Well it was time to start looking for the next project. I kept seeing all of these chopped sedans that I really liked, they just looked so gangster to me. Like Kirk Hannings 34 - I just think it's the coolest and was truly inspired by this car. I tried to be patient hoping a Ford would come my way. Every thing I found was out of my price range. Then one Saturday morning I checked CL again, and found this rusty shell basicly in my backyard. It was a 33 Chevy Eagle. The guy had doors to go with it that fit, but something was different about them, the top corner to the B pillar was rounded. Come to find out they were for a Chevy coupe of some sort. So I went home and thought more about it. Only to return and make a deal Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Once I got it home I started doing a little more research and started thinking 'oh man what have I gotten my self into' and realized I'm missing a lot of parts. With no chassis I started weighing my options. First looking for an original frame which was quite difficult and butt ugly. Then I saw a post by Nailhead Terry and his Chevy on deuce rails. I liked and PM'ed him and was told its fits surprisingly well. So that was the plan Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I found an ad here on the classifieds that Bass had a couple of ASC rails for sale. So with the company van I made my way down to Bass Kustoms (very impressive shop with tons of eye candy) and made the purchase. They barely fit from back door to dash pad kissing glass Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
That should make a nice combo. Make sure to give them a nice taper inward so they line up nicely under the edge of the grille.
Yes Sir that's one big ass hole that someone trimmed the the lip out of so there wasn't any thing to attach any form of original material too. So I started reading about fillers on here and found a post recommending the roof section from an Chevy AD suburban. So I found one, and it has the perfect crest. It's from a 48 Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Slowly realizing that I was missing parts that I didn't even know I needed , and didn't want to make the doors that I have work, I started looking for another parts car and found one. In South Dakota, made a verbal deal and met the guy in Iowa to make the exchange Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the 2nd car kinda had a frame. I was told that the bulk of the frame was a mid 30's chevy truck frame. It was set up with a narrowed ford 9in. With disc brakes all the way around. It had some name brand coil overs. It had a mustang 2 front end and the cross member you can see in the pic. It was set up for a big block. With the bird shit welds and large power plant the chassis would have literally exploded on the first acceleration. I got it home and disassembled accordingly. Sorted and sold a lot of stuff making a lot of my money back Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Before I started strengthening the body I knew I needed to start on the frame. So I studied some of the frame builds on here. Determining that I had to build a frame table, I purchased the plans from Desert Hybrids. This table works well for me, I had it built and the frame square in no time. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
As I was building the chassis I'm looking for a front end. And found an almost complete 37 ford axle assembly that I traded for the rear fenders from car number 2. I used the front spring on the rear. Fabbed up some hardware and mounted. Also used the cross member from the bastard frame from car no2. Made some ladder bars and installed also Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I failed to mention that I kicked up the rear frame horn section level with the the body. And fully boxed the frame. I purchased the Posies flipped eye front leaf spring and added to the dropped front cross member. I had the I beam stretched and dropped by Nostalgia Sid. Purchased Lincoln backing plates from Wilson Welding with brakes. Split the bones and installed. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
With the chassis stable enough I was able to start fitting the body. But you can't talk about early Chevys without talking about wood! There was some wood still tucked away in various places I removed what was left and used it to heat the shop back in the winter Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Ok with all of the wood removed I had it sandblasted by a local guy name Jay Goode. There's 2 things that don't belong on a car in my opinion and that's wood and rust. Very pleased with the bare metal I shot a healthy coat of DP40 Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks Fan Attic, I've been at it for a year and a half. I'm down with a herniated disc and waiting on surgery. So I'm sorting through pics trying to put them in chronological order the best I can. Bare with me this is my first post Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
With most of the rust gone I was able to concentrate on the daunting task of replacing the wooden structure with 1in. Square tubing. So I bought a bender and the dies that were for 1/2 square tubing and had them opened up to 1in. it worked really well. It's almost like a mini roll cage through out the whole interior of the car. Radius bends over wheel wells,windows and under dash then tied it all together and it also gave me something to weld interior sheet metal to. Also used the roof bracing from the donor roof. Cut it to fit and put it in place. The inner structure is many times stronger than the wood ever was. I did this before chopping so there was plenty of support and no 'springing' action Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
With the body mostly braced I need to get the shaky ass doors supported, but that meant I had to get the doors swinging and latching. I purchased the mini bear claw latches and welded them in. Then positioned the door as needed and again bent and braced with 1in. Square tubing. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
i was finally starting to get a real feel for the car with doors on and hood mocked up Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I still had had rusty pieces that had to be blasted, so instead of going back to the blaster I built a cabinet. If there's any data techs or commercial a/c guys out there you may recognize this? It was a chilled water Liebert unit that I gutted and shortened and made a blast cabinet out of. Dumped in some glass beads and off I went. The doors and hood fit fine with room to turn. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The 1st car came with a 1933 chevy truck grill, little did I know at the time. And didn't know this until I got the parts car no.2. The car grill is much smaller and fortunately the car grill was in much better shape but still needed repair. While fitting the body and hood to the chassis I realized the grill was now way to tall , so I had to take out almost 2 in. To get to fit right. But first I had to have the old chrome stripped off at the chromers. so after it was stripped I chopped it and trimmed the insert, and with the truck insert I cut out a piece to weld in to fill the crank hole (funny word) then found radiator cap cover that I think is from a 34? The Eagle is cool but a little to busy for me Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Thanks for the encouraging comments guys, it's killing me not to be able to work on it right now. But this set back is at least giving me a chance to share Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Ouch! Discectomies can set ya back for sure. I've had a couple Lumbar 4/5's in years past. Listen to the therapist and do those daily exercises they tell you that you need to do after you are healed up and life is much better, for a while anyway! That sedan is going to be a hoot when you get it on the road.
Tell me more. my car is identical to this one and I was told it's an Eagle. Anymore info is much appreciated. Neither of the 2 cars I bought had any I.D Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I got a whole nother level of respect for guys who build Chevy Hot Rods. I love how this build is shaping up!
The Jalopy Journal
