Projects LA HOT RODS Get's A 37 Pontiac

Any of your differential choice are great options, but to me the 9 inch is like a small block Chevy. There is so much available. for them, easy to set up and switch out. Plus, they are pretty much bullet proof. Glad to see someone posting a build on here again. I am retired now and finishing up an off-topic Challenger build and then I am going to get back to a couple of my on topic 60's race car inspired builds. Main thing is having fun, Larry

 

9 inch Ford rear is good after you get all the Ford out of it.
Still on the fence on the rear. The quick change has a hard pull because I have some parts that may work (hold up) need to some more research.

 

Anyone have any experience matting a Ford top loader to the Chevy bellhousing?
This is what I have to work with.

 

I think I'd either sell the4 ford trans and get a Muncie or see if somebody close to you would work a trade.
I'm a Pontiac guy and as such I'd have to keep the engine Pontiac. Prices on the 57-64 Pontiac rear axles and related pieces have sky rocketed! I'd prolly go with a 9 inch Ford rear.
Man, the lines of 37s are so perfect! Especially with that chop. I'd make the car fast [not too hard with Poncho power] but it'd be a mild custom sitting nice and low.
Oh, by the way........the winner of the Yahoo cup [2019 HAMB drags] was a ford with a Pontiac engine. The runner up was me. A ford with Pontiac power. Jus sayin

 

McLeod made this bellhousing, Chevy to Chevy and Ford as well. That's what I am using in my RPU project. If you can find a 57 Ford PU, 9" housing, 1 year only, they do resemble an Olds -Pontiac from the rear.

 

Just recently there was a post on the HAMB where someone cut the mounting ring from a 9" housing and welded it to a '57-64 Pontiac housing so he could use the cheaper 9" pumpkins and axles, sorry I can't remember which post.

 

Thanks Marty, I will look into that.
Sorry there wont be a Pontiac engine in it, at least for now. The other engines are on hand to play with.

 

For fun I googled Canadian 348/409 Pontiac valve covers. They were listed as Candian Pontiac 58 to 64 348/409, but they were either no name chrome or chrome or red with a bowtie stamped in it. So, you may have a shit load of rare Pontiac 409 valve covers sitting on the back shelf! You could sell them for big bucks and pay for everything to build the car! lol Was curious to see if they had Pontiac stamped in them like my 390 Fe Mercury ones.

 

James it’s simple to adapt a ford to a Chevy bell all you need is a Scattersheild and I know you know how to build adapters I use a mopar 4speed behind my blown Chevy in the Willys because it’s the only trans that I could get to stand up under the hp I wouldn’t give 2 cents for a Muncie but that liberty prepped toploader will be perfect it’s not odd to find Scattersheild that adapt a Chevy to a ford toploader

 

Well I got out my Big Chief not pad and took some measurement's and made some adjustments to the Ford front bearing retainer.
I had to turn down the outside diameter of the retainer to match the Chevy.


Next I had to shorten the release bearing tube.

Now I need to determine if I should turn down the diameter so the Chevy release bearing fits or just see if I can fine a Ford bearing with the same height as the Chevy bearing.

Now it fits the scatter shield. I can pick up the upper left mount bolt hole and the upper right needs the hole elongated to work. Both lower holes will need to be transferred and drilled and a nut welded on the inside of the shield. The end of the input my need to be shortened just a bit and will have to get a different pilot bearing and a clutch to fit the Ford input spline to complete this part of the build.

 

You should check the length of the input shaft to the case cause I think you will need a spacer between the Scattersheild and trans does that trans have a 1 3/8” input shaft or is it 1 1/8” the toploader I run in my dragster I had to make a spacer because of the length of the input also when it comes to pilot shaft bushing just get one that fits the Chevy crank and bore it out to fit the input that’s what I did and worked perfectly as far as a clutch I bought a clutch disc to fit the trans and used a diaphragm style hays 11” pressure plate I already had and obviously use a sfi steel flywheel

 

The input is just a hair past the Chevy input, should be easy to to trim.

 

Got the transmission to scatter shield mounting hole taken care of.

Guess I should get back to body work, that will give me time to think out all the other pieces needed to make it a whole car again.
Waiting on the weather to warm up so I can sandblast the replacement left front fender.
The hood tops took a little tapping and good to go now the hood sides need a few cracks welded up

 

Looks good James, I am following along. Thats one long hood.

 

It is a long hood, probably better suited for a tail dragger but that's not happening.
I'm selling all my stuff that I don't need and hanging on to the parts I can use on this car.
Not sure how many full builds I have left in me.

 

I thought I would share this advertisement from a July 1937 Fortune magazine.

 

Here is the full page, delete if required. You apparently are the proud owner of a unisteel turret top body by Fischer.

 

I had a 37 sedan with the long straight 8 front end. Loved the lines from the doors forward. Brought it home to find it was too tall to fit in my garage. I stored it at 3 different friends' houses and finally sold it.
I thought about doing it as a faux sedan delivery and sketched it out. Love 37s. View attachment 56367 21[/ATTACH]

 

I like that caricature, Rocky. He's got that, "Gotcha" look on his face.

 

Made some progress on the hood today, the more I work on it the more I like it.




Have any of you guys or gals ever built your own fresh air system for and sandblasting hood?

 

Cool build , a very streamlined car . I like the direction You are going with the build .

 

For $90 this does not look too bad

https://www.amazon.com/YaeKoo-Suppl...keywords=sandblast+hood&qid=1676081302&sr=8-8

 

I did get a helmet like that.
Thinking about trying a corded leaf blower to supply to it.

 

Getting the right rear fender into shape.

 

Very cool. Love the manual trans. The look is great. But whatever you do, don't fit a regular sbc like every budget built modified car. A big block pontiac can't be that hard to find or expensive. Or some other lesser seen motor.

 

I have a 409 that will go in it.

 

This is the engine I have for it.









The engine came out of this 63.

 

LA Hot Rods. I saw that and my brain said, La Hot Rod as opposed to El Parts Hauler.

An old fat fender coupe. Got to love it man. Congrats

 

Yeah, the LA stands for lower Ashland.
If your familiar with this part of the country you will get it.

 

I have actually been there before. LOL

Hard to tell from where I sit but it looks like whomever chopped it did a pretty good job. The old car has damned good lines.