[deadbodyman]

I know pros that wouldn't even attempt that chop...very well thought out...most guys cant see that far ahead and would have got overwhelmed and gave up before the roof was finished being welded but you saw it through to the end, right down to the finished interior....my hats off to ya guy....

[knighthawk]

well, I gotta admit, I spent alot of time looking at it before I cut ( and during ), then kinda made it up as I go, like I did with whole car project. Maybe that's why I got parts from 15 different cars....

[knighthawk]

well, it's been THREE years since I started this project and now it's basically finished, just going to re-done some electrical stuff and make some better diagrams... I'd like to thank "Brew" all the others for helping me out , in reveiw..... what I would do different is pay closer attention to what the final finished car would weigh, as it really changed what I thought the ride height would be...... if there is any pictures you all would like added to this ...just holler

[knighthawk]

I took the '48 out for a run the other day.... on some pretty ruff backroads, ( blacktopped ) going around 80+ , ( speed limit was 40 ), bragging to myself and patting myself on the back, about how good the car turned out.........noticed the engine temp was about 260 degrees ! So......back to the barn. The electric fan controller was bad, AGAIN! 2nd one ! It's made by 'Torq Flo" , or something like that , has a sensor that you simply push into the rad cooling fins next to the water inlet., It does work good, but don't hold up. I think it deloped an internal 'short' . Anyway , decided to rewire that circut, using a plain relay grounded by a switch in the upper rad hose metal section, just after the thermostat. Using apecial ordered switch , won't be here for a few days.......

[knighthawk]

I know i haven't been on here in quite a while, computor crashed, got nnew one, the it won't give me access to this thread ! figured that out finally ( Radio Shack , actually ) so...........I got some pictures I thought you all maybe intrested in, in how I made my fender skirts for my "48.... Total cost was about $16 for fender seals.

[deadbodyman]

Lookin good KH,I like the skirts...

[knighthawk]

thanks for the comments, good to know people are still looking a this.... the metal I used for the skirts had the correct bends, in both directions, guess you'd call a 'compound curve' , came from the trunk of the '85 donor car . I think the lip around it was 5/8 wide, this depends on the style and shape of the rubber seal, as it kinda just hooks over the back side.

[knighthawk]

kind of a up date here,, some things I plan on changing that didn't work out as good as I thought . The '85 axle has too narrow a wheel track for the '48 body , as the inner tires rub once in while, # 2 ,not enough rear suspension travel up and down. only about 3- 4 ''. So, raising the spring shackles was good, but I got carried away at 7'', where 3'' or 4 ''would probley worked, . The narrow tracking.... for now I'm going to add some wheel spacers, and longer lug nuts , then this winter's project will be to relocate the hangers , and change out the complete rear axle to a different or newer model that has a wider track,, and also giving me a lower gear ratio, as now the original from the '85 is a 2.2 ratio, goes pretty fast, but no tire burner..... what good is a 'hot rod' if it won't smoke the tires ?????,..... I think it's a good excuse to change gear ratios ! Been going to alot car shows, draws a lot of attention... Runs good, handles good, , better than expected !

[chlsnk]

I know this thread hasn't had an update in some time but has there been any progress made? Have you thought about lowering it any?

[knighthawk]

yes and no , lowering it , yes, done it yet, no...right now, kinda planning on it being this winter's project ( to re-do the rear suspension ) I wanted to go on to the ''next project'' ( a custom truck ) , but my wife insisted I re-do her '69 Cutlass convert..... so that took up the last 9 months or so . I got a couple car shows I want to take the '48 to , one this weekend and one in about 2 weeks.... , I got a neighbors newer car to fix up , then a couple weeks vacation, THEN, I think I'll bring in the '48 , pull the rear fenders....etc . I didn't think anyone was reading this post anymore ! I guess when I re- do the 'rear supension' I'll have to 'post it ' ?????????....... thanks, guys for following along ! In the meantime, I'll be looking for another rear axle.........

[deadbodyman]

Of coarse were following the thread....I used a 89 camaro axel in my 48 ,it was perfect but I mines a plymouth,they should pretty close though...

[knighthawk]

kind of a update here.... the car has beeen running fine, went to a car show last weekend, about 30 miles away, my wife took 'her' '69 Cutlass also. It's been an on going problem to get the cutlass speedometer adjusted, so comming back from the car show and she was following me. I 'floored' the '48 (gottta check the 'downshift' ) took it up to about 90 mph. My wife chickened out at 70, I told her afterwards, that with the 'new' motor she has to vary the speed till it gets more miles on it. She agreed, but said not over 65 ! At the car shows, it's been real fun ! Most people that see my '48 can't figure out what model or year it is. Especially when I write on the windsheild card, ''made from parts from 15 different cars''. It has a Nash full wheel cover on the left front , I guy came by the otherday, said ''You don't see many Nashes like this anymore '' Also at the car shows, Iv'e been displaying an assortment of pictures, on a cardbord poster, of the different things done to the car, including a few of the 'chopping' process. This has been a BIG attraction. Last week some young girls were studying the pictures, and a young boy, maybe 10 or so, went and his mother to come look at the pictures. Then you get a lot of car nuts looking and asking questions.................draws a lot of attention

[123pugsy]

Sounds like a good time.
Nice to keep em guessing.

[knighthawk]

just wanted to say 'HI' , here and that I still plan on working on my '48 this winter, like notching the rear frame and such to get more suspension travel, mainly here just keep this thread a live, as ''they'' will closemit if nothing happens on it after a while.....see you'all soon........

[knighthawk]

OK, here we go..... short review...I had raised the rear spring shackles (to lower the car ) 7'', asumming the center at the axle would be at 3 1/2'' giving me the desired height. That part was pretty close, but didn't give me enough suspension travel, about 2'' before bottoming out . I should have notched the frame, but then also would have had to notch or raise the tunnel for the driveline. In the mean time , i lenghtened the spring shackles 2'' to get car back up some. So now, I'm going to remove the 2'' I added to the spring shackles, and lower the hangers 3'', making the end result,(finshed ride hight) 1'' higher than before. Then I will work on getting more axle clearance, ie: bumpstop , or what ever . At least now I will gain 1'' more clearance than before, and at least the shacles will be correct..........I think............here we go...... you can see the shackles are extra long,