53 Chev delivery

Must be getting old. Finding myself tired of fighting salvaged stuff, I'm starting on my xmas present. It's a pleasure working on a brand new 409. I don't intend on building this as a GI Joe gasser. Haven't made any plans, yet.

Waiting anxiously!!

Let the magic begin.

I don't like the look of it as is either. Back when, I did one as a wheelie machine with a mid engine design. Good luck with your majik!

Clay, is new tooling, or the same one that's been around forever? Last version I built was full of flash, and plagued with fit issues.

Love that old kit. Chris, I think its the same one that has been around forever.

Webby, castings looking pretty clean.

Did some detailing on the engine. Not being sure where this is going at this point other than DOWN, I raised the spindles. Replacing them with aluminum tubing.


Didn't think it was going to be that easy, did we?  I had to modify the  backing plates on the axle to fit inside the  ones for the wheel.


The wheels and backing plates are too thick to fit the tires. I'm having to do some trick modifying to get them to fit to the axle and each other. I refuse to have wheel rims extending so far out from the tires.  

Oh am I laughing! Same problem I had with a '53 Chevy ragtop. The stock (not the high lift front) was that big piece and I went with some nice wide stock '72 (?) Mustang wheels/tires and they stuck waaay out! You bet it stinks!

I like it. Cool trick with the spindles.

I have the front  A arm assy. together {not mounted}
Have the wheels  where the rims are not wider than the tires. I had to sand off about 1/32" of the ridge inside the inner drum, and relieve the inner side of the chrome wheels as much as I dared. They fit. On the rear ale, I will have to  snip off the peckerhead thingie meant to snap the wheels on .
.

Wow, didn't know it was that bad. I have been looking at this kit for some time.
I like it as the gasser, love the aluminum over OD paint scheme. I did the old AMT
'53 F-100, mainly because it is the same age as me, would love to add a '53 Chevy
to the stable.Is the '53/54 Chevy car, Gasser, any better to build? Will be watching this one.---John

John, You shouldn't have a problem with fender clearance with the gasser. It has the typical straight front axle. But the rim/tire problem would be pretty much as I have described.

Old school on the rear springs..... lowering blocks. Kit has shackles for them. For the gasser, I suppose.


Up on wheels........forever......with epoxy!  While the epoxy was curing, I went into the house for my morning constitutional. Deep contemplation on the throne, it occured to me that the whels were supposed to be 'directional' ! Upon my return to the shop, I discovered, Yep, true to form. They're forever wrong !

Nice work on the spindles Clay but... whoops on the wheels.

Man I hate directional wheels. Unless specialy handed, they alwats look plain wrong on one side or another.

Moving right along Clay. Too bad about the wheels; something I would do though, particularly when nature calls.

Did I say it was a pleasure working on a brand new kit and not have to fight stuff so much ?
Well EXCUUuuuse me !!
I realize that is my own fault for wanting this lowered , But, had I known, I would have taken more off the kit's front axle drums. The tires are too wide to slip up under the fenders like I want.
Another related problem is that there isn't hardly any material on the backside  to thin down. This is the thinnest body I have ever seen! Just a couple of thousandths all over!
I managed to get the front wheels off with minimal damage to one upper A arm. I will be shaving those front drums as much as I dare and  make new axles from aluminum tubing.

What a drag. I am sure you will work through it.

You got this Clay, All masterpieces have pitfalls!

To quote Winston Churchill.... "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

You'll get there.

Got them fixed. Here is the stance.


Yesterdays and today's session also got me to asking for more grief !!

Nice stance, Clay. I knew you could do it.

Yes, great stance,

Looks great, Clay. I also like the nose down look!

I prefer the level slammer look.