Projects 50 Chevy Southeast Gasser build (Purple People Eater)

They make glass doors for that? I had no idea.
Keep after it.

 

Yeah $900 for race weight doors. Will do


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Looks like you're using a kit with straight tubes and a bent hoop. Remember, your side bars have to cross between your shoulder and elbow. You can't figure that without the seat and pedals .You can't mount the seat without a floor, and so on. You are not ready for your side bars yet...in my opinion.
I would have recommended that you tack the main hoop and do your fish mouths and rear brace provisions,...all just tacked. Then take it all out of your way for a while.
Trust me . I've fitted about a hundred of those bars and floors.

 

You can mount your seats without a floor . You just need to make seat mounts on a crossmember.
A race car would not want to rely on a floor pan to hold a seat when stuff goes wrong.
I agree do not put your door bars in until last. They are a pain climb over when you do get ready for the floors. I tacked mine in for fitment only because they had a bend in them. They are out now.

 

Okay yes you're right. I suppose you could put your feet on the pedals without a floor also but that wasn't my point. LOL I've had a few fox body cars and I know you can't mount the seats to an aluminum floor. Fact is you can't mount them to a sheet metal floor either. I'm not real concerned about the bracketry and braces and welding on this particular car at the moment. Looks like he can handle that.

 

I pretty much already have my pedals build. I will post them after I decide what way I am mounting them. Basically built the same way I have seen several done. Clutch pedal with free floating brake pedal. The only real difference in mine is the clutch pivots on bearings. And the brake pivots on brass bushings.

As far as the seats. They will be mounted to brackets off the frame. As yours is southcross.

Also I said I was going to mock up the rest of the cage. I'm not going to weld the rest in until I get a little farther.


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I got tired of looking at that old front suspension. So the last coupe of nights have lead me here. Far from finished welding. Ran out of argon .

A few more pics from last few days

 

Looks good. Will definitely set high with that axle. I like a 4 inch dropped axle. Your car your money.
Your choice , I just like them to sit almost level.

 

Thanks! I would have gone with a 4" drop but I could only get it is a 48" axle. I just didn't like how that length axle look under the 49-52 Chevys. So I went with a 50" straight. Im going to get it sitting on some wheels soon to see how high it actually is. If it's too high then I'm going to cut the axle back loose and flip it on top of the springs


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WOW! What a project! Just saw this thred,You are a talented builder taking the time to do it right.
You will never regret it.
Good luck man!

 

I see you I see you are really going at it. Good job so far. I would suggest not doing anything about the ride height until the car is completely put together and running. all fluids and everything else. Then disconnect your shocks and see if you can bounce It Up and down and see what it looks like and then go from there.

 

Thank you! Yeah I think your right, to wait till I get the total amount of weight on it.


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I tried doing that once. Moving the axle on top off the springs to lower the car. Making sure the caster was right and the toe in. Everything went great until got off the gas and got really weird , like in the other lane weird. Put it back under the axle and it went back to driving fine.
That was on this car.

 

Well there goes that idea haha. Was it cross steer?


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Yes it was. It had a mustang steering box with all heim joints ends and a 4 inch dropped axle. I lowered it to try and increase my mph . As I was running IHRA super rod as well as nostalgic events.
Car ran 9.80's but only 128 mph. I usually only ran 1/8 th mile stuff, but was going to Bowling Green for the Hot Rod reunion and they run 1/4 mile in their Gas classes. So I was testing a few weeks before
and it totally unloaded the front suspension when I crossed the finish line and changed lanes and you didn't know whether it was going left or right. Scary, So I changed right at the track and it ran straight and true. I had welded mounts to install it on top or under the springs. I ran a steering stabilizer as well.
You can't see in the pictures but it was 4 wheel drum brakes as well and it stopped great. Weighed 2500lbs with me in it.

 

Yeah that sounds very scary, definitely don't want that to happen. good looking car!

 

Sold that car after a divorce to a guy in Wisconsin. Still miss it. Lost track of it and would like to find it again.

 

Oh man I hate to hear that! Seem to be a common occurrence unfortunately.


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Welding completed!


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Nice build, cool way to save an ol Chevy. Love the Chevy sedan shown in the thread backed into the curb at a show, very nice.

 

Well I am officially building a southeast gasser. I have been talking to Quain back and forth on here, and I am totally sold on the Idea. Especially since there will be a SEGA in Texas.


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That's great now open your wallet and start buying those expensive driveline parts. That's been my biggest delay on my car. Buying the parts that will endure 6 grand clutch drops and 8 grand shifts.

 

Haha yeah! Most likely be my biggest hold up as well!


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Great Build !! Ditto on the driveline costs. I'm building a 53 Studebaker Coupe to meet SEGA rules. Taking a while to build up the driveline. SEGA is a great group and Quain is very helpful. Luck to you ! Gonna watch and enjoy this one.

 

Thanks! I have been following your build on here! Yea I'm going to have to start getting all the OT at work I possible can for the drivetrain needed! Haha


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Racing the other old irons this season has slowed me down some on the Gasser, just freshened up the engine in the 53 Wagon this week, going back in today, bust off and break-in tomorrow, race it Friday.
What class are you shooting for ?

 

Yeah totally understand that! I dabble in so many things sometimes it's hard to prioritize things. Hopefully C class to start.


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I am figuring about 6 grand from the back of the motor to the front of the driveshaft. Flywheel ,clutch set up, throwout bearing. Scattershield, block plate . Hightower transmission and shifter. Yoke and 1350 u joint. Then you have the drive shaft and the aftermarket carrier , Daytona pinion support, 1350 rear end yoke. Drag race gears and spool. you are going to need at minimum 33 spline axles. It just goes on and on. That's what is holding me up from racing my car this year.
Don't mean to discourage you or anyone else, but those are the facts unless you want to go out and break stuff every race. Having to worry about keeping it together is not a fun way to race.

 

Yeah trust me I've priced it out already. It's doable but will take some time to build


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I did a little bit more this evening. Gutted the old wiring, gauges, and switches from the dash. Remove the heavier than you would think doors, Quarter glass, and front windshield. I did discover some pin holes in the windshield frame. That will have to be addressed.


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