Hot Rod Forum banner

official 37 and 38 Chevy (All GM) car or truck thread

150K views 892 replies 46 participants last post by  nunattax 
#1 ·
thought I would create a spot for all the 37 & 38 (+or-) chevy (and other GM products) cars/trucks owners (and former/future owners)
to get together and share info, ask questions, post pics, etc.

I know off and on there are is lot of these cars and info on here

I have done some searches here and dont remember seeing anything like this, for these cars
(if there is and I missed it, maybe one of the mods. can drag it out and merge the threads)

Here's a link to my journal and a couple pics of my car to get things started :thumbup:


hope to hear from some others, Matt
 

Attachments

See less See more
4
#127 ·
Hey Jack, that's awesome. Do you have any pictures of your build??

I just got all my braces and mounts bolted up today for mock up. Even though I took great care to try measure as the directions explained, it seems that my IFS crossmember is still 1/8 inch out from my core support. Did you have any issues with things not lining up exactly perfect?

Do you know what kind of backspacing you're going to be using on your wheels. I want to keep an original look so I'm going to go with some aftermarket "hotrod" wheels that look very similar and will have the original style hubcaps.

Thanks,
Brandon
 
#131 ·
Battery Location

Hey I have an idea for the battery location, pretty sure it will work, just have not done it yet. I was going to mount mine inside the front fender. There is a lot of open space behind the wheel, just make a bracket that will bolt to the frame. This way you don't need to run those long leads to the rear, you should just be able to remove the front tire and slide the battery out if need be. What do you think?
 
#133 ·
Leakie said:
Hey I have an idea for the battery location, pretty sure it will work, just have not done it yet. I was going to mount mine inside the front fender. There is a lot of open space behind the wheel, just make a bracket that will bolt to the frame. This way you don't need to run those long leads to the rear, you should just be able to remove the front tire and slide the battery out if need be. What do you think?
I like that idea
 
#137 ·
Matt, it took me almost forever to get to this point (7 YEARS!)
About two years ago I decided to finally get the car done, so every night until about midnight for one year. It helped me alot to make check off lists with date goals to complete each item written next to them. Still have some items to complete, but I am able to drive every day now (weather permitting).
Keep at it and you will get there!
 
#138 ·
cleaning up an axle housing

A great tool for removing stuff and saving fingers and chisels and that does it quickly is a cutting torch. I am still learning how to really do it cleanly but one swipe with a good cutting torch takes off the thickest steel and the remaining bits grind down easily.
 
#139 ·
Dr Bob said:
A great tool for removing stuff and saving fingers and chisels and that does it quickly is a cutting torch. I am still learning how to really do it cleanly but one swipe with a good cutting torch takes off the thickest steel and the remaining bits grind down easily.
sometimes the old school methods are some of the best
 
#140 ·
Hey guys. I got one side of my springs installed. I had a heck of a time getting the shock to bolt up because it was hitting the inside of the spring. Now that it is installed it is barely rubbing the spring. This is a Chassis Engineering kit. I know there isn't any load on the springs yet and the frame doesn't have enough weight for me to load the spring with a jack because it just picks the whole assembly up.

Has anyone had this situation?



I have a few other questions as well, but I'll pose them in the appropriate forums. I'm having trouble with my transmission mount screws. They won't tighten down and I'm wondering if I'm supposed to have a nut on the back side of them. Also my (truck) exhaust manifolds won't fit in my frames and I'm wondering if the best option is to go with headers or stock Corvette or Camaro manifolds. I've heard that the stock manifolds are just as good as shorty headers.

Brandon
 
#144 ·
Thanks for the responses. I do have a compressor. I've had a real hard time with it because the bolts continue to interfere with the control arms and don't allow complete compression, but after fooling around with it a long time I finally got it to work decently.

The crossmember slots definitely need to be extended I believe. They were about half an inch off and we finally got it to go, but like you said I think it's under stress.


Brandon
 
#147 ·
I posted this in my other thread but I'm still having troubles with the springs. I put the spindle on and the spring bends so much I can't get the shock to line up inside. I can't compress the spring with a jack any more because it simply raises the entire chassis.



Did anyone else have a problem similar to this?


Brandon
 
#148 ·
Springs

Brandon, I believe you said that the suspention came from Chassis Engineering. They say you should install the springs with the engine in. Is that what you have. If not It looks as if you have the wrong spring. Call the people you got the springs from. You may want to wrap a chain below your jack and over the frame or control arm to keep the chassis from lifting with the jack.
 
#149 ·
I found the problem. I explained the two problems in my photo journal. Basically I didn't have the top of the spring mount screwed up high enough and I had the springs in upside down. After I corrected those two things they went in real easy. I didn't even have to use a spring compressor.

Thanks,
Brandon
 
#150 ·
Vetteman61 said:
I found the problem. I explained the two problems in my photo journal. Basically I didn't have the top of the spring mount screwed up high enough and I had the springs in upside down. After I corrected those two things they went in real easy. I didn't even have to use a spring compressor.

Thanks,
Brandon
glad you got it worked out :thumbup:
 
#151 ·
Well, as I've mentioned in the past I completely hate ALL the aftermarket vent options for the air conditioning units today. I searched for hours and talked to many people and finally decided on looking at ashtrays. I found that a 53 or so Packard or a 48 or so Cadillac had an ashtray on the back of the front seat that I really like so I bought a rough one on ebay to see if I liked it. I'm going to gut part of it and add directional levers so that the roll top can be opened and closed. I haven't decided yet on whether to cut out the cigarette lighter part or to leave that there as well.

I personally really like the way it looks so far, or at least the potential of it.



I'm not sure how I'm going to make directional vents, but I'm sure I'll come up with something...I hope.


Brandon
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top