Projects BACK AT IT FINALLY!! RE-BUILD OF AN EARLY CHEVY COUPE WITH A HEMI

wheelie bars just aren't bolted on, small garage and being cold outside garage door stays shut and utilize all room i got.
I do have a new gas tank apron for this one....IF i ever finish it i may start on my dad's 31 cabriolet...

 

Your garage heated? I sure hope so, the cold out there is just brutal...

 

Yes it is, usually a nice 65 degrees, heat comes on in fall, off in spring. And since there's nothing to do during the cold winter months, I seem to make better progress on my projects during these months

 

I love your car! Mine is a 31 3 window Chevy with a 348 out of a 1960 impala. I took mine for a spin at the Spencer Iowa airport drags this year, here's the link. (thought this might motivate you to get yours done) Keep up the good work!! I'm at 8:30 and again at 10:30 in the video.

 

Great looking hot rod Wally! Just got finished looking at your build album and enjoyed it very much!

 

Well HAMBERS... The chassis that I sought after from a friend/Hot Rod Shop owner's '31 Chevy Sedan turned out to be NO GOOD - see pics. My original frame is MUCH better and decided that it WILL be straightened and modified for my new suspension installation.

As anyone can imagine, this is very exciting for me, because over a year ago this past November, I started this build with the reassembly of my Winters QCR. Then I started disassembling the entire car. After a few months of removing all of the paint on both the body and bare frame, this is when I discovered that the passenger side frame rail just ahead of the firewall to the rear of the front cross member was bent inward. Calling shop after shop, not one could straighten my frame, so the build stalled to a halt.

Yesterday, I rented a flatbed from Home Depot and delivered my original frame, front suspension and everything between EXCEPT the quick change to my friend Dave at his home/shop. Needed someone else to help lift the QC to no avail - hopefully during this week by another friend I work with at his hot rod shop. Finally, after more than a year, the new suspension installation on the frame has begun. Dave worked on extending the width on my new '32 Ford front cross member so it will fit snug inside the rails from one end to the other. I'm extending the wheelbase another inch to 110 inches - need the room for the hemi engine and the supercharger's belt pulley down the road.

Talk about pressure, I need this frame rolling on all fours within 2 weeks before my '31 gets towed behind a 16 ft. Penske truck headed hopefully to our new apartment in Mesa, Arizona...

 

@31chevymike be careful towing something so light that way. I suspect your using one of those two wheeled things under the front wheels. I'm no expert on towing but remember towing a empty farm wagon that was anything but a pleasure cruise not to mention downright dangerous.

Perhaps you will have the body and some additional weight on it to make things less bouncy...

Anyhow just voicing a concern...you have been through enough with that frame.

 

Stogy, after the sedan body was lifted off the chassis, the floor just fell apart, something we expected. We wrapped both doors with chain to keep the body intact and after all was said and done, the body is fine. As I mentioned before, he will build his '31 into a stout dually hot rod pickup with a custom 9" or 10" boxed frame. Just wished I had the chance to see his chassis much sooner, being buried in thick brush just eliminated any good viewing of the frame. As anyone can see, this chassis was a rusted mess. Before he gets rid of it, we can use some frame pieces from parts of the C channel.

I took some important measurements before I had cut out the original Chevy front cross member, to allow us to weld in the new Ford crossmember where it needs to be, adding another inch forward to make my wheel base just a bit longer than stock. The rear cross member was at first, welded in straight for the rear installation and shocks back in '96. But after my '31 was going under the knife for all of the replacement patch panels on the entire bottom of the coupe, Gary Chopit from Chopit Kustom Cars had tried to bolt down the body and discovered that my frame was not parallel to each other in equal length. Body mounting holes were not lining up. So I hauled the frame out much further east on Long Island (where I grew up) to a frame straightening shop and pulled the frame back in parallel. Body dropped right back on. This straightening procedure caused the rear cross member to be crooked in location on one end.

Dave told me that he had cut out the rear cross member and will replace with another one to tack in that he has in his shop, adding the tabs for the coil-over shock installation. Next, we will use my porta-power to try and bend the passenger rail back to 90 degrees, knowing the front cross member tacked in will prevent the front frame rails from bending with it. Or at least this is the idea... This is a great start no???

 

Mike I'm all for the mods and straightening of your frame into a roller but my concern is you towing it behind your moving truck. That is my concern...if it gets bouncing around and starts fish tailing. It sounds like a big move and perhaps a change in climate as well.

Yeah that sedan frame had those rust termites bigtime...ah heck nothing ventured nothing gained. I'm sure your glad your using the original anyways.

 

Hey Mike, are there parts for sale from the sedan? I am looking for a set of doors for my 31 project. Also need the visor as well.

