Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

I finished the 70 Trans Am I was working on for the last year and a half. I just have a couple more spring honey to do tasks to complete. But I got the 55 into the work bay and cut the trunk out. Over all structure is solid. Just cut out the old and drop in the new 1 piece trunk pan. Then onto the 1 piece floor pan.

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Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

Just about 30 hours start to almost finish I still have to grind down my plug welds on the bottom side of car.

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Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

Looks like you're making good progress -- piece by piece ... TAZ [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

The 1 piece pans sure does make it easier. But you still have a lot of prep work to do. Test fitting the panels and prepping for welding is very time consuming.

Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

BUT -- that's what it takes to do it right ... [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

So I got my trunk pan all installed, epoxy primed, and primed. So what do I do on a rainy Sunday afternoon? I cut the floor out of the 55. Now all the prep work begins for the 1 piece floor pan.

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Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

One piece floor all installed. I just have to replace the rockers then finish welding the floor to rockers. I got the body back onto the frame to make sure everything lined up basically a trial run. So this gave me a good look at how the motor will look in the engine bay. But this project will go on the back burner I just got a 67 Shelby gt 350 in the shop for some sheet metal work.

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Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

Looking great Jason!!!

Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

Nice work. Keep the updates coming!


Jason

Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

----That motor is jewelry!!!!......Bill S

Re: Not a muscle car but my next project
 

Love that engine! Would look really good in my car!

Well three cars later a 70 trans am, 67 Shelby and a 70 GTO I was finally able to work on my own project this weekend. My 55 has been tucked away patiently waiting for some attention. To date, I have replaced the complete floor, trunk, rockers and rebuilt the driveline. The roof skin was in poor shape so I decided to replace it. I also replaced the front and rear roof supports. Overall the panel fit very well some trimming was needed. I will get the new roof skin in epoxy primer then back into the storage bag as the next restoration is due in the shop at the end of the week.

Jason good work I love the 55 Chevy!

I see a familiar "two lane" theme here.. :burnout:

Well the next car showed up in the shop on Saturday. But I just had to bolt the sheetmetal onto the 55 before I tucked her away. Amazed at the quality of the original panel gaps for 1955.

Nice job...……...I love the 55's.Bob

Well I'm still working on Jeffs Monte. I'm just waiting for a couple of engine parts to show up so we can wake up the monster! The next car I am doing is my 55 no ifs and or buts about it. I took this car apart 5 years ago then the flood gates opened and I started restoring everyone else's cars. Well this needs to get done so I'm going to do it. Between my 45 hour normal job and shop work its finally catching up to me. I just can't believe 5 years ago I took this car apart. This is where I am with the 55. I had done all the sheet metal work except the quarters. I decided to go with Skins as I heard the 55 post quarters fit poorly. Overall both sides came out very good. Just took my time and kept the heat low on the panels to avoid warping. Hope to have the passenger side quarter primed in the next week or so. Man theses 55s have such tight body lines. Crazy they were that close in 1955.

You do great work. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Very cool. I've always had a love for 2 door post cars.

Just found this old thread. I'll be following along now.

Me too!!

----55 Delray 2-door post Chev's are my favorite. Love the Delray interiors. They look so custom!....Bill S

Adding something a little different to the 55 trim.

Working on dash mock up now.

Dash and vintage air all mocked up

Can I please request more photos of the vintage air installed? I would like to install in my 55 210 patina car and wonder how much of the original components stay? I hope none as my heater box was taken over by mice and that and the cables are all rusted beyond use.

This is my second vintage air setup and I must say it is very easy. This is the sure fit system for the 55 belair. You can go to the website and look at the PDF instructions. You remove all the old duct work under the dash. The VA system gen v is your heater and AC. The complete unit bolts up under the dash with 3 brackets and 3 existing holes. The AC lines and heater lines come out of the hole in firewall where the blower motor was. I'm using the add on AC controller I have it mounted in the dash. But the kit comes with a conversion to make your existing stock heater control work for the new AC system. They really thought of it all. I will get you some more photos when I get my condenser and lines. 2 week lead time on those.

Thank you this is very helpful information. I will check out their site.

Engine bay just about finished being Mocked up

Very nice, Jason!:beers:

Tell us about the induction set up when you get a chance, Jason......Bill S

The induction is a Weiand WC4D 4x2 intake with holley 94 carbs. Its a very rare piece. I have only seen 2 in the last 10 years and I bought both. With the 2 I built a good set up for the 55 and sold the spare.

The WC4D is the only 4x2 intake that can be set up with progressive linkage. With progressive linkage you run off the center two carbs 90% of the time and the outer carbs come in about half throttle, with all four carbs coming to wide open throttle at the same time. I had a shop in Texas set up the linkage and rebuilt the carbs for me. I can't wait to fire it up.

I also have a vintage 6X2 Edelbrock intake I bought. Not sure what I'm going to do with that yet.

Saweeet Jason! Great work!

1963 Pontiac grand prix bucket seats and brackets installed in the 55.

Looks really good. Those seat cores always look so good in these cars. I was going to go with seats from an Impala for my 55 but ended up doing something custom from some 67 Chevelle cores.

Car is coming along nicely. Fun to watch.

Super cool Jason! Looks awesome

A little update on the 55 progress. Hunting season is winding down. I finally have all my panels in epoxy and first stage of body work completed. In the next couple of weeks I will remove the body from the frame, mount it on the rotisserie so I can paint the bottom side of the car now that my bucket seats are all mocked up. Figured I would show the 66 year old sheet metal that is original to this car. Doors, fenders, trunk lid and hood are all original to the car and rust free. Just a couple of small dents that needed to be resolved. Still amazes me how straight and tight the body lines are for 1955.

Progress update on the 55. The body is back off the frame. Firewall smoothed out and almost ready for paint. I got all my chrome back from the chrome shop. So I had to install all my accessory brackets to see how it will look. The engine bay will be the focus of this car that's for sure!

Here's the engine pic:


Attachment 211944

Finally after 6 years we have some color.
Firewall all smoothed out and ready for color
Exterior flat color next to side glass.

Looks good...:biggthumpup:

These home projects just seem to take forever, don't they...:crazy:

That color is spectacular! Reminds me of the show cars of the 60's and 70's, which I've always loved. Can't wait to see more.