Started the work

[TriTown]

With the long weekend, 4 days off, I replaced the valve cover gaskets. It wasn't too terribly bad a job. It was reminiscent of my days working on Porsche cars. You have to take alot of stuff off before you get to what it is you needed to get at in the first place! With that done I worked on the clutch. That was an interesting disassembly. They didn't make the car with much room to move things around for removal. I had the most problems with getting the beam that goes between the trans and the rear end out. Tight! All in all it wasn't too bad though. It's all on the floor now waiting for the reinstall next weekend.

I also got to repairing the broken fiberglass on the right front nose. It came out very well if I do say so. If I can be of any help to anyone doing a small repair like this Id be glad to help out. I can send you before and after photos. It was really pretty easy.

Hey! I'm having fun with my Vette! Thanks for listening.
Joe

 

[Ken]

You have to take alot of stuff off before you get to what it is you needed to get at in the first place!

That's the hardest part about working on cars nowadays. :eyerole

I'm having fun with my Vette!

And that's what it's all about! Have fun Joe!

 

[tnovot]

The hell with the Vette. We've all heard similar stories about them. Let's hear about the late 30's rod you have parked next to it!

 

[TriTown]

The 39 Chevy

The Vettes' room mate is a 1939 Chevy Master 85 2 dr sedan. I bought the car two years ago in May as a stock, running car that needed some suspension work. I told my wife I wanted to wait till winter before I tore it down to be made into a hot rod. Yeah... well that lasted about a month. To say the least it was a white knuckel ride and after trying to follow my buddies back from a cruize in the dark throught the back woods and over a set of rail road tracks I decided before I rolled it I better get started early. SO... Out came the motor & trans, front and rear suspension and wire harness, (Oh! I forgot to mention the night I went over the rail road tracks the headlights quit. Nice!!!!!) steering column, dash instruments. You get the Idea.

With that done I welded in a Heidts Mustang II front with 2" drop spindles, a Camaro rear hung on Chassis Engineering parallel leaf springs, 1" sway bars front & rear. Made the drive shaft out of 2 drive shafts that had the right ends. The power is a stock 350 Chevy and a tubo 350 with a shift kit. The lights and everything else now work through a Ron Francis wire harness. The brakes are power disc with GM calipers and rotors stock Camaro drums on the rear. Tilt steering column from a Monte Carlo hooks to a flaming river manual rack. Lets not forget the Flow Masters, one each side. I have a derby and a pair of psychedelic lizard eye ball sun glasses I wear when I drive it. It's quite the crowning touch. People get a charge out of it. My wife thinks I'm loosing it. That's about it for the 39 Chevy parked next to the Vette.
Joe

 

[WhalePirot]

That's the hardest part about working on cars nowadays.

I THOUGHT IT WAS FIGURING OUT WHERE TO PUT IT ALL BACK AND THEN DOING IT. <<not meaning to shout, tho

 

[BlackNBlue95]

I THOUGHT IT WAS FIGURING OUT WHERE TO PUT IT ALL BACK AND THEN DOING IT. <<not meaning to shout, tho

LoL... that too hee hee.. definitely there all projects..
-=Rick

 

[Edmond]

I thought the hardest thing about working on cars these days were your credit card bills from the parts stores?

 

[tnovot]

Joe -
Sounds like you have done an awful lot of work on the '39 in just 2 years. You have used quality parts and materials and it must be quite a nice ride. You will be glad you used GM brakes/rotors on the front. The Mustang II stuff is just too small for the weight of that car. My '36 GMC has an AMC Pacer front end with 11" rotors. Just to make sure all this street rod talk fits in to this forum, mine also has a 327 350 HP motor from a 60's Corvette.
Anybody can have a Corvette - all it takes is money. You have something very special with the '39. Probably attracts more attention then the Vette. Thanks for the details on it.
Terry

 

[G Winter]

TriTown..... we gotta have pictures or a link to some. Sounds like a way cool car. :cool


Maybe I should show it more respect and call it a ride ?

 

[TriTown]

39 Chevy

I'm flattered with all the attention my rod is getting from you guys! I haven't figured out how to get photos up on this site however I'm working on a yahoo site so photos coming soon is all I can offer at the moment. I guess I can send them as separates. I'll see if I have any on this computer...stand by.
Joe

 

[Ken]

Most of us here love 'em all - especially hot rods!

