Projects 54 Chevy 210 custom "THE ORPHAN"

May try to save up for a set of these. Always liked them and wanted a set

 

Intake for the engine for this car cleaned up better than the Edelbrock intake on the 53. This is one can of brake cleaner in lol. One of these days I'll remember to bring this intake to the parts store to get the 3/8" barb fitting for the coolant bypass

 

So I figured out mr gaskets chrome dipstick for 1980+ sbc isn't as good a fit as for 1955-79. Lil more tweaking and itll be fine though

 

Finally came across a 53/54 running a 55 Chevy rear bumper. Unfortunately with 55 tail lights lol. I'll be sticking with 54 bezels with Lee lenses like on my 53. I couldn't get much info out of the builder on the bumper aside from it being a 55 bumper

 

Since I've gotta work a few hours tomorrow I figured I'd start on the doors. Probably start by welding up the holes for the side trim. Did decide to change my original plans and go ahead and retain all of the window trim. May try to start adapting the Oldsmobile door handles. Thinking easiest route is to cut and recess and weld the retaining clips so they reach the grooves of the handles. Worst case scenario it doesn't work and I grab another clip from the massive pile of clips I ended up with. Lol. Also this one won't get scratch guards for the door handles. I could make them fit but by then they wouldn't look right.

 

As far as I got before running out of time lol. Turns out the door handle area was messed up from someone trying to make a hardtop handle fit. I've got it built up enough and almost ground down enough to mount a door handle. Still going to try to adapt my Oldsmobile door handles. Worst case scenario I go ahead and shave the handles....if I do that it'll get bearclaws. But at the very least I'll get it to work with stock handles and scuff guards

 

Seems to be a day for this car. Wasn't even looking for it but found the hei I knew I had but couldn't remember where it was. Guess next up is buy a module, cap, and melonized distributor gear lol

 

Turns out the module in this distributor was fine. But it now needs one. Fried the one in the 53 and put the module from this in it to see if it worked. It did lol

 

I think on this one instead of the normal windshield trim mounted mirror on sedans I'm going to use the dash mounted mirror for a hardtop. Don't see any reason not too

 

Looks like a statue of liberty mock up. Needs a Chilton's manual in the other hand.

 

Ring gear for a crown and a welding blanket for a toga?

 

And some carhart socks under those Jerusalem cruisers on her feet.

 

and a Napa cap instead of the sun head dress

 

Standing on a bell housing

 

Still owe $ on it but I have a decent 54 grill for it. Should polish up nicely. Anyone know how easily a 54 Pontiac center grill bar swaps in?

 

Learned today there's a brick and mortar store near me where I can get a set of new body bushings that I regularly go to. Probably go pick these up Friday before taking my wife to getting stabbed by @Tim lol

 

I really should pop in there someday

 

They're definitely not a one stop shop. But flexible on pricing and no waiting on shipping lol. And the showroom usually has some sort of trinket worth picking up

 

Picked up a fan from a 55 Chevy for it. And got a 55 Chevy rear bumper and headlight bezels for mockup. Pics later lol

 

Looking forward to the mock up!

 

I'll get a pic of the actual bumper tomorrow. He included an extra middle piece because the one on the bumper is wrecked. But honestly I can probably fix it too lol

 

So appears a 55 Chevy headlight conversion is more than just building the eyebrows. I'll either have to extend the fenders a hair or recess the head light bucket assemblies like a quarter inch. Definitely doable. Will likely go the recess route.

 

Good call, I really like how that looks.

since those eyebrows are always rusted out I bet someone makes a patch that’s everything your going to need.

 

I've looked into that. They only sell the top half with the actual eyebrow. I'm told a stock 55 eyebrow ends up up looking too thick on these cars. May still get a pair of those patches to sort of cheat on bezel fitment and then just modify to look right

 

Gotcha.

I bet the right size round stock to make the opening, some sheet and a little hammer and dolly would get you there reasonably quick.

 

I thought about doing the 55 headlights , decided it was to much work . That's why I just molded the rings in to fender.

 

If you do the 55 headlights you should also do the tail lights. They flow together. If you french headlights you should french tail lights.

 

Kinda what I was thinking. And after the quick mockup I did using my 53 I'm thinking I'll need to rework the end of the bodyline so that it flows into the bezel. It's close as is but not quite. And I was just thinking an easier way to recess the headlight the amount I need would be to just mount the bucket assembly to the backside of the opening. Mebbe use a spacer if needed. That'd also give me more surface to weld to

 

Id have to see after all mockup was done. The pic I found of a 54 with 55 rear bumper that also had 55 tail lights seemed a bit much. Though the bumper itself worked nicely

 

Yeah it would be easier to buy a 55.
I wanted to put trim and taillights off of a 56 buick on mine then realized I might as well buy a 56 buick.
Customs can get away from you. To many mods look worse. Sometimes when your done you realize you should have started with a car that had most of the trim and such as you wanted.