Thread: New Guy Here... I need some advice

Tweet

Hey everyone, I just joined this site in hopes to get some help in building my car.

First of all, let me tell you guys a little about the car itself.

Its a 1929 Chevrolet 4-dr Sedan. It is basically all disassembled, but there is no front suspension. The body is all rotted wood, and I dont know if I should use it or not. I was thinking to build the frame the way I want, and then buy a early 30's truck body and mount it on there. I want it really stripped, almost rat rod style.

My biggest question is about the front suspesion. I was want to find a drop axle and use a horizontal leaf spring setup (sorry I dont know the correct terminology.) What cars should I buy these parts from? Do you guys have any advice to help me with my project. Any advice on what to do about the body?

Mono leaf front suspension, is what your describing, popular on T's and stuff but, from what I'v read, too light weight for a truck, if your lucky, you could find a '40 Ford clip and graft it on, although, what your saying makes no sense to me at all, you have a '29 Chevy 4dr woodie? or is it just the wood that's under the body they used for support? and you want to use an old cracked, hacked up frame just to hack up some more so a old 30's truck cab and box will fit, explain with detail, someone will help. What I would do myself, if the '29 was in fact a woodie, it's not worthless but, worth more to a restorer because it may be quite rare, that and, I'v seen and heard that to get the wood reproduced, it's gonna cost 30k, unless you know how yourself, the frame sounds like trash. If the body just has the wood reinforcement, and it's rotted, that's normal to find, just replace it and box and enshure safty in the frame, get the '40 Ford front clip, a Buick nailhead V8 and a 3spd manual, and an old rear end that will work with that, bolt it all up and paint it flat black, I don't like true rat rod cars, but, I know the concept.

thanks for the replies guys

Matt167 - the body isn't a "woody" but its just all reinforced with wood, and the wood is all rotted. I was thinking about doing the monoleaf only because it seemed like the easiest and most common on the "rat rods" that i've seen.

TechInspector1 - Thanks for the recommendation. I actually have a very similar book, i think its called "How to build a Ford Hot Rod" or something like that. I've been working on cars basically my whole life, and i have a shop with all the equipment I would need, but I basically specialize in 86-93 Mustangs, and I'm new to the whole Hot Rod scene.

I have done a little research, and the reason I think its best for me to change bodies is because it would be way to hard to restore all the wooden support structure of my current body, and I dont really like the 4 dr. body style anyways. I currently have a Fiero front end laying under the frame that I was thinking of using, and after doing a little research I think i'll try to go all the way with it and make it work.

I'll try to attach a pic

Just replace that wood with metal tubin or some sort of bar stock and cover in sheet metal ,kinda like channeling the body only no drop unless u wanted to drop the body over the frame!Metal tube and sheet metal will blend right in with the rat rod look and u need to box the frame on these cars (I think?)

Do like Shawn said, use some thin wall square tubing and replace the wood. I helped a guy turn a 4 dr. chebby sedan into a 2 door chebby sedan once, wasn't too bad of a project. We move the post between the doors back, then used the fronts of the rear doors to add on to the rear of the front doors. Enlarge the side window opening and presto-chango, ya got yerself a 2 door sedan. Once the posts are where you want them chop about 3" out of them and get the roof down to a respectable level.

Originally posted by Dave Severson
Do like Shawn said, use some thin wall square tubing and replace the wood. I helped a guy turn a 4 dr. chebby sedan into a 2 door chebby sedan once, wasn't too bad of a project. We move the post between the doors back, then used the fronts of the rear doors to add on to the rear of the front doors. Enlarge the side window opening and presto-chango, ya got yerself a 2 door sedan. Once the posts are where you want them chop about 3" out of them and get the roof down to a respectable level.

replacing the wood with metal was plan B. Im a little scared that i'm going to warp the hell out of the body though, the sheet metal is so thin.

it wont deform if you tack in some rod stock across the body.

Just support it like Junkie said, and apply the heat sparingly. I use a mig welder, and start with the support replacing the wood thoroughly clamped in place, then I start placing tacks about 1" apart. Let the metal kewl between rounds and keep applying the tack welds until you have sufficient weld strength to hold everything together. Patience is the key.