Very nice '39! Every now and then I start thinking about putting my engine in a '36. :cool

Welcome to the Corvette Action Center, by the way.

 

[TriTown]

39 Chevy photos

Well... a web master I'm not but here is the 39. I, as you will notice when you follow the link, threw the page together in about 15 min. I had no time to read. I just clicked stuff till it worked. I'll give it more attention over the weekend and time I'll get some build photos and text up too. To keep things in the scheme of of this site I'll also include the Vette's recovery too. http://www.tritownstreetrods.com/contactus.html
Joe

TriTown..... we gotta have pictures or a link to some. Sounds like a way cool car. :cool


Maybe I should show it more respect and call it a ride ?

 

[G Winter]

That's not cool.. that is super cool. You have a great ride there. Has to really turn heads when you drive it. Thanks for posting it.

:cool :cool

 

[I_R_DA_ONE]

Joe

that 39 sedan looks like a dream that has come true for you..... I'll bet you get alot of people out there asking you at the service station if you want to sell it....

I drive a 63 chevy every day and folks are always asking if I want to sell that old car:eyerole......
All the ole cars are very special in my sight...
thanks for posting the pictures of the 39 it's beautiful and a sleeper.
Mike

 

[G Winter]

Ah, a 63. My second car was a 63, 2 dr ht with the 250 hp 327, three speed trans. Lots of good memories. I installed a hurst compatition plus shifter with a T handle. Four times in 16 months I cleaned the teeth off the input shaft hitting second gear. :eyerole You would have thought I would have gotten smart after the second one and installed a 4 speed. :duh I think my point is, wish I still had it, along with the 69 chevelle . :cry

 

[TriTown]

The oldies are the goodies!

Scav,
I know what you mean. I wished I still had some of my old cars too and bought the ones that I didn't. I'm trying to get some of my car photos in order along with some of my club members cars too. I'll put them up on the web site in the near future. I'm sure everyone will get a kick out of some of them.
I sold a 69 Camaro rag top that I did over from the body tub to the finished car. I keep thinking I didn't do the right thing but I got more than I had into it back and it wasn't painted yet. Then I had a chance to buy and didn't, a 63 split window Vette for $3000.00 of coarse I'm dating my self but I still wish I had. I could almost retire off of that one...right?
Joe

 

[G Winter]

In high school I had a chance to buy a 37 olds business coup for $50, running and not rusty , what a rod that would have made. The chevelle I mentioned was a malibu 2 dr ht 300 hp 4 speed 3:31 gears factory 8 track.
It ran 15:48- 89 mph on street tires. no headers. I had about 7000 miles on it snapped the arm off the shifter going for third. Walked in the dealer, he looked at my chevelle ,which was 6 months old, and offered to trade for the 69 camaro pace car he had on the floor. 350 turbo 400 all the options. $1000trade. Was just what the diff on the window sticker was.. another mistake. I didn't do it .

 

[WhalePirot]

How I'd love to have a beaut like your '39, with upgraded brakes and steering as a daily driver! Nice!

I had a chance to buy and didn't, a 63 split window Vette for $3000.00

I got mine for $2k in Charleston, SC in 1976, restored it and sold it just before the price went WAAAAY up. It had the wheel wells cut out, Hurst shifter, gold shag carpet and diamond-buttoned seats.

After, this 327/340 4 speed looked great in the new red paint and the exactingly restored interior. Wife and I enjoyed our autocross trophies from the Myrtle Beach SandKhana earned while it was still ugly and we were members of Corvette Charleston.

 

[tdr1919]

Ah, a 63. My second car was a 63, 2 dr ht with the 250 hp 327, three speed trans. Lots of good memories. I installed a hurst compatition plus shifter with a T handle. Four times in 16 months I cleaned the teeth off the input shaft hitting second gear. :eyerole You would have thought I would have gotten smart after the second one and installed a 4 speed. :duh I think my point is, wish I still had it, along with the 69 chevelle . :cry

You Look back now, I had a 66 Mustang convertible w a 289 and a 4 speed. I wish I had it now, but back in 72, I spent more time underneath it on the side of the road than i did driving it!
Tom