I originally said I was gonna put a 327 4speed in the car but after having the time to go thru it and realize how original it is and the fact of knowing there ha never had any paint or body work and can't find any bolt that had been turned let alone replaced. I can't do anything but get it running and drive it and enjoy it.
what a beauty! i feel with you with letting it alone in this state, it would hurt to take even the engine out of her...
I wouldn't loose a nights sleep over removing any part and preserve them to a later re***embling in a distant future. If such a future ever comes up. And mount a 261, two carbs, a modern(ish) 4 speed with synchro, highway friendly rear gears and drive it all the time and everywhere, at any speed. Maybe run modern(ish) brakes from a early fifths Chevy AD, so you could relax and enjoy the car as it was meant to be, even in modern traffic. By cutting in the pristine body and all around awesome(!) piece of history, would brake my heart. But rodding it up like a kid would have done way back when, one piece at the time , would make my body tinkle and my brain let out even more endofines then having ***.
I agree, one of the nicest looking pre-WWII cars built. Pretty grill and hood sides. Always liked those slanted B-pillars. As for the French designed independent front suspension, it's junk. This is one reason why the Standard cars with a straight axle are more plentiful than the Deluxe models. Except for Michelin tires and the BIC ball point pen, is there very many good engineering marvels that have a French origin??? These knee action ***emblies, back in the day, killed people. These aren't like the later knee action that had the upper control arm/shock absorber unit. They were OK. To keep the car original, but more functional and safer, I'd swap a '37-'38 stock parallel leaf spring straight axle front end under there and do the Bendix brake upgrade. Not sure if the steering box is the same.
Once a French Army officer asked a British Army officer why the Brit officers wore a red coat into battle. The Brit replied that the red coat concealed the red blood if the officer was wounded but still on his feet, thereby continuing to inspire his troops as he led them into battle. From that day forward all French officers wore brown trousers.
^^^ I've no idea how this aplys here, but that's freakin funny. As for leaving this car alone, I'm usually the first to say, cut it. 37 Chevys have been my favorite year of Chevs since I was a teenager, so in a very rare, not likely to be repeated moment, I have to say I'd not like to see it cut either. I'd not cry over it if you did, I'm a Hot Rod guy, but that thing is so Damn perfect, it'd be nice for it to remain so.
As usual, a little late with my comment(s) but here goes: I'm very glad about your decision to leave it as is, at least for now - that car is absolutely gorgeous, as is - WOW! I had a '37 Chev pick-up in the early '80's that was roached out. I had heard about this 'new' fad of using a Mustang II front cross member & decided to check it out. I did some measuring & configuring - all I had to do was notch the inner slope of it, so it would fit around the frame rails and it fit perfect. I installed it with a slight front to rear tilt as it was in the mustang. I used a protractor but forget the angle/dimensions. My next concern was oil pan/firewall clearance. A generic '70's sbc pan worked great & the dist fit nice against the firewall. Good ol' Speedway had 5 lug disc rotors, that took care of that issue. I used the original '37 trans cross member & a 350T trans. Again angles were checked. A '68 Camaro gave up its 12 bolt rear & Leaf springs completed the drive train. I got the old truck up to a running driving state. You could take your hands off the steering wheel & it tracked just fine, after getting front end lined up. I used to put stuff together and get 'em running and sell 'em. I wish I had it back - oh yeah - I didn't have to change front springs as the weight of the engine 'lowered' it....it rode & drove great - my story I'll post pics when I find them.....
DAM! This thing brings back some good times as my very first car was "Just like this one" same color even. I gave 50 bucks for it back in 1954. Thanks for posting the photos......
That really cleaned up nicely. As I said in my previous post, I have a 37 Chevy Ute, all stock with the same knee action front suspension. I drive it 60 mph on the highway, it just drives like an old car. 60 is about the limit for the engine not revving too high. Brakes seem fine on mine, you just have to drive with caution and understand the limits of the suspension and brakes as designed. The 216 runs fine, the 3 speed trans works, although the shifter is pretty vague due to wear; made worse by being shifted with left hand (remember it is RHD from Australia). Acceleration is kind of like a switch, floor it to get up to speed, no speed shifting for sure! That about keeps up with modern traffic. So what is all my rambling for? Just drive and enjoy the car. It is plenty drivable as it is, not a hot rod, but also not something to sit and never be used. Have fun with it, the excellent condition of your car will make for a nice drive and you will get countless stares, pictures, comments and thumbs up from almost everybody.
Beautiful '37. My son has '50 and I'm working on collecting the parts for the Bendix style brake conversion: that's his only complaint.
don't wash it, you can preserve the dust by spraying 3M 77 spray tack glue on it. just switch out the spray nozel on the spray glue with a spray paint nozel and it will mist the glue over the car. let it sit for a couple days ,and you have permant dust, heres my car I did it with on my willys !
I don' think he is that willys is gl*** bodied (if it's he car i'm thinkin about) and looks great how ever he did it the hemi helps abit too LOL!!!
Faux patina, purposely adding rust to an old survivor, and this is about the dumbest **** wannabee hot rodders have come up with.
A picture is worth two thousand words in this set. Nice job. Good things do come to those who wait. Sent from my SM-N900P using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Jalopy Journal
