Projects 37 Chevy Hot Rod tribute project

Russell's custom polishing in Mesa does really good work

 

Back foot of trunk floor is rough, but rest of floor is cherry, other than a few misc holes to weld up!

 

37 Chevy model my dad put together yrs ago that matched his real one, saved it all these years, and got to put it with my 37!!!

 

Found a pair of Mag American 15x10s here locally. Had the centers lightly blasted front and back to remove multiple paint jobs and corrosion. Then had the rims polished front and rear. Want the centers to return to the dark grey patina again. Then awhile later found another pair in even better condition right in my own neighborhood!! A pair for street tires, and a pair for slicks?! Or let the ones with polished rims go to finance project?? Bought a pair of American Rebel fronts, really nice wheels!

 

REALLY love the look of a big block mech inj manifold!!! Seeing all the pics my Dad took at Riverside back in the day of the McLaren, and Chaparral Can Am cars must have done it??!!

 

My left headlight bucket was in good shape except it was egg shaped like someone sat on it?! The headlight bezel was rust pitted bad, and I wanted to chrome both bezels. But I found a NOS complete assembly!!!! Cool! hard to believe there are still parts out there like this?!

 

The second set of 15"x10" American MAG wheels I found were in very good shape, except for one thing!!! I took the gamble on buying them with the damage from someone trying to plug the lug holes with aluminum, then welding in, to redrill and change the bolt pattern?!?!?! UGH!!!! I guess when they figured out it wasn't going to work they stopped.

 

I had a machinist buddy help me out! Made some 7075 aluminum sleeves with a flange, then machined the minimum out of the lug holes to remove the damaged area. Then put the alum pcs in the freezer, and warmed the wheel, and pressed the slugs in with a thou and a half of press. Then spot faced the lug washer areas, and trued up the mounting flange.

 

nice job!

 

Hello,

Nice old red 37 Chevy coupe from back in the old days. I have an old film that I took in 1959 at Lion’s Dragstrip. It was from my collection of films of the Gas Coupe and Sedan class. Specifically, the B/Gas and C/Gas Class that So Cal local, Doug Cook was a consistent winner almost every week.

To us, he was a hard-working, lightning quick reaction time driver, excellent mechanic/builder and friendly to us teenagers with tons of answers to our questions. We saw his 1937 Tahitian Red color Chevy Coupe almost every week we were at Lion’s Dragstrip, racing during those 58-60 time periods.
Photo James Nak...

Jnaki

Lion's Dragstrip
at :20 red 1937 Chevy coupe


I know it is possibly far-fetched, but, I have a question for you. Could your old photo of the red 1937 Chevy with the California license plates in 1969 perhaps started in 1959-60 at Lion’s Dragstrip? I have been wanting some identification for my files to showcase who owned the red 37 Chevy coupe that raced Doug Cook in 59-60. (at :20 in the posted film)

Yes, I know the time period of 1959-60 is quite old fashioned from the 1969-70 drag racing times and builds. But, old hot rods did have a start somewhere… even in So Cal.

Thanks… the red color fits the “Valentine’s Day Red theme” quite well !!!

 

Hi jnaki, I am sorry I really don't know very many details about my Dads 37 from back in the day. I dont know how long he had it total, or the story of how he came about buying and selling it? The only details I remember are my Mom saying "it was ugly as sin, being 14 different colors when he bought it" they took it to a really cheap Earl Shieb kind of paint shop to paint it "resale red" they were married 6yrs at this point, and an 3yr old me, so not much money for a really nice Hot Rod paint job! They loved it because it looked a lot better despite the fact that every hood louver had a paint drip on it! LOL The car supposedly had a Vette FI 283 that was replaced with a 4bbl, like so many were back then. Had a 4 spd, and a 4.10:1 posi in a unknown rear end. Had recap big tires in the back on black steelies, and VW skinny tires on the front chrome reverse wheels. That is about all I can remember being told about it?! Thanks

 

Just got all caught up on this build! Man, I love the direction you are taking it and I think I really need a 37 Chevy coupe even more now.

 

Hey RP,

If you get any more information and you would like a HD digital copy of that film clip,(s) please let me know asap. A HAMB PM is best for now.

