Build Thread: 1937 LaSalle / Family Hot Rod

[bluestang67]

That would be a close guessement . Do you know them well enough to let you bring home a tester . My local old time parts store is letting me borrow some belts to get correct fit when im ready.

[Itoldyouso]

Monroe Shocks has an online application chart listing various lengths and eye configurations. Here it is:


http://www.monroe.com/catalog_lookup...iscappinfo.asp


You might consider air shocks too. I put a set from a Ford station wagon on my Jeep truck to handle extra weight. With a big sedan like yours you will be hauling lots of people sometimes.

Don

[37 Caddy]

Thank you. The dimensions chart you sent me looked very familiar as that is what I was looking through at NAPA this morning. I did buy some shocks with stud mounts on both ends. The measure 22.125in extended and should fit perfectly. I will have to wait and see how they perform. I think their actual application is a Ford F-150.

If I can get out to the garage tonight I will post some pictures of my progress on fabricating upper mounts and installing the shocks.

[37 Caddy]

I worked on two things tonight: 1)repairing some notches in the frame where incorrect upper shock mounts used to be, and 2) fabbing an upper shock mount that isn't right.

I learn alot by screwing things up or rushing through a project only to realize I made a stupid mistake. The upper shock mount is just the most recent mistake, but at least I have learned from it. I learned that I will need mounts that extend farther from the upper tube and that I should mount the shocks more vertical. I can't get the washer past the tube on my first upper mount attempt. I will begin work on the next set of mounts next time I get some garage time. The pictures tell the story.

frame repair 2.JPG

frame repair 1.JPG

shock oops.JPG

shock oops 2.JPG

[Bob Parmenter]

I learn alot by screwing things up or rushing through a project only to realize I made a stupid mistake.

There's another way?

[bluestang67]

rushing through a project only to realize I made a stupid mistake


Caddy your not alone at all on this . When i reinforced my frame i forgot to leave room for the battery so off it came and had to redo it .

Thats the part of fabbing redoing something to better it or find that a little change in it will work better .

[37 Caddy]

Sorry I haven't posted anything recently, but much of my time has been spent cleaning up the garage in preparation for Turkey day visitors.

Surprisingly enough it only took me two tries to get the rear shocks mounted. After the previous attempt I fabrictaed the shock mounts in a completely different way. It was easier and quicker and yielded a satisfactory result. I have attached some pictures to give you an idea of how I did it and the final result. It also demonstrates how "frugal" I am, my wife calls it CHEAP. The 2in square tube I am using is a piece of the gate to our community that found its way to the ground after some idiot tried going in the out door. I have used this piece of tubing for my tranny crossmember, extensions on the rear running board brackets, homemade lowering blocks, etc. I really need someone to crash in to the gate again soon, I am down to about 6in of bent tube.

The basic strategy for making the brackets was to cut a 1 1/2in hole in either side of the tube and then cut down through the middle of the holes to separate it into two pieces. I am pleased with how they came out.
shock mount fab.JPG

shock driver.JPG

shock pass.JPG

shocks mounted.JPG

[bluestang67]

That is a good idea preshaped mounts . They look good and sure will take the bounce out of driving .

[37 Caddy]

Well, as I mentioned earlier I haven't had much of a chance to make any progress on the car. However, I did get the garage cleaned up so none of the out of town family would get hurt wandering around looking at the cars. Although most of them are still trying to figure out why I don't just buy a car rather than working on some junker.

I was very fortunate when we bought this house to have a 4 car garage. What you see in the pictures is one of the 2 two-car garages that are on the house. The other garage is perpendicular to this one, but it only houses the boring daily drivers.

Here's some pics of the garage.
IMG_0016.JPG

IMG_0017.JPG

garage 3.JPG

[Itoldyouso]

I've got to do the same thing.......clean our shop. During the last 90 days we have just been throwing stuff around and we can't find half our stuff. Now that we are done it's time to sort it back out.

Having the room like you do sure makes it easier. Also like your Cobra car.

Don

[37 Caddy]

So I was all excited to install my new driveshaft last night only to discover that it is too short. The shop that put it together has been quick, professional, and will fix it. However, I need to educate myself so that I know what I need to ask for.

Right now the driveshaft will not fit into the pinion yoke. I push it all the way forward and compress the collar on the tranny and I still need about 1 1/4in. to get the u-joiny over the ears of the pinion yoke. Here's the question:

* How much play should there be in the driveshaft?
*Just enough to install it, or should there be a little extra?

I will take the driveshaft back to the shop on Friday to get it shortened.

Thanks, 37caddy

[Itoldyouso]

The shop I use has me measure from the flat surface of the tailshaft to the flat surface on the rear end yoke, and they do the math from there. I just have to tell them what tranny yoke and what rear u joint I need.

Usually about 1 to 1 and a 1/2 inches of sliding room is sufficient. Don't feel bad, my Buddy had to get his done 3 times to get it right and I couldn't understand how he screwed up. Then I did one when I swapped a 5.0 Ford into my Jeep truck and had to have it redone because I mismeasured. It happens.

Don

[falconvan]

That's a great looking rear shock mount; I believe that'll work great on my project. I'll have to copy that if you don't mind.

[37 Caddy]

Here is a picture of the driveshaft at the pinion yoke. The other end is all the way in to the tranny and the seal is compressed.


driveshaft.JPG

[joe brienza]

hi i guess you like lasalles ,so do i heres a couple i built some years ago that all the purest classic car ownes fround on they said i killed the value by streetrodding it ,well i sold the both of them for more than if it was original .heres a few pictures or a 34 and a 35 ,they call me old school joe,