Projects The 56 Chevy Continued Adventure Build

Will do. I'm interested to see the quality of them. I could easily fab my own as i have all the fab tools to do it but I'm budgeting time throughout the build so the less I have to fab myself the better. It's just the front portion so shouldn't be as issue from a quality standpoint.

 

Stopped by a fellow's place yesterday, he's finishing up a 56 post car, he told me that he had no issues with any of the pieces he used from Real Deal.

 

Boy does that car bring back memories! My Uncle Herman bought my Aunt a new 56 210 4 door in the exact same colors as yours. It had a 265 4bbl and Powerglide. My cousin graduated in 56 and bought a new Ford Fairlane Victoria with a 312 and Ford-o-matic. He started telling our uncle how fast that Ford was so Uncle said there was one way to find out! The Chevy beat the Ford three times in a row, no matter how many excuses my cousin came up with! In early winter 1960 my Aunt hit ice on the way home from work and rolled the 56 over a bank and totaled it. Next came a 4 door copper colored 283 Bel-Air. It wasn't nearly as fast as the 56 though!

 

Cool that you have the same kinda history with the same model of car. That's the best part about these old girls is all the memories

 

And the fun begins! Nothing too major, just got the car up on blocks. The front blocks are solid wood that my father in law cut for me from his sawmill. Weigh a friggin ton but I wanted blocks that are tanks! Hate jack stands and have no desire to be squished like a grape so it's blocks all the way. Having the car up nice and high will make the rockers replacement and floor pan work a whole lot easier. Rockers are here but still waiting on the floor pans and floor braces. Spent the rest of the evening going over the car with my son talking through the steps we are going to take and showing him some stuff. He's only 14 so has never been around the car much at all and this is going to be his first intro into a full build. He was too young and didn't have any interest when I built the coupe. I'm getting excited now too that we are at this stage. The sheet metal work will be the grubby work but has to be done so we can get to the more fun stuff!

 

I use crib blocks like that too, I only use jack stands if I have to take the wheels off of something. I really think it helps when doing floor supports and inner rockers and stuff like that to have all the weight on the suspension so nothing flexes in unnatural directions.

 

Same here for longer term work. Front wheels sit on blocks, and I use a 6 ton jack stand under the rear axle, so that the load is on the suspension, same as when in operation.

 

Yes makes sense about the flex if you're supporting the weight of the car in other spots. I hate being under a car even on a commercial lift at my friends collision center.

 

Floor braces arrived today. have to say I'm impressed with the quality. I was half expecting tinny junk but these are a heavy 16 gauge so very happy.

 

Looking for the drivers side 150 quarter panel stainless spear side trim. Was able to find a passenger side piece. Anyone have one let me know!

 

Took the big plunge today. Ordered a complete frame from Roadster Shop. I won't show any pics other than this cropped pic so I don't get in trouble with the bosses. I've always wanted to do a build with a full aftermarket frame and all the cool parts. Realistically this is going to be the last car I build from the ground up and with the car being in the family for 50 plus years, she deserves the best! I did a ton of research on all the manufacturers and different designs and then I did a side by side comparison of restoring the original frame and upgrading all of the suspension, adding a K member etc vs going the full new frame route. Not as far off a difference in price than a guy would think by the time you factor in all the fab work. Yes I would have done the work myself but it's still time which is money when you own your own business. This way I can pull the body off the OG frame once I'm done the sheet metal work, get it sand blasted and then send her off to paint jail while I have the frame sitting waiting. I will build my brake lines and exhaust and anything else that needs to get done while I have the frame on it's own. The best part is the boss signed off on the purchase so I didn't even have to hide it from her!

 

Question -
What are you supposed to do with your stock frame? Doesn't it allegedly have a number hidden in it somewhere? Did not see one on mine, I looked.

 

They do have a number stamped in the top of the left rail, in about the front seat area. It is a Mo-Fo to make out though, at least mine was, so I gave up trying to decipher it, before I went NuT-zO!

 

In the end it’s your car to do as you please. Look forward to the Tudor conversion.

 

luckily the police nowadays are clueless when it comes to cars and I'm friends with many of them in town so I'm not too concerned.

 

Finally received the floor pans. Everything has been so slow coming in out here with all the highway closures. Have everything I need now to start playing with sheet metal. Should be fun...

 

If you havn't already, try out the tri five forum /wtb section (https://www.trifive.com/)

 

I have one of those floorpans sitting beside my 56. (Spare). Waiting for the complete floor with braces to arrive-maybe next week?

 

Yes I'm on there as well. Actually found a guy with a bunch of stainless on a tri five Facebook group

 

Super glad i only have to do the front pieces. The sooner I'm done the sheet metal stuff the sooner i can get onto the fun stuff!!

 

Know what you mean. It's all fun though, just different amounts! I like checking out the 2 door conversions, that will be fun.

 

Yes I've watched a bunch of videos on guys doing it so I pretty much have down how I am going to proceed.

 

No turning back now!! Got the doors pulled off then sized up the B pillar where I wanted to cut and took the plunge! Hung the door and bam it's almost a 2 door! Well on one side at least. Next step I'll cut out the old rocker panel and I have to patch one spot on the inner rocker then I can tack in the new one. I bought 4 door rockers so I can go all the way across. I'll have to do some patch work at the bottom corner of the rear door by the quarter panel as there is an ugly patch that someone had grafted in back in the day. I'll do the modifications to the B pillar while it's out then I can tack it back in place latched to the door to get it relocated once the new rocker is in. From there I'll skin the rear door, cut the posts and remove the quarter window etc. Then I'll tack in the door skin after I get it shortened. Slow means go! I'll be sure to post more pics as I move along with all this work. Happy Sunday boys!

 

Go man, go!

 

Mint bro, keep after it!

 

Well not much of an update between our store being crazy busy, family over for Christmas and it being -100 deep freeze. Hoping to get a solid day or two in this weekend to get things moving along again. I did get my wiring harness kit in that I ordered from Coach Controls. Same kit I installed in the coupe and I can't say enough good things about it. In my OP if you want a complete kit with the best design and a super easy to follow wiring diagram poster look no further than these guys. No inexpensive but you get what you pay for. One of the biggest things I like is the major circuits having built in relays right on the board and each terminal being well labeled. Wiring any car sucks far as I'm concerned but this kit makes it about as easy as it gets. I ordered the extra long kit as I am going to mount the panel in the trunk behind the seat. Want to be under the dash as little as possible so I'll fab up a custom mounting panel and run all the circuits from there. Fun fun!

 

Really cool! There's a guy around town who's done the 2 dr conversion I think it's a minty green. I've seen it at A&W a couple of times.

 

Yes I've heard there's a guy in Cherry Creek that does them quite regularly.

 

looking Good

 

Some New Years shop work. Made the mods to the B pillar so it will fit the 2 door door. Fits nice and snug as it should. I'll get that all finished off nice and it will be ready to burn back in. Then dove in and cut out the rocker. After cutting the outside out I discovered the inner was paper thing so out she came as well. I will fab my own inner. Have a few patches to make to clean up a few ugly spots. The ugly work of any build for sure but considering some of the projects I have seen guys dive into the amount of rust repair I have to deal with is nothing. We've been crazy busy at work so getting time to work on the car is a premium. Hoping to get a few solid days in a row soon. And the beat goes on!