So It Begins.. 56 Chevy Project

Well after 5 years of owning the heap we decided to start tearing into it today. The hood, decklid, and doors are off. The fenders are loose. It is on the lift now. It is going to need floors, full quarters, rear inner fenders, and rockers. Otherwise the car is solid. The interior was gutted when i got it. I got into the trunk and found a set of window cranks, armrests, the door panels, and the steering wheel. Right now I dont have the cash to start resto, but I am using this as an oppurtunity to teach me son how to take cars apart, use tools, start to think about how things go together, etc.. Here are some pics and an album I will update along the way.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...t/DSC_0271.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...t/DSC_0278.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...t/DSC_0285.jpg
Album:
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...evy%20Project/

sweet dude...

Looks like a great project. So does the kido get to drive it when he turns 16? :D

Are you going with the same paint scheme when you restro it?

wow thats an awesome project! totally my dream car!

Awesome project!

Do a LT/LS swap. :D

very cool man.you just gonna restore it or what do you have planned ?

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Originally Posted by KissMyWhtSS

Looks like a great project. So does the kido get to drive it when he turns 16? :D

Are you going with the same paint scheme when you restro it?

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Actually it will be his. He is 12 now, so we have time. Originally it was 1 color (robin's egg blue)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Camaro_94

Awesome project!

Do a LT/LS swap. :D

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Will probally be a v8 swap, but I have a 1956 vintage 265 with a glide. Probbaly gonna stay carbed, but try to use some old school "go fast" parts

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Blubird

very cool man.you just gonna restore it or what do you have planned ?

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Plan is to resto-mod it. Plan for 4 bucket seats and full length console (had no rear seats originally), custom touches, etc. Exterior will be de badged and cleaned up. Disc brake front, maybe new rear (w/posi)

WIll keep this updated. Thanks for the compliments guys/gals!

Update!! I will be working on this project more this winter. I am throwing around the idea of putting my 56 Chevy body on either a 94-96 Caprice 9C1 frame or cutting up and F-body. Apparently you can, with a lot of work, make the 56 body fit a 3rd gen f-body floorpan/subframe. I am currently looking for decent donor cars, either a 3rd gen f-body, or 9C1 Caprice. I have a motor I can use and a lot of little things. Here are a few links to see what I am talking about for the chassis swaps:

Caprice Swap:
http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Found-...ssis-Swap.html

3rd gen swap
http://members.cox.net/56iroc/

The Caprice swap requires channeling the 56 floors, the 3rd gen uses the floor pan. Either way my 56 needs all new floors, this is why I like both methods. I have very limited automotive structural experience, but a lot fo industrial equipmnet manufacturing experience. I can weld pretty good and this is a good excuse to get some new tools.. LOL I cant think either is too hard, just time consuming. FWIW a "decent" aftermaket tri-5 chassis starts a 9 grand less rolling gear.. geez

I would try to stick with a full frame unless your planning on putting a cage in it. If your looking for updated suspension then maybe a 2nd gen F bod subframe welded to your original chassis.

well after a 2 year break mainly due to continuing to mod the camaro and such, we got back on the 56 yesterday.
We the body is now free of the frame. The frame looks pretty good. The hood, trunk lid, firewall, cowl, doors, roof, and fenders are in great shape. The cabin, not so much.. I will need full floor with braces, inner and outer rockers, quarters, inner rear fenders, trunk apron, and trunk outter corners. THe rot is a lot worse than i thought. We got the glass out and arend there looks fine. Roof is just surface rust. there is a good amound of bad body work. I need to media blast the body and see what is next. going to be a longer more indepth project than i thought. Today I started on welding up a home made body cart. Here is a few pics and a link to the photobucket - http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...evy%20Project/
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...t/DSCN1468.jpghttp://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y13...t/DSCN1459.jpg