Projects 53 Chevy Bel Air "Cleetus" mild custom daily driver

Work on 54 till things come in. Get it running.

 

I've thought about dropping the engine in the 54 and using angle iron to support the rear and just wiring the starter, ignition, distributor, alternator and fuel pump lol

 

Rivet kit came in this morning. Test fit one of the pivot rivets and it fit nicely. Now I just need the rest to come in lol

 

Honestly not hating how it looks stock height with the lakes pipes lol

 

And the only progress I've made on the wing gl*** as apparently the post office where the weatherstripping is coming from takes over a week to accept a package once they receive it lol. Stickers came in on time at least lol

 

Oh I did order window channels today. Had to put money on my card to buy a door handle for my wife's car so I figured I'd go ahead. Also managed to score hot rods to hell on DVD along with a **** Dale greatest hits CD super cheap online.

 

Got the window channels ordered. Still waiting on USPS to actually bring me the weatherstripping

 

According to the USPS that accepted my weatherstripping Jacksonville lost the package. So the seller is going to send me another set when he gets more next week. Meanwhile a CD I've been anxiously waiting on came in. So I'm just sitting sitting in the 53 relaxing to fast single string fender reverb lol

 

I should mention I'm loving the new speakers I put in a couple months ago. Sitting in the car listening to that new **** Dale CD it sounded like I was listening to him play through a mint vintage fender amp. Made zoning out to it that much more pleasant

 

For now it's just plugging a hole in the engine of the 54. But may wind up on this car if it's good and I like how it works. Appears to use points style wires .....which would allow me to use correctly fitting 55/56 repop plug wires. Got it for $20 on credit with a chrome coil and coil bracket so I don't figure I'll lose much

 

Well. They ended up being the wrong ones. But searching the actual site at Chevs of the 40s I found a full door kit. I'll try that next. At least if it doesn't fit I can send it back lol

 

Well the initial wing gl*** weatherstripping I ordered is still lost to the depths of USPS. Seller just messaged me back telling me they didn't get anymore due to backorder this shipment so they offered a refund. So I get to order them AGAIN lol. Could be worse. Could have been a less than honest seller that h***led me

 

And still don't have the weatherstripping for the wing gl***..... though the second seller provided a tracking number today. But I went ahead and pulled the gl*** out of the other frame and drilled the pivot rivet so I could sand and paint it. Actually got the second wing gl*** pane today so I'll glue it in tomorrow. Not wanting to drill out the rivets on the rest of the wing gl*** ***embly till I have the first one partially ***embled. Afraid I'll brain fart and get pieces mixed up lol

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/MX14stDaMLU?si=dKwriCpzQYFa4KS6

Just my barking rag mop chilling to **** Dale in the 53 lol

 

So ***uming everything shows up both the front doors should have real gl*** after this weekend. Wing gl*** weatherstripping should be in day after tomorrow. Already have the wing gl*** glued in their frames. Harvesting the window channels from the 54 and did some juggling of finances and day to day supplies and ordered the actual door gl*** for both front doors which should be in Friday. I'll try to order the rear door gl*** next week

 

And both wing gl*** glued in with decals in place. If the rest of my parts ever come in I'll be in business lol. Still need to figure out what wing gl*** decals I'll use on the 54. Thinking a repop of an nhra decal

 

Was like a monkey on a football but one wing gl*** ***embled lol. Decided the lil tool they included was useless. If the rivets were aluminum it probably would have worked nice. But I'm pretty sure the rivets are stainless.....and the tool aluminum lol

 

And a nice donation from another member to the project that's greatly appreciated. I told him I didn't need the bushings just the shackles themselves. Bushings are cheap. But my issue was that between two car I only had one usable set of shackles. And bushings were destroyed. Plan is to get bushings for these and put these shackles on the 53. Then get bushings for the ones off the 53 and put them on the 54. Cuts down on downtime. Where I have and work on my 53 is perfectly legal but if the car spends an extended period obviously disabled I'll get har***ed. Having a second set of shackles already broke free cuts down on downtime. Plus ***uming they come off in one piece I'll be able to turn the 54 into a proper roller. So like I said it was a big favor that is very much appreciated

