Termites and Bowties- Early Chevy Group

I was going to make my own small rotisserie for my 34 frame so I could work smart, and not work so hard as I media blast the frame. I mentioned this to my friend, and he offered to loan me his rotisserie. (I didn’t know he owned one.)
I went to get it the other day and it’s a monster. The lower horizontal beam connecting the two ends was 17 Feet long, so I cut it in half to get it home. This rotisserie is strong enough to handle just about any size car.
It has been out in the weather for 11 years, so I’m giving it the attention it needs. I should have it ready to use within the next week or so.
My friend and I both own 1965 Chevy C10 half ton stepside trucks. His green truck is all original and mine has undergone a few upgrades.

 

Well, it’s DONE!
Brought this rusty rotisserie home Monday 6/17/24. Cleaned and made it ready for service. New 8” wheels welded on today.
I’ll mount my 34 coupe frame and finish cleaning and media blasting the frame.
Had to get creative with shop space. Body of the 34 had to come off the dolly and onto the lift so the rotisserie could fit in the same bay of the shop.

 

Car was running funky. Condenser went bad in my dizzy. Got the engine back together with the risers on.

 

I boiled two coils in two days lol not running a ballast resister..

 

Looks like you've mounted the ballast resistor on the inside of the driver's side firewall, seeing those two bolts? If you have the resistor, have you had a chance to fire that '09 to see how the risers worked your temperature issue?

 

Yeah my coil was installed on the driver side inside to clean it up. So I just installed the resistor next to it because I didn’t wanna drill anymore holes. It’s running better; I’m going to drive it right now actually in the Texas heat to see how it is.

 

Guess it’s about time for this dreaded door process

 

Frame is on the rotisserie. C4 rear axle is off. IFS comes off next.
Top heavy on the rotisserie. Guess I’ll have to fabricate something to center the weight on the axis of rotation.

 

Finally found a set of 904-A chrome headlights to run instead of the 682-C

 

Jay are you going to paint the frame or powdercoat it?

 

I’ve heard that powder coating is affordable. I can’t powder coat. I don’t know how, plus I think it needs to be baked at high temperature. I know how to paint, so that’s been my plan. Plus I will likely need to weld brackets and crossmembers to the frame at some point and I’m thinking powder coating should be done AFTER the frame welding is completely finished. Any advice either way?

 

Yeah powder coating was pretty affordable for me. I did all my crossmembers and all the brackets I needed before. Put the wheels and pedals ect everything on and then blew it apart for powder. I paid $400 for my frame to be blasted and powdered.. painting would have been cheaper I suppose but $400 too cheap to pass on.

 

I’ve been looking for a set of these 904-A’s for awhile.. which do yall think I should run. Both are 7” the 904s are a bit more rare; seems like everyone is running 682’s. The 904 is a little shorter as well

 

They are both nice. I think I'd run the 904s.

 

Today was grunt work day. Nothing fun about it at all. The rotisserie made it more bearable. I cut out the frame modifications done by some previous owner. I’ll weld in new steel where they C notched the frame for the C4 rear axle that was installed.
I was able to balance the frame on the rotisserie by flipping the front mount. With the front of the frame slightly below the axis of rotation and the rear slightly above, it’s perfectly balanced.
I’m wondering if the rear bracket in the pics is for the leaf spring.
Is that flat bracket for the fenders?

 

Yes that is for the spring shackle. That center piece probably screws out if you can get it loose. The other bracket I don't know. Too new for me.

 

Your better off removing those original brackets and purchasing a new rear leaf spring mount kit from Speedway or other suppliers:

Adjustable Leaf Spring Perch, Pad, Shock Mount and U-Bolt Kit

• Multiple adjustable keys are included which allow you to fine tune the position of your rear axle housing up to 1/4” forward or 1/4” rearward from center
• Allows you to properly center the wheels and tires in the wheel well of your car or truck for maximum tire clearance
• These leaf spring lower shock mounting plate is made from steel with a zinc finish
• Speedway Motors Part #9100151 for $116.99

 

the bracket in the rear is for both the rear splash apron and fender

 

Got a little bit more done today.
The M2 front suspension is going bye-bye!
Whoever bolted this on was either not paying attention, didn’t know what they were doing, or both. Maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt and say they were just mocking up suspension so they could move the vehicle. I don’t know, but long before today I figured out why the passenger side tire had positive camber. It has a shorter lower control arm.
I’ll start looking for a 10 bolt rear axle (or other) that has a wheel mounting surface width of approximately 62.5 inches. Something with a 3.08 gear would be nice.
I measured between the rear wheel wells. I got 47” – 49”. My wheels with tires mounted need at least 5 inches of backspacing. That brings me to right about 59”. Add a few inches for axle movement.

 

Now we're talkin'! Send that crap front end to the scrap yard where it belongs Jay! (We) are proud of you that at this point, you are building a REAL TRADITIONAL HOT ROD brother! Keep your progress going!

 

Glad you’re getting rid of that front end as well lol

 

Hey brother, you haven't got back to us about your '09 engine temps with your new spacers - any improvement on the road?

 

few of us went on a short cruise this weekend and it held up well in 100+ temps. I think the main issue I always had was at a standstill which most cars do with no shroud. But now it takes a lot longer to raise temps; and the fan is closer and higher. When really beating on the engine I'm around 180-190; just putting around 170ish.

 

Also got to meet some original members in the club from 1955 so that was super cool
Too

 

Glad your engine temps are back on track. Wouldn't have thought your car club started way back in '55, that IS SUPER COOL!!!

 

Yep and there’s a couple of the original guys still alive one of which still drives his 32 around with us that he used to race.

 

I'd really like to find a plaque from my brother's club the Plugs from Canyon, Texas. The club was only active for a few years probably done in the summer of '58 when most of them graduated. There were likely only a dozen or so plaques. I was younger but they took me to the drags in Amarillo a lot.

 

I bet there’s some stuff out there. One of the guys I talked to this weekend said someone had found a plaque being sold on eBay.. it wasn’t original but they bought it and gave it to him. Someone around that town probably has something. Maybe even antique stores

 

These guys were all my brother's friends and at least 5 years older than me. We moved away 65 yers ago and the ones I knew are gone. I have a picture of one on a car. My brother's plaque was broken but may be around his old home in CA. Maybe I'll have some made from the photo.
Anyway I'm glad your hot rod is cooler!

 

Be cool if yall could find it. Appreciate it. Now just to finish the doors.. I need to do those and finish my exhaust.. the exhaust needs then downs so it stops coming through the louvers haha.. guess I’m going to put a inner skin in the deck lid too