I had been looking for a while to get a new project car as I haven't had one in 2 years. It's not that I don't have ANY projects because I have several tractor resto/upgrades going on currently, but the car projects are something I want to do with my kids too. I had been looking at 2wd S10's, Novas, and basically enything that had a good body and was around $1000-1500.
I had found a 1986 S10 that the body had been off, frame was painted, all new bushings, springs, and better rear end, was already set up for a V8, and was pretty straigh, rust had been 'fixed' already, but it was a 2 seater, and I really wanted something for the family.
I found a 2 door 1975ish Chevy Nova 2 door, straight 6, TH350 car, and my dad had looked at it a couple years ago, and said it had no rust and was solid, however, the paint looked good and the car was toast. Its gonna be reclaimed by the earth soon... Rockers were gone, leaf spring mounts were rotting off, floors were junk, trunk pan was junk, front control arms were paper thin... It was a turd, and had whole dead mice in the interior. NASTY.
After that one dropped off my possible list, I started looking at other novas, malibu's, caprice's, impala SS's, and couldn't find anything I wanted. Found a couple ratty vette's that had been sitting for 10+ years, so I know the frames would be junk...
Then I came upon an ad on Facebook Marketplace, and it was 1953 Bel-Air sedan, and didn't look too bad. Guy wanted $1300 for it, and after messaging back and forth several times, I find out the guy builds tube chassis frames and suspensions for all kinds of stuff including my cousins mud truck, and the guy said if I show up with $1000 cash and my trailer that would buy the Bel-Air. My wife said "If it's a bel-air or a Vette you can buy it" so the whole family piled in my truck and we went to look at the car.
The trunk pan is rotted, but not too badly, the floors need a little help, but they're fixable. The car looks like at least 2 people worked on body work on it over the years. Some of the body work was done well, some was done realllllly poorly. It came with just about all the chrome, has both bumpers, all the glass (couple windows are cracked though)
So what is my plan with this car? Kind of a hot-rod barn find patina look roadkill style build. So what will it be? a 1953 Sedan with a 305HO from a Monte Carlo in it, I have a 2 speed powerglide for it, and I need to get a rear end. It still has the original rear end with torque tube in it that won't work with the trans I have, so I am looking for a S10 4x4 rear axle from like a 2000's S10 and I think I have found one for a good price with springs, but it's 2 hours each way from me... I plan to maybe either put 2 bench seats in it from S10's or something similar, or I may put 4 racing bucket seats in. I guess it all depends on what I find that strikes my fancy on any given day.
It will be a very cool cruiser, not a speed demon, probably will ride like crap as I plan to raise the rear up about 3" and I will probably leave the front suspension in for now. The front springs are super stiff, but hey even in 1953 they had a sway bar! So it's legit...
anyway, here are some pics for starters...
I already have the whole nose off, the trunk lid off, and I am starting on ripping the rear end out of it too.
I had found a 1986 S10 that the body had been off, frame was painted, all new bushings, springs, and better rear end, was already set up for a V8, and was pretty straigh, rust had been 'fixed' already, but it was a 2 seater, and I really wanted something for the family.
I found a 2 door 1975ish Chevy Nova 2 door, straight 6, TH350 car, and my dad had looked at it a couple years ago, and said it had no rust and was solid, however, the paint looked good and the car was toast. Its gonna be reclaimed by the earth soon... Rockers were gone, leaf spring mounts were rotting off, floors were junk, trunk pan was junk, front control arms were paper thin... It was a turd, and had whole dead mice in the interior. NASTY.
After that one dropped off my possible list, I started looking at other novas, malibu's, caprice's, impala SS's, and couldn't find anything I wanted. Found a couple ratty vette's that had been sitting for 10+ years, so I know the frames would be junk...
Then I came upon an ad on Facebook Marketplace, and it was 1953 Bel-Air sedan, and didn't look too bad. Guy wanted $1300 for it, and after messaging back and forth several times, I find out the guy builds tube chassis frames and suspensions for all kinds of stuff including my cousins mud truck, and the guy said if I show up with $1000 cash and my trailer that would buy the Bel-Air. My wife said "If it's a bel-air or a Vette you can buy it" so the whole family piled in my truck and we went to look at the car.
The trunk pan is rotted, but not too badly, the floors need a little help, but they're fixable. The car looks like at least 2 people worked on body work on it over the years. Some of the body work was done well, some was done realllllly poorly. It came with just about all the chrome, has both bumpers, all the glass (couple windows are cracked though)
So what is my plan with this car? Kind of a hot-rod barn find patina look roadkill style build. So what will it be? a 1953 Sedan with a 305HO from a Monte Carlo in it, I have a 2 speed powerglide for it, and I need to get a rear end. It still has the original rear end with torque tube in it that won't work with the trans I have, so I am looking for a S10 4x4 rear axle from like a 2000's S10 and I think I have found one for a good price with springs, but it's 2 hours each way from me... I plan to maybe either put 2 bench seats in it from S10's or something similar, or I may put 4 racing bucket seats in. I guess it all depends on what I find that strikes my fancy on any given day.
It will be a very cool cruiser, not a speed demon, probably will ride like crap as I plan to raise the rear up about 3" and I will probably leave the front suspension in for now. The front springs are super stiff, but hey even in 1953 they had a sway bar! So it's legit...
anyway, here are some pics for starters...
I already have the whole nose off, the trunk lid off, and I am starting on ripping the rear end out of it too.