Projects Her 48 Fleetline.

AND at the bottom of Frankenstein's posts, is his signature:

Car clubs turn people in to elitist ***holes!
I need a HUGE at***ude correction!

Now with a reply like that, I wonder who the bigger ***hole is...and it looks like he doesn't even believe in his own "signature''...

R-

 

I will be the first to admit Im an ***hole just not an elitist ***hole. I know and will admit that my **** stinks.

 

Frankenstein I'm an ***hole too, and even if we don't agree on style, you do really nice looking fabrication.

 

Thanks Shifty!

 

Oh man, he's no fun! Where's the spirit?

 

Hey Frankenstein....

Man as another moPar addict, Im still broadminded anough to have a Chevy and a Ford in my fleet.

Kudos to you for dropping in a "leaning tower of power" slant 6. And even more kudos to you for thinkong outside the box.

If using what you have in your shed aoint tradtional hot rodding, i dont know what is....

Rat

 

I like the fleetline it does not matter what engine it has

 

Thanks guys!
Feel free to post pics of your Fleets in here as well.

 

Been watching this thread for a while. Nice work Frankenstein.

I'm building a '48 Fleetmaster 4-door sedan for my wife at the moment. She loves her Fords but fell in love with the Chevy when I dragged it home (I'm a Pontiac guy myself).

Car came to me without an engine and there is no way I would stick a SBC in anything I own. Tried a Pontiac, too wide to keep the steering column so the car is getting aFord 351 Windsor HO from a Crown Vic cop car.

The Ford motor is a nice fit and seems to be ******* off the Chevy guys I know so it suits me fine.

Will post pics as soon as I have some decent ones.

Shawn

 

I think you need some eye brow headlights to match that bumper...I have some front fender sections with headlight rings from a '57 Cad if you think about going that direction...shoot me a PM

It's different, I will say that much...anxious to see the final layout.

 

Hey Todd can you post a pic of those peices for me?

I just fabbed up a ****** crossmember. I still have to do the final welding, drill the holes, C-notch the bottom for exhaust, and cut a small section out and box it in for the rubber or polly mount.
I was going to go with the factory Dart dropout section but it was easyer just to cut a section of tubeing, taper the ends inward and weld some plated to the ends so it can be bolted in.

Here is the stock crossmember.


What I started with.


What I was planning to go with. 15" sections bolting to the ends of the center section then to the frame but it wouldnt be as strong or as nice.


Frankenstein helping.

Yes I know I have to take the old ***** of **** in the backround to the parts store to be recycled soon.


Roughed in.


Plates tacked in place.
There will be 2 bolts on the backside of the plates and one in the front holding it to the frame. All mounts will be able to be unbolted incase a new owner ever wants to drop in a Honda motor or something else if Nikki ever sells or trades it.






I would finnish it tonight but I still need to find a Rubber or Polly bushing to use then I can figure how deep I need to notch and box it. Besides there is a Jack and Coke waiting for me at the moment!

 

I really dig the slant six, and your fabrication is obviously very nice- but there is something to be said for Janne's comments.

 

are you going to put a couple of notches in the x-member for the exhaust?

 

I think your doing a great job. I think it needs some eyebrows and I can see a custom tube grill on this baby too or maybe a "door knob" grill job seems like a really big space to fill though. Good luck and keep us posted man.

 

Yup Im going to do both the C-notches on the driverside because of where the headers exit. Here is a pic that I photoshopped. It's kind of ****py because I did it with my laptop.



The grill is still up in the air. Some of the ideas we liked were...

-52 F-1 pick up teeth.
-54-55 Desoto toothed bar.
-Big ol Buick teeth.
- Or ???

For the headlights I was thinking Caddy but then I would have to carry the line that comes off the eyebrow down the fender to make them blend in right. I still might do it depending on how much BIGREDTODD wants for the 57 peices he has.

What about 56 Chrysler or 56 Dodge buckets. 57 Chevy buckets are like the Caddys but dont have the line going down the fenders. I would just have to find someone that willing to chop the front of their fenders off lol.

