IronRat's '51

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IronRat

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2013
Messages
784
Location
ChicagoLand
My 1951 Chevy Bel Air. The vision is a Salt Flats Car, the goal is to drive it to Bonneville and attempt to join the 130 club.

Full drive train is from a '71 Grandprix, front clip from a 70ish Camaro.(exact date unknown) Front bumper '55 Olds. The interior has power bucket seats maybe from the Grand Prix donor? No gauges and only the engine is wired. To call the interior Spartan is an understatement. ;)
Car is lowered about 3" in the rear.

Arrival ~ 11/15/2013





'71 Pontiac 455







Initial punch list:

Wire in a Starter switch
New Battery
Wire Alternator
New Gas tank
Cut off damaged Driver side tail pipe
Oil Change
Flush coolant add anti freeze
Pull broken Trunk lock core
Fix front driver flat tire
Go through brakes.
Pull GP Cable shifter/instal Lokar Shifter
Title/Reg/Lic/City Sticker/Ins.
 
Last edited:
Sam - It looks like someone along the way attempted to french in some custom taillights. I'll take a cover off & take some pics. The red plastic is about 1/8" thick, smooth out side and inside has a knurled texture. There are 12v. lights spread evenly bottom to top.

If I keep them I'll need to find new plastic to make a lens covers as one side is cracked. I think I'd want to use LEDs too.

For now I need to just get them wired & functional.
 
The Car is 100% legal now, just got my new title in the mail :D
Plates & city sticker on. With the temps and this close to Christmas not much time for working on the car. Somehow getting the title feels like a small accomplishment. Just one step closer to being on the road. This is the only place were guys can understand what that feels like. ;)
 
The Car is 100% legal now, just got my new title in the mail :D
Plates & city sticker on. With the temps and this close to Christmas not much time for working on the car. Somehow getting the title feels like a small accomplishment. Just one step closer to being on the road. This is the only place were guys can understand what that feels like. ;)

thumbsup2_zps91d7442f.gif
...........You betcha!
 
Like everyone else North of Dixie, it was a long winter. Finally a nice spring day. Took the dog for a walk then got to it.

1st - Had to get that Olds Bumper off. ;)



Next was try to figure out what I'm dealing with on the rear tail lights?



Someone along the way, did this to the tail. Right now I'm not sure what I want to do about this mess.

Put in a lokar shifter in. Don't have it adjusted correctly, PRND all ok…can't get 1 & 2. That's a problem for tomorrow.
 
Got the new gas tank in today. Now I understand why guys use fuel cells in the trunk. :roll eyes:

Next take look at the brakes. The min. will be to bleed the lines, hopefully that all.
 
I don't know. The tail lights actually have some history...

Good sleuthing!

Fun project - how'd you do the Polaroid look?

John L.
 
I don't know. The tail lights actually have some history...

Good sleuthing!

Fun project - how'd you do the Polaroid look?

John L.

Yeah, I like the lights too. Would look cool with LED's from top to bottom.

That was my original thought. Big problem is finding DOT approval red lens plastic.

So here's my 2 cents on the tailights.
The tailights on your Chevy bear only the slightest resemblence to the pics you posted from Kustomrama. Since you have found that site you may have found Rik Hovings Custum Car Chronicles site as well. He has 1000's of pics posted and there will be many of Chevy's like yours with a different tail light treatments.
Get on e-bay and type in 1950 tailights and see what comes up. Then do the same for 1951-52-53- ect. You will find some thing that you like and for the most part they arent usually to expensive.
Well I guess that was more like 3 cents worth.....
Keep at it.
Torchie.
 
Torchie - No, I had not found "Rik Hovings Custum Car Chronicles" yet so thanks for the tip.

I only meant that it looked like the inspiration for what was done to my car came from that link. I agree it's only close in concept. Yes, I'm on ebay motors a lot looking for parts and some inspiration.
 
I think I'm going to start with '50 pontiac tail light. That will get me on the road, simple, fast & economical.

Something like this:



I think I might like this better:



I don't foresee this happing this year.
 

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