Working Hard

Yep, he's been working hard on the '55 lately. Photos should be forthcoming!

Ain't it purdy!

The new motor...

In Deeper

After taking a closer look at the underside of the body,I decided to remove the body from the frame. I need to strip the old undercoating off and apply new. This will take some real effort. The old tar based stuff that's on there will have to be heated with a heatgun and scraped off with a putty knife, then wire wheeled to bare metal. While I'm at it, I am going to remove the spare tire well in the trunk (the hole where the spare sits). The idea is to put the spare flat on the floor of the trunk just behind the rear seat. The spare I will be using is too wide to fit in the original well. By doing this I will be able to install a larger gas tank. My buddy Dan is going to build me a new tank out of stainless steel as soon as I draw up some prints with the dimensions. The original tank is 16 gallons and the new one will be 20 maybe 21 gallons, we'll see. To get to the bottom of the body I built a rotisserie. These babies cost $700+, so I got some scrap tubing from Sylvan (free), angle iron and pipe from David (suitcase of beer) and had some $10 yard sale casters. I'm pretty proud of how it turned out and how well it works. The body is very easy to move around the shop. I can roll it on it's side for space saving.



Space saving mode



Easy access to any part of the body

New Goodies

I received the new dropped spindles/disc brakes and power booster. Had to paint the master cylinder, calipers and spindles. Steve and I tried the power booster/master cylinder to see how it fit. Looks good though I had to take the pedal support out and drill a new hole in the brake pedal. While I had the pedal assembly out I took it all apart and cleaned and lubed it. Brake and clutch pedals work like new. When I removed the original spindles I found the rubber boots on the ball joints were rotted, you can't buy just the boots so the car has new ball joints to go with the new spindles and bakes.




MAX stopping power


This will make for a higher, firmer and safer pedal



This has a 8" dual diaphram with a porportioning valve.

Diving in

The new rocker panel is welded in. The fit was good with minimum wrestling. Had to put a little body filler in where the old lead was. It's about ready for primer. The bottom body line turned out nice and straight. Finished the latches for the trunk. Takes some head scratching to fabricate brackets so they are adjustable. Cookie came out to the shop so I ask her to push the button, voila! The trunk popped open. (yud had ta been there)

Ordered a dent puller kit from the company that I bought my welder from. It has a nozzle that spot welds a stud (looks like a nail) to the low point on a dent, attach the slide hammer and give 'er a yank, out pops the dent. I'll post pictures when I get it to show how it works. I've seen this used before, but when I saw Charlie on "American Hot Rod" use one on the door of a"56 Chevy, I knew I needed one. Guy can't have to many tools.





The hard part is done, just caulk the seams and primer

Had to weld a piece in to fill the opening where the original latch was

The actuator will mount to the side, next to the latch

What it is

It might be of interest to know what I have to work with. In 1979, shortly after my son Cody was born, I pulled the engine (350 c.i.) out of a 1969 Chevy Caprice and put it in the 55'. Under a large cottonwood tree I used a come-a-long and chain on to the biggest limb I could find to hoist from. Oh the memories! In 1980 while working in Ticaboo, UT I got a 4 speed transmission out of a 1976 Corvette. It is a Borg-Warner Super T-10. In Colorado I traded the Corvette shifter for a new Hurst Competition Plus shifter. I thought I had really cut a fat one. The fellow I traded with went right out and bought me the Hurst shifter($200). Later I found out that used Corvette shifters sell for well over $200. Boy can I wheel and deal! A couple months later I bought a dual quad manifold with carbs (2 four barrel carburators) at a yard sale for $75. The guy I traded shifters with offered me $400 for my $75 purchase so I felt better. That manifold & carbs, engine and tranny are in the car now. I will probably make the manifold & carbs a wall hanger in the shop and put a single 4 barrel on for better gas mileage. Or not, dual quads just look cool.

Gitnerdun

Ordered dropped spindles, disc brakes and power brake booster today. Should have parts in 10 days.


This is the latch and electric actuator for the trunk.


I will have to modify this original bracket for the new latch. The actuator will mount next to it and be wired to a button under the dash. No key hole in the trunk.


This is where the striker for the latch will mounted on the trunk lid.


This rocker panel is in sad shape with 2 nasty dents, one on the bottom and one on side.


The new rocker panel was not cheap. The cheap one states "contours & fit may not be exact". I would rather not have to fight it. To get the old one off won't be easy since it's all welded in.