Projects My 1948 Pontiac Build (A little bit custom and a whole lot faster)

That's a great looking car - enjoyed the thread so far and looking forward to seeing more progress!

 

Thanks for the lead on these I found Burt21 aka "Richies" and I am working on ordering a set

THANKS

 

I need some help with my C Notch ...I purchased a great kit from Alex at Gambino Kustoms and he has some great how to info out there but my frame it a little challenging. The problem is that the kick up in the frame and the c notch shape don't play nice together. Here is what I am talking about

If I set the front in line with the bottom of the frame I will have almost no notch at all


Can I set it up like this? I don't see it being easy to make the frame strong if I put it up this high. Should I do this and add more plates to extend it down in front?

 

bump for some help with my notch

 

Are you sure you want to use the original frame & suspension ?

I suggest you try to find a restored original car to test drive yourself. I think you'll be extremely disappointed in the handling of that chassis, and it won't get any better with a big V8 up front!

I know from experience. Our family car in the Fifties was a '47 Fastback. What a Turd !

Jack 'er up and roll modern chassis under it. You'll never get that thing to your liking.

 

It should be better when I get done with it. To late to turn back now

 

I want to move forward with the notch been need more wisdom from the HAMB! Please help

 

Here's how I'd do it... if you have the possibility of getting a custom notch laser cut do it, if not then after you add material it needs a really strong gusset!!

 

what if you flipped the notch plate around. It looks like it is longer in the rear than in the front. Otherwise I agree with chaddilac

 

It is much longer in the front just the angle that makes it look that way. I think new side plates might be in order Thanks guys I will take all the help I can get

 

speters,

"It should be better when I get done with it."

Why should it be better? Hoping for it won't make it better. Obama said things should get better too !


"To late to turn back now"

It's never too late to prevent major errors, only super costly in time and money.


Do yourself a favor and at least splice in a late-model front clip with ball-joint suspension, modern geometry, and power steering. You'll regret it if you don't.

In original condition, a Pontiac of this era understeered badly even with skinny hard tires and stock rims. With the slow manual steering, it was a bitch to even park this slug. I assume you will add wide tires and rims. This will only compound your problem with additional wheel offset making undesirable scrub radius and super-human effort required to turn at low speed.Why do you think Sprint Cars have power steering ?

I'm only trying to advise you of problems you will encounter. Trying to save you a lot of grief down the line.

Good Luck !

 

i couldn't disagree with tom in detroit more!!!! "assume you will add wide tires and rims"??? what??? i personally like the time machine feel of whatever i'm driving!! if it's a model A i don't want "wide tires and rims"!! if it's my 54 i want it to ride and drive like the old girl was made to. hell!! that's half the fun!! just my opinion...that's why there is chocolate and vanilla!!lol!! HAVE FUN!! THAT'S THE GOAL!!

 

I needed to hear that! I loved driving my all original Model A just the way it was

 

Amen bro!!!

 

yes you can extend the fronts down i would extend them almost all the way to the bottom edge of the frame grind the notch and the extension so there v ' d on each side and weld bolth sides then grind and metal finish smooth what bothers me here is the in dentation on the frame rail i would make some filler pieces that you can use to weld that gap even if you have to do a double pass weld not one after the other of corse spred the heat around when welding . weve extended the notches alot like im telling ya just long as every thing is welded full around that side plate ! as a side not id rather have you call me then send me a pm im not on the hamb alot and when i am im rushed so i miss my pms alot call me 408 561 5744
thanxs
alex

 

i would try to get metal the width of the side plate i think its close to 4 '' in that area also i think there will be enuff material you cut of the back of the top plate to extend down the front even if ther is up to a 1/4 inch gap you can weld it also i would build that notch on the bench instead of on the frame a piece at atime call me so i can help you

 

Speters, nice to see your progress, i'm looking forward to see your Pontiac grow and grow.. say, i see you still got the fender skirts which are hanging at the wall in background of your last pic, they look like the Streamliner skirts for the 122"-cars. do you want to use 'em or sell 'em? in that case tell me something for i'd like to have a second set for a little custom conversion..

Cheers, Carsten

 

They are not for a 48 since they have the ribs so I am selling them if you are interested $100 plus shipping

 

yep, sold! pm sent, thank you! you right, forgot that yours is a 48!

 

Lookin good! I also am workin on a 48 Pontiac and just finished my frame notch and grafting a 67 camaro front clip on, trying to upload some photos for ya. I made my own notch using 2x4 tube because I didn't like any of those pre fab kits.

 

Frame laid out

 

Here is a pic of where the new front end and old frame meet, this is where the front body mount is of the original frame

 

Thanks for the pictures Nate! Looks like your 48 was once the same color as mine. I like the 2x4 frame notch, looks like it came out great. Next time I am up near the steel supplier I am going to pick up some more stock to extend my side plates down in the front .

 

Bought another set of spindles since one of mine was damaged and took them apart


Time to tear down a 9"


There is a lot to come off this one


Junk in the drum


5 cut off wheels, 1 grinding wheel and 2 flap wheels later


Tonight I plan on pulling the rest of it apart

Casting numbers

 

i had the same prob wit the notches so i built my own

 

Extended the front - I v prepped the weld joint and I only smoothed the weld so I can add a fish plate over the joint


9" is all the way apart












Anyone know a link to a good resource on 9" numbers? I am trying to figure of what gear is in this thing.

 

Usually you can just Google the numbers and find a reference online.

 

Just divide the number of teeth on the ring gear by the number of teeth on the pinion gear. For instance, 41 teeth on ring gear divided by 10 teeth on the pinion gear will give you a 4.10 gear. Regarding the casting numbers, The first letter denotes the decade, "C" being the '60s and "D" being the '70s. The second digit, a number, denotes the year, C6 being 1966, C7 being 1967 and D2 being 1972 typically. This is not hard and fast though, as some were a reference to a production series. Looks like you have a mixture of parts there. No big deal, those old 9 inch units lasted forever even when swapping parts as I have done.

 

So in order to set the ride height and dial in the 4 link I need to figure out what size tires to run. I bought the car with 710x15 on it but the wheels are in rough shape and not a matched set. Coker claims my car should have 650-16s. I purchased a disc brake kit from Scarebird for the from and talks about wheel fitment in his kit saying

"Note: this setup will NOT work with the stock year rims - this requires 1972-85 GM 1/2 ton truck or equivalent rims. This rims are usually 15 x 7", not 5.5". They will accept the stock wheel covers but NOT hubcaps. We are working on a setup that will allow the use of the OEM rims."

I have not purchased and brakes for the 9" I am running back there. So I am looking for advice. I can get wheels in any size and offset no problem but hubcaps can be tough to find in 16" I want to run a traditional tire in a wide white to match the look I am going for...what should I do?

 

Besides the impossible to find 16" Lyon caps are there are other 16" caps to look for