'55 Chevy street machine

[jonwinn]

I might try one of these. But do it my own way using this kit. Stock engine with race carb and air cleaner, race wheels and tires, no nerfs on bumpers or chrome Chevy emblems. Thinking gloss black with black interior.

 

[jonwinn]

I have a start on this. I sanded the Bel Air molding off the body and added the hood scoop. I am going to make a Chevrolet model 150 Utility Sedan converted into a street rod. Chevrolet had 3 models in '55, the basic model 150 bare bones car, the model 210 with ash trays and rugs, then the Bel Air which was called the "mini Cadillac" with a lot of "bells and whistles". I am using the kit 265 cu. in. small block V8 with the crossover exhaust as I do not want to attempt to sand the molded in single exhaust off the chassis. Here is where I am at, engine done and body ready for a first coat of paint.

 

[jonwinn]

The body and chassis are painted. I need to detail paint the molding on the body and exhaust on the chassis.

 

[Dutch]

Jon, Great start!  Hope you get your mojo back soon so we can see a sweet two-toned street machine! K/r, Dutch

[jonwinn]

double post

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2023 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

On the new body I am leaving the molded on molding but I am going to try a lift kit on the rear end, I hope.

[jonwinn]

New kit came in. I am redoing everything from scratch. I am going to use the street version, engine will have headers, body will still be black but with Bel Air molding, regular tires on front and large tires on rear.

 

[jonwinn]

A slow start, engine block, heads, oil pan valve covers on and painted.

 

Edited September 6, 2023 by jonwinn
spelling

[jonwinn]

I painted the chassis and de chromed some parts with oven cleaner sprayed into a sandwich bag....took less than 5 minutes.

 

[jonwinn]

I have the interior assembled and painted, the body painted and the headers assembled and did a test fit, I need to do some filling on the headers and paint the trim on the body.

 

[jonwinn]

I added the suspension to the chassis, have the interior, glass added into the body and painted the top white. I also de chromed the head light bezels, tail light bezels and bumpers. I might do the bumpers white and the light bezels black like the grill and body trim.

 

[Anjun]

I would love to see the final product.

[jonwinn]

On hold.....looking for rims.

[jonwinn]

I am restarting this, I am missing parts so I bought another kit and got it at 50% off of what I spent on the original. I was never impressed with the original build, so I will do a total "reboot". I have a nice can of Tamiya Pure Blue to spray it instead of black. It will still have a gloss white roof. Hopefully I won't loose interest or parts this time.

 

Edited October 27 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

I started with de-chroming the parts that need to be painted, I used my trusty oven cleaner. These were molded in black plastic unlike the white ones from the first kit.

 

Edited October 27 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

I have a start. The fit is challenging to poor. I put the exhaust headers together and something is wrong. The pipes coming off the engine do not match the small flared exit pieces. I do not remember them fitting this bad plus this kit has a LOT of extra parts. It seems to have tons of parts for a "Funny Car". It seems to have lots of chromed rails and wheelie bars that this kit originally never had. There is no mention in the instructions where these extra parts go. The instructions have either "stock" or "street rod" instructions with no mention of a "Funny Car".

 

[jonwinn]

I think I figured out the header thicknesses. On the box cover's side panel is a picture of the header, it seems the flared exit is centered so that the extra thickness is divided equally to either side of the header, like so. Not all to one side as I had it originally.

 

Edited October 28 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

Engine almost done, headers go on during chassis assembly.

 

[jonwinn]

The interior is started. I assembled the front seat and painted the blue, then painted the tub and rear seat blue. I need to buy some beige to do the white areas that were masked off. The front seat is not glued in yet.

 

[jonwinn]

The interior color will be similar to this photo.

 

[jonwinn]

Interior colors done. The kit comes with an arm rest for the rear seat. From all the images I have seen there was no arm rest of this style on the Bel Air, it did exist on the 1955 Chevrolet 210 model however. The brown interior below is a 1955 Chevrolet 210.

 

 

 

Edited November 1 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

Now to the not so fun part, removing the body molding. I did this once on a '65 Galaxie. The best way for me is to trim as close as I can with a sharp Exacto knife then sand starting with 180 grit to about 1000 grit wet dry sand paper. I am only doing the molding that runs down the side of the car, front quarter panel, door and body, and rear quarter panel and bow tie on the trunk. Tedious but effective. I am very cautious with the Exacto, ended up in the emergency room a few years ago for stitches in my thumb. That was less fun than sanding!

 

Edited November 1 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

An hours worth of knife work then wet sanding from 120, 180, 350, 400, 600, 1000, then 1500 grits. I still have a ghost line from the rear of the door to the tail light and 2 holes I need to putty where I went too deep with the knife. I need to redo the finer grits then maybe go from 1600 to 6000 grits. Lots of small scratches.

Edited November 2 by jonwinn

[jonwinn]

Not to go off topic but here is a 1955 2 tone green and white 1955 Chevrolet 210. My wife's father had one around 1958-59 and she said as a little girl she remembered the "half door" for the passengers in the back seat. Her dad was a mechanic at the local Chevy dealership in our town back then. I have looked all over for a model of one to build for her, no luck so far.

 

Edited November 4 by jonwinn
wording wrong

[jonwinn]

I have the left side sanded and the right side "holes" puttied. I need to get some wet -dry sand paper from 2000 to 6000 grit to get rid of the fine scratches, sorta polish my mess up a bit.