New to the car scene, I need help!!

Hey everyone!
I am new to this whole car scene, I just bought a 55 chevy four door,bel air, I love it to death but working on it is soo expensive, and I am just learning everything I can about it right now. Its hard for me to fix up when I don't have anyone to help me with it.I just figured you guys could give me some pointers as I go. I haven't figured out how to post any pics of it up yet but as soon as I do, I will show you guys what I'm working with. Its a sad sight right now, but it has a lot of potential, needs new engine, new transmission, but I'm putting my all into my all original baby. Hope you guys can help, so my first question is, does owning an old car ever get any cheaper?!!

 

NO!

 

If you're good looking and single, post a pic of yourself, that should get you all the help you need.
If yer really hot looking they might even donate all the parts you need.

Welcome to the funhouse.

 

No, it doesn't get cheaper, but at least what you spend will be worth it, because you'll be able to see progress.
there's alot of knowledge here so feel free to ask away.
Welcome, and if you have any pics of the chebby that would be cool as well.

 

1st off you should tell us whereabouts you are in CA,probably a hamber nearby that could help out.secondly,you say you need a new engine and trans.are you sure? or are they missing? owning an old car can be cheap,but usually only after you've owned it a good long time,like 30-40 years.one thing for sure,if there's a cheaper way to do it,a h.a.m.b.er has figured it out.

 

OK,fun and games aside.what are you working with?6 or 8 ,auto or stick,body straight or rusted out.Give us something to work with girl!!AL

 

Yes. It is a ****LOAD cheaper when you know what you are doing and where to get what you are looking for. That word "original" might get you into trouble here, but if HAMB history is an indicator, you'll be customizing it before too long.
Just be glad it isn't an "Import" style car! You wanna talk about expensive parts.

 

BTW i know for a fact all these guys are happily married w/children.shame on you guys!

 

Jimmy dean won't help you?

 

He's too busy making sausage.

 

Do you eat Jimmy Dean's sausage?

 

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He's too busy making sausage.

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That's exactly what came to my mind as well! HAHAHAHA

 

my first car hawtrod was a 56 150 4 door sedan with a 235 blue flame- and let me tell you you can't kill the ****er!
I tried powershifting, brake stand... those cars are the best. I sold it to a friend of mine in the Poorboys C.C and it's now bullnosed, slammed and in primer.
I should have kept it!
I'm sure you'll get all the help you need on here.

 

Not being an *** but im curious. Are you Jimmy Deans girl as in the sausage guy or in the depressed, handsome yet mis-understood teenage drama queen?

 

Make it RUN , And THEN you have made a "Buck", or maybe 1K .
OR .... Keep the FR... and have FUN !!!!
Klaz

 

Best thing to do is hang out where the cars are...or with the guys (or girls) that are working on their cars. Be where the action is!

 

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That word "original" might get you into trouble here, but if HAMB history is an indicator, you'll be customizing it before too long.


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Aw common Deyo you know that original is a relative term especially around here. besides it hasn't got me into tooo much trouble.

Owning a car is never cheap, but building on the other hand doesn't get a whole lot cheaper than a chebby.
welcome aboard, you've come to the right place for info and finding what ya need to build one.
The PknBner

 

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does owning an old car ever get any cheaper?!!

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The more you work on it and the more you learn, the more you can do yourself and the cheaper it will get. Old cars are simple and have plenty of room under the hood, so they're easy to work on. First thing you should do is get a shop manual. You can get them brand new for $20. Next, find all the places online that sell stuff for your car. They are practically limitless. Realize that you don't HAVE to buy reproduction parts from tri5 Chevy places. Many parts can be bought at NAPA, AutoZone, etc for quite a bit less than the repro places because you cut out the middle man. Finally, find some friends who are knowledgeable, or who can read the manual and are willing to get dirty. guys LOVE to help girls with their cars... often just for beer

 

When you are done with your car, are you going to attend car shows, pop open the hood and trunk, and proceed to unfold a lifesize cardboard cutout of James Dean with sausage in hand?

 

I have the exact same car, bought it two years ago as my first project. They are great cars to work on since so much is available for them...

Coming into this with little experience, I spent more money than I needed to, but I didn't have places like the HAMB to set me straight.

You are on the right track, just ask plenty of questions - the folks on here are really knowledgeable.

 

I've figured it out a few times. Having my '59 Chevy truck as a daily the last year has been cheaper than having a new truck. A new truck would have cost me $1000 down and about $300 a month, for a total of $4600 for the year. I have about $3000 in my truck all said and done right now. So I've saved about $1600 not counting the cheaper insurance. Yeah I do all the work myself but you can get friends to help ya out. Hell most everything can be done with the help of a manual and basic hand tools. Post some pics of the car. Pics of yourself and this thing will go 15 pages wethere you're good looking or not...

 

i'll help you....hehehehehehehehe

no seriously, where do you live?

 

Your boyfreind did a good job in "Diamonds Are Forever". His sausages aren't bad either.

 

"Hey Mr.!! you got any car parts for an old 55?" My 55 has been sitting in a garage for 30+ years, untouched, I bought it out of my friends dirty noth hollywood place, so it is all original, (not that I want it to stay that way), has virtually no rust and was a great deal, its has the original engine but the block is cracked, and the transmission is falling apart, years of sitting in a big puddle of grease and dirt. Now its just sitting in another garage doing the same thing its been doing for the past few decades...collecting dust. So maybe you guys can help me out, the cars in North Hollywood still, same place, different garage.I live in Ventura County, (thousand oaks). I will post a pic when I can figure out how to get the ones of the car off my digital camera and on to the computer, its been being difficult lately, but I do have some pics of me, any of you guys want to help me out? I'm single too, I can bake u cookies, bring you beer, I just need to learn about my baby!And by the way jimmy dean is my pet name for my ***y man James Dean, sigh...not the sausage guy.

 

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I just need to learn about my baby!

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Pick up an old ***embly manual. You'll learn quite a bit from that.(won't cost you beer or cookies either!)

 

if i only lived in cali or maybe you ould move to jersey?

 

put up some want ads for a running small block chevy with a trans already attached, go to pomona for any little things and call me when you need a man-*****.

 

heck, ur in the right place at the right time, head down to the primer nats on the 23rd at the ventura fairgrounds and u'll meet a ton of good folks, hell i'll be down there. good luck.

 

I love California.

 

I thought that chevies were cheaper to work on than fords...

When you have a car to work on, you have to prioritize... new intake OR new outfit...