Thread: 55 Bel Air

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I have a 55 Bel Air and would like to make an old school hot rod out of it, while keeping true to the whole concept of an old school rod. I dont care for chrome, or specialty wheels, dont need air bags or any other fancy stuff. I would like to get some opinions on what I could do to beef up the front end, suspension, and brakes. I will be honest, I am totally new to cars, usually I am into bikes, but I saw this car and had to have it.

Any advice on how I can stay true to the old school way of building, modifying and upgrading would be fantastic. I plan on dropping a performance 350 in it, while keeping the stock 3 speed tranny. Just love the fact that its 3 on the tree. But any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and please keep in mind I am new to cars, but very willing to learn. For all I know the stock parts will be just fine for a performance engine. Thanks again.

take a few good looks at the '55 Chevy in 2 lane blacktop and American Grafitti, it's the same car, just painted diffrently in each movie. make that car.

if i'm not mistaken you can put a 67-69 camaro or 68-73 nova front end in there.

Thanks for the advice, and I love the Bel-Air out of American Graffiti, until it was wrecked anyways. Thats why I decided not to lower it, the previous owner already lowered it, and I dont like it. I want the original height. But since you guys have a lot more experience with this than I do, do you think that the stock suspension, brakes, cooling, etc., would be okay if I put a performance engine in it?

Nice thing about these Tri-five Chevys is that there are tons of companies making every part for them and suspension/brake update kits are on that list.

I am like Mike, I love the Graffiti/two lane Chevy, but even stock these cars are just plain neat. A few '60's style modifications to the appearance, and you will have a great car there.

Don

Ok, where can i get the movie two lane black top. i have been looking and see it on ebay, but I don't do the ebay thing. I have been wanting to see it for a while.
My 55 has the origanal suspension except for some homeaide taction bars. It also has the origanal radiator. Beware of the three speed you have, if its a 6 cyl trans you are sure to bust the input shaft with a mild performance motor.
Somebody help me out here on the movie........................

I don't know where you can get the movie, but be prepared for the cheesiest plot and worst acting you have ever seen this side of Summer stock. In fact, the movie is really just very bad, except for the car. But I still watch it every time I catch it on TV.

Don

The only thing that I definitely would do is add power disc brakes to the front. I don't think the car is a candidate for a clip swap from another car. Like Don said, there are companies making every conceivable part for the car, so if anything, I would just make sure everything in the suspension and steering is tight. Take a look at Master Power Brakes for the front disc conversion. There are other companies as well, but MPB is probably the best known.
www.mpbrakes.com

Here's another, Stainless Steel brakes.
www.ssbrakes.com

If you do go with a stronger 350, the stock radiator will probably work ok if it is in good shape. I would make sure to fit a shroud to the back of it with an 17"-18" steel OEM engine-driven fan and thermostatically controlled fan clutch. The fan blades should be half-in and half-out of the hole in the shroud. Other guys will tell you to run an electric fan, but in my opinion they are garbage. You'll have to decide for yourself.

There are some companies making power steering retrofits with the GM 605 box. Do a search and check it out.

To bring the car back to stock height, you will probably need new front springs. You can get the stockers from Eaton Detroit Spring.
www.eatonsprings.com
While you have the front end disassembled to install the new springs, check all the other components such as control arm bushings, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. Your local parts source such as NAPA will most likely have parts such as that.

Hope this helps. If you need further help, just ask.

WOW! Thank you guys for all the detailed information. Since you all say the stock suspension front and rear will hold up fine with a performance motor, then I will get the stock suspension parts. The front end I already know needs to be totally rebuilt, I found a good deal from these people called Ecklers Classic Chevy, a whole new front end rebuild with springs is just $400 that doesnt come with any brakes though.

Like I said the car has no power steering or brakes, I was considering upgrading to disc in the front, and possibly adding power brakes as well. Figured it would be best with a performance motor. I am sad to hear about the tranny though, I really wanted to keep the 3 on the tree. Is there a way to beef up the tranny so I can keep it? I already know I will have to change the bell housing just to get it to fit on a 350, but thats cool. But if its not going to be able to handle it stock, then I either need to beef it up or put in a floor shifted 5 speed. What about a 3 speed tranny out of a 69-72 Chevy truck that had a 350 in it? I am capable of getting one of those pretty easy.

