Big day today

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marlinman93
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Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

After a year of replacing sheet metal floors, rockers, lower doors, tail panel, etc., etc. And then all the bodywork, new suspension front and rear, plus new drivetrain. And all new glass, interior, carpet, etc. Today is finally a nice enough day to do my first drive longer than around the neighborhood!
Been spending a lot of hours over the last year on my '39 Chevy passenger coupe to get it ready for summer. And now most car stuff is closed down, so it will just be driving and enjoying it, vs. going to cruise in or car shows. I had a 1940 coupe in my senior year of high school, and always regretted selling it. This one was purchased to replace the old '40 and I tried to do most of it like I would have done back in the 1960's. So tire/wheel combo is old school, as is the stance, and interior. Hope to get it painted this fall, but for now it's just going to stay in primer for the summer. It does have a fiberglass hood that's quick disconnect, so it can be run with or without as I want.
I did 100% of the build myself, including interior, and glass install. The engine is a 1990 Chevy 350 with overdrive 700R4 trans. Rear axle is a Ford 8.8" posi with 3.73 gears. Front suspension is from a 1958 Chevy pickup narrowed 5" to fit, and disc brakes adapted. Corvette master cylinder.

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Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
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.45colt
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Re: Big day today

Post by .45colt »

Wow !! Great job. I hope it runs as Good as it Looks. :mrgreen: .
historicfirearms
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Re: Big day today

Post by historicfirearms »

Oh that car is cool. Nice job and thanks for sharing. I bet the pleasure you get driving it it amazing.
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

.45colt wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2020 11:19 am Wow !! Great job. I hope it runs as Good as it Looks. :mrgreen: .
Thanks!
So far it runs great, but only driven around the neighborhood at 20 mph because I didn't have a windshield yet. This is my first roller camshaft type SBC engine build, and I found a lot of differences between all the older SBC flat tappet engines I've built! But seems to be very responsive in short drives.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
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Pisgah
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Re: Big day today

Post by Pisgah »

I am envious of your talent and skills! Nice-looking ride, and I am eagerly looking forward to the ultimate finished product.
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gamekeeper
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Re: Big day today

Post by gamekeeper »

Sooper Cool............ 8) 8) 8)
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Grizz
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Re: Big day today

Post by Grizz »

exquisite craftsmanship !! I hope your journeys are flooded by sunshine, and that you don't get too many job offers from people like me who don't have your eye and skills! Kudos !
octagon
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Re: Big day today

Post by octagon »

Gotta love a Chevy 350...what color on the body? Black?
The lines on that body are sweet!
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Pitchy
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Re: Big day today

Post by Pitchy »

Shes a beauty, i want a ride. 8) :)
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JimT
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Re: Big day today

Post by JimT »

I don't know about it looking "old school" ... THAT'S THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK!!
Very nice!
hondo1892
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Re: Big day today

Post by hondo1892 »

Nice looking set of wheels. You done a really nice job fixing her up. I wish I could find a 66 chevy pickup that I could afford.
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Sixgun
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Re: Big day today

Post by Sixgun »

I'm impressed...pictures do not justice to the work that went into your wheels.....I'm surprised it only took a year.......yea, those were the years that young guys wanted back in the sixties...39-40...

Only a semi old guy would know the color to paint it....Candy Apple Red....---6
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OldWin
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Re: Big day today

Post by OldWin »

Cool! Love the 60s rod look. Great job.
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fordwannabe
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Re: Big day today

Post by fordwannabe »

I am impressed. I think that stance makes the car. Old school hot rod. I approve. Well except for the Chevy thing. :lol:
a Pennsylvanian who has been accused of clinging to my religion and my guns......Good assessment skills.
M. M. Wright
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Re: Big day today

Post by M. M. Wright »

Good job Marlinman. I've built a few so I know what you've done. Congrats on getting it running.

A Pic of my PU which I've been driving since '61.
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It's a '49 with 86 front end zeed on, 400 SBC, (old flat tappet) 700R4 and 96 Caprice rear end. Discs all around. Those are Caddy wheels. I even painted it myself.
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

This is the '39 the day I bought it.

