51 Chevy coupe-Sled to Gasser

Pitman arm is supposed to be here tomorrow. Were gonna work on it again on thurs. Pitman arm, paint the headers, get the shocks on and install some seats I got. Then we'll take another video of its first drive.

 

looks like decent work, but no offense its a waaste of a nice chevy...

if you guys gotta build these i wish you could build 4 doors or something.. in 5 years everyone in the world will wish this was still a stock framed car...

 

That coupe looks great! I'm planning on a similar build for my Chevy. Please post some pics of your steering box mount when you get the chance.

 

So far almost everyone loves it a lot more than the way it was. A four door gasser?! Gay. With all due respect, and remember i'm sayin with all due respect, your opinion isnt worth a velvet painting of a whale and a dolphin gettin it on.

 

I think it looks really bitchin. I have always thought gassers looked cool, but never had the drive to build one. I do hate to see a coupe done this way, but if it's what you want to see in the driveway every day, then you gotta do what you gotta do. Hope the tacked welds hold, it's hard to get correct penetration by just tack'n, and those front shackles are gonna take some stress, but it's better than some of the horrible rat rod welding I've seen on steering components.
Nice job.

 

Will do! Its goin in thursday.

 

Made my day. Definately gonna remember that!

 

A couple "gay" 4 dr. Gassers...Actually on the track, too.


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I'm not saying this to be a dick, and I've been trying to avoid posting on this thread, because I assume you will interpret my efforts to help you as an attack, but: You NEED to slow down and do some research...( ask me how I know ) especially if you want long-term satisfaction, rather than instant gratification.

Or you will be building a very short-lived dime-a-dozen, trendy car.
That's fine, if that is what you want, such as in the case of using it for a billboard for your business, BUT, if you want it to in any way stand the test of time, and get respect, it needs to ease up on the bark before bite ( if it's supposed to be emulating a race car, which I assume it is, since you are calling it a Gasser ), you should do a bit more reading about the very class you are NAMING your build after.
If you only intend to exploit it for attention for a couple of years ( and, believe me, it will only be a couple, as this trend is very, VERY near to it's laughable conclusion ) that is fine.

Longevity mandates subtlety...
A car that can look good forever, in any setting, has some restraint built in. Over the top becomes very dated, very quickly...AND, again that is fine, but, don't re-write history, or change the meaning of terms, when it is YOU who needs to STUDY...

Not bashing, not bitching, just saying that your 4 dr. Gasser comment alone shows at least some degree of ignorance. Not too many folks are saying anything, because they figure it's futile, and all hope is already lost with this type of build style, nowadays. But it is not. This is what popularity does...it waters down the real "root" of things. It's not because everyone loves it that you have few negative comments, it's because everyone that doesn't, figures you will just dismiss them, and just figure you will figure it out on your own, your own way, and in your own time.

Step back and read, if you want a Gasser, or, keep building your modern Streetfreak, which, by the way, other than being too high for my tastes, is still not a bad looking car.

Please listen to me, if you DON'T want to keep spending money, and time, pursuing something that will continually elude you, because you have the cart before the horse.
I have re-done COUNTLESS things, on most of my cars, because of just such impulsiveness.

 

The car looks awesome, but you need to listen to this guy. You may loose your nice car or worse. Really, you've done a lot of great work, but some of those welds are a series of improperly placed cold tacks ( front spring hangers to frame ). If you hit something with the wheels those welds are placed in a sheer and look like they will fail. If there is a root pass under there, than please ignore my comment ( however due to the depressed puddle and apparent lack of fusion I doubt this is the case). Love the look of the car and lots of the nice work you have done though and no offense to your buddy Dave.

 

I agree with the welds, they look very cold, and do not seem to be getting much penetration. It is the very first thing I really noticed. On something like front suspension I would want them ugly and strong rather than stitched for looks and weak.....Especially on an important spot like the front spring mounts.

Have your buddy do the same weld on a similar metal object, and then cut it in half to see what the penetration looks like. It really isn't something to take lightly.



You gonna race that thing?

 

Dirty Thirty, you're right. Fairly well spoken too and perhaps a tad more than some may take in the spirit you delivered to us. It is a trend or a fad that nets little more than shock value. I don't want to piss on anyone's taste but that impulse you speak of is dead on. Suppose you're cruising along at say, 40mph. A dog or a child runs out in front of you and you need to bust a move real fast. Where's it going? My guess is sideways 1st then over on it's side or roof. That's probably a worst case scenario I'm sure. I was watching a tri-5 in my area going down a less than perfect rural road near me. By the driver's actions you'd think there were cones he had to drive around. Straight line, fairgrounds, well OK. Y'all get the point I hope. Don't mean to be an alarmist just practical.

 

Looks to me that he's having fun making the car what he wants. I'm just glad to see it saved from Taildragger hell. I love the style he is going for. FAD CAR? That look was founded quite a long time ago, it is only regaining poularity. I would think of a fad more along the lines of spider webs and flat black paint. Hopefully that will go away soon. I can only agree that the welds need a second opinion. I also don't think it should have been necessary to lower the column the way he did. The column should have been shortened and put an extra joint in it.

