1948 Chev coupe "Mabel"

JohnnyBgood said:
...so with everything you did on the frame are you happy with it or is there something different you would do if you did it again?
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If I were to do it again, I wouldn't put an IRS in it. I'd just use a basic axle on leafs with a small C notch and an upper traction bar. The IRS requires major modification to the frame and trunk floor and inner fenders and a different fuel tank. Lots of work for questionable benefit.

When I started this project I had many many ideas for what I wanted. Probably too many. And it's taking much longer to do than hoped for. Now I hope to get it running with the body as it is and put some miles on it before I get into all the custom body mods. Then chop the top, stretch the fenders with '49 Buick tailights (from Kool52), '53 Buick headlights, shaved, nosed & decked.
 
Yup..know what you mean about too many ideas ...I to would also do it different. I would have used the original frame and just put the mustang 2 setup. Putting the nova clip on mine gave me everything I needed but it was a nightmare doing the body and rad mounting and positioning. My hood hinges from the fenders..2 hinges on each fender..if you adjusted the fenders the hood wouldn’t work..or now the grill was out of position..everything had to move as one unit...which is impossible..almost gave up and was going to use my spare frame and start again..air ride is another story altogether..Should have kept it simple..I would have been on the road way sooner....however if someone told me I was going to have all these issues ...I probably would have done it anyways..Next time it’s the KISS method...
 
I understand what you guys are saying about the kiss method but,,,.
Everybody would be driving their favorite body style around with a M2, sbc, 9 inch,,, there's enough of that out there! Imo.
The kiss method doesn't stretch most builders and they'd be bored with their build,, I think.
Plus, way more interesting to read about builds when guys are doing stuff like you two and others on here,, go hard!!
Fred
 
Pictures for today. It's the lazy days of summer around here, so progress is verrrry sloooow.

When I had the chassis mocked up before, the rear end was very low. I had made the upper spring chairs shimable, so now I have 1" of shim in there. I also put in a couple Air Lift bags (scavenged from my old Park Avenue before it went to Kidney Car} so that I'll have some adjustment of rear ride height. At the moment the front coil overs are the cop car HD ones, But I have a new pair of the Grand Marquis softer ones to go in. So that will let the front come down more. When loaded the chassis should come down about 3-1/2" and close to level, I hope.

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Chassis looks nice. I just want to comment to keep an eye on the rear hub bearings. I went through two right rear hubs on my super coupe, but it had 320,000 on it when the head gaskets finally went, and I drove the living shit out of that car. Bearings piled up in the right rear hub twice.
 
jvo said:
I just want to comment to keep an eye on the rear hub bearings. I went through two right rear hubs on my super coupe... Bearings piled up in the right rear hub twice.
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The bearings don't feel rough by hand now, but that doesn't mean much. The CV joints feel okay too and the boots look good. But with all these junk yard parts, who knows.
 
Looks great...those air lift bags..I know nothing could touch my air bags because they might puncture..how do the bags survive with the springs rubbing on them all the time...
 
JohnnyBgood said:
Looks great...those air lift bags..I know nothing could touch my air bags because they might puncture..how do the bags survive with the springs rubbing on them all the time...
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These are Air Air Lift 1000 bags that are made to work inside coil springs. I've already used these ones for several years in another car.
 
Was reading the link...looks pretty good..didn't know they had a inside the coil bag...good idea
 
JohnnyBgood said:
Just noticed your avatar..is that your vision for the top chop?
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It was one idea I had early on, but has since been discarded in favour of a much simpler plan. The chop will be a 3" to 3-1/2 at the rear keeping the 5 windows. This old plan was major as it included a 3" sectioning and conversion to a 3 window with the rear deck extended. If I wanted that, I should have started with a Chrysler product.
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Top chop is Kool. I like the keep the 5 window ...but extend the deck...I find if you lean the back window area down to much it looks like a fast or slope back. Extending the deck a bit keeps the coupe look..
 
Aussiespeed doesn't offer their manifolds machined for injectors so you have to do it yourself. I was able to do it on my little lathe/mill/drill machine.
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