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55 4 door

109K views 599 replies 89 participants last post by  gaz55 
#1 · (Edited)

I thought I might share some pics of my 55 chev that is a work in progress.I have owned this car for approximately 4 years, it is a VC55L that I imported from California to Australia.

The car came with a 350, 010 block and th350 box.When the car first arrived, there were lots of little parts missing, so it took me the best part of a year to get it registered and on the road.

In that time I fitted front and rear retractable seat belts, rewired the entire car and replaced many parts to make sure the car was safe to drive. I have had lots of help from my dad who is a very good mechanic and also happens to own a 55 chevy. Early this year I decided to take the car off the road to do some work, well we all know how that goes...

In the first picture, my car is on the left and my dad's car is the blue/white one. Since then both cars have come off the road for some upgrades.My plan is to redo the front sheet metal, rebuild the small block,add a cpp 500 steering box and shortened column,front disc brakes and new stainless brake lines,new booster and master cylinder,2" drop spindles,qa1 coilovers, Earl Williams new side engine mounts (Great product) cpp tubular A arms and sway bar.

I will also purchase a raingear wiper system 2 speed/delay.prc alloy radiator with core support and dual spal fans,gene smith stainless grill,grill surrounds and chrome tie bar to name a few the list is getting bigger....








 
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#33 ·
I will be also mounting the coil in the car but I need to workout were is the best place to drill for the MSD through firewall plug. Any pictures would be very helpful.
Coming along very nicely - don't you love it when you clean up the firewall, and then you have to drill a hole in that nice clean firewall. Don't know how big the MSD connector plug is, but I think I would place it behind the distributor where it would be hidden. Also, looking at your shots of the brake lines, can I suggest you add one more of those neat line seperators, and mount it to the firewall - will stop the lines from flexing/vibrating. See, I just want you to drill another hole.:happy0030:

Cheers, Des
 
#34 · (Edited)
55 4 Door

Originally I never planed on doing a body off but...:sign0020: the more I look at it, I don't want to strip it down to this again.I'm also thinking of doing a spring pocket kit and striping the frame and painting it.I have already bought a complete kit to rebuild the front end.I am waiting for my tubular A arms and front sway bar to arrive from CPP.I also have 2" drop spindles and new lowered leaf springs with QA1 coil overs for the front.

 
#38 · (Edited)
55 4 Door

I started this morning by removing the seats and disconnecting everything I needed to.Then I had to fabricate some brackets as lifting points.In the front I used the hood hinge bolt holes and some angle iron,At the rear I used the points that the chassis bolts through the trunk.

 

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#41 · (Edited)
55 4 Door

The removal is complete, now the fun can begin cleaning cleaning and more cleaning.

I will start the mock up of the exhaust. still waiting for spring pockets and A arms to arrive from U.S.A. will take at least another month or two to get here. At first inspection the chassis looks to be in great shape.

Is there any identification on the chassis to tell if it is the original one?

Those 295s on the rear, look even bigger now that it's out :)




 

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#43 · (Edited)
55 4 Door



Thanks Lars68,the removal was much quicker than I thought it would be. I put a lot of effort into getting ready for the removal.I think that made it go smoothly.The only thing I did not count on was the height of the chassis where it kicks up to go over the diff,I took measurements when making the stands but did not allow for the height change with the weight of the body lifted off.I was very lucky as you can see in the pictures I had about 5mm clearance :sign0020:but it cleared. so I told my dad I planned it that way.
 

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#47 ·
55 4 Door

I spent a few days paint striping the fenders.They had lots of paint on them so it took some doing,but the good news is they were completely rust free,even around the headlight area.:) they do have some small dents but nothing bad.I will send them to be soda blasted and epoxy primed once I am happy with the metal work.
 

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#55 · (Edited)
55 4 Door

Thanks for the words of encouragement.:)

My dad has just got his car done and back on the road, we re-painted the whole car,rebuilt the 350 nice solid flat tappet cam, roller rockers, msd pro billet dissy, 6al, bored 30 over, heads ported, PRC alloy radiator, new power booster and master cylinder, 4 wheel disc brakes, 605 power steering billet tilt column front and rear sway bar 3 grand stall, B&M star shifter and detailed the engine bay.






 
#57 ·
55 4 Door



Thanks Daleo56,
I am considering doing a 9" and triangulated 4 link with rear coil over suspension?? I have been doing a lot of research but cannot decide which way to go. I would like to keep the wheels I have. 15" weld pro star @ 5" backspacing 295/50/15. I would prefer not to mini tub it. The thing is I don't know anything about 9" diffs?? So my question is do I go with a Kit (Heidts) that comes with housing already assembled with brackets and crossmembers?? But when you add the Kit+ shipping to LA put in a container+ shipping to Brisbane Australia $$$. Or do I just source the brackets and links from the USA and buy a used housing locally and get it shortened I would also have to decide on Brakes, I could use Holden?? :)
 
#58 · (Edited)
55 4 Door

I spent the weekend making covers to go over the firewall chassis mounts.
Trial fitting not welded on yet.
Put in a curve to allow the fan motor to pass through.
They are just bent and tacked together,I will tig weld the seems then weld them on.

The metal work on the firewall is nearly complete and the next stage of prep can begin.










 
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