Here are some pics. Got the flathead running but it has a dead cylinder.Looks like its a SBC. And yes I would use Ford motor if I had a good one.
For you Guys that are getting all Stressed about what's under your hood I say just relax. I assume some of you following this thread kind of like the appearance of my Daily Driver Vicky and thank you. Here's a couple more shots of it from different angles. Can any of you tell what's making the Rear Tires turn? If you could, would it change your opinion of the Car? The Wizzard
omg, my dream car 51's my fave, the stock taillights and grille are so perfect. Sounds like they will be history. Congrats on a cool ride and best wishes with the build.
Hey Wizzard, what is the rear license plate surround off of on your car? I want to do something similar to that, and I keep seeing different ones pop up and don’t know if I should pull the trigger.
Hay Pipes; It started life as a 55 Pontiac unit. It's been seriously re worked. I narrowed it, extended the ends down and re shaped them to match the 49 Bumper profile. Then I re profiled the back edge to work with the Deck Lid. The Wizzard
Wow! What a great looking coupe! That Pontiac guard may be hard to find. You might want to eyeball the '49 Chevy front guard, which are readily available in re-pop. Wizzard, Your Shoe' is a real showpiece!
Thanks Mo, I think the Kids help distract you from the imperfections. Those photos are 15 years Old now. The Wizzard
Got some progress done today.. After the new Aerostar coils and shocks were on, I put the Shoebox Central disc brake conversation on . Everything fit nice and went together. Went back to the rear and took off the 2 inch block and slipped in the 1 inch aluminum blocks my buddy made up for me. With the 1 inch blocks and the 3 inch lowering springs I was able to slip the tire in the wheel well opening with out deflating the tire.. we officially have a winner. Here is s quick pick of the Aerostar springs and new shocks and the 1 inch blocks on the rear. Tomorrow back at it. Going to put the power brake booster and master cylinder on the firewall and when the copper brake lines come on Tuesday from Jegs we will run all new lines for it.. this damn car is going together faster then I ever would have thought. Nothing has even fought us. I think the biggest casualty I have had was a couple broken cotter pin.. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Pipes, You mentioned "copper Brake Lines" do you mean the copper nickel alloy? For years , as I am sure you know you could not use copper for brake lines as it is way to soft and work hardens in time and then it splits. The new copper alloy is DOT approved I believe and I am real curious how it is going to work. Keep us informed on that please.
It’s listed on Jegs as Ni Copper brake line and DOT approved.. so I imaging that’s what it is..I’ll let you know when it gets here . Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
My youngest son used it on his OT Mustang and he also got the flaring tool recommended for the Ni-Cop. He liked it worked much easier and did a good looking job.
Lookin good Pipes, moving right along and stance looks good. I've got the same springs with dropped uprights, 3" rear springs yet to be installed.
I love catching up on this build. Having already completed most of the suspension mods that you are in the process of, I can say that my car rides great!. Be aware, on the big bumps, my frame touches the axle with the drop springs and 3" blocks. I raised mine back up a hair, to eliminate that. Here is a pic with the 3" blocks installed.
Today helped my friends dad get ready for his move, which means we moved his Bridgeport and the lathe next to the door of his garage. Guess this means I’m running out of time! After we did that we did managed a small amount of work on the 51. Got the new rear brake line plumbed in over the rear and hooked up to the drums, then ran all new from the back up to where the booster will be in the engine compartment. Just need to flare out the line where it goes to the proportioning valve and that line is done. Decided to hold off mounting the new booster and master cylinder this weekend. Since the previous owner mounted an old brake cylinder and clutch cylinder on the firewall and the new set up doesn’t quite like up with the old holes, we are going to cut out the metal there. weld new in , so I don’t have all those holes,and make it all line up right with new mounting holes. Came home tonight pretty beat but hopped on the computer and blew a bunch of money on new parts. I nearly bought a tri powered intake and carbs yesterday.. really wanted to do it but it was all primary carbs and they had drilled out the mounting holes on the intake to make it work with the 4 bolt Rochester carbs, instead of the 94s he was selling with it. In the end it woulda cost me nearly the same price as a new set up so I passed. So in stead I ordered a new radiator, hei distributor, 1 wire alternator, new fan, front and rear sway bars, new speedo cable, twilight housing and gaskets and bezels to switch from the 51 to the 49-50 style.. and a few other bits and pieces. I am dropping off a turbo 350 trans to get rebuilt on Monday, so I think the only other thing I need is a new battery, the shift gate and bracket to swap my Gennie shifter to fit the 350 trans instead of the c4. I also got to figure out the oil pan. I’m thinking we are just going to modify the old nova pan I have to it fits better,Then I can get the driveshaft cut and take this thing for a ride.. would be nice to be able to drive it home instead of having to put it on a trailer . Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Just found this build and read thru it, really like the direction and how you go about a project. Chevy / Ford engine, doesnt matter to me. Running and driving is where its at. Stance is great. Keep the updates coming.
