Projects 1955 Belair *First build thread!*

Ok so i'll admit. I visit our wonderful site all the time for ideas and help, but never really contributed. So here goes.
This is my FIRST BUILD THREAD so if im doin anything wrong then lemme know
This is a 55 Chevy i bought about 1 1/2yrs back, I blasted her apart and then just sorta fell off it. She is damn straight with seriously little rust, infact no patching was needed! I got lucky

Thanks to all the HAMB'ers out there, you guys got me motivated to get started again after a 6-7month hiatus of being lazy. Thanks for the inspiration.

***I finally found pictures the day i brought her home!

 

Good start and keep at it. Tom ( Tired Old Man)

 

It's ok to post BIGGER pictures... Thanks bud!

 

Awesome! It is OK to take a break... Better to take a break then burn out all together.

 

Thanks guys. Yea i took the picture with my phone, and havent learned how to resize (time to visit some stickys).Ive got a bunch more so ill get it together, Its hard at times to keep motivated 'Specialy when your LOWW BUDGET Haha! I do everything by myself on days off and shes come along way. when i picked it up it hadn't moved in 20 years, Flat black with a 283 / th350 and not the best of radius jobs on the rear quarters *Haste! Good news is shes in awsome shape metal wise all my buddies are jelous. Hopin y'all will keep kickin me in the ass to keep it goin.

 

OK guys.
my build thread has been kinda stangnent lately. So ill kick it in the a$$.

I got my engine & trans today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! huge update in my book!.
But before I begin...Just a quick note here. & Sorry I might get kinda sappy, as this engine has alot of sentimantal stuff to me.

I grew up going to car shows with my gramps. Spent days/years messing & playing around in his workshop. He had a 55 chevy wagon that I had fond memorys of crusing in. also a 66 chevy P/u, abunch of others and a 41 willys coupe in the corner.
I ultimately blame him for all the love of hotrodding thats in my blood. (Gee thanks old man, ill never have a savings acount now. )
He passed away about 6 years ago. altho i loved that 55 wagon, and it was said to be mine one day, it was sold. Just how things happen ya know. Most everything was sold off, I got a roll-away of tools which i still use today (gots a bunch of sweet XB-70, SR-71, B1B, Scud, ect stickers on it. As he used it working at skunkworks/lockheed)

Anyways, The engine in the 41 Willy was pulled before the shell was sold. It went to my uncles house and sat, Its now come back to me!. And I'm truely blessed. This engine sat in the willys for 20 or so years, as it was one of those "one day" projects. My grandma found i was building a 55, and had it sent to me.
Im absolutely estactic that im gonna run one of his engines in MY OWN 55 CHEVY. after all he got me into this stuff. So without further jazz,
Here is my New (to me) 454 BBC.

I was told "hey theres an old 454 that sat in the willys, you can have it for your project". Its turning out to be some seriously cool stuff!!!

Its been sitting for quite a while, Just got some casting numbers.
Big blocks are new to me so here goes.

Block casting # 3963512. 454ci 4-bolt main. 1968-71

Head casting# 3964290. closed chamber, Oval port 100.9cc

Trans. Borg warner T10-1c (aluminum case) 1961-62 **Havent counted the splines or anything yet

ANDDDD The crown jewel "Holly Sh*t" surprise.
An Edelbrock XC-96 CROSS RAM!!!.

I was blown away when i seen all this!. As far as i can tell this is going to be an awsome engine for my car

Any opinons & such welcome

 

neat stuff! On the front of the engine, on the pad where the bolt is sticking out of a water pump bolt hole, you'll find some more numbers stamped. That will be the engine code. It's possible that it got machined off if the block was decked, but look anyways. The letters will tell you what the engine is out of.

Now you're gonna have to find a 6 cyl radiator support, or hack up the firewall...whatever it takes, to get that motor in there!

 

Thanks squirrel!
ive done some deeper research today on it. Its date coded as a 70' The heads are 290 Ovals.
ONE problem, the intake is a rectangle port. & my cyl heads are oval. soooo thats a no go .
for now its a cool bench ormiment!
in the mean time im sourcing fenderwell headers for it so i can mock it up. The firewall was clearanced (Properly this time!! No BFH's) hah. so it should fit well.
Ill get it mounted with headers and decide what intake to run on it. Either way, Im in no way complaining. Sh*t i gotta bitchin BBC

 

You could also make a 427 by using a 396 crank in 454 block...... I love messin' with these old Chevys...

 

Cool stuff!!! esp since the engine was your grandfather's.

 

nice start, and cool story about the engine

 

cool can't wait to watch this build great story good luck...love them 55 chevys.

 

^^^^ x2 ^^^^

 

Great Start and Cool Story.
Keep on posting!!!

 

Hey guys.
Went to the parts yard today an pulled a rear end for my car.
Its an 8.8 from an explorer. (3.73 gears, Posi, 31 splines, disc brakes, parking brakes... $130)

Also headers came in!! Fenderwells anyone?

So i'll pull her in the shop in the a.m.
SHOULD have the rear end installed and engine mocked up within this week *Fingers crossed!*
Maybe i'll even take some GOOD pictures!!!

By the way, It was 65* and sunny today. I was bitchin about having to wear long sleeves outside. Jelous? Greetings from Las Vegas

 

On running that intake, have a look at the engine forum and the performance forum at www.chevelles.com. Seems like you may be able to run it.

