Projects 1928 Chevy Coupe

I'm doubly astounded... first the general condition of everything and the fact that it runs. And looks reasonably straight.

 

This is fun to watch along, Thanks.

 

I didnt know that pattern went back that far but yeah it goes on up to the new full size GM trucks and even went back to it on 2 wheel drives in 99 it is also used on colorados, luvs toyota 4x4s nissan trucks and I think even the old dodge D50s, etc.

 

I like all the old iron, but nothing gets me going like the old chevys. I love that front end!

 

Just a cheap solution to the "$60+shipping" carbon insert: If that repro carbon is the same listing as my 1929 six cylinder: I was able to pry the actual ball bearing insert from a 71-79 VW beetle TOB assembly. It has to be 71-up that has a pressed steel bearing housing, 70-and older won't work. If your pickapart has engineless bugs, the easy way to spot the correct TOB style is that the 71-79 bearing rides on a 3 bolt steel guide tube. The 70-down does not use a guide tube. Anyways, pry out the bearing from the pressed steel housing, then cut a 1/4" wide strip of 18 or 19 gauge? sheetmetal, about 7-1/4" long, wrap that around the VW bearing, and it will fit right into the Chevy carbon clamp.

Unfortunately some aftermarket 71-79 TOB housings have a different looking bearing that may be wrong OD. And, with the OEM VW, you would need to glue a felt gasket on the back to keep clutch dust out. (but only as a road driver, not a field car)

Yes, it sure is the same. My cutdown 29 roadster with a Montgomery Ward tractor conversion from the depression, came from the scrapyard with modern 4x4 wide white-spoke wheels. I had two unknown make 18" wire wheels, so I cut the modern centers from the 4x4 wheels and welded into the wires.:

 

At this pace , he'll be driving over there with it by the end of the month! Might not have time to paint it by then though?!

 

I decided to see about getting the front axle a little closer to straight. It was bent back about 3" on the driver side, now it's closer to 1", I think. Hard to tell a lot from the pics, but it looks better...

 

Jim , I dig your approach on this car.And I can´t believe how well preserved it is, it almost looks like it´s been recently sandblasted , so clean it´s unreal. Unbelievable it´s been sitting for 60 plus years in a field. Amazing how well a hot and dry climate conserves metal. After having sat in a field over here for five years even a brand new car would have a tree growing out of the drip rails and rusted floors and wheel wells. Hell, I went to Mexico in March and my girl friends daily driver BMW had solid rusted brakes after sitting two weeks outside. She couldn´t get it moving... probably just Chevy had better quality control back in ´28 than BMW has today, hahahaha

 

Way to go, Jim! Glad you tried, after all. I do a lot of these...some guys have given me bent Mor Drops, they didn't want to straighten bent axles, because of the 'danger' (!??!)

I generally spread out a little further between points, (on my 10 ton) but Foster Farms has a 30 ton air-over that I've used for some.
'Twists', though challenging, merely take a piece of cold rolled round shaft, right thru the king pin bore. Place axle diagonally, with 'hard plate' support at 2 stations, then chain the axle beam down to the press beam. (same with the now 'high end' of the cold rolled 'pin'.) A simple press downward (or 2) and you should be in shape.
A second cold rolled pin in the other end (12" protruding on both) and you can gunsight the caster. ('no twist')
Final check can be done on a LEVEL table, tilt the axle from a level setting, turn it over and watch the protruding pins. (simple eyeball op)
Final op is axle straight up, on matching blocks under the spring pads. (or upside down, whichever is easiest)
Take an angle finder (Sears magnetic) and check the king pin angles (with your cold rolled pins) and they should be the same as indicated in the old Motors/Chilton's under "King Pin Inclination".
I get 'em right to dead nerts. (according to specs)

 

Build it to run in The Race Of Gentleman. That way you don't have to worry so much about aesthetics and streetability.

 

That's one idea I've been playing with...although aesthetics are rather important for that....they're just not the normal way you'd build something.

 

The axle looks better but I believe I would try at least one more go at it.

 

I'm finding a lot of other things I'm going to have to fix, so I plan to deal with the axle more at that time. It's straight enough to be able to putt around the yard...which is the short term goal.

I've been playing with the drag link and tie rod, the drag link was kind of bound up, the ball joints were quite rusty. I have a spare late 50s truck tie rod that uses the same size ends, so I plan to use the truck ends on the 28 tie rod, and use the old tie rod end parts to fix the drag link. We'll see if it works. I still haven't got one of the threaded plugs out of the end of the drag link...using heat, oil, vise, hammer, patience, etc. The first one took a while, the second one is taking a long while. I'll get it, though.

 

Sounds like a good plan, carry on.

 

Thanks Jim for sharing your build. I like the TROG idea. I thought I would do a sketch for art show Friday. So here is my idea of your 28 as a boatail speedster. I'll try and work a little more on it for tomorrow. RON...

 

A story about the 1928 Chevy coupe my Grandfather had back in the late '30s when he and my Grandmother were first married. For some reason it had a habit of breaking axles, and it happened often enough that he carried a spare in the trunk. He passed away in 1992. My Grandmother, meanwhile, lived another 18 years, although a stroke and the onset of dementia put her in a nursing home. During the last few weeks of her life, she suddenly talked to my Mom about my Grandfather finding the old Chevy coupe, and he was fixing it up, just one of those random things that she would suddenly bring up. A few days before she died, she told Mom that my Grandfather kept asking her to go for a ride, holding the door open and beckoning to her, but wasn't sure if she should go. Mom encouraged her, though, telling her that it might be fun. She passed away shortly after; I like to think that she took him up on the offer and went for a ride.

I just hope he remembered to pack a spare axle in the trunk...

 

Here's a possible start to your boat tail - 39 Chevy hood on Phoenix CL. https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/pts/5683456094.html

 

Did you get a better throw out bearing for it,Chevy used that style up to 37 and I should have one around here but could take years to find.

 

The filling station offers a modern throw out bearing that will work for the car. I put one in my '30 about 8 years ago. Although it may blow your $50 budget. [emoji12]

And yes in the rear axles breaking. I have spares in case. My father had one with a seal and bearing installed and stashed in the trailer. Good thing he did. I needed it on a Glidden tour I was on a few years ago. The tricky part is getting the broken shaft out.

 

This little guy will be surprised the day he learns he doesn't need to reach so far.

 

I hope that one day, I'll have to worry about broken axles!

Meantime...I got the steering linkage working, so I decided it's time to build a steering wheel. Fortunately we have the internet to show us the right way to do it, and also fortunately we don't have to do it the right way, we can do it however we want. I'm not good at waiting for glue to dry, and I didn't want to go shopping, so I used what I had laying around. Scrap pine and wood screws, and a few power tools.

 

that will work!

 

Nice job on the steering wheel!

 

You continue to amaze me, hand hewn steering wheels no less.
If I may, I see a wood frame body with plenty of slats going fore and aft to a boat tail rear also. Only covered with fabric and dope ala a vintage bi-plane.

 

That's the prototype, the next one will be from mahogany or teak....

 

the whole project is great Jim,
loving every update.

I like the no body idea,
change the sheet metal a bit and sit on the tank
ala The Shooting Star in Wings

 

I've wanted to do this for years. An airframe under construction and a '26 Minerva. There's a thread on here somewhere about this particular car being redone.

 

Hey! Jim!! I thought you said you had no wood working skills...... you get started on that wooden boat tail lil' mister! You KNOW it's what all the cool kids have.

 

You guys seem to forget that we don't have long, cold winters here....