Folks Of Interest New Ride, 55 chevy 150

I bought a new ride. A 1955 chevrolet 150 with gasser style rearwheelwells. A fresh 355 sbc and 4 speed manual. The car cakes from Indianapolis area, is now in North Carolina where it will be put in a container today. It will be shipped to my home in germany.

If someone know the car and can give me some history on this it would be great.

I sold my hot rod projects for this.

 

Nice score! If you know anyone else looking for one, my brother Marc has a grey primer small block powered semi-two lane black top style 55 for sale. His HAMB name is 55Belairx2

 

Cool - congrats

 

Guten tag und welkom to der Tri 5 scene!
While I was in Germany, there were very few American cars. You will be the talk of the town, and the 55 is beautiful.

 

Looking Good!! Congradualtions

 

Sweet '55, in an iconic style, enjoy it!

 

Sehr gut! That is a beautiful ride. Enjoy that puppy to the maximum/

 

Now the 55 is here in germany. I had to change the tires to get it street legal here.
before



after



the difference between the old and new rear tires, old 295 new 235.



short video

 

Why were the other tires verboten? too wide?

 

Notice ya mounted the new tires on different rims....gonna go outlaw and run the slots aren't ya! I heard it was almost against the law to drive a hot rod in Germany

 

Too bad. Large radiused fender wells with skinny tires ruins the look of that car. If it was a stocker, maybe.
- EM

 

At first I had one flat tire in front. Yes I used steel wheels for the street version and drive legal on the street, I keep the big rears for race events and will put them on. Like they did in Two Lane Blacktop . In the near future I will buy new front tires and reuse the Ansens, maybe with two new smaller ones for the rear.

The combination / difference big and little's was too much, here alre only two size difference street legal and the tire couldn't be outstanding of body line.

We have street legal Hot Rods here, most of them are traditional build. But we have many outlaw hot rods here. Some of them are trailered and some drive with a one day plate. This is a special version of plate to transfer a car, like a temporary tag.

 

Nice car. Sounds good in German.

 

It sounds happy. Old timers may mistake the sound for a Panzer. Good luck with it and enjoy.

 

Just curious ,what did the container and shipping cost, how long did it take and was a U.S. state title good enough to register it there? thanks

 

@JOECOOL shipment need between 10 to 14 days. Title is enough and we need a data sheet for a german license and title. The cost for everything included was 2.800,- Euro, around $3.500,- (container, shipping, up and unload, truck freight from Indianapolis to Raleigh NC, taxes agent and taxes).

@56shoebox, yes one of my neighbors looked strange when I started her the first time.

 

I got the Muncie out, drained the oil and filled it with new GL4 oil and changed the rear seal.
I found a riveted piece of metal that I want to replace and weld in.
I ordered a new wiring harness with fuse box.

 

I did much work the in the last month. welded in a new piece of metal for the Hurst Shifter, rewired everything, build a exhaust system and small other things.









































Video:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gql4SG7J-e-1wPeiT6Gdi9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

 

Ok the pre owner told me "minor rust at the rear". Ok there is not much rust because there is a big hole.
I ordered the panels to repair it.

 

Wow, I'd hate to see what they consider "major" rust

 

Yeah, it had "minor rust" and "minor bondo"! Whoever did the work had a "minor brain". But you already know that. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

The tailpan is usually gone in tri 5s. At least you have a decent trunk floor to weld the new pan to. Your floors also look solid in the photos.
Hopefully, this would never be an issue, but the fuel line run on the outside of the frame wouldn't pass safety tech here. A blown tire could take it out.
You're making great progress!

 

new car parts







So I Start with the front end













new and old, the old one is larger


Broke my bench vise, I used it as a press, bad idea.


I painted my radiator and the fan shroud

 

First side finished, except the Shock, I need new longer screws for them.

 

both sides finished.

So steering ist rebuild.





And front sway bar is in.





Next are the new body mounts.

 

I installed a Hurst shifter Boot.



Switched to a km/h lense



Changed the body mounts, old and new ones. On the passenger side where shims on three positions.








This was a front body mount bolt.

 

I removed the gas tank and all rusted metal at the rear.











After that I had to wait for the right tail pan (I ordered the wrong one, it was for a station sedan) and so I changed the rear leaf springs, the bushings of the spring to Poly bushings and put new shocks to the rear end. I installes a shock relocation kit too.

 

After that I started to align the trunk corners and pint welded it on.





When I got the right tail pan, I checked how it fits between the corners. But not welded it.

 

I also did some small paint jobs, like paiting the intake, gas tank and other small engine parts.







I changed the engine mounts to side mounts.





I'm still removing the undercoating



And try to get a "custom" front bumper temporarly to the car until I get it road legal.

 

Nice old car. its got some pieces that cannot be had any more and it looks like it has a good caretaker.

You're doing good by it.