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When I closed the doors the whole side of the body swung like a garden gate! Nothing left attaching the body to the floors, so it hung free from it.
This was the tail panel after I cut off the rotted metal outside, to get to the rotted tool drop inside.

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And after welding in the replacement tail panel I found on a local Craigslist ad.

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I was going for the "old school" 60's look we all did on our cars back then. The American TTO wheels are made to look like what they did back then. TTO=Torq Thrust Old style. Actually very inexpensive as wheels go these days, and were right at $520 shipped to my door, with chrome lugnuts included. They are as cast centers, and machined outer rim.
Although it's an automatic overdrive, I wanted to play with it looking like an old 4 speed. So I built the shifter, and linkage from an old 4 speed Hurst shifter I had, and made up the linkage from 3/8" rod and heim ends. It worked out great, and moves freely with the heim ends.

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Steering wheel was in the car when I bought it, and is a '52 Pontiac. It was cracked and in poor shape. I filled all the cracks with epoxy, and sanded it smooth. Then painted it the same "desert sand" color as I did the dash. Seats are Pontiac Vibe with headrests removed to look appropriate. I'm going to have the inserts in the base and backrest done in the same diamond tuck pattern so they'll match better.

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I took the '39 for it's first longer drive last night. Our car club got together in a pizza place parking lot, since they're closed to eat inside, and ordered pizzas to take out to our cars. The '39 was nearly flawless driving out, with one glitch that took seconds to adjust. The shift points were a little too delayed, so I pulled over in a parking lot and adjusted the kickdown cable, and it was perfect after the quick repair.
It ran at 180 degrees all the way in 80 degree temps, and oil pressure sat at 60 psi idle, and 75 psi running, so perfect also. I'm having my hernia repair tomorrow, so happy to reach this point before I have weight restrictions. I can tinker on it the next few weeks whenever I feel up to it, and drive it this summer as I continue to fine tune things.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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Grizz
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Re: Big day today

Post by Grizz »

My heart throb was a 45 Dodge half ton with a 6-244 flathead. Wish I still had it.
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

Grizz wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2020 1:36 pm My heart throb was a 45 Dodge half ton with a 6-244 flathead. Wish I still had it.
My first vehicle was a 1947 International panel truck I bought from my uncle when I was 13 yrs. old. I worked summers for him on his wheat farm and the old International sat next to the barn all the time. Eventually I asked him why he never drove it and he told me the block leaked coolant, so he parked it and bought the new Ford PU truck. I asked if he'd sell it to me, and he looked at me like I'd lost my marbles! He wanted to know why a 13 yr. old. would want a truck when I was over two years until I could legally drive? I told him it might take me 2 yrs. just to fix what was wrong with it!
We had some good laughs working together, but that probably got the biggest chuckle I'd heard from him. He told me I could pay him $25 for the truck, and he'd take me to town to buy parts for it. The soft plugs were rotted out of the side of the block, but being a straight six they were easy to get to. I'd never done that, but the guy at the autoparts store described the method, and I bought the repair plugs from him. I gradually spent my earnings buying tools until I had enough to do most repairs.
I learned how to do carb overhauls, and a number of other repairs fixing up the '47, and after about a year I fired it up and drove it around the perimeter road around his fields. I probably put hundreds of miles on that truck the next 15 months and never left his property. Pretty sure he and my aunt got tired of hearing me make laps every evening after work, and longed for fall when I returned to school! Even then my parents drove out to visit once a month just so I could "keep the battery up" by driving it once a month.
The day I turned 16 I passed my driver's test and went straight out to my uncle's farm and drove my International home! Next day I drove it to school, and every day afterwards until I graduated!
Wish I'd had enough smarts to have kept that old panel truck. It was very cool, and a good looking rig!
Mine was dark blue with black fenders, and no sun visor like this one has.
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Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
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Shasta
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Re: Big day today

Post by Shasta »

Great looking '39, Marlinman, and done up right too! Looking forward to seeing the final paint job.

