Projects My second attempt at building a gasser

I had a super old barely started build thread on here about my 49 Chevy I was turning into a gasser, but I had no plan, not enough money and got depressed about the enormity of my undertaking. So I sold the car, bought another Harley and chopped that. Fast forward a few years and my back explained to me that it was in no condition to be riding a chopper anymore. Sold the bike, and used the money to start buying parts for a new gasser build. Let me preface this- I am not following any rules and doing it the way I always envisioned it being. My cousin had a 55 Chevy gasser when was about 10 or so in the early 70's. It was a cross between a street freak and a true gasser from what I remember. Not wanting to build a 55, I set my sights on a 49-52 Chevy style body because that is what my Grandparents owned and I have pics of me in the car going to get my first haircut. I developed a plan, started buying parts and looking for my car. I wanted a small block, tunnel ram engine. No aluminum heads or anything like that. really wanted a 4 speed but the budget said nope, so TH350 we go. Enough jabbering, let's get on with the thread....

 

Decided to chase down the driveline and scored some extras as I went along. The motor is a 70's 350, mid 80's TH350 and the rear end is out of a 1997 Trans Am WS6.

 

It only took me 6.5 years to get mine running (and it's broke again) so don't give up.

 

Stupid pictures saving sites. will have pics soon.

 

I was going to say "I can't see the pics!"

 

Got lucky, I was looking through the Facebook marketplace and ran across a guy selling a Fleetmaster frame from Arizona. He wanted 400 for it and I said I would drive up there right now for 100 and he said OK. All surface rust and if you look close, you can still see the factory paint on the frame as well. what a score!

 

I was buying parts like crazy, took the engine to a guy down the block who has a machine shop in his garage and had the short block put together. I was looking at marketplace again and spotted an ad for a 51 chevy for 400 bucks! Called him up, turns out it was legit. Body was fairly rust free, the front floors were shot as well as the trunk floor but the ass end was all messed up due to him loading the car on a trailer with a bobcat. Got it home, cleaned out all the junk inside, tossed the seats and anything else I did not need and swapped this body on my good frame. Bonus was that it was a BelAir to boot! Note the donor rear section!

 

This was all occurring in 2019 and in December of that year I was laid off from my job. Got a call from a buddy who wanted me to come to work with him but in Pittsburgh. We pack up our house and the gasser and move to PA. Covid hits and I am once again in danger of losing my job. I interview at a place here in St. Louis and get the job, so the gasser gets back on the trailer and here we are. What a year, but am very lucky.

 

Found a company that made a semi-bolt in transmission cross member that made it so easy on where the motor and transmission were going to sit.

 

great start...well be watching in the cheering section...

 

While gathering parts in the beginning, I ran across this image and fell in love with the stance. I am sure I will get flamed but coming from the Harley chopper garage builder scene, I am used to people who hate on stuff that they do not like.

 

doing good - keep posting updates

 

Why not, the gassers are cool. Do your thing.

 

Ok. Back to pictures. Assembled the motor during the Covid explosion in April.

 

I know I am jumping around some- This is towards the end of my 5 month stay in Pittsburgh. I started messing with the dash and then found out I was moving to St. Louis and had to thrash to get the motor in the car... on a gravel driveway.

 

This is about a week before we had to move cross country again!

 

Right before it got loaded onto the U-Haul. Does anyone know how to clean that damn glass off?

 

Duro gloss glass polish , 00fine steel wool. I have buffed a lot wi

th 3M Super duty compound and a wool pad.

 

here is just some random pics from when I started.

 

Now we are in St. Louis at our rental house. 1 Car garage so small I had to push the car out every time I wanted to work on it. I also got my nerve up and cut the floor out and measured the back clip and cut that out too. Most nervous time of my life as this is really the first car I have built

 

Not trying to flame you here, but that front axle setup looks pretty spooky!

 

got the rear graft tacked on and it started looking like a car again.

 

I know you are calling it a gasser but you are actually closer to 70s street freak status. Definately not going to chase down sports cars if the road curves

 

I should point out after I cut the rear tail off, I went into shell shock from what I had ahead of me. You see, I am by no means a body guy. I never welded before this car, so, in order to practice welding, I made my seat brackets and got them mounted in the car. The seat are out of one of those airport shuttle busses and they were free!

 

Winter was coming and I did not want it to rust anymore than it was already so I shout 3/4 of the car with clear and mixed a little mint green pearl in it.

 

Going into hibernation. Also started making my ladder bars. I bought some plans for some off e-Bay and so far so good.

 

OK, now we are in February of this year. We bought a house and the only time it snows in St. Louis this year is the day I move. Go figure. Here is the car going to its forever home. At this time in its short life with me, this car has seen over 1500 miles on the road, except it was sitting on trailers or tow trucks.

 

This spring I started to build a tube back bumper but with the license plate sunk in. I titles the car in Minnesota where this little adventure all began because here in St. Louis it never would pass inspection because I won't have a front bumper, windshield washers and a couple of other things. Minnesota will not only title and plate your car, they do not even care if you live there.

 

names the car and got "gasp" vinyl stickers because I cannot afford someone to paint them on. I will have a striper go around it and do some traditional lines, but I cannot afford that much for the door lettering. Also mocking up the exhaust