55 straight axle job just finished

your axle is just right with the wheel opening!

 

I guess if there is a few that think the g***er look will die, they could start investing in stock frames? Maybe hoard them all up and say "I told you so" in the future, but my guess is that it will never die, simply because there isn't enough to go around already. Man I like changing my oil without having to jack my truck up...

 

I have a phoenix car here now and to be honest am doing the first okla car in shop now in about 5 yrs. we do what people want and it gets around i guess , no advertising all word ofmouth , good guys rod n custom etc and we just keep doing them.. thanks

 

i think those were 31 inches

 

look's great nice work Iam working on a56 g***er almost done....

 

nice job!! looks real clean!! heres some we done !

 

The 54 ford rings a bell,the rootbeer brown 55 was owned for a while by a guy named Steve aka Oilie or Oilcan,the car was sittin in s side yard down in seaside about ten years ago lookin like **** all the chrome on the front axle and springs was takin a hit being next to the pacific so long I guess,Portland had some great cars on broadway in the 60s and 70s,Pat Pattee used to tell me stories of the 60s before I was old enough to run the streets........this 55 is coming out just right........

 

What is the general price for parts and labor for that job?

M.


I may have a customer in Sugarland, Tx with a 55 Plymouth that wants a straight axle/g***er setup.

 

AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT!! Not a '55 but an axle car . I'm building a '63 Pontiac Catalina G***er.




You think you're getting ****? Try a non-traditional g***er build. Heh! Its's murder.

Mark L

 

Nice ! I like it. Dare to be different.

 

Thank you Baron, so much ridicule from many traditionalists. But I want it the way I want it. Mark L

 

Love the comment before you even knew what shape the car was in to start with. There will never be too many 55' g***ers!

 

What did you expect? Words to live by as per Ryan:

The HAMB is dedicated to spreading the gospel of traditional hot rods and kustoms to hoodlums world wide. That’s right – TRADITIONAL. And we aren’t talking Beach Boys and poodle skirts here fellas. If you are into a-side 50’s pop, lawn chairs, ruler contests, and all things that make hot rodding warm and cozy then you might want to find another message board. If you aren’t sure what we mean by “traditional”, then you might think twice as well. If you’ve come here to set a rep, talk some ****, and make some fun then you had better turn around right now. We aren't patient.

Even if you have come here for all the right reasons, don’t expect posting to be easy. We don’t cater to new fellas unless they show a dedication to spreading this tradition of ours first. We welcome young, old, foreign and all – but our original members and our staff expect a certain level of respect and an effort to keep things true and on topic.

Maybe you are an old fart with a past. Maybe you are one of the guys that started this tradition we cherrish. We built this place for you and your posts mean the world to us. Hop on and introduce yourself. This is your board.

Still reading? Then you must be cut out for this, right? We recommend you read some more. Check out all the forums, develop an understanding for how things work around here, learn the “do’s” and “do not’s”… The key to a happy HAMB newbie is to understand the joint BEFORE you begin posting. You want to be happy don’t ya newbie?

We have very few written rules here on the HAMB and that’s the way we like it, but we won’t hesitate to dump disruptive posters, ego freaks, or **** talkers. We are all here to learn and teach - please keep your other perogatives on the sidelines.

 

thanks mutt, im thinking there are a few young uns that need to read this from time to time..............

 

I think what marks73turbota statement was about straight axle g***ers and by traditionalistsI think he was talking about most people think of Willys, Anglias, 37-8 Chevy Coupes, 55-7 Chevys, Chevy IIs and Falcons. The guy is 57 years old ( far from being a kid) and I thought you "old timers" came down a bit hard on Mark. As a kid, I remember a 64 Studebaker Lark that had straight axle, tilt nose, 327 Stude motor. If someone was building that and posted it here,it may not be traditional, but it was a g***er that ran at NE Dragway in the late 60's and looked great.
That's all.
Baron

 

I remember a lot of "other" [re: Lark] cars..Main thing I think, to be "Traditional", is that the car, what ever it is, is built to the 68' or so NHRA rule book..Just because a car is miles in the air [and there was a height limit] does not make it a "g***er", just a high car..Just my opinion..

 

g***ers/Street freaks rule.........and the more you can **** with the normal street crowd the more fun it is,Hey Mutt cool to post that,I think that until ya get 100 post that comes up first thing!!!!!!!!! the 55 is turnin out *****in and the poncho needs to be a in your face car .great job guys

 

i agree with this statement 100%

every dirty look i get while bombing around in the 55 puts a smile on my face, which usually garners more dirty looks

 

