Projects Midnight Special: 1935 Chevy with a Hemi

Because of the weight of the hemi, I'm thinking the engine should be supported by the transmission, not just balancing on the motor mounts alone (engine drop only at this time). What are your thoughts Neil?

 

Maybe I’m reading this wrong but are you under the impression that thousand pound drive train is floating in the air being held up only with the two bolts on the hurst mount on the front of the block? trans mount. Right there.

 

I had my trans attached when I put mine in because I wanted to make sure nothing hung below the frame when the engine/trans was at the proper 3 degree angle, tacked my motor mounts in then I could use some wood under the oil pan when I wanted to pull the trans out.

I believe he is referencing his own 392 motor that he is going to be dropping in soon, unless I’m also reading it wrong ha.

thank you And you’ll be happy when it’s done!

 

lol that makes way more since. And yeah don’t count on engine mounts to hold it alone. If you don’t have a trans I’d block it up under neath with wood blocks or a jack stand at minimum

 

Believe me brother, I didn't come this far on my build to possibly damage my hemi and yes, I recently purchased my 700R4 and hoping she's well enough to run without a HP rebuild. Just have to gather up the trans adapter kit that I bought from Hot Heads Research, set the TC in place, flywheel torqued to specs and begin preparing to attach the trans to the hemi. Two ways I'm considering - attach the trans to the hemi on my engine hoist as one or leave the trans on my motorcycle lift, then drop the hemi and attach the bellhousing when in the right position. Meantime, I'm waiting for a new torque wrench, some new bolts and try again this weekend to actually feel the adrenaline of seeing a monster big block within my rails... Should be very cool, no?

 

Heck yeah it will be

 

Looking great!

 

Well it’s that time of year for the annual update. The summer heat has forced me back indoors for the next couple months, but before it did I managed to finish about. 98% of the assembly for my little 241. Definitely pleased with how it all came together, break in will happen later this year so the next update will hopefully include a start up video.

 

Slick!

 

Really nice!

 

Got a few updates:

You may have seen my other post but I did get my 241 finished up and started! What an adventure but so very happy to hear it thumping. Got some carb work to do but I’ll get that sorted once she’s settled in the frame.



And a little video of it running for some audible enjoyment !

https://youtube.com/shorts/7uuDz3mrhjw?si=XdBidPMvLtX8Z29Q

Now I’m in the big final push to get this pile together and go for a drive!
Yanked the cab off the frame to finish welding everything and start bending up some nickel/copper brake lines.




I had to come up with a way to get my rear brake line around my trans mount that would still allow me to drop the crossmember if needed, but not have to disconnect the brake line. I couldn’t go over or under or through. Also Not having much room and also wanting a proportionating valve, this is what I came up with. Gets the job done

 

Really looking great Neil!

 

Looking really good.

 

Motor sounds great!

 

Thanks Mike! Hopefully I’ll be able to cruise it down your way before years end

Thank you!

Thanks man!

 

With the brake lines bent, fuel line bent, and everything welded solid it’s time for some rust protection and slight beautification. I wanted a semigloss black that could be a 1 and done job of my options I decided to go with POR15 Topcoat. Which I discovered there is a lot of negative reviews surrounding POR15 on here, but I had first been introduced to it when I was in Highschool and was working at Squeegs Kustoms, so I figured if it’s good enough for their projects, it’s definitely good enough for mine.

I got a run or 2 on the inside rails but for being the first thing I’ve sprayed larger than a motorcycle gas tank in 15+ years I’ll take it.


this last shot is a week later after letting it bake in the last few days of Arizona heat. It really smoothed out pretty nicely as it dries. From my perspective the finish looks superior to powder coat, but obviously a bit less than a full body worked paint job

 

Very nice! I'd be happy with that!

 

Do not let ANYONE kid yourself, POR-15 has to be one of the easiest to use (I painted mine with a brush and during drying, the paint smoothed out completely, showing no brush marks), ceramic coat hardness paint to protect any surface that it's used on! I painted POR-15 on my entire chassis way back in '96 and not once, did it ever chip or flake off, lasted with ongoing protection until 2007. This paint is so tough, I had to use a mini air grinder to take down to bare steel during my latest rebuild!

Your chassis looks fantastic - you can now paint over it with a color if you choose to! You may have to clean up the threads, like your brake line holders, etc. as this paint is thick.

 

I’ve had good luck with it as well. I believe the only complaints I’ve ever seen are poor lightfastness in areas that get a lot of sun, which I think they possibly have addressed with an additional or different product? Or it was just poor prep/ user error issues I’ve heard of.

 

I may have seen a POR-15 paint that has a UV protectant in the paint itself as well. If I remember, I DID NOT buy the UV protected paint for my frame, and did not notice any dullness to the black color in all of the years that I've spent in the sun. My '31 was never a show car, so it absolutely wouldn't matter anyway... Now, it's a different end result, I'm going for an early 60's custom show-rod!

 

Thanks! I’m definitely pleased

I got the ‘TopCoat” version that says it’s been specially formulated to withstand extended UV exposure so we will put it to the test. But also, this truck will also be under covered parking its entire life so it won’t be in direct sunlight, but only time will tell.

I’m not sure when they came out with the TopCoat version but I think it was only within the last few years, so probably wasn’t even an option when you did your frame. And thankfully from my old auto-paint days I knew to stuff some paper towel wads in all my frame bolt holes haha. This is definitely some THICK paint! Very excited to see your car come together, going to be killer!

