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My first hot rod project.Lot's of questions

18K views 77 replies 21 participants last post by  deadbodyman 
#1 ·
Hello everyone.This will be my first "Hot Rod" project.Second care project in 20yrs? Anyhow I have purchased a 41 chevy 2dr sedan.engine and tranny already removed.Car has been sitting and previouse owner looked to have started a restoration or hot rod project.All trim off car,front&rrear fender's off and so on.Anyhow I'm starting to put together a hit list on what I need to build this car.I want to go modern suspension,small block.I have a line on a 79 pontiac trans am sub frame complete will all components.As for rear end not sure.10 bolt or 12 bolt or 9"? I want to build the car as a good all around driver.Not really interested in drag racing it.Same with transmission,th350,th400 or 700r?.My left knee isn't in the best of shape so no 4sp or 5sp.Plus I can't drink coffe and drive at the same time :D .I'm giving myself a time line of 4yrs.That will make me 50yrs young :pain: when the car is finished.Any thoughts on this project will be greatly apprciated.Thanxs for looking,
stefanP
 
#27 ·
I agree with deadbodyman and matts37chevy in that if a guy waits until he has everything, the project will never get done. My car club is full of guys "gathering stuff", before they start the project.....and a lot of them have been years in gathering, and will probably never finish it. If you can run across a complete car like deadbodyman was talking about, that's great....but sometimes they just ain't there! When I first drug my '40 Chevy home, I couldn't even weld (which, due to how much metal needed replaced on the car was significant, and had to teach myself before I could start on her, but that was the fun of it. I had been a drag racer back in the 60's and 70's, built several race cars, but had been out of "cars" for years, had never built a street rod, and no longer had most of the necessary tools, let alone any parts. I started going to local car shows and picking the brains of guys who had built similar cars and gained a wealth of knowledge. Thru these people, I ran across used parts (and some new ones from guys who were tired of gathering) that I could use. It took me 4 years to finish the car, but was a labor of love and everytime I crawl in it and take a spin, I still hang my lips on my ears grinning.
 
#30 ·
i have 2 1942 pontiacs that i dabble with.

the 42 4 door has a cadi front clip in it.
the 42 2 door has a complete frame off of a 91 chevy caprice.

ill tell ya, it was much easier and cheaper to do the complete frame swap.
not to mention 4 link rear suspension.

it may be too late to consider this for your project, but wanted to throw it out there.

yes, the caprice frame was shorter, i lengthened it 4" the straight rails made that pretty easy!
 
#38 ·
Hi stefan, I've owned my '41 chevy for 46 years. peice by peice it has been a work in progress. In 1969 i put a '57 chevy rear end in it, its still under there! Today i'm swithching transmissions. I broke the last 200r4! no fault of the trans:mad:. you will most likely cut out the old trans xmember, the forward gusets that go to the frame will be PACKED FULL of dirt and gravel!! or, most are. so check out the frame also and clean it out some how. have fun!
 
#42 ·
Well, A week later and the frame is back from the dry stripper(New England Dry Stripping).$280.oo bucks and the frame looks nice.I then sprayed the frame with epoxy primer from eastwood company.This is just to protect it from the elements.I have to do some welding.So when all is completed I will be painting the frame black.Also put in a order for my CE front suspension crossmember,motor mounts,trannny mount and radiator mount.Hopefull this weekend I will start to assmbly process.I'll update the thread with pictures of the frame.To and from the dry stripper.
stefanP
 
#46 ·
Looks like you are making good head way on your project. I used TCI front end, bolts on through original rivet holes then just weld on the top hats. Your CE kit should work well too. As far as a tranny, I used a 1989 chev caprice cop car 700r4. The tranny had low miles, t-boned car. I replaced the servo with a corvette unit and drilled out the center for a lock out kit. My trans shifts so hard from 1st to 2nd that it feels like the front wheels want to come off the ground. I put 355 rear end gears in when I rebuilt the rear. At 80 miles an hour I turn 2500 RPM. I love this trans!
 
#47 · (Edited)
Project on hold!!!!

Well looks like my project is on hold for another 4to5 weeks. Front crossmember is being made I guess.I ordered all my parts through Street Rod Headquaters (which is part of Chev's of the 40's).I wish I knew there was such a lead time.BUT THEY CHARGED MY CREDIT CARD WITHOUT A PROBLEM!!!:evil:After spending almost 1200.00 I have a universal tranny mount to show for it all:(:pain::smash: Well will see what happens. stay tuned>>>>>>>>>>>>>...................
stefanP
 
#48 ·
Well looks like my project is on hold for another 4to5 weeks. Front crossmember is being made I guess.I ordered all my parts through Street Rod Headquaters (which is part of Chev's of the 40's).I wish I knew there was such a lead time.BUT THEY CHARGED MY CREDIT CARD WITHOUT A PROBLEM!!!:evil:After spending almost 1200.00 I have a universal tranny mount to show for it all:(:pain::smash: Well will see what happens. stay tuned>>>>>>>>>>>>>...................
stefanP

Hate to say it but when these things are back ordered they are usually on a ship crossing the ocean or held up in customs. :pain:
 
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