My first project. Picked it up yesterday.

Cool project. sounds like fun. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

What about the gas tank? Easy to suck more junk up there, I think you are hand feeding gas but if it runs it will try to suck from the tank. Do you have an inline fuel filter. Good luck with the BelAir, I like it man. ~sololobo~

 

I am planning on draining the old gas out and try to flush any shit out before new fuel goes in and yes I am adding an inline filter as well. Thanks for the input.

 

90% of problems with 6v systems are too thin wires and cables and corrupted corroded grounds. Primary battery cables should be minimum 1 gauge, not the wimpy 12V stuff. same with wires to lights and horns.

Rule of thumb 10 gauge for heavy loads, head lamps horns etc, 12 gauge for med loads, brake tail lamps, other accesssories, 14 gauge for dash lights courtesy lamps, ignition to coil coil to points.

One other point you said this was your first project yet your buddies are rebuilding the carb and the fuel pump. You should be doing those with thier assistance so you can learn the process and help grasp the way they work.

With welding you should learn to do it also, and have your friend check your work. If you have critical stuff to weld like chassis fixes or safety related by all means have an experienced welder do it but for floors, and rocker panels, and other stuff, learn to do it yourself. Don't let your friends enthusiasm for your porject take the tools and processes out of your hands.

get it running, driving, and stopping then work on the body work, Once you are rolling you can get to cruise ins and swap meets and start finding sources for your daydreaming parts. Dual carb intakes, split exhaust and such. Good luck but go slow and learn the processes involved along he way.

 

Cool project man. Not sure why others are so quick to bash other people's projects. Keep it a 4 door for now and just enjoy getting it into a driving condition. Good luck!

 

Sage advice.
When voltage is low amps go up (Ohms Law). You need larger ga. wire to carry the amps.

 

Good luck, but, as your first project, please be realistic.
That car does have serious rust issues, and they should be your first and only priority. You sound really disappointed that there was a starting problem - you should be elated that you FIXED a starting problem., and looking for the next PROBLEM to be SOLVED.
You buy an old car as a project because you like fixing stuff.
Here's my advice.
Get someone to have a real good look at the rusted areas and make a realistic assessment of what it will take to repair it properly. You might be disappointed to find it will take 3 months of solid WORK just to get it to a poing that it can be safely driven. Then you can see what it needs to make it drive safely. Brakes, suspension, steering. You need to make it stop before you make it go.
Then you can see what it takes to make it drive NICE. tune-up, fuel delivery, cooling issues.
Lets get this straight, this car will not be putting round town this time next weekend.

Once you have done all the above WORK then you can thing about modifying it.

I don't want to be negative and put you off, but that car does require a TON of work and it may be that as your FIRST project you would do better with something that is in better condition.

That Chebbie would be a daunting task for an experienced rodder or restorer. Yes. Restorer. You need to restore it before you can rod it.

I would be OVERJOYED to be proven wrong on this, honestly.

Good luck

Mart.

 

Good advice although I'd deviate a little on the rust repair. I'd get the floor patched up along with any body mounts and worry about the rest later. Nothing demotivates me faster than a half finished and half torn apart car that I can't take out for a quick spin. A few holes and dents on the outer body isn't the end of the world. Get it safe and reliable first. Once you start enjoying driving the car around it might give you the boost in motivation you need to tackle some of the harder aspects of fixing and hot-rodding a car.

 

Heck yeah. Just make it road worthy and drive it while working on it.

You need 00 battery cables. Make sure you have excellent ground to the battery (use a strap) and the motor is grounded well to the frame. She'll then start in 10 degree weather with no problem.

A properly set up and working 6 volt will start easily. If not, something isn't right. It's not just the nature of a 6 volt.

 

every one has to start somewhere and learn the hard way !!!!

 

Hey y'all. I haven't posted much in roughly a year. Didn't touch the car in quite a while. Over the past 2 months I got it running. I cleared my head and basically started over. There wasn't spark so I replaced the coil and condenser and she fired up. Took a bit of searching online and looking around to find the timing hole in the bell housing but I got the arrow lined up with the bb. She runs real good, no smoke, good throttle response Added brake fluid and found a leaky wheel cylinder and replaced it. Last week I frenched the headlights using Merc rings. Next is to get the grill off so I can get a couple dents out of the fender. Time to learn body work.

 

Mr Joker it's new england were you can hear the cars rusting .Have fun boomer76 it's a keepa!

 

congrats on your new project buddy

 

....these cars that california guys run away from are like gold in the rust belt...there are patch panels available for the dogleg areas...,...not everyone can find a rust free project.

 

Everybody I know started with a 4-door, myself included. Have fun. get a tetanus shot.

 

Where can I get the dogleg panels from? I've looked at a few places without luck, unless I just missed them.

 

Keep up the good work. I, with the help of a good friend, am getting my 4 door Studebaker Cruiser up and running. It takes time and lots of work. There is always something that comes up. While the car was in pretty good shape when I got it, I did find rust that was just not evident at first glance. The car is safe and the engine has been rebuilt. The paint etc will wait. Hope to have it on the road very soon. I think your project is very similar. Your patience and persistence is what will get you to your automotive goal. Keep your reports coming.

 

Good luck on the project , take your time and enjoy will be rad when finished my 2 cents .

 

Cool! Welcome to the world of first time hot rodders!