 

And front door gl*** came in today. Hopefully I can get the driver side door gl*** along with the rehabbed driver wing gl*** in tomorrow. May try a couple cheats on the p***enger wing gl***

 

And driver side wing and door gl*** installed. P***enger front will wait until I get the p***enger wing gl*** done and harvest the p***enger window channels from the 54. Also leaving the door panel off the driver door so I can glue the lower section of window channel later

 

And p***enger wing gl*** ready to rock. The cheat I mentioned that ended up seeming to work is I didn't remove any of the rivets aside from the pivot rivet. Extracted the division bar window channels from around the rivets. Then installed the new with windshield urethane adhesive. Actually made installing the gl*** rubber a bit easier too. Tape is to hold the division bar channel tight until the urethane dries. Still gotta harvest the rest of the window channels before I install this and the p***enger door gl***

 

Oh and I took some measurements off my 54 to make a the shackle bushings I was looking at for $20 would fit. Looks like a go. At least close enough for my beater 53 lol

 

Well got the rear door gl*** ordered. And harvested the rest of the needed window channels from the 54 after work today. Was going to order the shackle bushings but extra bills popped up and I'm pretty sure installing three windows and recovering two door panels should keep me fairly busy. Likely order the door weatherstripping and shackle bushings next week. Will for sure at least order the bushings next week

 

I have to do both of my back quarter windows and possibly my front door gl*** as well. I'm trying to find out if the window tint laws apply to our cars or if ours were grandfathered in since they were out before the laws were in place. I know that is how it works for the blue dot taillights.

 

I would imagine so. That's how I'm getting this car through with straight pipes and no seat belts lol. This car was actually a factory green tint car. I honestly didn't like the look so I purposely hunted for plain clear gl***. I'm even planning on getting a windshield without the polarized strip at the top. Kinda backwards compared to how I do my OT vehicles lol

 

Maybe I can become youtubby famous as they pull me over repeatedly for nothing being wrong. Window tint, YOM plates, not wearing seat belts (which they will try to claim I have to wear the race belts that are not DOT approved), and some will try throwing in excessive hp, speeding, and who knows what else. Nahhh, not really my thing. But I do strongly disapprove of bad cops.

 

For someone who's never been to law school I'm surprisingly good at legal stuff. I know area I'm from had a really good us Cons***ution cl***. But between my legal knowledge I somehow possess, my grandmother's old school Georgia style politeness, and picking up duke boy style jive talking from my uncle I usually don't have too much trouble with police. And the rare occasion I get a ticket I can usually get out of it in court. Right after my DL was suspended I got pulled over driving to work. Then in court I defended myself. Came EXTREMELY close to getting them to drop the ticket. Basically part of my defense was a list of court cases backing me up....with docket numbers, names, locations, and dates. I unfortunately didn't get around to printing out any from Missouri....though I had over 200 cases printed out lol. Judge commended me on research and apologized for sticking me with the ticket. Prosecutor even shook my hand and asked if I'd taken any law cl***es. Also said he'd expected a pure waste of time when I challenged the ticket but was shocked when I his opinion I did the best job of self representation he'd seen while maintaining proper etiquette and manners. Anyway it usually doesn't get that far. One example is I got pulled over for speeding. Was doing 15 mph over. Cop walked up and asked if I knew how fast I was going. I said "yes sir. I have three speedometers" he sputtered a bit and asked me to show him. Digital in dash, hud on windshield, and digital on GPS. Did not deny speeding. But apparently my response was enough to bluff him out of writing a ticket lol

 

And p***enger front door and wing gl*** in. Gl*** for the back doors should be in this weekend. Slowly running out of stuff to do in my attempt to postpone doing the inevitable windshield replacement lol

 

Amazing what clean, new gl*** does for the appearance of a car

 

Only a couple more things to order before I begin collecting for replacing the windshield. When I get to the windshield I'll be hopping back on more obvious custom stuff. Namesly peaking the hood. And I'm been kinda thinking on cutting down a 57 Buick grill to fit. Thinking it'll be either 57 Chevy or 57 Buick