I've lurked in and out over the years and have finally joined in, looking to learn a bit for a 49 Fleetline project I've finally started. I come by the custom gene honestly....dad's first car was a '51 merc in '59 and he moved on to an early 50's olds for the overhead valves so he could go faster. Now if he had only put the olds in the merc.... Been a car nut all my life, but focused on early customs in my early teens when I ran across one of the first issues of Cl***ic and Custom in the late 70's or early 80's. Think, breathe and bleed early customs ever since. I have exlcusively driven old cars since day one. First car was a '64 Pontiac convertible I started cutting on the day I got it. Lowered within an inch of it's life, got it stripped to bare metal, shaved the handles, started a tuck and roll interior (stuffed each pleat myself) and drove it in several flame and primer jobs back before primer was cool, but never made it to finish paint. In a generation that idolized jacked up Camaros, I kinda stood out. Started dental school and work stopped, but driving continued. Never finished it and flat wore it out before it was rear ended about 12 years ago...and even still drove it daily bent. I still have it and have collected the parts to put it back straight and finish it, but family and starting practice got in the way....one of these days.... From the convertible I went through a couple of 60's mopar wagons I got from an elderly couple and I still have them both. Fuel injected the 383 in the 68 Dodge wagon, redid the interior, cranked down the torsion bars, put on some torque thrusts and drove it silly. Not really the style of this board, but it's what I had. Current project is a 49 fleetline I just picked up in Wichita a few weeks ago. Got inspired years ago by a Stanford drawing of an early 50's Olds in Rod and Custom when Pat had just revived it. It was too cool: primer, chrome reverses wheels, wide whites, rake, no hood, Tommy Ivo scoop on the blower motor and a moon tank in the grille. That drawing stayed in my mind for years and when I came across a 50 Chevy Fleetline, I knew what I was gonna do. Life interfered, but I collected parts just the same. Wrong car at the wrong time, but got this new '49 and it's front burner tiime! This seems to be a car that was once restored and then someone started back into it, putting in an olds windshield and a few other odds and ends. Still has a six in it, but I have a freshly machined '54 Desoto 276 hemi that will go in. For the curious, here's a web page with most of my cars and a photoshop of the Chevy (with apologies to Doug Fox...I started with the spead of his great car in The Rodder's Journal). http://www.djmortho.com/stuff.html Sorry for the long intro, but it lets you get an idea for who I am and how I got here. Looking forward to adding knowledge to my brain! David
Welcome Dave! I'm down here in Hope, may be able to help you out on some parts if need be. I have two friends that between 'em have collected about a dozen 49-54 chevies of every variety.
Thanks for the welcome guys! A friend of mine and I are planning a cookout at my place in Conway for the local early rod and custom guys to get together and check out each other's stuff. Ya'll are welcome to come on over with friends or whatever. PM me for directions if you think you might come.
The Jalopy Journal
