1951 CHEVY project

TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Well, it's not a SYTY but I am working on this 51 chevy in trade for my friend painting my TY. The car isn't the most rock solid thing in the world but I'd say he has a decent platform. The car has a 79 305 from a Caprice in it. It is a 2 barrel :roll: HEI conversion has been done but the wiring is ugly has hell to say the least, using wire nuts, the old fabric covered wires, stuff like that. No shortage of electrical tap either:lol:

So for Chris painting my Ty my end of the deal goes something like this.
air gap manifold
750 edelbrock carb
new air cleaner set up
new plugs wires cap and rotor and adjustable vacuum advance
Maybe even a dist re-curve kit, not sure yet
gas needs to either cleaned and treated or replaced
headers 2.5" exhaust to 40 series flowmasters to dump in front of the rear tires
and re-wire the nest of crap.

Along the way I'll do things like clean the piss out of the motor and paint it. So far the biggest problem is that headers I bought the driverside unit wont fit. The tubes stick way out but I may modify them instead of sending them back. Here is what I got done today.




First things first those goofy air intake things for the climate control went in the trash. I then removed the battery, alternator, exhaust manifolds, heat shields, heater hose (going nowhere) spark plugs which were fouled beyond anything Ive ever seen. I mean these things had nasty crap all over them, wonder what the hell went on with this thing. Any how hoping to have the exhaust out Saturday and maybe even built by Sunday. Then the tank comes out and goes to the shop in hopes it can be repaired.


 
M

MikeRenz

not stock
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

got pics of the outside? looks like a fun lil side non-syty project. fun to wrench on something else for a change eh?

don't finish it too fast or your buddy will think he got a bad deal. :lol:
 
ty166

ty166

Donating Member
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

hey mike lets see some exterior pics , im currently workin on a 53 gmc long bed.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

Yeah it is kind of fun to do a non SYTY project. It started out fun but quickly turned to hell in a hand basket when the header on the driver side didn't fit due to the steering shaft. I wanted to remove it and install it through the header but it would really have been a PITA. So I did the next dumbest thing and decided to modify the header.

For those who asked, here is a picture of the hooptie



Here is the engine bay all power washed



Here is the header I have to modify


And like all fun projects, the fenders have to come off


The headers I ordered were for a V8 S10 conversion. There is no room beneath the area where you would use block huggers so that was out of the question. We needed a header the swept back and down but at a higher level than most headers. Fortunately the passenger side will fit with no issues. I am crossign my fingers I can the rear of the second tube welded all the way around. I have done this before years ago and it was nothing short of bullshit.
 
ty166

ty166

Donating Member
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

looks like a fun little project. car looks to be solid, was it previously restored ? how hard are parts to find for that ?? when i was redoing my 59 parts were impossible to find and when i did find them they cost an arm and a leg.
 
Norm

Norm

Donating Member
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

I should start a post about my 37 and 38 Chev coupes that I had. Working on those old cars is fun, but when they say they sure don't build them like that anymore ,it's probably a good thing. Quality in fit/finish was brutal and as for collision safet, there isn't a whole lot. Who was asking about 37/38 trucks? I remember seeing something but never replied to it.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

jpalmer said:
Could you use block huggers?
Click to expand...

Only reason I am going to say no is because of the steering box/arm on the driver side. Passenger side definitely but the driver side I just don't think so. The flange would definitely not clear that crap. I modified the header last night and in to today. Not that bad I guess but I had to weld the inside of the second tube from inside the tube. It was not fun and I really hope it sealed up. It looks like it did.



Ample clearance:lol:

Clearly no one was doing this guy any favors

Fits like a glove


I thought this shift linkage was going to be an issue but it turns out that it may just be a matter of straightening it out and shortening and maybe even turning the pin side around.


Now that the headers are in and fit, I plan on putting this heap on stands tomorrow and start the exhaust project. With any luck I can have it done by this weekend.

One really cool part I didn't snap any pics of was the gas tank. Talk about nasty. The smell hits you like a ton of bricks, there is so much hardened gas/sediment that when we tried to drain it from the fuel line outlet it just dribbled out. No wonder this thing barely ran. The fuel was a nasty rusty color that you couldn't even see through. I dropped the tank off this afternoon and hope to have it back Friday and be done with underneath the car and drop it back down.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

I have made some more progress. To be honest, I cant wait to get this thing out of my garage since the cladding is done and I am ready to install the 80e. I am working overtime here. Here are the exhaust pics






I also had the tank cleaned out, what a mess. I have never smelled anything nastier in my life. Got that put back in last night as well. Now that the car is off the stands, I should move pretty quick getting everything together and installing the "goodies". Well, as good as an old 305 can get anyway.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

Moving right along here. Got the manifold on, also the carb, dist, fuel line hooked up and valve covers on. I gotta admit, I forgot how easy it was to work on cars like this. Makes me real sad I sold my 80 Vette.





So tomorrow I plan on getting the MSD wires installed and after that, I will be mounting a Painless 12 circuit fuse box that I can run my own wiring to. Not sure it will go yet but I am hoping to have everything wired up by Tuesday and maybe turn the key on this bitch.
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

Well, looks Im getting close to done. Got the plugs and MSD wires in, fuse box mounted and am about 80% done with the wiring. I actually had to wire everything up from scratch. I re-used the the wiring from the cab back because I didn't feel like getting under the car and re-doing all that. Plus it wasn't part of our deal.

Here are some pics of the update

Anyone recognize the fan? Need to do some more work to make it a good pusher. There is no where near enough room to make it a puller.


Here is the wiring mess


Of course I had to leave this thing with a little SYTY love. Anyone see it?:lol: Not sure if those were used on any other vehicles but I thought it would be a nice touch:lol:


I am hoping to fire this thing up tomorrow. The only thing wiring I am not sure about is the alternator regulator wiring. Then I just need to wire up the fan and the choke and that's it for wiring. After that, grille and hood go on. Then we need to lower the front an inch or two fix the rear leaf springs and this thing is out of my garage.
 
Last edited:
ty166

ty166

Donating Member
Re: 1951 CHEVY project


Of course I had to leave this thing with a little SYTY love. Anyone see it?:lol: Not sure if those were used on any other vehicles but I thought it would be a nice touch:lol:QUOTE]



the large red wire nuts ??
 
TYTILIDIE

TYTILIDIE

METH HEAD
Re: 1951 CHEVY project

Got this beast running today. Not sure if I posted or not but I had found two broken push rods and replaced them. I found out that they were 4 FULL turns in too tight. Someone was drinking when they adjusted these things. So I fired it up, got the valves adjusted, carb adjusted and timing set. It purrs pretty nice and sounds pretty throaty. There is some belt squeak on start up but not too worried about it.


All thats left is cleaning up wiring, wiring up the e-fan and front turn/marker lights. Then we put the rest of the body panels on. Saturday the cars owner is coming over and we are going to fix the rear leaf springs, add some 3" blocks and cut a coil or two off of the front. Then this beast goes home, FINALLY, then I can get my Ty going:lol:


I took a vid of start up
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/570/y8u.mp4
 
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