Hey guys...I have a 53 Bel Air 4-door that is bone stock at the moment, but I'm in the midst of a 12v conversion (and a new wiring kit on the way). My long-term goal was to upgrade to a V8, auto trans and air suspension. The obvious choice was to go with a Mustang II front end, but I've read some posts where people recommend keeping the stock front end. Everything up front seems to be in decent shape, but steering is pretty sloppy, so I think a lot of the bushings are worn out. Would you guys recommend I go through and 'refresh' my stock front end and convert to disc brakes, or am I better off upgrading to a Mustang II? Will the stock front end accept a V8 without too many issues? Can the stock front suspension accept an airbag suspension fairly easily? The other catch to this is, while I was planning on picking away at these upgrades over the next few years, I MAY be in a position where I can spend a lump-sum of around $8-10,000 on it in the next few months. It should be noted that I don't have the facilities to take on a bag/motor swap project on my own, so I'll have to take it somewhere...which will obviously eat up a big part of that budget. I guess I'm hoping for advice on where my money would be best spent to have a reliable, safe and fun car at the end of the day. I'm pretty new to this, so any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
That front suspension was used in Corvettes until 1962, rebuild it and adapt discs to it and it will be better than any Pinto*****. I drove my '54 for years with a 283 and 3-speed stick with a 4.11 '55 rear end with no problems whatever.
Ya, when I heard they used it in the Vette, that was a pretty solid selling point for keeping it! Are there decent airbag setups available for that suspension, and what issues will I run into/what do I need to change...lowered uprights, etc? Is it just a matter of changing motor mounts for a V8? Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Anyone have any experience with the airbag kit Eckler's Early Chevy sells? Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Rebuild your front end starting at the steering box and working out. At least start your checking for problems at the box. Those front ends are stout and will take a beating. Disc brake conversions have become affordable in the last few years and if they make you more comfortable then that is the way to go. of course you could also upgrade your drums, a better master and a rebuild to the originals or get some drums off of a bigger car and it will stop when you mash the peddle. A small block swap is very easy these days. Not so much when people stopped using those old cars but today it is cake. e used to use the rams horns and cut the last horn on the driver side and weld a piece of bent pipe in to clear the steering. Today you can buy a set of headers and mounts that pretty much make it a bolt together (or close to it). I would not go crazy with it on the upgrades, two things come to mind end of the day it is still a more door and it is going to be a driver not a race car. keep it simple and keep it on the road. Oh I meant to say I don't do air so I won't begin to offer any advice on that subject.
I have, but I'm only finding bits and pieces of info...some of which contradicts each other. It's tough...there are so many options, and so many different directions people have gone with different combinations of parts. It's a bit overwhelming. This is the car: Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
No, please elaborate on the air opinion. I want to hear all sides of this so I'm armed with enough info to make an educated decision. To be totally honest, air seems like a bit of a pain in the****, but so far the pros are out-weighing the cons. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
FWIW, the very first thing I did to my '49 was throw in some 3" blocks. Little money, a couple hours, hand tools, and instant gratification. Next, after addressing some mechanical issues, came dropped uprights and brake upgrades. I kept the six.
