Newbie in Raleigh with '54 Chevy moredoor rod project

Hello, all! I have a bunch of pictures, and I sized them down, but I'm still not able to post them. Maybe HAMB virgins can't post pics?

I'm a longtime gearhead in North Carolina with oddball taste and a thin wallet. (Odd: previous hotrods include a '64 Nova wagon, an '87 Volvo 740 wagon that I put a '93 Mustang 5.0 and 5 speed in, and a '83 Buick Park Avenue with a 400 HP 455 Olds, T10 4 speed, and complete Herb Adams suspension. All 4 doors... not sure why.)

So I picked up this project that is running and driving but never quite crossed the goal line. '54 Bel Air, allegedly rebuilt '87 350 (stock except aluminum intake, q-jet) allegedly rebuilt 350 automatic, 3.73 10-bolt S-10 rearend. It has good light gray leather Lincoln seats front and rear, but that's the best thing about the interior by far. Rust is actually not bad, a little swiss cheese in the front passenger floor, some in the rear of the trunk, some less-than-professional rust repairs, but not bad. New tires on 7" & 8" rallies. The front end and brakes are stock.. I'll need some glass for the front doors, but the rest is good. 3" exhaust with Flowmasters and turndowns make it clear this is no 6-banger!

Some of the issues that never got finished include securing the front end on the car- they put in a nice, wide radiator, but cut out the entire radiator support... which pretty well attaches the whole front body to the car. A little fabrication is in order! But my son and I did bolt the front end on in several other places today, enough to drive it up and down the street.

The hood I have is supposed to be a '52- it is close but no cigar. It is surface rust only, a nice hood. I'd love to trade for or buy a '54 hood, or a '53 if that works- does it? (I don't care about the hood ornament, got my own ideas there!)

The plan is very simple and low-buck.. It's a 4-door, and it would take a lot of effort to make it clean and nice. Besides, I don't like clean and nice. It will be my secondary daily driver, and will stay a little ruff-and-ready.

Phase I is a few things to get her roadworthy, some simple door panels to match the seats, some carpet, drop springs and shocks up front to get her down and level, couple pieces of window glass and channels, and hopefully getting the wipers to work. And I really, really want a windshield visor, but folks seem to think a lot of them. Did I see someone makes fiberglass repops?

Phase II might be new satin black paint with maybe a silver roof, a headliner, some pinstripes.

But this will remain a low-buck, simple cruiser that gets driven and parked everywhere. At least it started out stupid cheap.

 

Welcome! Can't wait to see some pics of the 54!


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Welcome, from Chicago!

 

Here is a link to some photos of her, as purchased.

http://s1124.photobucket.com/user/chrisinraleigh/library/1954 Chevy?sort=3&page=1