Thread: 57 Chevy Cruizer

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Dave, I went to a swap meet on Sunday morning and there was a 56 Chevy gasser project for sale on a trailer, it reminded me of your project. The car was about 70% done and had some nice work on it. Parallel front springs with a straight axle, 12 bolt rear with discs, traditional 6 pt rollbar setup, etc. It had a crowd around it every time I saw it.......people just love gassers. Never did hear a price, but I bet it wasn't real cheap.

Glad to see you getting started stripping the car down. Nice to start with a clean slate like that.

Don

Originally Posted by J. Robinson

What was the "fugly (and dangerous)" front suspension that you removed? Was it just shoddily done or inferior components? Is that firewall recessed in the center? Body doesn't look bad from this angle...

Very poorly put together...

Made some progress on the '57, got the firewall out and the floor removed back to the wheel wells. New floor supports are put in, still need to finish welding everything. I was really surprised how heavy all the stock pieces were...so far, 200+ pounds of old ugly fat removed and 35 pounds of supports installed!!!! The aluminum floor won't weigh much at all, so the "diet" is going quite well so far!!!!! Tomorrow's challenge is to try to get the trunk floor out in one piece...it's in really good shape and somebody will need a good OEM floor someday!!! Also not part of the net loss on weight but I think I've removed about 50 pounds of dirt, sand, and mud from the car--10 pounds of it landed in my eyes, of course!!!!! I'll try to remember to get some pics tomorrow and post them up.

PS--Beginning to think the drip rails are just too ugly, they might have to go to the scrap pile too......

I've been waiting for you to do some more and post some more pictures. Sounds like you are getting her lightened up pretty good there.

I read something in a hot rod magazine one time that stuck with me. It said, rather than looking for one place to remove a thousand pounds from your race car, look for a thousand places to remove one pound. Makes sense when you think about it, there are so many parts on a car that don't really need to be built as heavily as they are, so trimming a pound here and a pound there can really add up.

Keep at it ,Dave.

Don

PS--Beginning to think the drip rails are just too ugly, they might have to go to the scrap pile too......[/QUOTE]

I'd only do about a foot at a time on that project.

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

..........so trimming a pound here and a pound there can really add up.

Don

That'd be good advice for some of your girlfriends...................

Following this with interest Dave as i've just started a Willys gasser myself, We need more pics though

Got the trunk floor cut out today, man was that sucker heavy!!! Makes the whole process of new supports and aluminum floor a big payoff in the weight reduction game!!!! Here's a couple pics showing the progress so far on the floor, still have a bunch of work to do and a lot more unnecessary weight to cut out!

Yeesh,Dave..thats a crash course,if ever I saw one...Better than any Jenny Craig course I have seen..Its lookin good,and I think you should get a couple of hundred pounds out of that easy..Probably not far away now.

Wow you certainly have put it on a diet Dave

Hey Dave,make sure you bead roll that floor or the raddle(sp) will drive you crazy.Are you going to make it removable??.

Originally Posted by Dave Severson

Also not part of the net loss on weight but I think I've removed about 50 pounds of dirt, sand, and mud from the car--10 pounds of it landed in my eyes, of course!!!!!

I always wondered about that. How come if you are under the front end, and dirt falls of the rear end,.......... It Always manages to land in your eye.........?????????....... Maybe it's just me..........

Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

That'd be good advice for some of your girlfriends...................

Wow Dave, that's REALLY getting down to business! Great way to start though, with a clean slate. Floor subframe looks great.

Don

Originally Posted by 1gary

Hey Dave,make sure you bead roll that floor or the raddle(sp) will drive you crazy.Are you going to make it removable??.

Floor will be glued and riveted once it's all cut and fit. Had one of those noisy rattly one's, been gluing them ever since!!!!

Originally Posted by dlotraf33

I always wondered about that. How come if you are under the front end, and dirt falls of the rear end,.......... It Always manages to land in your eye.........?????????....... Maybe it's just me..........

Nope, not just you!!!! Got another 5 pounds of it in the eyes yesterday!