Hot Rods How would have you built this car in 1962?

43Gman,

Thanks for the pics and the story. VERY COOL. Todd

 

Can't say...born 1975!

 

One of my earliest rods was a 1940 Chev coupe. Money was tight when I was still living at home and making $2.75 an hr., so I bought the neighbor's rolled Chrysler and put the 413, torqueflite, and rear under the coupe. The front was A arms, so I put an old Ford transverse spring straight axle under it to get the front up.
Interior was buckets from a VW, and the pushbutton shifter from the Chrysler in a tube on the tunnel. I ran chromies with no caps all around. 8" out back and 4.5" in front. Primered flat black. Lots of fun, and I think I had under $1,000 in the whole car!

 

...maybe like this...

 

A lot would depend on how many $$$$$'s were in your wallet. Most of the rods I grew up around were built on a no dollar budget. that meant not much chrome and a working tach and guages if you were lucky.

 

Me? Metallic blue with chrome reverse wheels, big-and-little whitewalls, nose-down rake, blue-and-white naugahyde, and a 389 or 348 Tri-power. I wouldn't have tried for a gasser stance, as by '62 it was generally acknowledged the full-size '30s cars weren't real competitive. I'd just be shooting for a clean, street-driven hot rod.

-Dave

 

Digging up an old thread...
I got my March 2012 R&C yesterday and there is an article on a GREAT 57 Chevy post (it's also on the cover so you can't miss it!) that is exactly what we were drooling over in 1962-66. It is super clean, a street car that looks like a racer. The owner, Doug Huff, just nailed it. It's a vision of my high school dream car. I realize this isn't the same year as your car, but the way it looks is just ticket to a great build. Gary