I have been looking at this old car driving by it for the last couple of years, so today, I rescued it. I'm not entirely sure what to do with her, or how to do it, but I am going for it! Had to go buy three maypops to put on her, she'd been sitting there 10+ years. Got her loaded on the trailer smooth as silk, thanks to Harold, the now previous owner, and my good friend Dave, who was a trooper today! Her new digs....
Well, at least you have the stainless moldings for it....super hard to get. I never did find stainless for my back window. It appears to have been pro-streeted. Did they massacre the rear frame? It's gonna take a lot of work to get it presentable again but it can be done. Mine was a lot worse than yours..
Love those SD's. Your's is a project and a half - but worth it! Keep us posted. How about interior and chassis pics.................
Pro-streeted may have been what they were trying to do. The chop looks half decent. It looks to me like someone tried to channel it, and the frame appears to be welded up decent, although to be honest I have never owned anything like this before. I rescued an old 1948 Willys CJ2 from Flintstone world 20 or so years ago. It had no floorboards. There are pieces of floorboards in this thing, but that's about it. I will get some pictures of the chassis and lack of interior when there is some good light out there. It supposed to have a Nova subframe, but not sure what year. It does have discs up front and power steering stuff, yet to be identified. The rear end is a 9" that has been shortened, and doesn't have any guts. It will go away as soon as I can find a decent rear end to replace it with. No springs in the back, just what looks like a cobbed up 4 link. Not sure what direction I will go with that....but I don't like what is there now. I am thinking bags on all four corners. I think I need to get out there with a small hyd. jack and jack the frame up off the axle and see what different rakes look like....any suggestions on that? Thanks for the interest and input! I am probably going to ask ALOT of questions! Pretty much a noob here with this sort of thing!
If your looking for nice 4 link kits I suggest welderseries.com ordered a few kits from here and it's nice stuff but if our gonna bag the rear 4 link is superior to a trailing arm setup in my opinion
Well I got the front sheet metal pulled off to take a good look. Does anyone out there have a good idea of what subframe this is? I am new to all this, so any help is appreciated! I don't recall ever seeing this many mounting holes for motor mounts in any car I have ever looked at....
I think whoever started this project didn't do it so well! The doors are sagging from lack of floorboards, it looks all catty-wampus as far as being level on the frame etc. I guess I will fix it!
I have a 51 spread all over my garage right now so I can say with some authority... Jeebus! The good news is you bought a Sedan Delivery, so you'll have somewhere to haul your balls. Buying that one took a bunch of imagination and giant cajonies! That back half is not 50 chevy at all. Haven't seen any frame pieces yet that are. Depending on your plans, you may be way ahead to source another frame. Someone who knows SDs better needs to verify, but I think any 49-52 frame would work. In any event, a chopped delivery would be super cool so good on ya for saving it.
The sheet metal on the outside is in relatively good condition. The metal is still nice and thick. What remains of the front floorboard/tranny tunnel is laying out in the driveway. It will be good for getting the old girl spread back out I think. Then I will slowly rebuild the floors. The rockers are swiss cheese obviously, and I have a set of those on the way. It looks like someone was going to channel this thing down over this frame, whatever the frame is! As soon as I can get her braced up, I am going to cut it loose from the frame and put it on a dolly of sorts...An original frame would rock....but I dont know what the chances of sourcing one of those would be! The back half isn't anything that I would keep, I don,t think. The front subframe isn't a bad idea, as I was thinking of bagging all 4 corners....
If the frame is typical to the coupes and sedans, finding one shouldnt be too hard. You need a 4 door parts car. Around here you can pick up a complete car for well under a grand with some diligence. That would give you the dash parts and all the other little things you appear to be missing.
neet-o. in my opinion you will be miles ahead with an original frame. EMS makes a pretty good set of floors for these cars, along with a bunch of other stuff that is hit or miss depending on what you want
Looking at your total Chassis I'd say none of it is 50 Chevy, and the front clip is not Nova. Here is what a Nova looks like. Notice the outboard kick on yours. Probably more like a Caprice. If I remember right Delevery and sedan are the same Frame. I like your project. If it soon overwhelms you let me know first. I had one in 1970. It served as my Shop truck. I've always missed it. What part of the Country you in? The Wizzard
PNB....I am in North Texas. I am going to give this thing all I got. I bought it as a long term project, knowing that it was going to take a lot of work. I have been gathering tools to do the job over the last decade, and have looked around and looked around, and this old girl just caught my attention. It will be a sweet ride if it turns out like I see it in my head.
I swear someone had pictures of one of these where they basically cut it off at the windshield posts and welded it onto a donor 4 door, using the 4 door floorpans and even the front doors, which are apparently the same. That might be the way to go, find a solid 4 door shell and just transfer the delivery outer shell onto it, that's all that is really good anyway.
My 53 chev had the same clip under it when i started it and to make all the front core supportsheetmetal fit, it was absolutely butchered to clear the steering box if it's gonna be clipped a 68 ish nova/camaro is a much better option steering box is behind the crossmember on those years..... I swapped the frame and put mustang ii on mine..... in my opinion i would be looking for a frame..... cool ride man, have a good time with it
Well it will keep you out of the tities bars for a while. Keep us updated with your work. Thanks Bruce.
You are absolutely right about the butchering of the front end. It is a mess but nothing that cant be made right....I have my eye on a 1950 Chevy Deluxe 4 door pretty much complete. I am just researching if the wheelbase is the same.
...that delivery has another late model chassis under it, maybe Malibu or ?,...I'd get a good stock rolling chassis and get the body mounted on it after you fully brace up the body. glad you are saving this one, they are rare and desireable.
Chopping the delivery makes them really look good. There was a chopped one in the classifieds of HotRodHotLine.com that really caught my eye until the front view of the photo showed Mercedes headlights, so changed my mind about that one. Keep at the project and don't even think about Mercedes headlights, please.
Glad you saved it, it looks real nice chopped. It doesn't look to narrowed in the back either. Looks like a Camaro sub frame. It would look awesome sitting on the ground with some nice wheels. If you wanted to keep what back there put some Hairbands or look a likes, either way it will be cool ride.
The way that frame kicks out is not 2nd gen Camaro or Nova. Being front steer, I would guess it is like rockin rebel suggested, a late 70's GM A body/early 80s GM G body. They kick out like that. Looking at the motor mount, I think you need a few more holes, then you can have universal engine mounts to fit any engine with side mounts! Actually the extra holes are probably because those A/G bodies had a whole variety of engines used in them from Chevy/Buick V6 to multiple V8 options. The basic chop on that body looks good, but with the lack of structural support, hopefully it is square and usable. Getting a four door donor car is a smart move.
Ol' Rusty is going to meet the green eyed lady tomorrow.....Picked up this running, driving, in halfway decent shape '52 for a donor/parts car today for a song....couldn't be happier!
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