 

He is having fun, and that's fine. And it's also fine to make an attention getting billboard. But that's what it is, if it's designed for aesthetics OVER performance. Not a Gasser. It is just a fact...it is a misuse of the term. The welds? Well...I am not an experienced enough welder to say, but, I can say that I don't weld like that, and no one I know does, and, coincidently, I, nor anyone who I know that welds has ever had a failure. So...my opinion is out on that one, but: I HAVE studied Gasser's a bit, and built a RACE CAR, in the basic spirit of a late 60's/early 70's drag car, which I really don't even call a Gasser, actually. So, for him to state 4 door gassers are "gay" yet call this car one, totally exhibits that he is missing a LOT of info, as well as the point. Extreme looks, whether founded a long time ago or not, are always date-able, and thus easily associated with a fad/trend. If he wants a car that is still cool in ten years, it would be best to avoid throwing every single "kool" styling cue going on TODAY.
And, even after all that, who cares, right? If he likes it...blah, blah, blah...
True enough, but, if you are gonna build something, with total disdain for the original meaning, purpose, and style, then just don't be surprised if you look like dickhead in front of the guys ( no...not me, either...) who WERE there, and started the shit, when you start talking about how "gay" 4 door gassers are in front of them while standing in front of an altered wheelbase, way too high, underpowered, non-hooking, improbable "Gasser".

 

get you're popcorn, peanuts...

 

pass the salt and butter!

 

No need...I promptly retire from this thread. .................*poof*..............

Just wanted to leave some food for thought, and then maybe he will pick up a book or two, or talk to some old racers, or whatever, and gain a bit more knowledge to go with his enthusiasm and drive, both of which are good qualities to have when building cars.
Have fun guys...

 

You are correct - those are not WELDS but a series of tacks.

This quote just strengthens the argument. You have not done any welding that I can see, you just have a series of tacks with no penetration, that would not pass any of the welding certification tests that I have been involved with. I can assure you an instant fail if you were to submit those welds for evaluation

Another correct evaluation

Seems to be a recurring theme here.

One more weighing in with the obvious.

Look man, I'm not trying to bag on the welder, but this is serious shit. If those welds fail and the front suspension collapses, who's going to tell the relatives of the people that are killed in the resulting crash? you might get lucky and not have a failure, but the truth is, while pretty looking, those are NOT sufficient welds for anything structural.

I do like the general direction of the car though, as a Street Freak.

 

One more thing...I actually like the car.
AS OF NOW....
It is walking a fine line just before falling over the edge into silliness. If it ran like a mutha ( as he is saying it will... it might be a handful, and hopefully not lose the front/rear suspension, but it would get respect. ) However, given the owners/builders lack of knowledge about the ground he doth tread, it could easily fall into the "circus wagon" abyss...


Now I'm done.

 

I have to agree on the weld issue.

However, all the criticism of the car not being powerful enough, hooking enough, sitting too high, etc, etc, totally overlooks what the OP said the intended purpose of his car is...cruising, and advertising for his business. I'm sure if he decides to race it, and wants to pursue that further, changes will be made. He didn't say he's out to break NHRA records with the thing, or impress anyone who raced a real gasser.

As far as the safety of driving something like this on the street goes, how is it any different than driving an underpowered, drum braked, straight axled traditional hot rod? Face it, no traditional hot rod is about practicality, good handling, good braking, or anything approaching modern safety standards. They aren't mom's minivan (thank God!), and 90% would be shown taillights by the same minivan. Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking them, but being hung up on the gasser/street freak build style being unsafe or impractical is pretty hypocritical.

BTW, I welcome seeing something different being done with an early '50s Chevy. At least it doesn't have hydraulics, and every tacky chrome accessory ever made thrown at it.

 

Wow, you guys all have a lot to say. Again, I appreciate ALL the opinions. The good, the bad AND the ugly. Dave has been building cars for a long time and has done work on previous cars of mine as well. The car is basically to drive around town, park in front of my shop, take to some traditional shows and have fun with. I dont plan on racing it as of yet, but if I do we'll look over everything and go from there. As for the guys that disagree with the build and say that its not true enough to traditional "gasser" standards, who cares! As we all know, when someone decides to build a hot rod, they do it in the vision they have for the car. Not anyone elses, right? If I was building this car to fit everyone elses view of what it should be then it wouldnt be MY car.

 

Brining this series of pics back up. I love it!

 

Chris,

You pretty well summed it up. I like the car!

 

Please take the car to a certified welder and have him go over it before someone dies.

Not to be a total dick, but I don't care how long "Dave" has been building cars, those welds are scary. Especially considering the components they're connected to.

What's the harm in having someone who is certified give you, at least, his opinion. This many people saying the same thing can't be completely wrong. Might cost you a few bucks for their time, but totally worth it, IMO.

mR

 

Hey Chris, I think the car looks great, keep doin what your doin. as long as you like it, thats all that matters. What did you do with the chrome wheels that were on the car when it was lowered??

 

Sold em

 

Shock mounts done and shocks installed today. Some more of those welds you all like so much. Pictures can be deceiving guys, the welds have very good penetration. I know a lot of you will disagree, but I know better. Theyre definitely more than just tacks.



Right side header painted and installed and a look at the exhaust from under




Keep bashin guys, Im gonna drive the piss out of it, like I have with a few other cars dave has welded and worked on.

 

Ive got a sec to get on here, Ive been driving it all day and its a blast. Ive got a video and I'll post it a little later.

 

Congrats man!!

Let's see the video!






BloodyKnuckles

 

WooHoo! Let's see the video!

Later,

Mike

 

C'mon Chris we wanna see & hear that bad boy!