I've got this 54 Belair,nice car,could'nt leave it alone. We enjoyed driving it with the 235 powerglide last year. Sweet ride, ran great. I took it apart, sold the engine and drive train and set about putting a retired U.S. Army 302 GMC in it. We opened the pan to put in a new rear main seal to find cylinders you can still see cross hatch in. Sealed it up and on a test fire, it showed 125 lbs of pressure a cylinder.Time to fit it in it's new home Used the stock location on the cross member and made a sadle for the stock GMC motor mount. Some cutting and cussing and it fit's like a glove. Well sort of like O.J.'s glove
Looks like the South Omaha Turds will no longer be waiting for xderelect to catch up. That's a way cool setup. The T-5 ought to be a perfect match as long as you don't get too silly about smokey burn outs and do-nuts.
I'll leave the smokey burnouts to Rob Lee. I should be able to keep up once we get her rolling. 302GMC on the board here has been a real help. He let me buy this Nicson intake and came up with a 6 bolt flywheel for me. I do appreciate the help. I put a set of split chevy headers on.Takes a little carving but they work. I welded a heat plate to the rear header to transfer heat to the riser on the intake.Then I fabed up some linkage to ride under the intake. It will be a clean set up.
I've put a 55 Chevy rear with 3 inch blocks on the stock springs. I've been collecting bits and pieces for a Chevy custom before the 54 showed up. Like these T bird seats I got for $10.00 at a Lincoln swap meet 4 or 5 years ago. Or this Olds rear roof section.
It's a bigger engine than the 235 buy about 2 inches in length,taller and wider also. The 302 is a 4 inch square engine. 4 inch bore on a 4 inch stroke. Going to extend the drive shaft tunnel to accomodate the engine placement. I'd rather build a set back in the firewall than deal with radiator saddle and hood latch placement with it more forward. That and the weight behind the front axel instead of on top.
I was confused at first why you would ditch a good 235, but what a great decision! GMC's rock torque monsters.... Should be cool!
Burn outs?? We wouldn't do no stinkin burn outs! Liar liar, pants on fire! Rob Lee is being considered for the Guiness book of Records for burnouts and dirt slingin donuts. The Bel Air is looking so cool man, we Turds seem to be on a 302 romp, as Rob and Bill nestled the little 302 v/8 into Rusty the Ranch wagon yesterday, fit in like a factory job with the great help from the H.A.M.B. thread giving us some tips and motor mounts that worked like a charm. The tranny mount looks real workable also. Wish my 302 was the tourque monster the "Sargent" that I am dubbing Dick's 302. The Nixson intake and the headers are sweet, and the mount he fabbed for the front and back are really great. The balance of weight in the 54 will be outstanding and make it drive excellent. Rock on bro!! ~sololobo~btt please
Looks very nice. Keep at it. You might have to notch the front seat to clear that tail shaft. Godspeed MrC.
Got the firewall and drive shaft tunnel welded up. That's a lot of welding. Did some work to fit the rear T-Bird seats. Time to work out some brake and clutch linkage while the engine is out. I want a two pot master cylinder for the brakes and a hydraulic clutch. Going to use a stock master for the cluth and add a two pot behind it for the brake. The cylinders should line up like this, the brake pedal pushing the two pot and the clutch pedal pushing the other.
Man that's looking sharp Dick! Looks like the car is well on its way! As for Rob doing burnouts, my wife still talks about her and Rob "cutting cookies" in Joplin after the H.A.M.B. drags!
Great progress, Dick! Should be fun to drive, for sure... Good to see you and Rob at the Wahoo Swap Meet yesterday! Malcolm
I got the master cylinders and pedal arms switched. There is a Chevy two pot for the brake and a OEM 54 Chevy pushing a slave for the clutch.I can drop the 302 in tomorrow.
beautiful build you have going..... are you the tattooist "warsocki" ? if so, you tattooed a couple of my buddies in palm beach florida at louie lombies tattoo paradise back in the early 90's.... i wish i would have gotten tattooed by you, if this is you.... and if this is you, do you still visit south florida to tattoo ? thanks.....
That's me. I hope their arms didn't fall off .... I liked coming to Florida but I've pretty much packed up my machines. About all my hands are good for is beating on things. I've not forgotten you Ryno.