I sometimes get behind on the many emails that get posted here
but also find that getting through the stuff that isn't interesting goes
pretty quick. As another person who thinks we need to 'cleanse the
palette' I'll give an update on my '49 chev (kinda stock).
--- those not interested hit delete now ---
Last year I replaced the 216 with a '53 235 from a powerglide car. I
had some problems with a hacked up mount on the front, different
linkage for the throttle, transmission stuck in crank by the pilot
bushing but all in all it was on the road again.
This year I rebuilt the carb, did a 6 to 12 volt swap, new wiring
harness, radial tires, rear brake rebuild, partial bed wood
replacement (in progress), rear spring/shackle rebuild with poly ride
liners and the latest addition: air shocks.
Since the mid 70's I used the build up of rust for shock absorbing
and it worked reasonably well. With the addition of the polyride
liners I was bouncing so much I thought I'd break a 50 year old set
of springs. The air shocks are were from napa and I built shock
mounts that would bolt in using the lever action bolt holes.
Yesterday I hauled 1/2+ ton of landscape timbers (after adding
about 60 pounds to the shocks). I was definitely overloaded but no
more than dirt, rocks, or fertilizer we hauled 20 years ago on my
Dads orchard. With the extra power and suspension changes it
handled magnificently! Peppy starts, no bouncing but nice ride, no
heating up or struggling up hills. I'm pretty darned happy!
I've tried to keep it close enough to stock to restore it some day
but I sure can see the draw for a 3 or 4 speed and overdrive. I had
no shortage of power on the way home but even at 55 mph it was
wound up pretty tight. I've got to decide on mono leaf front springs
or rebuilding the ones I've got and getting the lever shocks rebuilt
and put back on, maybe with a sway bar. But month by month it's
getting better and I sure appreciate hearing about what others are
doing out there- be it AD or TF, hot rod or stock. Because I have
the opportunity to use what will work for me and archive the rest for
the next project, maybe a 58 suburban...
thanks all,
Doug
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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