Chevy Tri Five Forum banner

My 1955 Chevy Project

30K views 188 replies 48 participants last post by  finallyhavea57 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi guys, a few of you know me. I've been on the site here for a while and sporadically checking in and looking at threads. Usually project posts :) I have wanted a 1955 2 door post car for ALONG time.

After years of just randomly browsing forums, ebay, craigslist, etc, I found one! Price seemed right, body is nice. Most everything is there. It has the wrong seats in it, If anyone can tell me what seats they are, I'd be very appreciative.

My dad and I drove nearly 11 hours one way to get it, and then 11 hours back! 1400 miles straight through. It was fun to have him with me and experience getting this car. When he was a kid, he always wanted one but his parents wouldnt let him. :sign0020: Probably why we are mopar guys!

Also, thanks to this site, many years ago I started talking to a guy named Don / Finallyhavea57. He lives in California, which is where I moved to for tech school after high school. Don and his wife Judy took me in like I was family and have always treated me so well and lovingly. Its really nice to have people like that! It was also the first time I ever got to sit in a trifive, and even drive one!!!!!! Thats right, Don let me drive his 57 Belair! I was hooked after that! I also met a guy named Jim / Jswilke, who is also on here! Great bunch of guys that didn't mind hanging out with a young kid. :sign0020:


Anyways. Enough rambling. Pictures tell the story! I'm just so excited. It's definitively a project car. Needs alot of stuff. So looks like I'll be looking around for parts. It's a factory 150, inline 6, 3 on the tree car. If anyone has any info on these things I'd like to know more :) More pictures to come as I start tearing into her


- Nick
 

Attachments

See less See more
4
  • Like
Reactions: 56madman
#69 ·
Just a little done yesterday. More zero rust on the floor and also started on the roof. Got both Driver door panels off too. (All the door panels are toast).

Had to get some other work done on my Dart today. And probably next weekend too. Needs front brakes now, doesn't surprise me with how many passes I've made with it at the track. Replaced an idler arm today that's been noisy for a while. Still need to do an oil change and plugs along with bleed the brakes and clean her up for race season.
 

Attachments

#70 · (Edited)
Little by little I get some more done. Got all the door panels off and did some more painting on the floor. Getting close to the whole floor being done. Then to finish up the roof.

Also got the right rear window regulator unseized. Now rolls up and down with zero binding

Oh and I fixed the steering column. Finally. Appears that the wheel isn't original as I had first thought. But 1000x better looking. Not sure why the column was pushed over 1" down away from the wheel. But fixed anyways.
 

Attachments

#71 ·
Picked up a 57 rearend with recently rebuilt 4.11 sure grip. Pretty excited. This nearly completes my entire drive train set up. He also tossed in the correct prop valve I'll need for when I purchased my disc brake front swap.
 

Attachments

#75 ·
I ordered up new rear KYB shocks, ubolts and rear suspension bushings from Summit today. Looking forward to getting the new rear end in next weekend. 😎

Free shipping from Summit, can't beat it!
 
#77 ·
Here's one Don :)

Finally found some time to do work. Got the old broken rear end out. Ordered new ubolts, KYB shocks and bushings to prep for the install of my new 57 position housing. Found out my bushing kit didn't come with the front leaf bushings plus those are quite stuck. Looks like I'm pressing those out later this week. Will be nice to get the rear end stuff squared away.
 

Attachments

#81 · (Edited)
Took my rearend housing to my best friends house so he could add some weld to the pads. I feel much better now that the pads won't rip from housing while launching it at the track. We also pressed out the front leaf spring bushings and installed new moog bushings

Got the rearend installed today. Leaf springs and shackles painted. All new bushings installed. Productive day.


EDIT: not sure why my pictures post upside down. But once opened up they're fine
 

Attachments

#86 ·
I always enjoy seeing the updates on your thread. I can't wait to see your car going especially from what you started with! It's going to be sweet when you get there!
 
#87 ·
Crazy to think it's just been a tad over a year since I picked up my shamble of a car. Time goes by too fast. Didn't nearly get enough done on it as I would've liked. Guess that wedding I'm paying for in June doesn't help 😂

Still just collecting parts. Hopefully have it running and driving by spring
 
#91 ·
Small victories are always good....

Finally ordered up the hurst shift levers for my Muncie. They arrived tonight and I had to check to see if they worked. Like magic. Still have a little adjustment to do on the rods but felt good to run thru the gears.

Also ordered up a front end service kit. New control arm bushings, ball joints etc from Muttonhollow. They shipped out within 2 hours of my purchase. Pretty sweet!

I also ordered a new fuel tank, 3/8th sending unit and original style fuel cap from a local vendor I met at the Monroe swap meet a few weeks back. Should have that stuff in my hands next week.


Feels great to finally start making progress, even though it's small progress. Next few weeks I'll be ordering my wheels (probably torque thrust over cragars) and an AAW wiring harness ��
 
#94 · (Edited)
Thanks Don, and Jim!

Did a little bit of work on the car today. Moved it back to center position in my garage and got it back up on 4 stands.

Moved the engine mounts from the 6 cylinder pos to the 8 cylinder pos and test fitted the engine. Gives me more motivation to get stuff done. The engine will come back out to get cleaned and painted up. Not a big fan of the way aluminum intakes look so that'll also get painted.

I Also got my start on tearing the front end apart. First time those drums have been off in many years.... thinking for now I'll reuse the drums and get them turned, new shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders and hoses. Bearings looked brand new still. And then over winter upgrade to disc brakes in the front.
 

Attachments

#95 ·
Picked up my new fuel tank and 3/8th sending unit from Mr Nomad. Pretty excited to get that in as well. Original style 55 tank with correct resistance float to work with the stock fuel gauge. Also purchased an original style fuel cap. Nice to have a very local vendor to me. Pictures to come later. 🙃
 
#98 ·
No other progress except I ordered a set of hedman long tube headers. Purchased them off amazon for $70 cheaper than jegs or summit! Should be here Tuesday night!
 
#99 ·
Headers were delivered today so of course I had to test for them!!!! A little disappointed that these were sold as new but have obvious scrap marks on them from what looks like someone fitting them in a car but it's nothing a little black paint won't fix when they're hot.

These are: Hedman 68120 headers for small block 55-57 cars. Long tube headers which fit around all the clutch linkage and pass right underneath the bell housing mounts. Super excited! I LOVE the look of long tube headers!


Now to test bolt the Muncie up so I can get an idea of where to cut my floor for the shifter. As well as bolt the driveline in and make sure that's all good to go.
 

Attachments

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top