As for the movie I found it on amazon.com and gohastings.com. Those are my 2 favorite places to buy online from. Because an account is easy to set up and they ship very fast. Well again thanks for all the advice and if yawl can help me with my new questions I would love it. Thanks again. David.

David, it sounds like you really like the column shift. If I were in your position, I'd probably try the later 3-spd truck transmission before I gave up the three-on-the-tree shifter. What do you have to lose? Just the cost of a trans and your labor to change it out if you grenade it. If you think about it, any system is only as strong as its weakest link. What I'm getting at is, if you leave stock street rubber on the rear, you're gonna smoke the hides before you grenade the transmission. Think of the tires like a circuit breaker in an electrical system. I don't know how fast you want to go, but with a healthy 350 in a '55, I could have a lot of fun on skinny street tires.

#1 get yourself a subscription to Rod & Custom magazine.

#2 have fun.

Well I dont plan on racing it, but there will definatly be times where I show off what it can do. I just wont do anything stupid in it where I can risk bad damage. Or any damage for that matter, I consider all my vehicles to be like family to me. I dont get rid of them, and if they get wrecked, I still want to keep them. My Mom and I were just in a bad wreck in Austin, a lady ran a red light and t-boned us on my side. She had to atleast be going 55, and never once did she hit her brakes. I am still coming over a bad concussion.

But my Moms car was totalled, and since I wasnt allowed to keep it because it is my Moms car, and she needs the settlement for another one, I just took stuff off the car so that I could always have a piece of it. I know it sounds weird, but that is just how I am.

About the tranny though, I can easily get one out of a 69 Chevy truck, because my Dad, brother and I all own one of our own. My bros never had a standard trans in it, as well as mine, but my Dads has one and it is 3 on the tree. And lucky for me he is saving that project for after his 59' El Camino is finished. So I can trade my Dad my trans for his, and then I will have a 3 speed trans. Which yes I love very much. I dont know why.

As for the tires, I am keeping the original size tires on it, and I will have a set for driving, and a set for show. If I ever get into showing it off and comparing it to other cars. But the show set will be wide white walls, while the driving set will be a performance set of black walled tires. I was making sure that the truck tranny would bolt up in my car with little mods.

Another thing, in yawls opinion, should I put power brakes on it, or just stick with the regular disc upgrade? Again please keep in mind I am new at this.

I checked out the links you gave me, techinspector1, and I really like the mpbrakes, they have real good pricing, and honestly the only difference in power and non power brakes is only like $250, so I think I will go ahead and do the power brake drum to disc conversion kit. And also I saw an upgrade for the rear drums, I think it would be a smart thing to do as well. Thanks again for all the info. Also has anyone used this company, Ecklers Classic Chevy? Just wondering if they are any good?

I have already used Dan Chuck, thinking they would be the best because they specialize in my car, but they sucked big time. I mean it took forever just to get the ordering book delivered, and it was like $25 and it was supposed to be that I got that money back on my first order, and never did when I ordered the overpriced manual. Hard lesson learned I guess.

David, I don't know anything about Ecklers, but I know plenty about NAPA. If you want first class parts for your Chevy (like Moog), then shop NAPA. The prices have to be competitive or they could not stay in business. You never know about some of these other companies, the parts could be Chinese-made junk.

Now, having said that, here's something I want you to keep in mind. This has nothing to do with cars, but is just an observation of mine that I want to share with you. When I was a kid, anything that was marked "Made in occupied Japan" was junk. Yes, everything made there was marked that way because the country was occupied by United States Armed Forces. That was at the end of World War 2 and went on for quite some time. I was born in 1942 and I remember the "occupied" label being used until up into the early 1950's at least. Slowly, Japanese technology improved and the workers and management took a mindset that they were going to be the best in the world and by golly, I defy you to find anything today that is made in Japan that is junk. It is absolutely state of the art and first class in every respect. As you grow older, you remember that I said this......."One day, Chinese products will enjoy the same reputation that Japanese products do today". For now, they are junk, but it won't always be that way. They are an emerging nation and one day they just might be the strongest country in the world. Moral of the story: learn Chinese.

Ecklers tends to be high priced. Year One is one of the best suppliers for old Chevy parts. Google 'em.