 

No concern at all Stogy, I'm renting a trailer so my coupe will be off the ground. The truth is, this trip will be challenging enough, not only the longest drive for us to date, but never have towed anything as well - least of all my precious hot rod ... Any advice at all? Should be safe. Besides, my brother will be driving my Solara convertible right behind me to make sure there are no problems. At least this is the plan.

 

Ahh it's on a trailer proper...advice make sure you balance the weight, tie it all down and don't go too fast as to get any fish tailing as that can be scary...and tarps can be a major pain...hey congrats on new stomping grounds...

 

From what Dave told me, he is taking the rear doors off. Is your '31 project a sedan like his? Let me know so if you need the rear doors, you can purchase them from him. The visor is being used too.

 

There's not much weight in reality with the coupe body on a frame WITHOUT the weight of the hemi. My hemi needs to be safely locked inside the truck. Still might be too light on the trailer, hitting a bump in the road may become a problem at higher speeds. Dave told me that I should look into that white material that boats are wrapped with tightly - maybe at a marine store?

 

That wrap stuff sounds good. Flapping tarps rip and fly off which can be a problem.

Those truck/trailer companies usually maintain their Equipment so it should be a trouble free affair...ahh the adventure.

Hope you have a decent workshop in the deal......I remember a company I was with rented a Penske 24 footer...brand new thing and we drove for a great distance with some heavy haul feature on that restricted speed...once that was switched off we buzzed along at a peppier pace....

Big year comin' up Mikey...

 

I have a 31 2 door sedan but I have a set of 29 doors which fit dimensionally but have different reveal or body line.

I would be interested in the rear doors. It would be easier to use the rear doors and my 29 doors to make a set of 31 2 door sedan doors.

Please ask him what he has to have for the doors and PM if you don't mind.

Thanks!
Matt

 

We're renting a 16 footer, so we'll wait to see how it goes. As far as a workshop, I've been renting consistently, doing the work in THEIR garage, hoping no one catches me or reports me to the rental office. Gutsy, I know, a man and his hot rod has to do what needs to done...

Are the rear doors on a 4 door the same width as your two doors? The only issue that I see Matt is that his dually project most likely will be at idle for possibly some time before he gets around to it. He's also working on a '56 Chevy Nomad as well. I'll ask him anyway the next time I see him this Saturday.

 

No the, the 4 door doors are not as wide as the 2 door doors are. I would take the window opening and belt line pieces from the 4 door doors and modify them to fit on my 29 2 door doors. Please check if you remember on Saturday! Good luck on the move BTW.

 

can you machine spacers??? or buy them? how much clearance do you require?

 

You are clearly determined as you should to get doors for your '31 Chevy 2 door sedan. I will mention to my buddy this Saturday. Good luck on your build too!

Not sure what it is you're asking Tuck, please clarify. Give your daughters a big hug for me for the holidays!

 

Will do man!! ... sorry I thought i was reading that you couldn't clear the drums because of the offset. I had something similar in back and made 1/2" thick spacer that did the trick.

 

You're right, tried to mount the slicks onto the QCR with the So-Cal Buick finned drums and could not do so - wrong offset. Tell me, I most likely have to use longer wheel studs and place these spacers right onto the drum - correct?

 

A thin spacer might use existing or longer studs. Most will have nuts to bolt them to the current studs, and new studs to bolt the wheel to the spacer. Triple check your clearances if you’re running spacers. The spacer has to fit flush to the drum, and the wheel has to fit flush to the spacer.


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Thanks David - I'll look into these for sure!

 

Here’s my old thread on spacers.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/side-effects-of-changing-rear-track-width.1091632/




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I have had a set of wheel adapters before, as I had a Ford lug pattern on the wheels to a Chevy bolt pattern on the axles. We'll see how it goes, truth is, I really dig the chrome reverse wheels and may consider getting them for the front. Thanks again David!

 

It looks like David has what I would classify wheel adapters.
I have spacers- on post 13 it looks like. Machined them so they were hub concentric.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tucks-29-roadster-build.827448/page-13

If I had the money I think I would make a set of chrome reverse too. I think I would run some double or triple pinner whites on the mags and the wide whites on the chrome wheels.

I'm just broke stiff this year... meaning can't move around much at all.

 

Other than your popular aluminum mags, like yourself, I really dig the chrome reverse wheels. I plan on re-mounting my wheels with the wide whites on the outside of my slicks.

I should be mounting the new chrome front end this weekend and seriously stoked! I'm bringing over my QCR this Saturday to my buddy Dave's rod shop, mocking up the rear as well!

Tuck, don't sweat the cash flow - look at the progress you've done so far - I'd kill to be in your shoes! Enjoy the Christmas spirit with your family!

More photos of the chassis build comin' at everyone this weekend...

 

awesome! Keep on it

 

You know it Jeff! Meeting Dave tomorrow in the am to bring out the QCR. Hope to have the suspension hung by this weekend - just have to mount the rear WITHOUT the ladder bars until we figure out what length they need to be. More pics on the weekend!!!!!