ok.. well I got an all original stock 53' chevy a few months back... super clean and i totally love it! Probably my favorite car I've owned. Anyway I'm building a mid 50's hot rod outta it... so the first thing i did was lower it.. I used posie 3" super slide drop springs in the rear and then made my own 2" blocks. I had to make mine because I ordered the springs for a late model rear, because I plan to use a 1955 chevy rear(i already own) in the future so I had to make a set of block that could relocate the original rearend in the proper location. More updates to follow, but here is a photo of before and after... its not slammed but if you have seen these cars stock.. you know how high they really sit. Thanks!
well, aside from cleaning up and painting a few things, underside/motor ect... I plan to swap in a set of 3:55's from a powerglide that i have. If that works well I will leave it alone for now..as far as the running gear. I was originally gonna swap in a 55' chevy rear that I have with 3:36 and a full syncro 3 speed. but if the 3:55's work fine, I'll leave it. I have started to aquirer some vintage speed parts... I have a McGurk intake, a 54' Corvette split manifold, and a set of holly carbs... I'll probably hook that stuff up to this motor and possibly get a mild cam too. Along with a pertronix unit.. I want to build a 261 for it some day so I will transfer the speed parts over to that motor and actually get a little power outta her. When I first got the car I was gonna build a mid 50's period style custom but I was happy to find the paint cleaned up great with just a quick wax job... got lucky. But this is gonna be a real driver... spring to fall. Not a piece of garage art like my last car.
nice find..I found an unmolested '54 this past summer I'm gonna build into garage art, but after 1 year of showing it, will drive the crap outta it...mine isn't near as shiny as yours, but the important part is it isn't all cut up.....yet..lol...nice car!
Thanks guys. I'm real excited about this one. Keeping the body totally stock was not my first thought but now I'm totally into the 50's sleeper vibe. I know it's not gonna be fast but that was never my intention. Just a cool 50's hot rod. I'm having a blast searching out the old speed parts. I'm trying hard to not use anything newer than 1959...
What a GREAT looking stocker....the wheel/tire combo along with the visor is perfect! Congrats on a nice purchase man!
Love your ride. How did you drop the front suspension to get it to match the back? I love the visor for sure. How was the interior? Mine is pretty much the same. I love the unchopped version of these cars...great find!
the front is actually stock...prolly an inch or 2 of spring sag..but the pics aren't doing it justice. When the salt is all gone I will get better photo's of it posted. 3-4 months to go. Interior is all stock and there but the seats will need to be cleaned if possible...
Very nice. I would check out the spring to make sure they haven't been heated to get them to sag like that. I knew mine was stock but upon closer inspection i could see that the springs had been heated. Not good for the ride, or safety. I have plans to go with a dropped upright and some drop springs and do it the right way. When you get the stance right on these cars they look slicker than owl sh*t...good luck.
Quick update, car is now over at my pop's shop(that we just finished building). Was planning on repainting the firewall and inner fenders but after some time cleaning them I decided to leave them original... still has chalk marks from the factory and I think thats kinda cool. It's not perfect but cool none the less. I will be pulling the motor to replace a few seals and give the motor a fresh coat of paint... I think that can stand to look nice and clean. I'll post some progress photo's as I go.. been waiting to work on the car... finally have the space and time!!
Great find! The 3.55's will give you a better cruise. The speedometer might be hard to calibrate, though. I am going to try an S10 cable gearbox on my '52. I think some of them are about 10% over, but the one I have is an underdrive, don't want that! Too bad the 'Glide gear won't fit the stick, and Chev never put the 3.55's on a standard so the right ratio isn't available.
My 53 Chev 210............ Great LQQKIN' Ride, Nothin' lik finding goood solid V=hickle! Mine had half-dollor sized rustout in pass floor where heater valve leaked, thats it. But my likes R '40's/'50s Kustoms, Soooo....its gettin' CUT! Leaving tha' 6-banger fer now, geared in-tha basement! looking also for P/G rear. Luv tha' visor on yours....Like tha man said, Keep us posted, and remember..... "Happy Motoring, Starts at the Esso Sign" smoke'
Nice solid car. You probably have the 3.70 gears already, don't know if you'll notice much change with the 3.55s. post up more pics, it isnt too often you run across unmolested cars. Cesar
here are few new pics... 2 of the chalk marks i found and then the inner fenders i was able to clean with some cleaner and rags...
gonna repaint the vent tubes and below them...frame rails and radiator and supports. I plan to repaint the motor the grey factory color...and dress the motor with some other goodies.. pics to follow soon...
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