeks to get a set. Also, the smallest size they offered was 15" x 7". I was ready to go with Cragar S/S wheels in 14" x 6" when a dude I found a set of 14" x 7" 'Daisies' with nice Michelin tires on them very close to home! They only had about 100 miles on them, and they looked incredible, so I happily bought them for a really great price then loaded them into my daily heap and raced home! I was STOKED to actually have a set of real, live DAISY WHEELS to bolt onto Blue Jean...I could hardly wait to see how they'd look! No drama with the front wheels...off with the old and on with the new, but it was a REAL trick to get the old tire off and even harder to get the new tire onto the driver's side rear for some reason. It ended up taking two people, and I had to let all the air out of the tire and pull the wheel well lip out the best I could while my dad squeezed the new wheel and tire in there. Once it popped in, it bolted up easily and just clears the lip with the car back on the ground. Moving onto the other side, I found that one much easier, the old tire nearly fell outta there once the lugs were off, and the new one slipped in there easily enough....COOL! I picked up a set of new wheel locks today and installed those to help keep the new skins where they belong, then stepped back to admire the view! With decent tires under the car, I was able to drive it up to the gas station (no idea how much gas was in there when I bought it, or how old it was!) and dumped a few gallons of mid-grade into the tank. After talking to an old high school car buddy I ran into at the gas station, I headed off to cruise my new ride around the neighborhood a bit! The car drove pretty good, but it still needs some attention. Sounds like at least one wheel bearing needs to be replaced and I still gotta wire the lights, but it goes, steers and stops just like a car oughtta do! Dig the view from behind that massive steering wheel... "Free and Easy down the road I go!" Oh yeah...you don't roll your stop signs with this car...not even a little bit! That car needs to be at a complete stop before you try to get it back into low gear, but that cool whine it makes as you roll away from the stop before shifting up to Second is pretty neat...sounds like an old delivery tuck or something! So...there's much left to do, but at least a little progress was made today! I couldn't be happier with the car, or the way them Dasies gleem in the sun! Oh yeah...Long Live the 70s, Man!!!
So I guess that means you don't want the 'Stones, then. The firewall here at work is blocking the pix, I'll have to peep them when I get home! JK
Possibly in the front a little, but I want to see how it sits once I find a front bumper and get it bolted on there. As it sits now, I'd like to take about 3" out of the ride height up front, then see how it sits in relation to the rear. A slight rake would be kinda cool, but I don't want too much.
I kinda like these a bit better. Just kidding. Car looks very good! Keep the updates coming. BloodyKnuckles
I like the wheels much better after seeing them on the 55,,,when you said daisy wheels,,,I thought of these,,,HRP
Gregg, it's good to see ya around. That 55 looks good, I must have missed something about it earlier. What plans do you have for it?
Wait, you passed up Keystone Klassics? Today they'd be Keyston Klassix! I'd be hip to them, though! Gotta love Blue Jean. She's a beauty queen.
My favorite wheels of all time. The oldest ad I've seen for them is '69 by the way. They look great on there!
Dan - I can dig Keystone Klassics myself...had 'em on my first car in fact! The 'problem' with them is usually the offset...if the new ones are anything like the ones I had. (That, and the fact that they were uni-lugs!) Terry - That sounds about right...I rmember a lot of cars in my old 70s magazines having those wheels...and they were pretty popular up into the early 80s around here, then just kinda faded from favor for a while. They've always seemed like a natural "Shoebox wheel" to me, though! Pete - Sorry I missed you, Joe and the clan at Autorama this year! Hope to see ya sometime soon!
It's just going to be a fun little driver/cruiser project! Eventually it'll probably get a small block V8, but I'll keep the sixer for as long as it stays reliable!
Damn, I thot everybody knew the best way to get a fat tire UNDER a tri -five was to simply take the shock off the lower mount and let the rear end drop...??? You'd be amazed at how big a tire you can stuff under the wheel well that way... R-
Did you trade the mustang? 55s are easier to love than mustang II,s to me, but I have seen a few that werent bad.........
My vote is for you to keep your 6. That way if gas gets stupid high again you can roll by the stations lauging at us with big blocks and big carbs! Looks like a fun driver you can fix up when you have a little extra coil. I like it. Brad
I had to get rid of the Mustang a long time ago, and deeply missed it (still do), but this car inspires the same flame...I never dreamed I'd actually have a Tri-5! (To me, 55-57 Chevys rank the same that 32-34 Fords do to most others here!)
Ha Ha, well, I'll keep the six till it dies...then it goes away! I can't imagine that it'd get better mileage than a mild small block V8, though...not with that giant one barrel carb, no vacuum advance and all! But...how BAD can it actually BE, right?! (I've already gathered a few V8 parts for later on...it'll be pretty tame, with a factory aluminum intake, Quadrajet carb, HEI, headers, etc. Should be good for around 20mpg or so!)
The Jalopy Journal