Hey, hey, I'm not here to complain about all people. Just those that think a certain style of car has to be built a certain way. And I don't even have a problem with that as long as someone with a different perspective is allowed to show their ideas and designs/perspectives. Sorry I got you all upset. It was not my intention on this board. Honestly, the comments were not even pointed towards this board and if I had even thought that far ahead I should have made that more clear. As a matter of fact this board has shown me complete acceptence and I appreciate that. And I'm sorry that you took it that way, and i can see how you would. My reference was to other boards that I go to. They got all huffy because they said if I claim to be building a g***er then it should be built completely in the tradition of the early historical g***ers. No matter how many times I relayed that it was a g***er style car they were all over me about even calling it a g***er. To that end I even started calling it a Street freak just to get them off my back. Then I would comment about something I was going to do or use (parts) and they would again get all traditional on me. To the point that I had to tell them to just accept it as a street freak and that it is not a g***er. They are probably correct in the statement that a '63 Catalina was never a g***er. As far as i know there never was one but even that has never been or probably can never be determined. I do have pics of a '63 built as an AWB car but it must not have gone far since the smaller Pontiacs had a giant advantage. Anywho, understand that I was not ranking on this board. When I first started lurking here and reading the posts I was so happy to find a place that catered to all kinds of cars, and styles and just good old hot rodding that I thought I'd found home. And I did read and was very aware of your statements concerning traditonal cars. But once I got into the reading of the unbelieveable amount of knowledge and great enthusiasm, I was blown way by this board. I'm not any of those things you stated in you rant sir. If you need to cut me from the board. I'll live. I prefer to go on reading and absorbing from all the great guys here. You make the determination. This is your board and you have the right and the power to do as you think is right. To the starter of this post I appologize that this got hi jacked from it's intended purpose, that was also not intended. I am very proud of my build, my desire to do something different with the car that I really like and prefer, and i just wanted to share with like minded people. Do what you have to do. Just let me know and you will never see me again. Thanks for listening. Mark L

 

well put, as you know from my work we build the way customers want traditional ? sometimes no,t race cars usually not, street cars sometimes a mix to make them more friendly to the driver. but we love all types of hot rods here , thanks for your thoughts on my post........

 

Thank you. I'm just sorry that it became a battle field. I love your work and wished I was closer to you, although the guy that did my front clip did an excellent job. And when it comes to front suspension etc I would rather pay a profeessional to do it right. The stuff that is not as safety imortant I can tackle. My very first car was a '55 2dr hrtp with a transplanted 348, 3 carb solid lifter powerhouse. But even then (1968) it was a rust bucket, but it was the (in my mind) the fastest, coolest car in the world. My first look at a street freak was that same year. Someone came rolling into town with a '57 Chevy, truck front axle, the engine so far back that the front of the motor was even with the firewall. And running of all things, a Chrysler 426 wedge singe four barrel. That was the sweetest thing I had ever seen. I remember looking inside the car and he sat back almost to the rear shelf with the gas pedal on the p***enger side. It was an automatic and i ***umed a torqueflite. I can still remember how uncomfortable I imagined that must have been to drive. In that day a 12 second street car was king and this was supposed to run low 12's-high 11's. And it could pull the wheels on the street. THAT was my inspiration to this day for a street freak. I can still see and hear it like it was yesterday. Ok I'm done. Thanks for this post and the opportunity to relive a great memory. Mark L

 

Nice job on the conversion, I agree why would one open a 55 g***er link if he was sick of 55 g***ers? Anyway I', also as they say BUTCHERING UP a 55 two door hard top in the same fashion. My friends 55 got rearended on a open car hauler by an intoxicated motorest at about 75 mph. Jackknifed my friends truck and his trailer. Thank God he wasn't hurt but the last thing he saw while sideways on the freeway way his beloved 55 went tumbling down the freeway. I ended up with the shell and have always loved the 55 g***ers. So I'm cutting off the front clip that had the front wheel smashed into the p***enger firewall and doing just like the photo. Got the parts but my body guy wanted to start on the body first so tomorrow is the first pulls on the top. Already got a fibergl*** lift off front end within a day. Lots of friends getting involved. I just couldn't let it go to the slammer. Hope to run some nostalgic races and such. Got a 454 and tb 400 lined up already. Can't wait.

 

when your all done and ya hit the shows have a pic of a stock restored car like yours and tell the resto guys this is what I started with,fun to watch them grab their chest..........good luck,

 

Johnny come late to the party. Cool thread

 

Dragr

Perfection!

I have to do one of these - what width axle did you use?

Thanks!

 

it is a 50 inch axle...............thanks guys

 

Love it. I used a similar setup (MAS), but put the tie rod behind the axle. This places the steering arms to the rear of the kingpins and is supposed to be the way to achieve the correct Ackerman angle. Had to use a second arm on the top of the p***enger side spindle to tie in the drag link with the steering box out front. Any problems with tire scrub/turning with your setup? Since you have done several of these I value your input. Thanx!

 

Marks TurboTA has a point, but I am biased.
My son and I have Galaxies, ('63-1/2 Fastbacks) His went the 'g***er' route, narrowed 9"
re-arched rear springs, 2.250" front tube axle, all we got from EVERYbody was respect!
I'm doing a '54 Ford Coupe, tall with '35 Plymouth tube axle. Most of the '55 Chevy pilots love the difference. G***er mania. We all have it...

 

Mike, thanks. When I was 15, working in the local gas station, i used to go in and work opening up the station before school. We had a guy with a '54 Vic, gl*** top and all, painted a dark green, that drove to college about 25 miles one way everyday. It did not have a straight axle but it was as high as I think possible with the factory style suspension and big long ladder bars. He would stop every morning and fill up on his way. All I remember was he had a big FE motor with one hell of a cam. The gas station was an old style building with a three gl*** bow window. He would leave it idling while HE filled the tank, I could not step near the car. That thing literally shook the windows, you could actually see them shake to the idle of the car. I wanted that thing so bad, but I have no idea what ever became of it. But I great memories of it. Mark L

 

we have done both ways. all out race cars we try to go to the rear for our cross and centerlink, but many many street cars the we have done are in front. they drive perfect town or highway... We think the key is make sure you are square with the world on everybit of it and use good new parts , no used hundred yr old stuff to cause a problem...