Just received a cool gift.My buddy gave me his uncles high school car that’s been sitting since 1961. He and I pulled it out of a little barn in the middle of an orchard rust free and original. Time to build it, thinking SBC, 4 speed manual and fender less. At least a small chop. Question is,can these frames be boxed up and run with mild power, or should I plan on fresh start. Any info on this vintage of Chevy as a build platform appreciated! Thanks
You are making that up! You know how I know? There are no pictures! How are you going to pull a car like that out of a barn and not take pics!
Hi. My avatar photo here is of my 235 inline 6 from a 57 Chevy. It is in my 46 Chevy coupe and runs well with the modern Hwy traffic. It is bored 0.060 with Clifford 268 grind cam, Clifford dual 2 bbl intake with 2 of those big Weber 2 bbl carbs, Clifford shorty tube headers, Hei, etc, etc. Body remains stock so it is a sleeper going light to light on the street. My old 3 on the tree tranny was totally wore out & got talked into installing a T350 and a 57 Chevy pickup rear end. Currently finishing up my 50 Plymouth Deluxe this month and then will get back on the Chevy as it got rear ended last year. Soon as the body is straightened out that POS 350 is coming out and a manual tranny is going back in. I likely will leave the 57 rear end and get a manual tranny for open driveline. Could change my mind on that as I know where some 3 & 4 speed used tranny's are for closed drive line. I have to stay away from the chop/channel stuff as at my age it is too hard to get in and out of that low stuff. Post some photo's when you can. Jimmie
Is a more modern,larger cu in 6 physically a lot bigger. It’s got the original 6 still in it. Wondering if later stuff is much longer. Oldest thing I’ve ever played with is my 39 Plymouth pickup. New to this era of car...
I won't make any comments about Chassis or Power choices. I will say that if your thinking about Chopping the Top you better be a dang good Cabinet Builder. In fact if your going to make it a real Hot Rod you better be a Dang Good cabinet builder. Ever wonder why you don't see many early Chevrolet Hot Rods?
Those cars are truly a wooden coach with tin nailed on it.In wreaking yards of the 40"s-50"s they would pile them up ,and burn them first to get rid of the wood.
Did this one about 15 years ago, had 60K miles on it, one family owned, didn't replace one stick of wood!
Sounds like you may understand what your getting yourself into. I've been neck deep into a 34 Chevy project for way to long. I knew and still did it anyway. What the Hell was I thinking?
VERY nice. Sounds like you are the one to ask.. are these frames doable to box and beef, or should I start fresh? Thanks
mine is a 33 but a very similar frame. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/33-chevy-3w-time-for-a-cool-change.863287/
My cousin chopped the top on a '29 back in the '80's. He used some dowel rods to line it up, and wood glue to hold it together. He spent days welding it up, a very little on each corner every day. Check for hot spots before walking out the door, and the plan in case of fire involved drilling holes to get some water in there.
I say a Chevy six is the perfect choice. The 292 has a higher deck height, but the length is not too much different. Pat Ganahl has/had a ‘32 Chevy with a 250 six I admired.
As mentioned above the stock frame is very usable, I boxed it in the usual places. Instead of a cowl vent Chevy decided it would be cooler (pun) to have the windshield roll up wards about 3" into the header above, the wind hits the back of the dash and is routed to the floor. There should be a turn crank in the header, a set of gears are also hidden behind it. Of course its all incapsulated in wood! I don't see your radiator shroud?
My 34 5w coupe was a termite delight but now has zero wood. It is a real test but one learns quickly. First is to buy (usually by order) square and round tubing that takes the least modification. The first door takes a week, the second a day; ditto on the quarter windows. The windshield header and lower dash brace are straight forward with the rear window and cab corner braces being a bit harder. The trunk and lid are up the hard scale a bit. Inner door skin is 18g sheet with a cross brace to anchor window motors. I used wheels ranging from truck to lawnmower to bend tubing around. I like lower cars but HATE chops so channeled 5.5" which changes height but keeps original body lines. Not much of a picture taker but here is a couple of under construction ones showing the amount of wood in a 34 Master 5w Coupe, the stance with the hefty channel, and a semi finished shot.
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