1930 Chevy sedan build thread...trying for 3K.

[buckroseau]

Fairly new to club hot rod site. Been watching and learning from others for a few months now. Not new to working on vehicles, but new to the hot rod scene.

In early September I drug home a 1930 Chevy 2 door sedan with intentions on buidling up some sort of hot rod. After figuring out a game plan I started tearing into it approx. the end of September. So...been working on it now for about 2 months. Not a blazing pace, but none the less...getting some time on it on the weekends when I can. I have been meaning to start some sort of build thread but, just haven't found the time in the evenings to get it going and post pics.

So, now that I am 2 months behind on starting a thread and it's going to take even longer to do.... I figure I better start it and keep it current. I'll start posting pics tonight and some quick text and try to bring it up to date. Hopefully some of you veteran's and new guys will chime in with some ideas and help.

Thanks, Matt

[buckroseau]

These pics were taken the first week in September. Pics that the guys wife took while we were loading it onto the trailer. The guy in the blue shirt owned it.....his Dad bought it brand new back in 1929. After it was loaded he asked me to swing by the shed. Dug out 5 original wheels that still had air in them.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Next 4 pics are when I had it backed into the driveway. Nothing changed, just a few more photos of what I drug home.

Matt

[Itoldyouso]

It looks really solid and pretty complete. Gonna make you an nice project there. I'll be waiting for each update, this looks very cool. What are your plans, fendered, fenderless, etc?


Isn't it funny to think the air in those tires might be 80 years old? I just removed some tires off of the '46 Merc wheels I used on the front of my T, and there was still air in them. Coulda been from the '50's. It was strange to think about that as they were deflating.


Don

[buckroseau]

I purchased a 1975 Chevy 2wd truck about a week later for $200 bucks, had a 350 Sb and Th350 tranny. It had been sitting since 1989 when it started having some carb trouble. I rounded up another 2 barrel carb for fun, swapped it out and got it running. It actually ran very nice after I got it started. Drove it onto the trailer and hauled that POS home.

Once home, rolled down the windows, stuck the pallet forks through the windows with loader tractor and after pulling the cab mounts off lifted the cab off. 2 body mount bolts up front and then front clip rolled off. A couple minutes with the gas ax and I lifted the motor and tranny out. After the drivetrain was out I cut the frame with the torch, folded the frame rails in and welded a $22 hitch on it and some saftey chains. 5 days later the trailer I made was in the local trader paper...sold for $300. I got $72 bucks for the cab, front clip and remaining frame for scrap steel.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Few pics of the motor after I removed it and set it on the trailer and then about an hour with the preasure washer and castrol super clean.

Also, couple sticks of 1.5" x 4" x 11 ga. steel I hauled home for frame material.

Matt

[buckroseau]

It looks really solid and pretty complete. Gonna make you an nice project there. I'll be waiting for each update, this looks very cool. What are your plans, fendered, fenderless, etc?


Isn't it funny to think the air in those tires might be 80 years old? I just removed some tires off of the '46 Merc wheels I used on the front of my T, and there was still air in them. Coulda been from the '50's. It was strange to think about that as they were deflating.


Don

Hi Don,

Give me a about another half hour or so and another dozen or so more postings. The Chevy truck is about the end of September. I should have it upto speed in the next hour and that will answer a few questions.

Thanks, Matt

[buckroseau]

First pic is a pic of a 1940 Ford front axle of a truck my neighbor gave me.

Next 2 pics are of a rear axle out of a 73 Ford truck a guy at work gave me.

Matt

[buckroseau]

I had some pics of it getting stripped down but, can't find them

The first pic is of the main pieces layed out in the driveway. The next 3 are after a buddy of mine came over and helped me hold everything in place will I welded it back together. Since this Chevy stuff was all held together with wood...and that all rotted out, I had to figure out a way to fab up some inner structure. So, I welded the roof onto the body, where before it was nailed together with wood. Welded the A pillars to the cowl and roof and temporarily welded the doors in with the correct reveals. Once the inner structure is built I'm going to cut them loose and get them hinged and closing.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Asked around at work if anyone knew of any old minivans laying around. Guy at work said his dad had an old Dodge van out in the pasture.

So, with that info in hand and the gas chop saw in the other

Someone back in the 30's or 40's had melted some lead and piece of tin into the stock opening on the roof. I used the shear and had to cut a little wider than the stock opening to match the radius of the roof. But, once matched....it was meant to be there. It's actually backwards on the chevy from the van, but there is more radius to the rear of the chevy.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Few more pics of the van roof welded in and A pillars an body/roof welded in.

Matt

[buckroseau]

I sheared a piece of 20 ga. steel at 3.5" and screwed it to the back from the rear window to the side window. Then taped off 3.5" on the A and B pillars. Fired up the sawzall and cut out 3.5" and droped the roof back down and welded it back on.

Actually went very well. I had to cut a relief on the A pillars to sway those forward to get everything to line up, but over all it was fairly straight forward.

On another note...I would say this about mid to the end of October now in these pics.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Few more pics after the chop.

[buckroseau]

While working on the body I managed to sorta accidently stumble across an older gentleman who I knew is into cars. During an afternoon at work I asked him if he could keep an I out for any older ford wire spoked rims. He looked at me kinda funny and said I got a stack of them at home 5 ft high.

Well, an hour later I was at his place picking up 4 wire spoked rims. Now, the price was the good guy price...with the V8 caps, but I did not take any before pics. They were bent up pretty bad along the edges, someone had taken a pry bar to them years ago to remove a tire. I couldn't bitch, because the price was right. After about 3 hours with the torch and hammer/dolly I had them looking pretty nice. The next day I brought them into the local tire shop and they spun the rims on the balancer to see if they were straight and would balance....sure enough, they were fine. I really wish I would have taken some before pics...they were bad!!! But, the pics are after sandblasting and after I shot a couple coats of epoxy primer and paint on them in the booth. The radius rod's on the pallet are off a 37 mercury I think, friend rounded those up for me also.

Last 2 pics are with the rubber mounted. I bought a couple motorcyle tires off ebay for $25 bucks a piece.

Matt

[buckroseau]

Not a lot of pics on this part...sorry. The first pic is of some pieces I made out of 3/16" flat stock for the A pillar. I used a piece of paneling to make a template and then cut them out of steel. Since the hinges are in the door and I can line up something to fasten the doors to, I welded a piece in for the A pillar and B pillar. I welded 1/8" triangular gussets back to the body from the A pillar right above and below each hinge. Once the door is cut loose I will have to fasten the hinges into these pieces.

The 2nd pic is the body, motor and grill layed out on the floor. I traced the entire body out on the floor with a pencil and marked where the motor and grill were going to be. Just so I know the length and width of the frame, when I make that.

Matt