New ride for my garage

Hope to have it by the end of the week 1938 chevy coupe
My camaro is done and I needed another project. I will try to attach pics.

Sweet!
What are your plans for it?

Hoky Smokes that thing is nice. Probably the wrong thing to say on this sight, but if that thing is original I think it is too rare of a find to modify. I can't stop looking at it:eek:

Ya. Me too. I like it as it is.

Yep, if it as nice as those photo's, I would be tempted to throw a 2 carb inlet, split exhaust manifold and drop the front end to accomplish that perfect " Hot Rod Stance ." But,yeah, what are your plans for the girl ?

My dad had one just like it in the 70'S. He had a stroked 283 in his. This car is original my plan was v8 all the fun stuff but I agree with you guys its too cool being original . I surprised my dad yesterday he almost cried with excitement. Now instead of riding with me to car shows he can drive a car from his past with me. I sure I will have enough small things to do to keep me off this couch .I will post a picture of his car you will see how close they are. I will keep up with the progress.

Here is a picture of my dad sitting in his see how close they are. When I showed him the picture he looked at me and said (is it holy crap is it) had to say no but close enough.
His went to sweden. Think I have to upgrade my account to add more pictures. To be continued.

We each have car(s) pictured in our brain that were inspirations to us when our car love was being formed. One of my favorites is a burgundy '37 (very similar to '38) coupe, 1962, set up gasser style, being driven out of the high school automotive shop for the first time. Love 'em.................

this was my dads here having trouble with picture hope this workshttp:////www.clubhotrod.com/garage_a...nt.php?id=1483

This might help....

Ya beat me to the punch ..

Thanks much better I can rebuild a car but can't work this stupid phone

I am glad that you're leaving it as it is, i lover it. You may want to move this to build log, hot rod talk or shop talk for a little more traffic.

How do I move this blog?

I think if you contact mrmustang at the top of most forums, he can move it for you. If not, I bet we can still find it :)

I agree with the others that that is a very nice looking car. The old Chevies are so much more roomy than the Fords. They make great rods.

Are you going with a First Gen small block, big block or LS?

That is a very nice coupe! That had to be well taken care of for sure! That's really cool your Dad will get to drive another and relive memories again.

Thanks everyone the car only has 57k original. Miles on it. As much as I would love to V8 and do a hot rod. Style build I just can't because its a great survivor and they are getting harder to find.
My camaro is number matching also I did put that motor on a stand and saved all the original. Parts so it could be put back. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing there but then I drive it and am glad I did.

You could swap in a late 50's to early 60's 235 or 261 6 cylinder. It would most likely fit without any permanent mods (maybe a set of bolt in mounts). The later (after 54) engines had full pressure mains and rods, so you could drive them at modern highway speeds with no issues. The engine in your car has pressurized mains, but the rods were lubed by oil squirters.

Offy has some cool dress up goodies for them too. A split manifold (Offy) will make it sound killer.

Throw the old 216 on a stand beside your Camaro motor to preserve it.

That's a good idea it does come with a 235 from a 53 Chevy I would like to put hard exhaust seats in the head will it bolt to the trans? Thanks for the input.

Here's a link that might have some good info.

Patricks

Also, I was a little wrong about the pressurized mains statement. It's been a long time since I fooled with a 235.

I believe all the 235's had pressurized mains and rods, but after 54 the engines went to replaceable bearing inserts. Before that, they had poured babbitt bearings. I think some 53's might have had inserts, but only Corvette engines got those. If the engine you have is a common 53, then it's most likely poured babbit.

That's not a deal breaker if the bearings are in good shape, but if they need redoing, you might be better off finding a later engine. Poured babbitt takes specialized tools and knowledge to do. Seems that I remember the engines having shim packs under the bearing caps on the babbitt engines that could be removed to adjust clearance if it's not too worn. I could be wrong about the shims, but for some reason that comes to mind.

It would be a neat project. I drove a 57 Chevy with a 235-6 for many years. Not a power house, but it moved that big heavy car fine at 60+ mph all day long. I raced it against a 6 cylinder Maverick once and actually won! Believe me, no one was more surprised than me. That was the only time I tried that. In the lighter 38, with a little hop-up(3 1 barrels and a split manifold), it would be fun. Good luck.

My brother in law pulled a 216 out of his old Chevy ( don't remember the year ) and replaced it with a 235 so it would be more drive able friendly. The babbitt bearings use shims to get the clearances right. At least they do in old tractors. When they they wear out it goes right to the connecting rod steel,you don't spin a bearing but it ruins the crank .

"My camaro is number matching also I did put that motor on a stand and saved all the original. Parts so it could be put back. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing there but then I drive it and am glad I did."

Glad I got screwed on my Camaro, he lied about it having the original motor, now I have no guilt about putting in an LS2 **)

Thanks. Put almost 2000 miles on this summer. Still planning on leaving it a survive.
Took camaro to Woodward dream cruise in Detroit was a good time ran in to some fellow hot rod power tour friends. (Drive them we are only their keepers someone else will have them when we are gone enjoy them before they do.)

You put 2k on it already? Wow, glad your having a good time with it. When that car was new It probably took 2 years to put those miles on.

Great buy buddy. Those 38 Chevy drip style!