Projects 1955 Belair *First build thread!*

I had a few good days here.
My car funds have been almost non-existant for a while But i locked myself in the shop and finally got my fuel tank installed, along with my electric fan.

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Fan is from a taurus, it took just a little trimming to fit it. Covers the radiator damn near perfect!.
Wired it to a temp switch, with an override for strip staging etc. or whenever i want it on manually.
This thing moves alotta air for sure, and it was free (traded used junk for it)

Also i'm pretty damn proud of my fuel tank... I't finally came full circle when i painted it and hung it.
I like it, because RACECAR
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I also cleaned up the engine bay a bit tied up wires n such.
This thing is almost READY TO ROCK!!! Im pumped!


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I'm still trying to figure out the throttle linkage
I can use the stock arm-thingy. So i'm working on a way to cut it up and convert it to the more hodern "hanging" type.

 

I ran into the same problem with my recessed firewall..
ended up using a floor mount lokar type cable pedal...

 

Looking good!! Can't wait to see it finished!!

 

Hey Johnny, getting close. I had an issue with my throttle linkage due to a recessed fire wall. I ended up making a set up similar to some of the modified dirt car set up. Placed a 1/2" pillow block bearing to the inside firewall at a right angle to the firewall. Ran a 1/2" steel shaft through it somewhere behind the Dist. slid a 1/2" heim end on the shaft and welded a threaded bung into a piece of dom scrap and welded a flange to the bottom and bolted it to the firewall for support of this shaft hamgging out in mid air.lol. welded an arm of a bearing support for carb hook up and a piece of flat stock hanging down to press on with my foot. Works pretty good and was real adjustable when I wend from single carb to 2 tunnel ram carbs. Going out to the strip Fri. night to see how she runs from last January withall the mods I've done. Talk to you later. Keep up the good work. Just do a little every day.

 

lookin good man!

 

Thanks dudes.

It's coming along. I've been having issues with the starter...AKA broke a tooth off my new flexplate.
Figured out i used the wrong bolts (No cap head or knurling on the shank).

Gotta get that fixed and get front tires. One seperated and blew out while it was up on jackstands. Which is fine cause they were on the car when i got it, so i didnt trust um' anyways obviously.

Once both those things are outta the way, It SHOULD move under its own power!

Its killing me, I'm soo close. I'm ready to go out and represent with this bad bitch!

 

Hi Johnie, glad you got the starter think worked out. Now youneed to step up to the plate and start abusing the credit cards to get this thing done.lol. Just kidding, do what ever you feel comfortable with. I have abused mione in the past to get past a certain point and keep the project moving ahead when I had time to work on it like winter. Anyway more good news. After running the 55 in the Midnite mayhem race in Jan of this year and going home with a best of 14.40 et into a 30 mph wind I'me been working on the motor with a cam/oldschool ls6 head closed chamber,tunnel ram with edelbrok 600 cfm carbs,3000 convertor, I went mid twelves last night at the test and tune. Way cool. Letmy son drive the car. I told him to just put it in drive and gas it. He went almost 13 flat. So I'm feeling pretty good today. I'm gonna post some video maybe tomorrow when son comes over and sets things up for me on this computer. Should be cool. ok later YRUHOT.......
doug

 

Love your 55. It is too bad that you went ahead with the conduit and mud routine on the radiused rear wheel wells.

I know it has been done that way many times, but there is a cleaner way to do it.

That is using the lip from a full sized Chev car front fender namely a Chev Caprice.

Turns out much nicer welded in and not a lot of mud.

 

Can you explain more on this i am looking to install a th400 in my gasser. It is a stock unit that was behind a 350 in a 89 3/4 ton 4x4 chevy truck. Do i need to install a shift kit if so which one?

i have been subscribed to this thread from pretty much when it was started. I love your car and that engine is really nice!

 

x 10 !

 

Decided to be ignorant with no reguard to any laws last night... Drove the 55' around at 1:30 AM.
She runs great. Really breathes good.

Earlyer in the day I swapped alternators due to a way high-charge situation, The Gen light came on when i figured out the old one was pumping out 17+ volts at idle. I couldn't find a regulator for it and bearings were squeeling.
Found a nice 12SI style from a 1985-ish? camaro at the junkyard. Puts out 87amps and is steady at 14.5 volts idle. for $20 i can't complain.

Hooked up the vacuum modulator...Which i forgot about the other day. Wondered why the trans felt funny.

Ops-checked it all last night with a trip to the gas station. No windows, no exhaust, no tags, no problem.
Ran great till we were pulling into the gas station. started to break up real bad, tried to restart it and it caught the air filter on fire. The choke had worked its way closed and pissed it all off, from there it went down hill, Car just didn't want none.
NOT good at 2am lol.

In full "shit shit shit" mode a buddy and I pushed it away from the gas station into a parking lot. We didn't wanna be under the lights there.

I was sweatin' trying to figure it out...When i notice the fuel pressure gauge reading -zero-. Damnit!
walked back to the gas station with two water jugs and put 2 gal in, We waited for two cops to roll past and gave um a lead time (Open headers remember).
Lit her up and chugged back to the shop. It ran like a beauty the whole way back!
Funny how these things need fuel to drive um Silly me.

I have a video of it running, I'll try to get it up soon.