Thanks guys, it’s been crazy last few weeks, been working overtime everyday and on top of that Im remodeling the kitchen plus helping the guys who lift I’m using to do his so he can sell his place. Things have been nuts. The car is sitting on the lift now for almost a week. Took out the power glide housing and was going to put the turbo 350 in it but it starting pouring. I’m hoping to get over there today so I can finally get the trans in there. Still need to weld up the holes in the firewall where the previous owner had drilled them out for the master cylinder and clutch cylinder since the new booster doesn’t quite live up and having the extra holes in there will drive me nuts. Metal is already cut and drilled out just need the time to do it. After that I can finish making and hooking up the brake lines. I have a list of thinks I need to get done in the next 2 weeks or so. 1. Install trans and cut hole for shifter. 2 weld up holes I’m firewall and install brake booster and master cylinder. 3. Finish making front brake lines and hook up proportions valve. 4. Install new fan and new radiator. 5. Make transmission lines. 6. Get rear lined up and figure out the proper degree it needs to be. Then weld perches permanately. 7. Measure for driveshaft and get that cut down and balanced. 8. Install front and read sway bars. 9. Install new distributor and alternator. 10.figure out what I’m going to do as far as oil pan/ steering upgrade kit. 11. Get the rockers patched up. Going to be some long days ahead, and a short time to get it done.
Long day!!!Got the transmission in and the Gennie shifter tonight. Had time since it was still light out so put on the new sway bar. Tomorrow I m installing the rear sway bar and hopefully the radiator. Trying to get as much done as possible. My Buddy that’s letting me use his lift and garage plans to load up the last of his stuff in 3 weeks and haul ass to Tennessee. After that it’s back to working in the driveway at my house. Hopefully I’ll be able to drive it home instead of trailering it. Couple of pics from tonight.. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Pipes, What are your ideas and upgrading that dropped steering arm? I now have two cars with that Shoebox steering. My 50 Coupe and I have since purchased a 53 Ford and it has the exact same setup. The 53 is going to get almost the same deal as your car with an early 327 and a TH350 so I am curious as to your ideas and plans.
Right now I’m thinking I’m going to have a friend redo the dropped center link. Make it a bit shorter and a bit sturdier. I do have the steering upgrade kit from shoebox central. But to use that I need to get the oil pan and pump from a Chevy II, and possibly notch out the crossmember a little bit. Think that will be next springs project. Right now I want to see how the little 283 runs with it before I sink to much more money in it. Im still a ford guy, and if I wasn’t trying to build a traditional style mild custom I’d drop a ford power plant in it and stick in the steering upgrade kit. The kit is pretty well made. Who knows I might just swap out the pans and see how it goes. I hear guys used it with shoebox Central or Jamco motor mount kit, but I have an old Hurst front style motor mount. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The list so far.. 1. Install trans and cut hole for shifter. DONE! 2 weld up holes in firewall and install brake booster and master cylinder. 3. Finish making front brake lines and hook up proportions valve. 4. Install new fan and new radiator. DONE!! 5. Make transmission lines. DONE!! 6. Get rear lined up and figure out the proper degree it needs to be. Then weld perches permanately. DONE!! 7. Measure for driveshaft and get that cut down and balanced. ORDERED!! 8. Install front and rear sway bars. DONE!! 9. Install new distributor and alternator. 10.figure out what I’m going to do as far as oil pan/ steering upgrade kit. 11. Get the rockers patched up. STARTED!! Some new additions 12. Clean out gas tank and re-install. 13. Install electric fuel pump 14. mount transmission cross member just came home for some lunch and some boxes to sort out all the stuff in the trunk of car. going back hoping to knockout the gastank and see what else i can start..
Rockers are done, master cylinder and booster mounted to fire wall, and brake lines ran. Proportioning valve installed and lines from M/c connected, but the damn double flaring tool die broke so now I got to get a new one so I can flare the last two lines and connect to proportioning valve. Driveshaft should be here this week ,as well as the new transmission cross member. And electric fuel pump.If I don’t get to it today, then tomorrow I’ll install the gas tank. With any luck I might have it running and driving this weekend. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Got the rest of the brake lines ran, had a hell of a time with the flaring tool. For some reason it was pushing it over more to one side , so had to get an old one and that seemed to work. Still having an issue with one of the lines leaking at the proportioning valve but other then that brake lines need a final bleeding. Drive shaft is in. Really happy with Southwest Speed. I called a local place and they wanted 180 to shorten and balance a driveshaft, another 70 for a new yoke. Mines pretty crusty. With the power glide housing in the car the driveshaft the previous owner gave me ,was to long. With the turbo 350 it was too short. I called back to the local shop and it was over 400.00 to make one. I stumbled across Southwest Speed on Amazon then went to their website. They had every driveshaft with in half inch increments . It cost me 229.00 with shipping, for a new precision balanced driveshaft and yoke and Ujoints. It feels just as sturdy if not more then the old driveshaft and well built . Definitely worth looking into if anyone needs one. After that we got my Speedway transmission crossmember cut down and welded in place. Then took the emergency brake brackets and welded them to crossmember. Fits real nice. And only cost 50 bucks compared to Jamco’s. Hooked up new dipstick tube, ran the trans lines, the speedo cable, and bunch of other stuff I forgot. All that’s left is bleed brakes, hook up gas tank and fuel pump, run a line to the modular on the trans. I’m waiting on a friend about an aluminum intake with oil fill before I put the new distributor on. After that I’m taking the damn thing for a test drive. Can’t wait. On a side note, I didn’t install the upgraded steering kit from Shoebox Central yet. We are actually looking into modifying the centerlink so it works with the rear sump pan. Got an idea that I think will work. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
The Jalopy Journal
