This thread is where I'll document my 55 Chevy gasser build. I've had a dream of building a gasser since I was a kid in the mid-60's. Coming from that era, though, I liked 'em all: The Willys, Henry-Js, tri-fives, 39/40 Fords, etc. While I was never sure what kind I wanted to build, I've had many, many years to figure it out. All I knew was I wanted something that was different from the "run of the mill" gasser. A few years back, I was paging through "50 years of Rod and Custom" and was stopped dead in my tracks when I saw "my" 55. It was just what I wanted to make mine "different." A '55 with a Model A front axel! Long story short.... I met the guy who owned the "Flash Gasser" and took a few of his styling cues for my own. My theme is to build a gasser like a 20 year old kid would have done in the mid-60s. A car he would have driven around town during the week and raced at the local strip on the weekends. I started with the engine: a buddy was selling a bare 327 block along with a complete Hilborn MFI system for a small block Chevy. I had the block bored 0.030" over and decked. I wanted an Isky 505 cam and ended up getting a Comp cam with 502 lift - close enough. I've watched ebay and craig's list for years waiting for just the right vehicle to purchase. I just found it recently on ebay. Now I'm just waiting for the shipper to pick it up. I'm attaching a pic from ebay and will post more once I take delivery. Stick with me over the next couple years while I document my build.....
50 years ago I built my '55 Chevy Gasser, search White Lightnin' for details. Olds/Pontiac rear axle, 5.56 gears with the small block, Muncie 4-speed, 327 with a Chet Herbert #70 roller, Mondello heads and a Edelbrock ram log and a straight axle with Willy's spindles. I learned more on that build than any car since, seemed to do everything 3 times. But it was lots of fun and wouldn't trade the experience for anything.
Subscribed.I am very intrested in the transverse spring front end.my dad had one in his 57 150 before I was born.if I do a strait axle that's how my 56 will be done.
Did you get this car from Texas? Cause I swear I saw it a Pate swap meet. Almost called on it until I saw the radii. I'm a square fender well man. Damn nice car though.
That's the one! Crazy. Well, buying sight unseen is always scary. At least you know someone else put eyes on it and would have bought it. AND I can tell you that it made it out under it's own power 'cause it was in the parking lot where I saw it. Watching for updates!!
Wow! That's one for the small world department, huh? We both have good taste in cars! I'll post more when I have a chance to go over it stem to stern.
Thanks for your interest in my thread! I haven't abandoned this thread! Been real busy with work and life! When I have had time to play with it, I'm thinking this car was a former show car. The reason is that underneath the red oxide primer exterior and in the trunk there is blue metalflake paint. Also, the diamond tufted upholstery also appears in the trunk. There is chrome - LOTS of chrome - in the passenger compartment (door/window trim, glove box, kick panel vents), and under the hood (A-arms, rad support, inner fenders, hood hinges). I'll be starting another thread on the HAMB to see if I can find history on this car. I actually have some time off this week so after I finish my chores I'll post some pics. The one thing I have decided is to use the 700R4 tranny I have in my garage with a '57 Poncho rear end with 4.33s. The gearing in the 700R4 will get me out of the hole quickly but the OD gear will tame it a bit on the highway. Stay tuned.....
Looky here, I'll definitely be watching this build. Former show car? Nah, more like a disaster from the 1980's.. The flames looked like they were taped off by a 5 year old. Sanded that shit off in a heart beat.. Car really needed some slots and white wall cheaters on the rear.. would of really made it come alive. Good luck with the build
HOLY CRAP!!!! That's it!!!!! Was this your car? Your avatar is in the rear window!!!! Do you have more pics? What else can you tell me about it? No slots but Torq Thrust and yea, it will have ww cheaters!
You bought it off my dad. Basically the only thing we did to it was get rid of the old paint job and doll it up a bit. We had other projects going on and didnt have time to dive into it deeper. It was a good car.. underneath the blue paint was a pink and purple paint job with yellow pinstripes! HA! Who ever owned this car way back when had some bad taste in paint
Had this going on when we put the 55 up for sale. A little 60's style street freak we did. Not sure if you saw it or not. Had a gold flake roof and dash..
Nope! Sure didn't see that one! So is your dad Jerry L.? When I first got it I was going to replace the buckets with a bench but then I figured out those buckets are like '65 Impala SS buckets and they would fit my theme just fine so I'm going to keep them. Just trying to figure out what I want to do with the interior.
The first car I remember my parents having was a shadow gray/ivory white '55 so that's how I'm going to paint mine. There are just too many primer gray and flat black '55s around. Not that those aren't cool. I just want to do mine like my parent's car. I already have a set of hand made ladder bars from a car back in the day that I'm going to use. The wheel well lips will go and the radius increased up to the bottom of the side trim. I'll take off most of the chrome, shine it up and sell it. the battery will be relocated to its original position under the hood. I also am debating on removing the stock grill and using a '54 'vette grill. Besides the ww cheaters, I'll be putting wws up front. Over the winter i'll be laying out the model a front end. So those are some of my plans so far. Better get back to work now....
Thanks to all who have subscribed so far! I just finally got the title and registration completed and have put about 12 miles on it! I'm in the process of making room in the garage so I can work on it this winter. Currently looking for a complete Model A front end (anyone know of any???) that I can lay out underneath the car to line everything up. Will be tackling the interior, side glass and rewire first. Have contacted Bob MacKray to set up my Hilborn mfi for the street and will be sending out the magneto for freshening up. Unfortunately, that nasty thing called WORK gets in the way from time to time! Stay tuned for more updates!
OK.... I promised pictures and pictures we got! This is the starting point. As I make changes in these areas, I'll post the contrasting pictures. I guess I should take some under-the-hood pics, too. Well, stick with me through the process..... It's going to be slow but worth your patience, I promise!
I also picked up my Model A axle, wishbone and spring at an estate sale for $70! It needs some cleaning up but is really solid. Pictures to follow.
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