speedchangesyou
New member
- Joined
- Oct 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3
Great site and a lot nice rods...grew up in the 60's and just recently finished the build on the 49..This is an original Ca. car built back in the 1950’s in California by Sam Donaldson.
The 49 was built old school, 1953 Buick Headlights, 1955 Pontiac Frill and Side Molding with a 1951 Dash. All of the interior knobs were hand made by Sam not bought online or at a store. This is an old school build, no airbags, springs were cut and the car lowered old school style.
It was updated in the 1980’s with a Nova Front Clip. Power steering and power brakes. When the front clip was done a 289 Ford V8 was installed along with a C4 tranny and a 10-bolt Chevy third member. The car rides like a Cadillac.
No Air, No Door Poppers, No working Radio. When I purchase the car in 2011 I wanted to keep the same old school look. We pulled the engine and trans, replaced the rear main and transmission.
We sanded the car down and sprayed it with red primer then painted it the original colors and wet sanded it in key spots down to the primer for that patina effect.
We sealed the interior floor and headliner with Dynamat prior to having the 49 upholstered in old school 1” tuck and roll.
The 49 has an aluminum radiator and where we live it’s hot 100+ during the summer and this car stays between 160 and 180 at all times even in heavy traffic.
Dennis Ricklief did the pin striping, from Chip Foose’s Overhaul; he has been pin striping since the early 60’s and has done work for every major hotrod builder in the country.
This is not a show car but it is a piece of old school hot rod history.
The 49 was built old school, 1953 Buick Headlights, 1955 Pontiac Frill and Side Molding with a 1951 Dash. All of the interior knobs were hand made by Sam not bought online or at a store. This is an old school build, no airbags, springs were cut and the car lowered old school style.
It was updated in the 1980’s with a Nova Front Clip. Power steering and power brakes. When the front clip was done a 289 Ford V8 was installed along with a C4 tranny and a 10-bolt Chevy third member. The car rides like a Cadillac.
No Air, No Door Poppers, No working Radio. When I purchase the car in 2011 I wanted to keep the same old school look. We pulled the engine and trans, replaced the rear main and transmission.
We sanded the car down and sprayed it with red primer then painted it the original colors and wet sanded it in key spots down to the primer for that patina effect.
We sealed the interior floor and headliner with Dynamat prior to having the 49 upholstered in old school 1” tuck and roll.
The 49 has an aluminum radiator and where we live it’s hot 100+ during the summer and this car stays between 160 and 180 at all times even in heavy traffic.
Dennis Ricklief did the pin striping, from Chip Foose’s Overhaul; he has been pin striping since the early 60’s and has done work for every major hotrod builder in the country.
This is not a show car but it is a piece of old school hot rod history.