I'm actually not opposed to keeping the 6. It runs like a top! Plus, i was talking to a guy that has owned a few of these, and he said you can bore them out, upgrade the carb(s) and headers, and they'll put out decent enough power. The 3-speed needs some work, though...it grinds like a******** when putting it into 1st or reverse, and the clutch is starting to slip. As cool as the 3 on the tree is, I'm not sure I like it enough to pay to have it rebuilt. I considered converting to a Powerglide, but I can't find them ANYWHERE...at least not one in good shape for a reasonable price. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
This is the motor in my '49. For decades, I drove mainly GM big block powered rides. I've got way more in this than any of them, but it's been a blast, especially when scoring rare vintage parts. You can find a build thread HERE: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/mos-216-build-i.898255/ Your car, being a 3 speed, was equipped with the early, non-pressurized oiling system. There is plenty of smack talk on them, but they can be made to perform well AND last, if you respect their RPM limitations. Boring 1/16" inch and switching to later 235 std. pistons (which are aluminum) will increase durability tremendously. But since your motor is running so well, save that for a rebuild. Dual carbs (for better fuel distribution to the 3 intake ports) and free flow exhaust can result in significant HP gains. The switch to 3:55 rear gears will set you back a few hundred $$$ from Patrick's, but will make life a lot easier for the 216 on the highway. With the above engine mods and the torque from the 216's relatively (for its size) long stroke, you will not miss the power at the bottom end. I strongly suggest you get a copy of the Speed Manual's of both California Bill, and Roger Huntington. Both are available in reprint. The above motor has been converted to pressure oiling and insert bearings, but I have a second aluminum piston 216 on deck, which is ported, milled, big valves, hot cam....and still babbit-ed! You can find that build thread HERE: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/mos-build-ii.901541/
I'm just gonna throw this out there. If you're going to be in a position to spend 8-10K in a lump sum, the best thing you could do to fix your car is to sell it and buy something with 2 doors. You can buy a nice car for 8-10K, and that number will go higher if you sell your current car and throw those proceeds into the pot. For what you'd have to spend, you could probably hit a lot of points on your checklist out of the gate. And even if you couldn't, you'd still be in a better place because you'd have a 2 door.
I have driven my 53 almost daily for about 4 years. It's running a '54 235 with the stock 3 speed/torque tube rear/brakes. Up front it's all rebuilt factory suspension/steering with stepped lower control arms and full length, V6 Mustang II coil springs. Out back I built a 3 link and am running an old Fenner hydraulic setup on full length 98-05 Chevy Cavalier rear coils. I matched the spring rate of all the coils to the spring rate of the factory coils/leafs, so it rides just as good as it would with all new, factory spings. The pump runs off the battery under the hood, so it's a very self sufficient system. In the next few months I am going to add a dump manifold to the pump, so I can hook up the front as well(when I run my 14'' wire wheels, she only has about 3 inches of clearance in the front right now). Probably not the route you are looking for, but just thought I'd share a different option. If everything is rebuilt/maintained, there is nothing wrong with the factory suspension/drivetrain/brakes on these cars, but I guess it all boils down to your driving style. Hosted on FotkiHosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki
And FWIW, a V8 swap into that particular car is not a cake walk. That engine compartment was never meant to house an engine in a V configuration, and the firewall will need modification to eliminate the ribs so that a wider, though shorter, engine will fit. Obviously, a SBC will fit in there nicely once the appropriate work has been performed, but if you've never done an engine swap before, or if your fab skills are a little sketchy, you're not starting out with the easiest swap imaginable. There are several threads here on the HAMB and various other boards from people who have done it and done it well, and they can serve as your guide.
RTi04, I for one am a maverick on the two/four door. I LIKE my four. Its gets a lot of attention, as well. I, too, like keeping the six. Any one can do a SBC!! I believe your transmission problem is a clutch problem. Inexpensive to fix. Try it. Ben
I was going to say the same thing: either keep your current car as close to stock as you can tolerate and just enjoy it OR buy another car that is closer to what you want. If you really like the car some lowering blocks out back, dropped uprights up front, and upgraded brakes seems reasonable to me.
