Projects My first 33 Chevy 5 window build

It's coming together nicely MM. You're doing some fine work sir.

 

Thanks, brokedownboker...I can't belive its been 4 years on this build, I guess that's the key word is "Build". It seems like I've had to build almost everything for this 33. It was truly a blank canvas when I aquired her, but I had learned so much with this build. All the restorations I've done have taken up to 18 months, but 90% of the parts came with the car/truck/or bike...you gota love it.

 

I really enjoyed reading through this thread. This is a very cool project and you have done some fantastic work so far. Great job!

 

While I'm waiting on parts to be shipped, this was a good time to finish some needed metal work on the "B" pilor.

Driver' side


P***enger side.




A little bit of primer and the door latch cover plate installed.


The p***enger side will be the only side that will lock from the inside...lock knob installed


Driver's side




Rear quater window granish installed, now I'm trying to deside if I need to install metal around the entire window granish. Simular to the one on the rear window.

 

I'm so close to doing the first drive of this build.

This is the first time in almost 4 years the 33 has sat on new rubber and just a few items to go for her first road test, and for the first time I'm not waiting on parts to be shipped. I have everything to finish except being painted.

 

Lookin' great,keep up the good work!!

 

Thanks Bill,
Right now I'm dealing with a little bit of a set back. I thought I had my rear and front axles aligned with each other but I discovered they're way out, so back to laser level, and tape measure.

 

Keep at 'er!

 

I pulled out my "Smart Strings" to try and correct the allignment I thouhgt was done, but wasn't.

It took a little bit of jerryriging to get the set up on the front grill, but it worked.


Close up of the string to measure for toe in measurment, and it can also tell if your axle is centered in the frame. Which mine is about 1/8" offset to the drivers side which I knew that when I had to re-do some of the frame work done by the previous owner.


The rear wasn't to bad the top bars had something to grab onto.


The rear string verified that the rear end was square and in the center of the frame.

 

Nice to see a Chevy getting so much love.

 

It's been awhile with trips out of state to back and nerve problems, I'm now making more progress on the "33"

I'm pretty much finished up with items going thru the fire wall. I desided not to hide to much going thru the fire wall for ease of maintance.
It however looks a little bussy, but a somewhat orginized bussy.

I chose to make everything going thru the fire wall with a bulk head fitting. The only thing not is the speed cable and the temp gauge.


Then I needed to address the weather pack electrical bulk head fitting, by itself not to pretty.


So I made a cover for it.


Electrical connection covered.


It still looks bussy, but with the hood installed it should hide a lot without stooping down to look.

 

Thanks, Bill
Never noticed before, but when going to car shows you see majority of 30 models are Fords and very few Chevys, I kinda like that about the 33. I'm guessing it's got to do with the amount of wood in the chevys, but this one I can say is all steel, even if it is all my steel.

 

Lookin' saweeet !!

 

It only took 4 years, but the "33" did her first drive today. I did a video for proof of life, but can't get it to load to the post. So pictures will have to do.



She has insurance and license plates have been ordered, but wouldn't get them for another four weeks.

 

While waiting on my licence plates to be made, I discovered that I had an overheating problem. I made a post of my problem and I got a ton of great information on what I needed to do to get it corrected. I've finished with all of the solutions, but haven't cranked it yet.

I did get the grill branded.


It's still needs to get some flaws out of it, then I might just clear coat it.


And a pic of while I was fixing my heating issue.

 

bowtie emblem is not correct...?

 

I thought there was something wrong with it, I told myself something didn't look right...it's upside down...damn.
It does look right when you look in your rear view mirror.
Changes to come...

Thanks

 

flipping it over won't change it, needs to be angled the other way.

 

Fill the holes, it will look better without it.

 

There's a idea...

 

Chevy emblem 2.0 re-do
I believe I got it right this time. I'm still not happy with it, maybe move it up some to be more centered in that part of the grill shell.

 

Needs one of these https://iandireproduction.com/products/ge04

Many choices here too https://store.fillingstation.com/dept/Emblems+-+Decals/cat/Grille+Emblems+--+Decals.html

 

I have a update on my overheating problem. I really wanted to do one issue at a time but, that turned out to be a lot of work, so I did all of the great soluations that you all have suggested.
1) Added a lip to my existing fan shroud. (Tested the air flow with 3 x 3 plastic bag and it ****ed it to the grill real hard)
2) Positioned the fan to the somewhat correct distance in the fan shroud.
3) Moved my transmission cooler from the middle of the radiator to the bottom of the radiator, which is actually hanging in mid-air, not covering up any of the radiator.
4) I changed from a 16psi radiator cap to a 13psi cap.
5) Added a radiator overflow fluid can. (which doesn't do much for overheating)
6) Had to much ignition timing and got it set 10 deg. (It was15 deg. and hard to start.)
7) Fuel pressure set from 1.5psi to 7psi.

