50 Chevy

tom36 · September 21, 2014, 07:24:36 PM

I said after I got the Model A done, that was my last project. That is until I saw this at a local cruise. All stock except for a later 235 six. It has had 4 owners as near as I can figure, spending most of it's life in Oklahoma, and 6 years in Missouri before heading north. Really nice body and floors. It was painted 26 years for $1200.00! I've got a spare 350/350 looking for a home so maybe??? Anyhow this is a new area for me as I've always played with Ford products for the most part, So if anyone has any experience with mechanical mods, please chime in. Lowering a little would be nice, power steering would be handy, later rear end etc. Tom...

WZ JUNK · September 21, 2014, 08:53:07 PM

It looks really good in the pictures. I have had a 54 for a long time and I plan to finish it up this year.

Get a Chev's of the 40s catalog. The name is misleading as they have parts through 1954. I bought a lot of stuff from them.

John

enjenjo · September 21, 2014, 10:09:07 PM

I did a 49 a few years ago. A 70s Camaro or Nova rear end fits nice, needs new spring perches, you can incorporate lowering blocks in the perches. A 350 trans fits nice, there is room for a 700R4 if you want it. You can make a center drop out in the stock K member and incorporate the mount in that. Most any manual trans will fit.

Up front things get a bit interesting. To install a V8, you will have to trim the stock firewall braces to get the engine back far enough. If you use the stock front end, the steering box interferes with almost all stock manifolds. There are only two I found that will work, a 265 manifold will fit, but it's tight getting the pipe past the steering, and a 64 Chevelle right side manifold used on the left side. Center dump block hugger headers won't work either with the stock steering. There is a rack and pinion conversion that fixes these problems, and you can convert it to disc brakes. Unless you have a radical engine, the stock radiator in good condition will cool a 350 just fine.

chimp koose · September 22, 2014, 01:24:38 AM

what a gem. I really like the looks of that one.

tom36 · September 22, 2014, 09:32:03 AM

Quote from: "enjenjo"I did a 49 a few years ago. A 70s Camaro or Nova rear end fits nice, needs new spring perches, you can incorporate lowering blocks in the perches. A 350 trans fits nice, there is room for a 700R4 if you want it. You can make a center drop out in the stock K member and incorporate the mount in that. Most any manual trans will fit.

Up front things get a bit interesting. To install a V8, you will have to trim the stock firewall braces to get the engine back far enough. If you use the stock front end, the steering box interferes with almost all stock manifolds. There are only two I found that will work, a 265 manifold will fit, but it's tight getting the pipe past the steering, and a 64 Chevelle right side manifold used on the left side. Center dump block hugger headers won't work either with the stock steering. There is a rack and pinion conversion that fixes these problems, and you can convert it to disc brakes. Unless you have a radical engine, the stock radiator in good condition will cool a 350 just fine.

Thanks very much Enjenjo, that's just the sort of things I'm looking for. Tom...

rooster · September 22, 2014, 10:38:02 PM

This will also clear the steering

http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3805

https://www.flickr.com/photos/18130316@N07/13414943265/in/photostream/

river1 · September 22, 2014, 11:59:18 PM

http://www.waltonfabrication.com/prov.html

rooster · September 23, 2014, 12:03:54 AM

Quote from: "river1"http://www.waltonfabrication.com/prov.html

We used the Walton eng mounts and it fits perfect, HEI dizzy clears firewall.

BFS57 · September 23, 2014, 06:23:32 AM

Hello;
Well, as a chevy guy, I have seen some that have done mods to the straight six, including HEI, Carburation, Alternator, AC, and so forth, You can (I don't know how) ad the 700r-4 auto trans behind that six, for a highway cruiser. That engine and trans combo works really good!
I'm not a "welder" type person but if you want to go the 350 route, be prepared for lots of mods! Featuring cutting and welding!
You might want to browse the Chevy Talk forums to get even more ideas and help. They have a year specific forum there that has tons of information!!!

Bruce

tom36 · September 23, 2014, 08:22:09 AM

All good stuff guys, keep 'em coming- Gets my brain humming again.

Tom...

tom36 · October 16, 2014, 07:39:24 PM

I see an ad in craigslist for complete front and rear end assembly's , a 235 6 with edelbrock 2 carb manifold and Fenton headers and 4 wide white tires and wheels. So I guess we will going with the 6! Picked up a 55 chevy rear end , Now I need an 88 or below S-10 5 speed (for the mechanical speedo). Put the wheels on today and liked the improvement right off. Had to take the centers out of the Caddy hubcaps because the spindle sticks out so far.. Need to find some good looking wheel covers with deep centers. Tom...

Mac · October 21, 2014, 10:01:51 AM

Love that Chevy (year of my birth) and glad to hear your going with the six pin and the T5.
A pair of Bullet Caps in the centers should fix the Caddy cap problem. Maybe not needed in the rear, especially if you lower more...until somebody looks under her skirt :oops:

tom36 · October 21, 2014, 05:17:12 PM

Looks like going with the t5 is going to be a bit more trouble than I thought. Seems that 20+ year old transmissions are not in ready supply! Just have to keep looking as I really do not the electronic speedo if I can help it. I have been reading posts on the t5 to 235 swap and there are enough to make my eyes blurry. Seems like this adapter will do the job-
http://vintagemetalworks.blogspot.com/p/s10-t5-to-49-54-chevy-car-235216.html. Now I am in a dilemma over what size clutch to use and where to source it. The car now has a 9" clutch and seems to work just fine. !0" is the most often mentioned, and I guess I could have the flywheel resurfaced and bored for a 10" set up, but I wonder if it is worth the trouble. Any one have any part #'s for 1 x 14 spline 9 and 10 inch clutches? :? Tom...

enjenjo · October 21, 2014, 09:37:23 PM

I have a bunch of T5 parts, and have custom build several of them, as well as stock rebuilds.

If you can get a mechanical speedo extension housing, you can convert the main shaft with some T350 parts. Depending on the gear ratios, you may be able to use a Jeep 1 1/8" by 10 spline input, and use the stock 235 clutch.

If you find a T5, PM me the tag number, it will be 13 52 XXX, and I can tell you what you have.

I have bought 6 T5s in the last two weeks.

tom36 · January 16, 2015, 08:51:14 PM

Got busy today and changed the torque tube rear to a 55 Chevy rear. Pretty much a bolt in- spring pads in the right spot , just had to drill the center bolt forward 1 1/2". The springs are original wrapped with grease fittings so just had to cut a couple of inches on the steel wrap where the 55 rear pads set. Enjenjo fixed me up with a transmission , so that will be the next step. Tom...