It is/was rare to see a Red 37 Chevy with the SBC set up rolling around our neck of So Cal, other than at Lion's Dragstrip. But, I can see the look on your mom's face every time she saw the coupe being worked on in the garage or backyard. Our mom thought the her two sons working together was a wonderful thing, until she began to see the results of our hard work being created in the backyard garage and yard.

Once the 283 with 6 Strombergs got finished, installed and it fired up for the first time in the 40 Willys Coupe, (through the Hedman Headers only) then it was a loud and obnoxious project according to our mom. She slammed the kitchen door, closed the sliding doors to the den and patio with the drapes drawn to keep the noise and view out. Ha! She also did not like it that we had to tear out her rose garden (transplanted elsewhere, of course) to create a pathway to the rear backyard garage we modified for our projects.

Jnaki

But, as the build process and racing continued, by the time the 671 SBC 292 C.I. new, motor fired up, then she went ballistic. When our little neighbor girl (3-4 yrs) came out to see our work and when the motor fired up, she went running back to our mom yelling for help. Now, our mom was on the warpath. The little girl always came over to our house, but she never ventured back into the work area again. The emphasis of a slamming door every time, was our mom's way of telling us that it was a "no good project..."

After our Lion's Dragstrip accident and recovery, she had nothing good to say about the hot rod/drag race project for the next two to three years, until the recovery was winding down to fairly normal times. My brother could finally go outside and resume some activity, like surfing.

But, he could not stay out too long due to the burn recovery. Our mom let both of us know she was mad at any time she became frustrated, due to that "awful hot rod project..." and the resulting limitations.

 

here's a model I put together over 40 years ago almost like your dad's...

 

Very cool old Chevy!

 

this is a great thread, thanks for sharing!

 

I think everyone built the Stovebolt 37 Chevy when they were a kid. The ink stamp you found from the steel mill is from Youngstown Sheet and Tube. I know they had a mill in East Chicago Indiana that used to supply Detroit with coils of sheetmetal but they also had mills in Ohio and Pittsburg Pennsylvania. How cool to find that. So Johnny tell me what I won! (Jk)

 

Wow! Thanks for the info on the steel mill! Those little details of information I think are cool to the whole story of everyone's HotRods. LOL I'll buy you a beer when you are in Phx next time?

 

I love this build so much. I'm originally from Chandler, AZ. My 38 Coupe was my dads until he passed away and lived in Chandler and Mesa, AZ until 2006 when I got it.

I love 37-38 gassers. But my dad would haunt me from the grave if I did that to his car. So, I built a model instead of my dream gasser.. It's the old AMT 37 kit with a Modelhaus 38 resin grille, hood and bumper


Love the build! I'll be following along.

 

Thank you! Love your 38, probably saw it in person at one of the local shows here in AZ ? Yeah would hate to tear apart such a nice car to change it?! Yeah, I love the 37-38 Coupes, great hot rods and gassers! Your gasser version would be great to build for real! Dad was out of hot rodding for a long time, with family and everything else, but decided to get back in it after I had been building my Chevelle, and was going to the drags and showing it. He was looking at getting another 37-38, or a early pickup. Bought this 52 Chevy truck that we spent alot of time working on and loved taking it to the Good Guys shows, and to Bakersfield to push start the dragsters!! Now I have inherited it after he passed in 2013 from cancer....Love and miss you Dad, every day!!

 

Sorry to hear about your dad. My dad had cancer too. Was your dad an AZ guy? What's his name? He probably knew my dad.

 

Cancer SUCKS!! My Mom and Dad were both born and raised So Cal/Central Cal, moved to Tempe Az in 71, and lived there ever since. Dad's name was Larry Pryde

 

Doesn't ring a bell, but I'm betting my dad knew him. We moved out to the east valley area from Iowa in 1985. I went to ASU for school from 97-02. Yeah cancer does suck.

 

I missed this thread somehow. These 37s have really grown on me, and I dig the direction your going with the car, good luck.
You know what would be a cool mod?
Cut out the louvers and swap them side to side as GM designers intended. I`d bet very few people went through the trouble. Keeping the panels from warping bad would be the challenge.

 

Just had to show you a couple 37/38’s I saw on a GarageJournal thread posted by @MP&C..


I know you’re still trying to decide on your rear fender trim, thought these two different takes would help you.