1946 Oldsmobile 78 Reserection {my way}

[46carnut]

Hi I am Car Nut and I just started a new project, it is a Olds Dynamic Cruzer 78. I am starting with the frame, witch is bagged and has a 9'' disc rear end with a 2 link, or trailing arm set up. The arms are 2x2 square and are 1/4'' wall, I made them, also I made all the brackets for the suspension, everything is hand made. Last week I started with the front end witch is out of a 1980 Camero. I had about a days work involved. I also Bagged the front end. The frame sets 1 1/2'' from the floor, with the body on it will set 1/2'' to the floor. The next step is to weld on the radiator support set the engine witch is a small block Chevy with some GOODIES. Hope you tike the pics...

 

[46carnut]

More Pics

 

[46carnut]

More Pics

 

[LUCKY DEVIL 13]

KILLER!!! Can't wait to see more!!! [P [ [cl

 

[Snake Farm]

Hey, it's 'Sam Fear' minus two doors
Nice start to a cool project [cl[cl Looking forward to more progress! [P[P

 

[Sam_Fear]

Yep. I'm watchin' this too. Wish you would have built this car 3 years ago. It would have gave me something to go by.

 

[46carnut]

Thanks for the compliment. Does anyone have any ideas for a chop? I AM going to chop 3 inches and have an idea of how I am going to do this, but I am all eyes and ears.

 

[38fordtruck]

[dr nice work so far man! as for the chop check out sam fear's build thread it may be of some help

 

[Tyster36]

Nice work on the frame/chassis. I'd get it rolling and then decide to chop or not. A set of wide whites on some steelies and no chop would look killer too.

 

[Sam_Fear]

Thanks for the compliment. Does anyone have any ideas for a chop? I AM going to chop 3 inches and have an idea of how I am going to do this, but I am all eyes and ears.

I got a few ideas. Check my 48 build. I did a 4-1/4" chop. You basically have 3 options. You have to leave the rear window intact so you either need to lean the rear forward, cut the entire back end and allow it to move forward, or split the roof like I did. Whatever you do, study it carefully, there are a lot of curves to consider (so I'm told).

 

[Old Iron]

You done a nice job grafting the front cross member to the frame

Jim

 

[46carnut]

I just spent my last 3 days off mocking up the motor to line up in the frame. I used a spare short block since I don't want to mess up my nice one. The motor is slid back to the firewall witch gives me about 4'' from the firewall for distributor space. I also used the drive shaft from the 9'' witch is 2'' longer and installed a chevy yoke, perfect fit. Also the 350 turbo is 2'' longer than the other trans witch places my motor 4'' further than the stock motor witch is a Straight 8. I also have to notch the cross member 5'' in order to fit the pully, also I am going to use tri 5 front mounts witch will mount at an angle.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Great work man.....

full steam ahead......[P

 

[Sam_Fear]

Any clearance issues with the drive shaft and the X frame when air'd down? How close will the pan be?

 

[46carnut]

I used the ford shaft witch is larger in diameter and had to trim a small portion of the tunnel, no problems.

 

[46carnut]

I built my motor mounts from scratch in stead of using tri 5.

 

[46carnut]

I have been working on my frame and have completed a lot of metal work witch includes opening the tunnel for my drive shaft making holes for my drive shaft to run through the frame and cleaning up the sub frame.

 

[46carnut]

I have finished the metal work on the frame and painted it with silver por-15 and used por-15 sterling silver top coat witch is some hard stuff and I believe that is harder than powder coat, I sprayed it and am trying to make it look like polished aluminum. What do you think?

 

[46carnut]

Here is the engine that I built. SBC Vortec heads and goodies.

 

[rainman]

Do you plan on running bellhouse mounts to the frame, (mid mount), or standard trans mount?
It always made me nervous thinking of using mounts off the front of the block
with the trans mount!! Thats a pretty large span, and puts quite a bit of stress on the bellhouse!!