Hot Rods Cool 55 Chevy Hot Rod So cal Find

Just bought this 55 Chevy....looks to have been a hot rod for a very long time. Was originally cashmere blue..then it was something that looks like 57 Pontiac Limefire green...then this candy apple red color. Has cool early 60s GM buckets....a 57 Olds rear end with super cool lift bars...a Muncie and a 283 (301 I hope!) motor...Looks like it was nicely finished at some point with the white interior....its actually a 210 hardtop...I guess they made a fraction of these compared to Bel Airs....can anyone tell if those lift bars on the rear end are homemade or something you could buy? Also...when do you guys peg the original build time frame? I'm thinking early to mid 60s...

 

Magnesium wheels???

 

Your traction bars look to be made from 30s - 40s Ford wishbones. So they are most likely home made. Judging by the rear end and interior Id guess it was put together in the later 60s or early 70s.

 

wow...sooo cool....62-64 GM buckets....think 65 up was different....lots of cars got those - kinda why tri-5 bench seats bring good money....nice catch/find !

 

I thought the lift bars looked like wishbones too....but the back where it is cut off under the leaf spring, the bar looks solid. Weren't wishbones hollow? The wheels are steel backed aluminum faced deals....those wheels tend to look like magnesium when old...im sure it's some sort of aluminum. I'm thinking it was built mid 60s...were white interiors common in the later 60s or early 70s?

 

Sweet car, hope you can rub that crease out on that r seat back, might be able to roll it out from the back side. looks comfy inside.

 

I'm sure the crease will soften up. I'm assuming it's old naugahyde or something...the vinyl is still surprisingly soft and pliable considering how old the interior is...

 

Oh baby, that is a nice one.

The traction bar thingys are cool looking, but they actually need to get longer or shorter as the suspension moves through its range of motion. If it rides a little stiff in the rear and feels funny going around corners, you may have to remove them. Or, just drive it and don't worry about it.....

Neat car. Good luck with it.

-Abone.

 

Panther scores!
Did anyone use canister filters past the early '70s? Couldn't resist a full sized pic.

 

Thanks guys...I don't remember when GM switched to spin on oil filter elements...probably later 60s. The engine is a 1960 283 I think...will have to look more deeply at it when I pull it out to check it out. I hear you about the traction/lift bars...but they are longer than the leaf spring so the arc is minimized for whatever that helps. I have had older race/street cars with long rectangular tube lift bars that were welded to the rear end and had a fixed point in the front...so I think that design is even worse as its welded to the rear end. Those cars had leaf springs too...I think either style binds the leaf springs a bit...but maybe the rear shackles will soften the effects of the binding....

 

With that Olds rear, rear bars, and driveshaft hoop...I wonder what kind of power he was putting out ??? Any pics of the motor? Is it a dual carb 283 corvette motor??

 

Yes wishbones are hollow. But maybe the solid part you are seeing is part of the forged end that Ford welded to the tube so it could be bolted to the axle.

 

A very nice car to start with.

 

210 Hardtop- cool. The mods are pretty cool.

 

Nice score.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

The last year for the canister was 1967, which was also the last year for the 283.

 

That's a cool five five. Reminds me of scores of fives and sevens that prowled back then. The white interiors were seen throughout the 60's and early 70's but most guys opted for black due to trying to keep them from getting dirty and greasy.

 

The oil filter canister looks like the taller one that was used only in '56 and '57. The oil pan also looks early. I would guess this car was built in the late '60's since the oil filter canister was not changed out to a spin-on. Cleaning out those old canisters was always a messy PITA job.

 

Good info!
Also introduction of the infamous / famous 350 sbc and verboten F bodies.

 

That one definitely gets the juices flowing.

 

Looked at the casting number on the block...and it's 3849852. Looks like they used that number for a while...but I think what'll narrow down its actual year is that the assembly code for the motor is "m" ...its a truck 283. Pulled a valve off and found pinned rocker studs...chrome moly retainers and poly locks. So it's a solid cam...neat...

 

Way cool start to a bitchin' five-five. Keep us posted.

 

I like that too but my vote would be to keep the three spoke wheel or another like it . It looks plenty period correct to me and goes perfect with those seats.

 

Nice score. My tastes lean toward keeping it just the way it is. Running?

 

I've collected a few things for the '55...some early MT valve covers....a round corner early MT crossram and a pair of Moon scoops I just scored at the Turlock swapmeet.. tomorrow I'm going to go pick up a 327 that was on craigs...rebuilt...for a decent deal. Would love to find a 60s louvered hood...and I'm thinking of just getting it going and improving it as I go. Trying to make everything perfect at once means I will never get it done...

 

Those valve covers are the cats nutz ! Haven't seen an early pair like that in a while.

 

I also found a solid brass skull gearshift knob...man is that thing heavy....also have this twisted chrome deal. I like weird stuff...so I'm leaning towards the one on the right..

 

Like.

 

Yes. Another 55! I love it .