I get what you're saying, but I have no hate for the 4-door. While the 2-door would be more desirable for resale, I'm not looking at this as an investment. It's a toy, plain and simple. This came along for the right price at the right time, so I'm happy to see where this car takes me. Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Two doors are more desirable for a reason. They're sleeker looking, have fewer/no center posts, and were considered the cool, sporty models in their time. 4 doors were considered family cruisers. My first old car was a 4 door, and all the old timers in the area drilled that into us young guys' heads, that 4 doors were the cars you borrowed from your parents, and were not ideal material for customizing. Now, 50+ years of time has changed that mindset to a degree. Just having an old car is cooler than driving, say, a VW Passat. And I recognize and can relate to the fact that you're not looking at this hobby as an investment (which is smart). I'll make an*****ogy. I'm reminded of the movie "She's All That". You're planning on dumping a*****load of money on this car trying to turn the artsy geek into the prom queen, and it just doesn't work like that. You don't just take off the goofy glasses and let her hair down and all of a sudden she's a 10. You're gonna drop a pile of dough on this car and you're going to be left with a*****y chick in a******y dress with astigmatism who can't see where she's going. You could put this car on bags, put a V8 in it, and do all the stuff you want to do to it, and in the end, it's still a 4 door with the roof line of a taxi cab. So I think it goes beyond just a resale perspective. When you put something together, you don't want it to be nice for what it is, you want it to just be nice without the condition.
Damn...well put. So what you're saying is, paint it yellow and throw some checkers down the side? lol I'm kidding. You make a very good point. Dammit. PS, I've always thought the*****y chicks in those movies were hotter than the done-up versions they turned into...sadly, I don't know that the same applies to the 2-door vs 4-door debate. DAMN YOU for making me fall out of love with my*****y 4-door!! Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
RT104, since you say that you are "new to this", here is another suggestion. Look at post 14 showing Droplord's chevy....really nice clean car that represents a fantastic starting point for the future. What IF you began your project by first getting the entire car up to snuff....brakes, steering, suspension, drivetrain, gauges, glass, body, chrome, and all. Get them so the car is very attractive without adding tons of $$ for bags, V8 motors, overkill music, etc. Just make a nice simple cruiser. Four doors means you can carry more buddies, double date easier, or whatever. And guess what? After you spend time on the project, you will have gained something called experience.....you will know your car intimately and you will know what is next....for this car or the next project. And, a bonus is that, if you decide to move on, your current car is worth more because it is more presentable. The cost? Your labor and a bunch of smaller-cost items......no need to spend $5K for a MII front end and find it isn't your cup of tea. Look at a lot of the low riders in The Rodder's Journal......those guys have fantastic cars that are works of art....but a LOT of the charm is elbow grease and some paint. Work on making your Chev the best stock Chev in town first....
Again, sound advice. Thanks so much, guys. This is what I was hoping to find...advice on what TO do, and what NOT to do. I think you guys have me sold on keeping it basically stock and just 'refreshing' it. I think the fact that so much has sort of...I dunno, worn out...had me scared off, but it sounds like its a totally different ballgame when it's all in proper working order. Plus, it seems like a bit of a shame to rip out the stock stuff if it's still good. These cars are becoming more and more rare, so it would be nice to not sacrifice another one if I don't absolutely have to. I wasn't expecting to be in a position to throw this much money at it all at once, and I'm not sure when I'll be able to do that again, so I thought I should just do everything all at once...which, based on your advice, might be kinda foolish. So thanks for smacking some sense into me! Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk
Absolutely nothing wrong with a 50's four door in my mind. I have owned and still own several. Truth be told, they are just as much fun to drive as my two doors and easier to get my kids in and out of the back seat. Just be realistic. I too don't look at this hobby as an investment, but you have to look at the fact that sometimes the***** hits the fan unexpectedly in life and it's nice having something you can recoup as much of your funds as possible. Am I saying don't build a really nice four door? Nope. Just try to do it on the cheap. Don't invest $20k in something that you'd never get more than $10k for. As previously stated, sometimes it's nice to have a less desirable car to learn on. I'm a natural born cheap**** and refuse to pay someone else to do things that I know I can figure out. If it were me, I'd use some of that 8-10k to buy some tools and secure a place to work and start learning. There isn't much on that car that you can't look through the tech archives here on the HAMB and other forums and figure out yourself. Also, there are plenty of bolt on kits for these cars out there, for folks with more money than skill.
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