Why did they decide to use like 350 pounds of wood in my car? (it seems like that much) Anyone got suggestions on how to tackle this *****? My first car, im used to bikes. I really wanna stick with a chevy motor but i want something rare. I wanna keep the parallel leafs in front but im thinking about flipping the frame and running a suicide front end with the axle over the leafs. Im thinking about a 6 inch chop and a 6 in channel and somehow Z'ing the frame. If anyone has a motor that they are selling that would make this thing bad*** let me know. Still havent decided on what to do about the rear axle or how im going to lower this thing. Im open for suggestions from anyone. So far from being on this site ive learned a lot already and im hoping to learn more. Heres some pics.
You have found the reason that there are more old Fords around. Chevy held their cars together with wood. Ford had it own steel plant and stamping facilities and made their cars out of metal.
hey nice to see another chevy in the works, yes there is lots of wood, some guys and the wood is still good enough to keep, not in my 28 sport coupe though, i have built a t-bucket style frame for mine but now i'm wondering if i should use the stock frame, i,m thinking of useing a stock set of springs at the rear with some 2" blocks, maybe do a notch, for the front i,m thinking i could just use a different axle with a good drop to it, my front axle end goes about and below the spindle, later axles are the other more normal way and could be droped without much trouble.
I like the engine, I think it is rare and will respond to hot rodding like any other engine. You don't see many old chevy fours on the road.
has anyone ever attempted to tig weld the metal moldings onto the metal body? im thinking this is going to have to be the first step in order for me to lift this body off the frame. also i think im going to have to make some for of metal structure to support the body as i lift it off.
by metal moldings do you mean the aluminum 1/2 rounds that are nailed on, one below the windshield and another around that back?
To bad your so far away I'd show you what I'm doing. I'm working on a 34 Chevy 2d Standard Sedan. I've removed what wood was left and am building an all steel inner structure to replace it with. Not for the Novis but not that big of a job. Looking at the Bike and If "You" actually did the work on it your already one of the Guys that don't follow the Rules, That's a good thing. Some Common sence, forthought, Tallent and Time (lot's of time) is all it takes. First thing is to re fit the body. Mine had buldged at the center line and sagged at the B post. I took it off the ch***is and made a cart out of 2X6 square tubing with casters on it. Then built an inner structure of 1" sq tube to hold the sheet metal where it belonged. I also had to be sure none of the bracing would innerfear with the new inner structure. I corrected the Door fit and made the top to bottom conture the same on both sides at the B post. Then it was just re-construct what was wood out of steel and sheet metal. I also Chopped the top while on the Cart with the Wood out. It's a work in progress and hope to have it done before Spring. Good luck, The Wizzard
its almost as tho its just old. it just crumbles, yet some of it is solid. i think i could keep some of it. the door wood is totally solid, the rear window area wood is sold, the rest is kinda eh.... id rather put metal in its place.
I welded in 1" square tube throughout my whole 32 chevy. It took a bunch of time but it was worth it. Let me know if you need some pointers. I am in milwaukee too. My ride. http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/featuredvehicles/0705rc_1932_chevy_coupe/index.html
I vote for ripping it out and doing as Mike B suggests. I'm replacing the wood in my Model A with steel also. When someone asks if you "Got Wood?" You can say... NO!
Dont give up on it. There needs to be more early chevys on the road.My 32 had rotten wood throughout.I replaced it all with 1x1 box tubing. Shoot me a PM if you want pics of the interior
That bike not only makes me *****, it gives me the urge to stab my "tounge" through people's skulls and bleed acid. Damn. Good luck with the Chevy. Aside from the wood, it looks like a REALLY great starting point.
I put square steel tube in my 31Pontiac coupe. The longest piece of wood remaining when I got her was less than a foot long. It was an ugly process getting her back together but definitely worth it. Hang in there!
so heres what that molding looks like when it's off, i'd say it must have had holes in it where they nailed it to the car and then they filled the holes in, behind it you will find the lower window frame that is overlaped by the cowl top and there both attached to a big piece of wood with another row of nails, the wood also holds the dash on with blind nots that the dash screws go into, i punched 1/4" hole in the lower window frame and plug welded it to the cowl top, now i have to put the molding back on, i'm thinking of drilling some holes in the molding and screwing it back on.
I know what you mean, my friend told me, you just bought a wooden car with pieces of metal around it, and he was right! I am building a'31 Chevy 5W coupe. I replaced all the wood, what was a lot of work, by a steel frame that is positoned over the frame so I can easyly channel it and also altered the frame, pinched it in the front and back so it can have "normal"crossmembers. The engine will be a French Flathead with a 4 speed/overdrive Volvo gearbox maybe in a year or so it willsee some public roads.
ditch taht engine, hot rod = V8 ive seen that bike around town, the craftsmanship is GREAT.. let me know when u start workin on the hot rod ill bring beers over, i need more milwaukee hot rod buddies!!
woods a pretty easy medium to work with. you just have to look at how it came apart and put it back together the same way. if you have enought of the original for patterns you could prolly do the whole thing with a router and a sander. looking inside a hot rod and seeing wood is cool. I always figured if I wasn't a car nut I'd be a wood nut..... I can only imagine the money I would have saved.
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