 

Yea i was reading abunch of stuff over there, Its just either "No way" or "works great" haha.
I wish carcraft or someone had an article on it, Id love to see two dyno sheets about it. I dunno, If i already had two carbs i'd sure as hell go for it! (I want my f'ing cross ram!) But for now im gonna go with a RPM Air Gap, I just dont have the $$$ to dish out and try it myself, and have a bear to tune.

Find me a back to back article man! ill take ya to do donuts with me when shes done!

 

Well.
Spent some quality time in the shop today.
Put a new center section in my buds 55. His 327 blew the pinion carrier in half
Installed some 4.11 gears. dropped down from 4.88's But its in anticipation of more power *Blown big block*
Here she be
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*Glory shot*
Alright so onto my peice of junk!

Got my fenderwell headers in a few days ago, which means the 454ci BBC should be goin in (Mock up) next week. In prep i fugured id get my new (To me) 8.8 axle out and ready to go.
Ill have my tires swapped over to the cragar ss wheels in the a.m. As these are uni-lugs, and will fit the ford axle.

new 8.8's pulled out and power washed
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Turned out pretty good. Cleaned up well.
For $130 +20 core you get DRUM ROLLLLL
*Disk brakes
*Limited slip (fords posi. i know posi is GM BRAND but you get it)
*31 spline axles
*3.73 gears
*Sway bar & links (If i can figure how to adapt it)
I**Stock width for a tri-five (important)

Im planning on making some ladder bars in the futrue too
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Got the perches cut off (they will need to be relocated to be strung under a tri-five chevy) Other than that its a pretty straight foward swap
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Then i pushed it aside and pulled the old rear end out ( I let the bolts soak for two days) so it came out pretty easy. I guess it did well the last 55 years, but i dont think its woulda held up to what im puttin this thing through!
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So here she is waitin in the air. Damn I wish I could run tires as big as its brother right there That thing dead hooks like crazy!
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Looks pretty straight eh?
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And finished up the day messin around a bit (soap stone!).

...This got me thinking, Hmmmmmmmmmm
Felt good to make some nice progress, Ill keep you updated on how it turns out tomarrow!


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So theres a post for ya!

 

Thanks for the Pics again. Tom (Tired Old man)

 

Subscribed! keep up the good work man!

 

Update time!
Got the spring perches relocated and welded into place.
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Turned out really good!. Thanks to my buddy dave for the welding. Had to fill um quite a bit, as i took off a little more than expected when I cut the perches off...Opps. But anyways, looks good to me!
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Had the tires mounted on the Cragars. and the old 10in wide chrome steelies go to the parts pile.

While I was there, I decided to pull some of the leafs out of the pack. hoping it will soften it up a little bit. Along with the slapper bars it should help it hook a little bit.
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Heres how it all sits under there. It dont get much better (with my budget at least)
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Im still getting the sway bar & parking brake worked out, when i figure how it hook it up ill show you.
But in the time being its an awsome upgrade. It was in my price range and should work well for me...Untill i get Her to hook
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*And theres the money shot!*

I'll be mocking up the engine/ trans in the next day or so. And the motor mount install will begin. I cant wait to see those fenderwell headers hangin in there!!!!!!!

*Note** by the way. I pulled the BBC apart this week to see what im working with. although the block is a '68 (a 427 block), Its got a 454 crank in it, .030 over = 461ci
The dome pistons (120cc i think they were), with the 100.9cc closed chamber heads will put her at 11:1 compression. Shes gonna move!

Everything is looking good, the valves are a little deep in the head. So ill look into a valve job, Prob oversize valves and a throat job on um'.
But damn is she gonna run hard
STREET FREAK

 

Hey thanks guys!

 

Lookin good so far.

 

Really nice start to a 55 project. You are spoiled by not having to fix a bunch of rust like all of the midwest cars I have worked on. Your 290 square port heads should be a spot on match for the cross ram intake. Make sure you double check this before you give up on that intake. That cross ram would really stand out at shows with the hood up. The only flaw in your drivetrain is going to be that early T10 4 speed. Pretty weak compared to a Muncie. Might be worth a bundle to some restorer for a Corvette or 409 Impala project. I do think it would be fine if you really take it easy on it. Good luck with that. Probably be hammering it in no time after you get it going!!!!!

 

Looking good, dig the intake.

 

Thanks man.
My bud just helped me finish the engine mounts and were making a cross member this morning. Ill have some pictures up soon, They turned out killer!

 

Well...The engine is in. (at least for mock-up purposes)
I went ahead and took my transdapt brackets back, Had my bud make up some custom ones. They are Stout!! I was in a hurry today so ill get some more pics in the a.m

After i drop my block off at the machine shop

 

Very kool,what color you going to paint it?

 

Thanks man.
As far as color, Im goin in dp90-semigloss black primer for a while till i can afford a propper paint job. Then its getting a two tone job. found a pretty awsome electric blue from ppg. the roof/ trunk will be metalflake & pearl silver. Im looking to add some silverflake lettering to it, Just a little
It looks pretty cool in my head. Should give it some pop

 

Oh yea.
My bad for the poser shot, Its the only pic taken that day. Sooooo yea