This followed me home yesterday, (thanks to another HAMBer, RifRaff) So I have some 52 F-1 parts laying around and they are in like new condition, plan is to swap front and rear suspension/axle & i-beam etc..... under and use some wheels/tire i already have. currently changing my mind alot....... looking for ideas. I don't know much about this year, but would appreciate some links to parts suppliers (new and used) or other sites. gotta have a project start picture:
http://www.chevsofthe40s.com/year/1950/Car.html you'll find everything there you'll need to build your car, they're more like for oldtimer rebuild but they really do have some great parts!
If you arent set using what you have for the front end..... 50 was the last year for the huck brakes... In 51 chevy went to self energizing bendix brakes. A significantly better brake,and the parts are cheeeper and easier to get at the local parts hut. 51-54 chevy brakes can be bolted on the front. You need to get everything off the donor car. Backing plates, SPACERS, everything. Then you can just bolt it all to the spindle. If the entire front end is shot, it comes off with a few bolts. If you can get the entire front end off a 51-54 you can just swap em out. Doing that would lower the front about an inch. Easy upgrade, with parts that someone who did a mustang swap willl usually be happy to give you. A manual off ebay is priceless, but heres an online version..... http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/index.htm Good info over at..... http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/index.php? Those engines get swapped and rebuilt over the years, be sure to check the block and head #s to see what you have. http://www.inliners.org/ Have fun!
Agent009, go back and actually read the man's first post. He is putting a Ford F-1 I beam under it or at least that is his intention. I see way too many posts on the board that offer advice that shows that the poster hasn't read the original post in the thread all the way through. 52 F-3 One of my ex sister-inlaws (Brother's ex) had a sedan like that with an I beam under it when she was in high school. I think she had a Chev I beam under it though. I'm not sure how it got that way but she had it through highschool until about the time they got married. I'd be measuring the Ford axle and spring setup against the Chevy frame to see how it will match up as I thought those Ford frames were somewhat wider in those years.
took about 1000 measurements & numbers off engine/head etc.... and one more before picture: looks like a 235 cu.
PUT AN SBC IN IT!!! ;P That was for Agent009..... Agent will likely tell you to roll with the 235 for now, and I'd have to say I'd agree with him now that my eyes have been opened. Bought my ride, instantly began tearing out all the original stuff and but in a 283, 81 TransAm rear, th350, open driveline, discs all around. Yeah, I'll likely love it when it's on the road....WHEN it's on the road (now a year and a half later....). Point is, see if you can fix what you've got if you're really itching to enjoy it. The body on yours looks infinitely better than the 6" of rot all around the bottom of mine, so you've already got a leg up. Also, you've got a 235, way better than working on a Babbit 216 like I had. Just a thought..... Agent, you know I lurve you ;P lol!!
hahahahah!! Poboy.... I think you need to tell the dude who just bought a 52 your story, hes got a thread going front page. He seems about where you were when you brought your ride home. I may be wrong, but it seems the original poster on this thread might have a bit more skills then we had when we started our builds... Well, at least it seems like he has a garage.
DOH....that's what I get for not looking at someone's post history Hey, if the man's got a garage then he's already light years ahead of me I *am* the literal shade tree mechanic....except I don't even have a tree to get shade from after 9am
was looking through shed after work measuring stuff, looks like this ford 8.8 rear with these old uni-lug slotted mags are about the correct width........(will buildup and make positive measurement) this is a like new rear with a posi and 3.27 gears also now considering moving rear axle location forward about 6" or so, will have to see how much extra work this will add to the axle/suspension swap.
Whatever, it IS NOT a "HIGHBOY" unless that is some new gay fad from the metro areas of this land................
I think he's talking about a gasser with a straight axle and "high" front end, similar to this one. http://www.mantisrodz.com/directions/2009/05/cruising-gasser-colby-car-show-09.html
thats exactly what i'm talking about, except i didn't know it way gay. finally had a few minutes to work on it, got some paint for axle, front wheels & entire top of car. hope to have them painted this weekend..... here's the color, i call it sea "foam green"............ gay?
Great color, it will look good on that car. My .02 cents worth: you already have an engine upgrade, it's a later 235, I'd keep it. I'd also go with the stock suspension only slammed with fatman uprights and a cut coil, blocks in the rear, WWW and spinners. Put some Fenton's on the 235 with 22" Smittys and you'll have a nice reliable cruiser. Again, just my .02 cents worth. Nice find, good luck with it whatever you decide to do.
i have considering keeping the 235, i'm for sure going to get it running and keep with it's column shift 3-speed..... bullshitting with a buddy last night, he tells me i can have a 350 chevy he's been storing since upgrading to a 400 SBC. another good friend (proffesional welder) offered to to build a 2x4 barrel "cross-ram" intake manifold for the 350... also in keeping with the budget build i painted the steel front wheels (that i already had) and rear axle "i used a brush"...... gonna put another coat on.
So is this car going w/ the nose-up gasser look? OK. Then the tip's for lowering it need to end. Oh, 'they ain't 'gay', they'z confused! Back to your build, the idea's you are throwing down are cool.
had a few hours on sunday, got the rear axle swapped out (wanna build some ladder bars or something and change springs later)........ also dug out the 51 ford F-1 front suspension, gonna graft to the factory frame and see how it sits (will adjust ride height as desired later) anyone have any links to building your own chevy intake manifold? thinking about plugging exhaust EGR ports and re-route water flow.
they are the "street radials" with almost not tread new....... this have not tread left at all (i dont' think they will pass inspection) also just bought these used for the front...... hope they aren't dried out
Minus the 235 (still have my 216) this is my exact build. As mentioned, this combo makes for a fun, reliable cruiser.
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