Projects Cutting my Hotrod Teeth (57 Chevy Budget build/revival)

Fair enough, though I was going to be sticking with 14s regardless. This set is 14x7 in the front and 14x8 rear. Shouldn't be too crazy hard to find I'd think

 

I do have an oddball 14" 57 Chevy wheel laying around. Came off a 57 Chevy Bel Air four door and didn't realize it was 14" till a year later lol

 

I got the wheels! Admittedly, hugger orange is one of my favorite colors ever, so now I’m not sure if the wheels will get stripped, or if I’ll paint the car to match

Supposedly these came off a daily driver 68 camaro the guy owned since high school, and the tires were bought around that time. A shame they're too dry to use because I’ve always dug redlines, and these have about 99% tread left!

They are definitely chrome, and the rears are pretty deep, so I’m not sure I’d call the reverse since the valve stems are on the outside, but they’ve definitely got the look I’m going for, which is mid 60s street machine.

 

Those wheels are nice! Please strip the paint!! Chrome reverse would make a big impact on your car, IMHO. I was looking at Universal Tire here in PA, they list a decent amount of bias ply 14'' tires. The guys here are giving you good advice, super to see you making strides.

 

So, before I get myself in trouble, are the redlines considered OT? I doubt they would have really been common at all pre 65, but the more I think about it and plan out the car in my head, the more I like the idea of actually getting a set of new redlines once I'm ready to actually get this car on the road.

 

They mount tires upside down. Definitely chrome reverse

 

My mom’s firebird came with redlines, I recall an episode of of some TV show where Don Johnson scored as set of NOS ones for his car.
Are they even available now?

 

You can get repops. Actually Coker makes the exact same Firestone Wide Ovals on these rims. I priced out a new set just for kicks...

$1654 plus shipping!

More than the whole car cost me when I bought it!

 

Maybe @Moriarity can fill in when redline tires came out.
Mark knows things like this.

 

I was reading up on another thread they were a factory option for '65 GTOs so if we want to get super technical here, a 57 chevy with redlines COULD HAVE existed in late '64. Good enough for me!

 

I had redlines on my '57 up until this spring. I got them for a different project but I put them on the '57 to use them up before they got too old. I liked it OK, they are definitely period-possible for an early/mid 60's build.

Are those rears with the monster backspacing going to fit under the rear quarters? I know my '57 is pretty tight back there and my wheels and tires aren't that wide. I'd be afraid they'd rub against the inside lip of the rear wheel openings.

 

We’re gonna find out!

I think they should fit. I used the nifty tool on this page http://tri-5.chevyrides.com/rear_tire.php, and it seems like they’ll work. Of course I could have totally gotten something wrong and I’m in for a rude awakening when I try to actually fit them. Worst case scenario, I strip them and make my money back easily. I can’t believe I got the set for $200.

Edit: measured again and it’s a little too close to call. I’ll just have to try them next time I’m at my mom’s.

 

Dang, that’s a lot of $$ to look good while parked!

 

Good eye and call for the dry rot. Good enough for rollers but definitely don't take them on the road. You don't want to risk what you have done.

 

Well I got the wheels mounted just to test clearance. I have just under half an inch between wheelwell and sidewall on right rear, but absolutely no clearance on left rear. Fender lip is on the tire.

I’m not quite sure this is the look I’m going for anyway, I think the rears might be just a bit *too* deep. I’m not trying to build a dirt track car…

What do you guys think? Roll the fender lips and strip the wheels, or put the wheels aside for one of the other cars I’ve wanted since I was a kid (slightly OT, ‘68-72 nova)?

 

Axle may not be centered, but a 1/2 inch is tough to play with, 1/4 (min) on each side. I wouldn’t roll the fenders.

 

Maybe strip the paint and evaluate.

 

The other option is, use the “fronts” from this set, and then I’m halfway (and half the cost) there to a full set. I’m not too shattered about the wheels really, as I would have bought them anyway for the price they were, even just to stash away for now.

Anyway, the wheel situation isn’t getting solved today, instead I’m trying to get the engine idling better. So far I did a valve lash job, adjusted the dwell (eBay dwell meter may or may not be ‘off’) but it sounds better after I adjusted the dwell to ~30 ish. I really want to get the tach and gauges wired today, because I really hate running an engine not knowing if it’s got oil pressure, how hot it is, etc…

 

Could always run the chrome on the front and stock steel on the rear. Bit of a drag car look

 

Is it the diff centering, the body damaged or the wheels not the same offset?

 

Diff or body, the wheels match. Wouldn’t be an issue with stock wheels but it’s noticeable with the 8” wides.

 

Well shit, now the car’s not starting. My suspicion is the coil. Any quick testing I can do besides a test light on the positive terminal? Tried that already and it glows solid when the key is on.

 

This is so weird. I have spark at the plugs, and i have fuel, but no fire when i turn it over. This car just ran this morning, I set the dwell and then it sat for a few hours, and now nothing. I absolutely have to get it back inside tonight because I can’t leave it in my mom’s yard for a week…

 

Did you clean the points also?

 

Dollar bill works, if they are closed.

well, used to.

 

The points are brand new as of a month ago, but I did try to clean them as well. Also had the spark plugs out and cleaned those.

 

Well I found the problem or at least A problem. I took the distributor out again and noticed when i run a test light from ground to the distributor body, i get power, so the distributor seems to be shorting out.

 

Check out the insulation through the distributor, may have deteriorated.

 

Well, the car kicked my ass today. I ended up having to phone a friend’s dad and 2 brothers to help push it back into the garage using their pickup. Not only do I have a mystery ignition issue (probably distributor ground related methinks) but then the battery died, it got dark, and to make matters worse, when the guys were helping me push the car, we noticed the back brakes were locked up. I jacked up the rear end and we could not get the right rear to move by hand at all, even by turning it over in gear.

I’m sadly feeling really defeated and burnt out, and have lost a lot of my motivation again. Just as I was actually getting some traction again with this project. I’ll try to power through and make myself do something in the next couple weeks, but man, it’s sure not fun when I know enough to get it running, but then not enough to troubleshoot anything. I basically have to just screw around and get lucky with random jabs at fixing it, or I throw money at it and sometimes that works, sometimes it doesnt.