49-54 Bagged Chevy's-Driveshaft tunnel?'s

Hey guys,
Im looking for pics and input on driveshaft tunnel raising for my 54 chevy with a gambino notch and 4-link. I want the ability to drive with the suspension aired completely out, and will obviously need major tunnel modification to achieve this. So far this is the only pic I can find of what Im referring to.....



Im looking for the in progress pics of the tunnel, and what most of you guys are are doing with the rear seats and the front bench.

Thanks!

 

you might find some pics here in this group... its for 49-54 chevy guys... i have a Gambino notch in mine and 4 linked... didnt have to raise mine too much,, just a little from just behind the front seat to the back of the rear seat.. i cut my tunnel out.. aired the bags all the way out, then used a few spacers ( a few 1 inch nuts!) and placed them along the top of the drive shaft, set the cut out tunnel on top..tacked in place.. then removed the spacers... worked out for me.. good luck!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/group.php?groupid=94

 

I'm having the same issue with my 54. I'm planning for on a 2 piece driveshaft system to negate the need for any tunnel work.

Fingers crossed.

 

Here's a pic of mine and what I did to the rear seat bottom to make it work

 

Thanks Tin,

Thats the kinda pics I'm after!

 

Anyone else have pics?

 

Here is my tunnel. Looks a lot bigger in the pic. Gona notch my seat like Tin can to fit. Running bags on links so have access panels for the bags under the seat and access the shocks too.

 

Wow Chris, that looks slick! Nice work!

 

thanks, but I cant take the credit. When I first set out to bag the car, I wanted to keep the back seat so I was designed just for that, and my buddy Chris(yes we have the same name) from San Carlos Hot Rods hooked it. He did an AMAZING job. we are still not done still need to to the trunk, rear tubs, and little things here and there. But again Thanks

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=1378933&stc=1&d=1311135881

tunneled and body dropped

 

mine. It is now completed, just no up to date pics.

I will be using a 1967 Mustang rear seat. Fits the hump Perfect!

 

here are some pix of my 54 floor. made with 18 ga sheet metal. i made the three floor brace replacements that i cut out with 4 pieces of 18 ga before covering them with the tunnel. i did that for extra support, but is probably overkill. the seats will fit with modifications to the seat frames.

 

here are some more 54 floor shots showing the inner supports

 

Ahhh, now i see what you guys are doing. I was wondering why the tunnels were so high. I look under mine and I'm just not seeing the need for such huge tunnel work then I see the raised floors in those pics. Body dropping the old girl never crossed my mind....until today...

 

I have very limited tools so I keep it simple reuse the top of the hump and extend the sides to fill the void, you can even cut the top in half long ways to add width to the new tunnel.
for my trans cover i added 4 inched to the width and bent it over my knee, then bent some triangles pieces the same way for the transition from tranny tunnel to firewall, and yea my trans inspection plate is removeable just like it was stock.

 

Like I said like in my pic the tunnel looks huge, and its reallly not.. Im not body dropped, and my rear bumper hits the floor...(see avatar)

 

I see what you're talking about. I don't want to hijack this thread at all, I'll be starting to air out the rear right away (currently laying the front out) and I really don't want to have to cut into the cabin unless I absolutely have to.

Thanks much.

 

I ended up using wood stove chimney pipe to finish mine out, I'll try to take a picture tomorrow, when I'm at my shop.

 

Damn boys, lookin good! Thanks for the inspiration!

 

Here's mine.

 

can we get some pics of the seats installed please?

 

I don't have any photos of my tunnel, because well it's just a tunnel. Mine looks a lot like Tin Can's. I didn't modify my trans tunnel at all, just the driveshaft tunnel from behind the rear seat back. Not sure if I'm going to run the stock rear seat or not yet, but if you do you can do something similar to this for clearance.

 

my rear seat ended up with the same kind of hump in the center after I got done with my mods. No pics of the seat in the car yet though

 

I built a frame for the stock seat to set in, raised it about 3 inches. My tunnel looks like most the others. Pics to follow.....

 

I used a $20 2- piece shaft from an 80's s-10 in my '46 chevy. $210 to shorten and rebuild it, but it was worth it, No tunnel or seat mods, but I am running a 3-link, so pinion tilts down the further you go down-RIDES and handles GREAT (for 3-link naysayers)!
I would MAYBE have to build a small box right at the pinion and also de-pad/de-spring the seat bottom center a tiny bit to lay rocker.
It wouldn't be noticeable inside the car-no one usually rides in the very back center anyway. Put a chick there if you have to, she might enjoy it!

 

Seat frame sits on top of frame I built, the rear sets on the tunnel. You can't really tell when the seats in. I always have 2 car seats, a 3 year and 6 year old in the back also.

 

Everything they say ^..... I did everyday.

 

the two piece drive shaft does not require tunnel mod due to the drive shaft having a closer fulcrum to the rear correct? I.E. goes up and down less due to being shorter?

 

I like the 1st picture w/ the split bench. but should have upholstered the center too. Thats how im doin mine. not a 54 chebbie thou.