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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

Shasta wrote: Thu Jun 11, 2020 6:20 pm Great looking '39, Marlinman, and done up right too! Looking forward to seeing the final paint job.

Shasta
Thanks! Might be awhile, but eventually it will get painted.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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Re: Big day today

Post by piller »

Looks good. Hope you enjoy it for a long time.
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

Thanks guys!
The timing for this was perfect since I had my gallbladder removed a month ago, and today they finally are allowing the doctor to do my hernia surgery under quarantine restrictions. So glad I got to at least get one good drive in before I'm laid up for awhile. And the forecast is rain for the next week also, so even better!
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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Griff
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Re: Big day today

Post by Griff »

Very COOL! Man it aggravates me no end, I just can't get worked up about getting my old Camaro up and running. Been in the barn 17 years, and haven't really inspected it... might be a head, a head gasket, or the block... Actually what I WANT to do is outside my budget!

But HEY! Did do new front discs and rotors on the 1-ton yesterday. Can't believe it squealed as much as it did with half the brake lining left! 89K miles and brakes "looked" barely broke in!
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

Griff wrote: Fri Jun 12, 2020 9:54 am Very COOL! Man it aggravates me no end, I just can't get worked up about getting my old Camaro up and running. Been in the barn 17 years, and haven't really inspected it... might be a head, a head gasket, or the block... Actually what I WANT to do is outside my budget!

But HEY! Did do new front discs and rotors on the 1-ton yesterday. Can't believe it squealed as much as it did with half the brake lining left! 89K miles and brakes "looked" barely broke in!
I usually pull the pads and bevel the front and rear edges of the pad at a 45 degree angle. That will stop brake squeal for a long time until the bevel is worn down again. Also wash it all down with brake cleaner spray to eliminate brake dust that causes the squeal.

Had my hernia repair done yesterday afternoon, and I'm amazed at how much better I feel after this one than I did after the left side was done. Big difference in the 1st being open incision repair, and this being laparoscopic robotic repair. I didn't feel this good after a month, compared to the last time!
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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Grizz
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Re: Big day today

Post by Grizz »

Thanks for the details on your panel truck. What a beauty. I looked in every folder on my computer for the photo of my pickup. The story about is that it was a chicken coop in placerville. Blocked up, seats out, bed screened with chicken wire, and had not turned over or moved for a long time. I was joking around with the guy who lived there, said I'd like to get it running, and he bet me I couldn't, but if I did he would sign over the title. Heh. Started by putting atf into the cylinders. Topped off on successive visits from Berkeley. Eventually put a wrench and pipe on it and nudged the crank each way about 3 degrees. It Moved !... I knew I had it then. put fresh fluids in everything. Kept bumping the crank each way with the plugs out until it felt free enough. Took the battery out of my 1950 Plymouth station wagon, my first car! $25 from the impound lot across the street! Cranked the oil out of the cylinders, plugs in, fired about the third revolution!!! Next trip I aired up the tires. They held air! Wish I had the frontal shot. Nearly the spitting image of my 45 Dodge 1-1/2 ton flatbead . . . Here's a side shot
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

I just love those old round body and fat fendered cars and trucks! It was such a huge change when cars and trucks after WWII became more streamlined, and artsy.
Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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RIHMFIRE
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Re: Big day today

Post by RIHMFIRE »

very coooool
saw one at todays car show.
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marlinman93
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Re: Big day today

Post by marlinman93 »

RIHMFIRE wrote: Sat Jun 13, 2020 6:42 pm very coooool
saw one at todays car show.
I remember those car shows from last year! Wish we still had them, but our state remains locked down, and no chance of a car show. Some of our club got together and drove some distance to another county to eat, and visit together a week ago. Took this picture when we stopped for lunch. My car is the little red Austin on the left. Built it 10 years ago.

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Pre WWI Marlins and Singleshot rifles!
http://members.tripod.com/~OregonArmsCollectors/
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