 

With the paint left to dry it’s time to get back on the cab and finish up the last few details and get the undersided welded.
Spent some time getting my grafted window corners smoothed in a bit more, but a little more time is needed. Then mounted the original window slides. Had to make new knobs, I wanted more of a lever action anyway. Don’t mind the green tape, playing with pinstripe ideas. Also got the inner A-Pillar covers cut down and fit in.




Having a lift has been essential to being a 1-man operation. Not saying I couldn’t get by without it, but it has made so many things very easy, like tilting my cab on its back.

And getting to weld at eye level is quite nice. And on that note, the bottom is solid and the body mount holes are drilled to size. Also this was cool, so when I had finished welding the top side of the floor, despite going slow it still created enough warp to make my doors slightly harder to close. But after I welded the underside, everything straightened out and now I can close the doors with 1 finger. Victory!

 

Time to address some driveline issues. After getting my flywheel mounted and taking some measurements, I quickly realized that my T5 was definitely not going to bolt right up. The input shaft splines would smash into the flywheel/pilot bearing with a 1/4” gap between the bell housing and my hotheads Adapter. And the input shaft collar is 1/2” too long and will hit the clutch disc, also no good.

So, if using a Hotheads ( or Wilcap) trans adapter and a flywheel with a GM pilot bearing installed you either need a 1/2” spacer between the bell housing and transmission, or, since I had already set mine up and made my transmission mount without the spacer. You’ll need to machine off the front 1/4” of the splines, I also shortened the end to fit flush inside the pilot bearing. You can avoid this step by using a Chrysler pilot bearing in the crank flange instead of the GM pilot bearing in the flywheel, but you’ll need to machine a sleeve that fits over the input shaft and inside the pilot bearing. Then you’ll need to machine off 1/2” of the collar. So I fired up my little atlas and got to work.

back in the bell housing with my hydraulic throw out bearing stud in place.

With a fresh coat of paint this beauty is ready to be mated and stabbed in the frame.

Another issue I needed to address, my extremely poor choice for a seat. I thought it was a good idea at the time but ever since I got it installed it’s bugged the hell out of me and the longer I look at it the more I hate it. So the split bench is heading back to the junkyard from which it came.
I went back on the hunt and ended up with this beautiful rear bench out of bronco, it’s the perfect size and once I wrap it in a blanket will look infinitely better that POS I had in there before.

 

How've you been Neil? Any updates in the works?

 

Yessir! It’s about time I post some updates.

With the frame painted and motor successfully running I got to begin the coveted stage of final assembly, Or so I thought. After I had a beautiful rolling chassis I decided it would be best to pull my valve covers and re torque the head bolts before stabbing it in the frame. But when I pulled the covers I saw bits of blue plastic and little metal coils along the bottom edge of the head. No bueno.
The machine shop had installed exhaust valve seals, and since I didn’t know these heads were designed to run without seals, I left em on and it chewed them up during the break in. So I got to tear down the whole top end, pull the exhaust valves/seals and spend a few hours scraping gasket remains from every surface and reassemble everything. All n all, it took me 3 nights and cost me $180 worth of gaskets, but got the problem resolved. Now back to my previously scheduled assembly

Got the motor and trans mated together and dropped in the frame, which has always been one of my favorite photos during a build. Just a motor in a rolling chassis make me smile


Next I dropped the body back on the chassis using some semi trailer mudflap rings as rubber bushings between the cab and frame.


Then it was onto wiring, which might be my favorite part (said no one, ever).

after a loooong week and half, I had wires routed through the frame, hidden behind pillars, and tucked behind the dash. Far from perfect but I’d say it’s definitely on par for the rest of the build.
With my hopeful deadline of first drive on Thanksgiving only 2 days away, I got the radiator and grille shell mounted and discovered my fan was too big and would hit my lower radiator hose, and the spacer was too long making the fan hit the trans cooler bungs. So after a little bandsaw and lathe work, got me to the perfect clearance.

 

Thanksgiving prep took up most of my time so unfortunately I missed the thanksgiving drive deadline. But the next day I was able to get the motor restarted had tried to start it on thanksgiving with no luck. Discovered when I had pulled the distributor to prime the rockers I put the gear back in 1 cog off, easy fix and she fired right up. Also my first look of the truck mostly all together outside

Then the next day Dec 1, just 4 years 5 months and 10 days from the first day I set out to get this truck on the road. I pulled her down the driveway under her own power for the first time! With my son (green shorts in the video) and some neighborhood kids following me like a parade precession, hopefully made some core memories for them and cemented my place as the coolest dad on the block ha!

The sound quality isn’t the best but you’ll get the idea


took my wife and son on their first ride, of course they loved it.

So far mostly everything is in good working order, aside from my turn signals not working, but they worked for the first 5 seconds when I tested them then just stopped all together, I’ll go down that rabbit hole later. The biggest issue at hand is the fact my transmission won’t stay in reverse. I get about 7-10 feet before it pops out every time, might have to pull it and open it up and see what’s going on but I’ll do that after I get some break in miles on it and make sure there’s no other issues that arise.

But man, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing this lil hemi fire up! This was today, me and my son going for a neighborhood cruise until I can get a title and registration sorted and can get out on the open road.

 

Left me with a BIG ASS GRIN - Proud of your accomplishments Neil! Wish I could be cruisin' right beside you...

 

Thank you Mike, It definitely puts a big smile on my face every time that hemi lights off! As soon as I get my plates and can drive legally, I’ll cruise it down and take you for a spin! in case you need a little extra motivation to get your car on the road ha!

 

You know as well as I do, as much as we love hemi engines, I NEVER ONCE had a ride in a HEMI powered hot rod to date!!! Looks like that ride will be in your '35 instead of my '31...