 

With all the clearance you have there between the crossmember and floor, it might be easier to "Z" one section for exhaust clearance instead of cutting and boxing 2 "C" channels...... Tho the "C's" would look cleaner

Just my opinion

 

Looking at it again I think I will C-notch the top of the crossmember instead of the bottom. Like you said there is alot of room under the floor so I might as well use it. Nothing will be hanging down lower than the cross member that way as well,Thanks!

 

I love it, great car and nice to see something different done to a 48 chev. I have a 42 fleetline that I put an olds 350/400 combo in and love it, but the slant six is very cool.

 

with a tear in my eye seeing you put the front bumper on it and 6 banger. wish your wife was into building it as a traditional bomb or a mild custom (all stock body basically) with a healthy lowering and a set of hubcaps, wires or astros.

I hope you prove me wrong on the choice of bumper and it turns out great looking

 

Well it's getting the Lancer caps and a healthy lowering. The wheels and tires that are on it are just rollers for now.

 

Crossmember time!!!
I cut out a section in the center where the mount will be then dropped it down and welded it back in (remember to V cut your ends when ****welding kids!). I still have to do the sides but that shouldn't take too long. Im going with a chevy ****** mount that I just drilled 2 holes in to match the mopar 904 holes because it was less than 5 bucks new and it gives me the right height pluse room to shim it if I need to.
All thats left now is to box in the ends, drill some holes and bolt the crossmember in and I can start wireing the motor up.

 

The motor is in place without any jackstands!!! I need to goto the metal store and get some 4" disks for my grinder so I can clean up the mounts before I paint them. Other than getting some bolts so I can bolt the crossmember to the frame all the hard **** is done.










If you have a slant six and you need a pully that is just a little bigger than the stock one because your too lazy to goto the parts store and get a belt that is a little smaller so it will work with the chevy alt on your motor you can take a SBC pully and drill the holes out to 3/8 and it will bolt right on.



Yes there is enough wiggle room.



Now that there is billit on the car I wonder if I will be able to get into any of the rat rod shows or should I paint it black along with the Lokar cables? Maybe that way they wont notice

 

I say paint it, and go "fake patina" all the way!!!
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=258208&highlight=hitler+hopper

Get a bowl of popcorn before you click that link You will waste an hour of your life, but it's a good laugh.

It's looking great, keep us updated!!!

 

Sniff sniff. I am a little saddened and I'm not sure why.

That said, Damn thats cool. I love the cad bumper. I say extend the bumper to match the fender opening. Great craftsman ship on the rest. I will definitely keep watching this one.

 

Your no worse than some I read on here.

Nice car, nice work, good choices by Nikki. Thanks for posting the pictures.

 

P.O. here. (aformentioned Previous Owner) I rescued this car out of a field and I'm glad it is getting the attention it deserves. I was buiding a belly ****on car since it was my first hot rod and I was listening to advice from another friend. The result: I got bored. I say keep up the good work on the Chevy and don't let the critics slow you down. Opinions and ***holes you know.

 

Thanks gwssms! The critics are only making it go faster just so I can get it on the road and to some shows so I can hear even more people tell me what I did wrong

 

Well the motor and ****** are bolted in and sitting in the car with no help from a hoist or jackstand! So inbetween the rain and thunder I rolled her out and turned her around because the light is better in the back of the garage. Now I can start rebuilding the firewall and then wire her up. here are a few more pics.





Mocked up with a broom handel/hood prop (gwssms will reconize it). I will be ordering a speedway coulumn.

back inside

Hows this for ground clearance? I can still drop the oil pan with the motor in the car.

Coil is where the stock alternator bracket was.




Yeah I paid WAY too much for these..gotta love Ebay! Anyone have a center bar for a 54 desoto?

 

Hey kat, lovin what you are doin. I love dare to different thats what its all about. I like the look. I am a inline fanatic specifically pontiac but the slant is way kool too. I put an OHC pontiac inline in my 53 Pontiac and now in my channelled A sedan.

 

I just can't leave anything alone for too long. I got bored waiting for the laundy to be done so I could throw it in the dryer so I went out to the garage and shortened the timing tab so it will clear the new pully and belt. The tab was made to clear the belt going twards the p*** side.