It was a stupid fun time.
Heres a picture of us trying to figure it out. dumbasses

 

Good times! I remember driving my ole Ranchero around the neighborhood after I got it running; no registration but I did have windows.

 

It was a good time, the gas station lady was laughing when the carb coughed up a ball of flame or two.

We appologized for ruining her queit night.
She even says "Its ok, we used to do that too, but that car was almost new back then" Haha

A group of about 10 people were leaving the mexican resturant we parked in front of. They threw their hands up and were cheering "Fu*k yea WHoooooHoo" when we got it fired up again and took off.

It musta been an awaking for um' cause we were sitting in the dark.

 

Good Feeling HUH...Nice work man!

 

Awesome drive story!

 

sweet

 

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Here's a clip from the other night. not sure why its so small, but least you can hear it! turn er' up, she sounds crispy.


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Hey I'm getting ready to radius my rear wheel wells and I was wondering about that rod you used to make your lip...Was it brake line, or more of a conduit type material? I've looked at a couple different things but wasn't sure what I would be able to weld.

The cars looking great by the way!

 

Awesome belair!

 

No video ^^^^

 

I used some 1/2in conduit-type stuff we had laying around, Its mild steel dunno what thickness it was however.
This wasn't galvanized (Spelling), It was rusty and i had to wire wheel it clean.
I Worked it arounf my rear tire, Just rolled it back & forth, Back and forth. while pressing down on both sides. Worked pretty good!

Thanks by the way, I dig it. It's turning out to have a great attitude to it!
I seem to be always broke so its sloooow going for me.
Or as my friend says "you're resorceful"

 

Hmmmm, I'll see whats going on with it. it works on some computers, But not others.
Ill see what i can do!

maybe ill make a new one! Heeeehh

 

Thanks thats what I needed to know! I know the feeling about being broke. I've done nothing but drive my car a little bit lately. Thats part of the reason I wanted to do the radius, it won't cost me much but sweat and time! I'm just having a tough time cutting it up before I have the correct size tire, I'm affraid it might just look too pussy!

 

Indeed. Being broke sucks, But it makes you be creative and give the car some class.

You might wanna check around for speed shops near by selling cheap take-offs, Which may be close to the size you want.
If you have a track near by you could check it out too. racers toss um after a short time. They are still more than good for rollers/ mock up/ get the bugs outta the car
maybe even the smaller ethic tire shops, they do alot of recycling.

I for one couldn't fork up the $$$ for new slicks, just to sit around and dry rot untill i got the car driving (for who knows how long it seemed)

I had to wait till a set popped up. I got mine for free off a buddy (Nascar series dumpster )
Then got to cuttin.
These are something like a 28x11.5 -Maybe 12in wide. I wanted to run a 29x10.5 so it was close enuff for me to work with.

It was sorta nerve racking making the first cut, but get artistic with it...juices flow after that!

 

Hells yeah man. If you've seen the condition of my bondo ridden body you would know I'm not too worried about the wheel wells! As for Speed Shops...Obviously you've not spent much time in Ohio! I've been keeping my eyes open and I did actually find a few but never when I had the cash to blow. I'm sure I'll come across something. But I agree I wouldn't want it any other way. Being broke makes be learn to do shit my self.

 

this is one bad ass 55!

 

Well its been a little while now.
I finally got my new windsheild installed, the rear window as well. My chick and I installed them, It actually went pretty damn good. Very glad i decided to do it myself.
I took her down to the exhaust shop this week and had pipes put on 3'' duals to thrush "welded/ chambered" muffs, turned out with a slash cut infront of the back tires.
It sounds bitchin' and i really like the look of it.
It did sprinkle a bit on the way however... The car sits for 3 years, and the one time i really take it out it rains in vegas
ohhhh well.


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Im working on a few little things still, Ill have the car out next week at a local show here (SUPER RUN 2012) On waterstreet out here in Henderson. Pretty excited for her debut, also excited for the "When Ya gonna paint it!" comments

 

Heres a quick clip of the idle. its really kinda shitty due to the camera phone mic. Sounds killer in real life haha, Ill get a better quality one soon.
anyways! here she is!


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This picture makes this car look Super Bad Ass!

 

Now that i've put some good time on the engine I went ahead and rejetted the carb, re-lashed the valves and finally put a vac gauge on it. Get her into some sortofa tune.

Whoohooo. This thing runs pretty frickin good
Granted this is my first big block, I'm in love.

NO issues breaking the tires loose and gettin silly from a 35mph roll.
It's making good power everywhere but once the motors wound up to 3k and in the powerband its just all pull, crazy (for me at least) power.

It does still need a looser convertor. something like a 2800-3000k stall.
it will run much better with that, but its still crazy fun. couldn't be happier!

We went out for a cruse and hit the Super-run 2012 car show, here in Henderson Nv.
Really had a great time, It was super cool finally having my car there. just a rite of passage sorta thing i guess.
Showed up fashionalbly late, had to rump thru a crowd of a few hundered people.
Lots of excitement and thumbs up.
My chick (Blonde one) was almost more excited than i was Hahaha.

I even won an award and got a plaque!

Had even more fun raising hell on the way home...Driving against some other show attendants in a spirited manner... Ahehmm