hi guys i just joined! so i'll introduce myself and my project the name is James and i have a rusty '55 chevy sedan i'm looking to build mid 60's gasser style on the cheap... as of now i have the '55 belair shell with radiused quarters and no floor left, sitting on a '57 chassis... a 327 large journal; built as a 365hp vette motor with a M/T cross ram 2 afb's and enderle style 4 hole scoops, cal-custom finned valve covers, and i'll probably build some fenderwell headers...a T-10 4 speed 3.44 first gear in a cast iron case, olds posi rear with 5.13 gears,and i'm looking for a strait axle... so any suggestions on the build let me know... especially on doing the floor on the cheap!!!! i know i can buy the complete floor with braces for $1200... ouch... but this is meant to be a fun car on the cheap!!! so sheet metal or whatever works... i'm open to suggestions... thanks guys!
Could be some confusion on your name.. A HAMB member from calif who has a telivison show uses the name Jesse James....
progress report...if anyones interested a series of disasters kept me from working on the car... power outage caused freeze ups in the house... all new plumbing&heating...so not much but at least its somethin... got a 56 f-100 axle from a fellow hamber, got a set of lexan windows from a kid at work... a set of front fenders from a friends father and back to work on the motor tore it apart again to change the rods had old junkers holding the pistons to the crank...got a brand new nos set exept with arp bolts... since the start of the project the price of steel has gone down and the entire floor and trunk with braces can be had for $1,300ish so i might just do that... i'm redrilling bolt pattern on the f-100 axle for chevy 5 on 4.75... hope the 327 stays together over 6000 rpm though cast crank... and i didnt use the 30/30 duntov i used a comp cams 294s... but the piston speed calculators say cast crank 327's are good for about 6400, i got a deal on a fluidamper to help a little... if i'm able to keep the weight down to 3000 or lower should be a good runner... still lookin for front and rear windsheilds cracks welcome!
why go with fuul floor?thats just alot of weight and money!!if it was me i would just put some 20 gadge sheet metal up front make a rear panel and leave the whole trunk open.a guy in my car club did this to his 56 and with him in it and a fiberglass front the car anly weighs 2400 lbs.there are some pics.posted by don moyer.car name is blew by you.hope this helps