so im a little slow but the diesel is freakin great you would have to put some big lake pipes on it and blow black smoke everywhere ...sweeeet.. i was thinkin going two tone on my 50 fastback maybe a maroon top with a satin black body besides that drop and drive
well folks its official, shes dead!!! so i got a machinist lined up and oshkosh rob says we're doing the body work at his place this fall/winter. chop, lower, rust repair, and some paint! as far as exhaust im giong with twice pipes out the back. also if anyone knows of any for sale i've kinda fell in love with the thickstun dogbones and fentons if you could message me that would be great! once again, lots of great ideas and i cant decide if i want to lose the trim or not. the bumper guards are gone for sure! the visor will be up for grabs if anyone wants it.
*Get it running *Lower it (cut coils w/3in blocks or air bags if you have the $$) *Sand it down to bare metal and fix whatever dents or rust it might have. *Remove the side trim only keep the beltline and up. *Paint the color you want it. I'd go with a navy blue( gloss or flat) with a gloss black roof. *Black wheels with spider caps and beauty rings with white walls. *Paint the visor gloss black and use it whenever you want to. Interior i'd do all in black with a gloss black dash. My personal note, dont chop the car. it looks bad ass the way it is. so theres my idea 4 it. GOOD LUCK!
You're on the right track keepin' that six. Whatever you do, don't put some janky ass universal floor shifter in it. Get that three on the tree dialed in. I know I love it when I see someone jammin' gears on the column! It's fun too! That six can really roar with the right carb, header, cam treatment. I'd go ahead and do a light port and polish on the head and bump the compression up to 9.5:1 using pistons. Don't shave anything if it doesn't need it, and balance it whatever you do! That thing will rev REAL HAPPY with a nice balance job and matched performance parts. I see you have a tripower intake for it... good start. May I suggest running triple glassbowl holleys? the 1904 model would look nice. Be sure to run a glass bowl fuel filter too! Cool car! Don't chop it!! -Chris
well, i think we are going to chop it. just a little too much head room in there for me... nothing too extreme, im not tearing up the salt! as far as under the hood its looking like using the 235. twice pipes, i really like the thickstun intakes as mentioned earlier. glass bowls sounds sweet! i also really like the copper fuel lines i been seeing on here lately. im also thinking body maroon with a copper finish on the bumpers... any thoughts? anybody done this? suspension im going to lower but im not a fan of bags personally, i like em stuck... im torn on the visor though. i think i just like it cuz i have it. anybody know how difficult those t-bird wrap-a-round interiors are to fit in a chevy? thanks guys, keep bringin your 2, 4, 6 cents!!!
nice coupe! .nosed, decked, shaved, 53 chevy grill shell, extended quarters with shoebox windsplits. 56 buick side trim and a traditional stance... all that added together, and you get a PERFECT custom.
well the engine is coming out this week and that's going to get rebuilt. I may also do a little suspension stuff this week not sure yet.
Apparently i was mistaken, the engine came out tonight! I should be taking pictures like the wonderful and in depth posts of all you talented folks but so far I've neglected to do so. I'm getting to the point now where I just plain miss driving a classic machine and really don't care if it's shiny or rusty anymore. Hopefully I keep up this motivation and get this thing back on the road. I still love all the ideas, if ya care to, keep 'em coming!
Red wheels, '59 caddy tail lights, sbc, spider web pinstriping, iron cross on the door,....hmmm what other cliche things can in say hahaha J/k man! Way cool car. I'd drop it, nose, deck, shave the moldings, some smooth early caddy wheel covers, shave the whole ass end, put the tail lights in a set of custom bumper guards.
The engine has been completely rebuilt and is collecting dust. '53 235 with a 'Vette cam. Don't know where I'll go from there.
Keep it simple. Chevy coupe's need very little. One of my favorites is Superflye's '49, which is a genuine Barris build. Welding up the two piece hood can be tricky. Full length 'bull-nose' center strips are still available, and make nosing the hood much easier. 3:55 Powergide gears, or '53-'54 straight drive 3:70's, will make highway driving much nicer than the 4:11's. Is your '53 motor from a Powerglide car, or stick? (Different motors.)
Early Vette grill / leave side chrome / frenched headlights / Chopped top / Lowered all around / Black & white rolled & pleated interior / Black exterior / Early small block with solid lifters and 4 speed / black painted wheels with trim rinds and small Chevy caps. nosed & decked / some nice pin striping (not too much) Hey You asked! Oh and a louvered hood
I've been pretty indecisive on this thread over the past few years. I'm going to keep it simple. Gears are a great idea AND a must! The engine has solid lifters and 45 PSI oil pressure if that helps. I love the coupes! I think just lowered on blocks and and lowered steering parts up front, static. Nice white T&R interior. Remove door handle and some/most/all of the trim. First thing's first, get it to the shop! I'm loving the pictures and ideas, guys!
Look in the center of the driver side of the block. If there is a plate with 3 triagulated bolts (as in this picture), it is 'splash' oiled. This plate is the oil distributor cover. If your block does not have this plate, then it is a pressure oiled motor. Splash motors had babbited rods (unless converted) and cast iron pistons. Pressure motors had insert rod bearings, and aluminum pistons. Chevy used both style motors in 1953; the splasher with the stick, and the pressure motor with the Powerglide.
keep it simple. get it on the road and have fun, forget the chop to much work for very little show, reduces total value, forget the bags to pricey, disk brake kit up front, new axle in back with better brakes, dual carbs, headers, and either a 700r4 or t5, and a/c and some tunes the ems guy
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