Progress seems slow but ongoing. It has been a while since I posted last so I wanted to give an update on my project. Got the car last year from my dad and spent a lot of time identifying what he had done and what I had. It has the following: 283 SBC with 4 spd Mid 30s studebaker straight axle 1955 Olds rear axle 3.23 gears Most of the chrome is removed. Fenders welded to body. Gas tank filler neck moved to trunk. I decided to start with the trunk area so I removed the gas tank and rear axle. I am putting new brake lines on rear axle and refinishing/sealing the gas tank. (No leaks) Underbody will get KBS coating when all cancer is replaced with good metal. Below is my progress photos. Have most of the trunk metal done except for drivers side rear right below taillight. I haven't welded since college so starting in the trunk seemed like a good idea to give me lots of practice. Going pretty good although I have run into more thin metal than I thought. I did have a question about the drivers side body mount in the trunk. I had to wire brush it to put a small patch piece next to it. While brushing, part of the mount was thin and came apart. Can I buy this mount somewhere or is there something easy to fab up for these? Suggestions?? Pics.
you should have no problem fabbing a mount up...............get off the computer and back into the garage......... Looking forward to some more pics of this thing
So the trunk is pretty much done except for this body mount pictured above. Looking for some advice on how to replace this body mount. What do I need to brace? Can I just cut it out? For a replacement mount, I was thinking of doing 3/16 plate steel with more of a flat plate design instead of the "rolling ridge" you see in the picture. Maybe double stack the steel plate under the "washer area" of the mount for added stregnth. What do you think?
As far as I know, nobody makes those mount reinforcements. They reinforce the floor and tie the floor, wheelhouse, and cross brace together. It is thicker than the floor, probably 16 ga. If it were me, I would probably cut out a 16 ga. piece and brake the flanges that weld to the wheel house and cross brace. Then I would cut out some 1/8 or 3/16 in the shape of the bead and weld it to the 16 ga. using rosettes. Knock off the corners and it will look close to the original. That's the way I would do it cause I don't have anything to bead 16 ga. And that bead is very complicated. If you go with solid plate, it won't look original and you will probably need a slightly longer bolt.
I have 2, 41 chevy coupes and I am just getting started restoring them. if you have any sites with parts or can e-mail me information I would appreciate it. Nice to find someone else with a 41 on here
Somewhat frustrating update: Axle is painted with new brake lines and put back under the car. Started to put the leaf springs on that I ordered from JC Whitney. They were too short! They said they were for 40-54 Chevy. Now I am trying to return the springs and figure out what I have. Luckily, I kept the old ones in case I had to get new ones made. Can anyone confirm what the eye to eye distance is for a stock 41 chevy rear leaf? It doesn't look like the stock locations have been changed. Also, if they make new springs for it, will they make the same width or will they be wider? Still have other stuff to do.... 1. KBS coat under side of trunk, gas tank. 2. New body mount-drivers side trunk. 3. Put gas tank back in car.
...new rear springs would have to be the same width to bolt back in, you could get them re-arched if you need some lift. Do you need a grille?...have a NOS one, painted, never chromed, I'd part with. Any overall pics of your coupe? I like them 41's, specially coupes.
Haven't posted in a while. So here is an update on the build. 1. Radiator installed with all new heater hoses to defroster and under seat heater. Filled system with coolant. 2. Distributor installed 3. Gas tank painted with RustSeal and underside of trunk painted with RustSeal....that stuff is good. (Note to self: Wear a hat or something to protect your hair when painting. Dripped on floor and laid my head in it. Has been there for two weeks.) 4. Yes after 18 years of not running finally fired the motor up tonight! I had to put gas in the carb to start and it ran for about 10 seconds then died. Started again and noticed something glowing in engine compartment.....uh oh. Didn't sound like it backfired but the drivers side top of the intake was on fire. Had the fire extinguisher standing by and put it out....no damage. I think I spilled fuel when filling the carb through the vent tube. Anyway, figured I would crank over a little more without coil wire on to try to get fuel to the filter/carb. More to come later.
41 Chevy's rock man. Hope to see that dandy on the streets of the big O next spring. You can do it! ~sololobo~
3 cheers for the maiden voyage!!! Took the car on the first trip around the neighborhood this past weekend. Still having an issue with the carb backfiring and shooting flames out oc***ionally, but it didn't stop the test drive. Car still won't idle, but after 18 years, I got all the **** blown out of the tailpipes. wasp nests, rodent ****... planning on rebuilding my quadrajet this weekend. Ordered kit from Ckiffs Performance.....he really seemed to know is stuff. Hopefully it will idle after that.
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