I then fired it up and put a 36" shop fan in front of the radiator for added air flow.
I left the radiator cap off so I could see when the thermostat opened up, then top off with anti-frezze.
Put the 13psi radiator cap on and waited for it to fully warm up, then shut her down when it got p***ed 200 deg.

So now I'm thinking these issues aren't why the engine is overheating. This is a fresh rebuild, only 2 miles on the engine. I let it cool down to 150deg. Removed the radiator cap to check coolant level and it was just below the fill opening.
I fired it back up to see if the coolant did any movement while it was heating back up.

What I noticed was a steady quarter size air bubbles coming up thru the filler neck. At first I though it might be removing air trapped in the coolant system, but they never stopped.

Now I thinking:
1) Blown head gasket. (Should I re-torque the heads to see if that helps)
2) Cracked head (I did inspect for cracks, and could have missed one)
3) Cracked block (And also looked it over)

I didn't see any steam coming out the exhaust.
The oil doesn't look like it has coolant in it.

What does the group think I might have missed?

The overflow can


This is what my filler neck looks like.


The coolant level was a little higher when the bubbles were coming out.

 

I fixed my over heating problem, and did the first 16 mile round trip to fill up on gas.

 

So, what was the solution?

 

I finally have a update on the little mouse motor.
First the list of things I corrected with everyones great suggestions and ideas.
1) Verified that the temp gauge was reading correctly. (yes it was)
2) Verified that the thermostat was opening up at the right temp (yes it was)
3) I thought I had a 16psi radiator cap, instead was 13psi. I changed it to 16psi.
4) Moved the transmission cooler to the lowest postion in front of the radiator and grill shell. It only covers the bottom radiator reservior no cooling cores
5) Added a 3/4" lip to the opening of my fan shroud.
6) re-positioned the fan depth within the fan shroud.
7) Verfied that the water pump was the right rotation (And it was)
8) Test the water pump with a drill in a tub of water to see how much flow it had. (it looked good to me)
9) Increased the fuel pressure from 1.5 psi to 5.5 psi. To correct a possible lean fuel mixture.
10) Corrected the ignition timing, it was way to advanced. (not sure if that had anything to do with the overheating, but made it had to start.
11) Verified that the by-p*** hole at the water pump block was clear, and it was.
12) Added a radiator over flow catch can (had nothing to do with problem, except
anti-frezze on the floor)
13) Bubbles in the radiator fill neck...still a mistery. It could be that the fill neck is not at the top of the radiator and the top radiator hose is putting fluid on the top of cooling cores and creating air pockets and what I'm seeing is the bubbles from that...sitll not sure, but it sounds good to me.
14) Ran a compression test on all cylinders and all with in specs, so no blown head gasket.

The results:
Ran to the gas station at 65 mph, round trip 16 miles...coolant temp 185 to 190.
Setting in the shop without an external fan ***ist and was around 200

I guess it's now runable, Thanks again everyone, now onto the driving bugs that were discovered in those 16 miles.

You all and this web-site is pretty darn cool
Thanks.....

 

After getting most of the driving bugs worked out on the 33, I'm back working on the rest of the build project.

I have to figure out how to do a lot of the work by myself. Most of the work is now on the inside of the cab, so I need to be able to un-bolt the seats in the cab without a back up wrench. The seat bolts on the outside of the seats I can reach under and hold a back up wrench, but the middle bolts are to far to reach. My soluation is to do the same thing I did on my cab to frame bolts.

I cut up a 6 point deep well socket to the thickness of a 1/2" bolt head.


Then I tig-welded a 1/2" washer to one side.


Installed them to the bolts and welded the socket to the body, no need for a back up wrench.


My over head welds are not my best, but I don't think the welds will break anytime soon.

 

I like the homemade bowtie emblem,...only thing I'd change on the whole car mite be to lower the headlites,...super nice work on this project!
what color you goin with?...and what final wheels/tires?

 

Great job on your car. Just curious why you wouldn't have an inside lock on driver's door?

 

I haven't totaly ruled out putting one in. The inside lock rod can be effected by gravity, even though I have a notch built into the side panel to keep the door lock rod from coming down on its own to lock the door. My fear was if both lock rods fell down to the lock position it would be almost impossible to unlock the latch even with the override cable inside of the trunk area. Now that you brought this up, it might be possible to rig up the override cable are the door key lock to open the lock latch. Just more moving parts...not impossible.