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'39 Chevy Coupe project.

183K views 2K replies 24 participants last post by  1937Austin 
#1 ·
Nothing really to report, but figured I'd start this here vs. keep posting on the swap meet thread. So here's the same images from the swap meet.











The seller delivered it late yesterday afternoon during another downpour of rain. So even assessing the car just wasn't any fun after getting soaked unloading it. And unloading proved to be a chore too!
First the seller trailer had a 3/4" plywood deck that was rotted, so one rear tire sunk into the deck creating a hole! Then as we rolled it off the front tire turned with no steering box. As I went up to turn it the other tire was pointed a different direction! That's when I looked underneath and noticed the tierods weren't connected! Independent front wheels didn't make steering it off the trailer very easy!
Finally got it off, and then with a guy on each front wheel we tried to push it into position and keep the wheels parallel. Wasn't easy, but got it done. Then I simply covered it up, and went inside to dry out.
But some really good news too! I never looked at the title, or asked what state it was from. But turned out to be a current Oregon clear title, and a matching vin tag he had inside the same envelope! So it wont even need a vehicle inspection like an out of state car would need! One less hassle, and expense for me!
Hopefully we'll get a break in the rain someday, and I can get all the parts out of the car, and get a closer look at what I'm up against with the rust repairs.
 
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#1,227 ·
I've been attempting to bend my fiberglass trunk lid the last few days. I cut a couple 2x4's to 20" and stood them up inside the trunk. Then pulled the lid down so they sat against the sub structure, and put a ratchet strap across the trunk lid handle, and pulled down with the strap.
Not a lot of pressure at first as I wanted to see if it bent, and how much it needed. Left it set a couple days, and checked it yesterday. It had bent slightly, but not nearly enough. So cinched it down again, and a little more pressure on the strap. Giving it a couple more days, and maybe by tomorrow the curve will align with the trunk lid opening, and it wont need anymore work on it.
I also need to put some shims between the hinge bolt points on the body to lower that end of the hood, as it's maybe just under 1/8" high there also. Maybe a washer or two between hinge and body will lower it enough to get that edge perfect also.
 
#1,228 ·
Couldn't stand it. The weather went back to gorgeous clear skies, and sunny mid 60's highs. So took the '39 out of the shop and went for a drive yesterday. Left it out overnight as today's the same, and our car club breakfast is this morning. Rains coming back tonight, so maybe our little reprieve is over after today?
 
#1,229 ·
Hey Vall,
Here's a measurement I didn't think would be that close on your nose. I guess you thought of this already? Tank to the floor?
Tire Car Vehicle Wheel Hood
 
#1,233 ·
Got a pair of non period correct valve covers for the '39 Chev. Haven't been happy with the old finned covers, as they're just not that cool. And I found a pair of NOS B&M covers I really wanted, but at $550 on BIN Ebay, I passed.
I located these Brodix valve covers locally for a decent price NIB, so got them for the SBC.

 
#1,235 ·
I agree of course, although I've heard guys question the mixing of eras. A friend had these and finally decided they were too modern for his tastes. So I jumped on the cheaper price. I still have to drill holes for breather on one side, and PCV valve on the other. And figure out what to do to baffle the breather and not have screws show outside. I may bend up an aluminum baffle and have it tig welded inside to avoid screws. Or just buy Mr Gasket baffled grommets.
 
#1,236 ·
Beginning to chip away at my winter projects on the '39. I pulled the valve covers off, and test fitted the new Brodix valve covers. Passenger side just cleared the firewall by 1/4"! Driver's side wouldn't go on at all! Had to remove the coil from the firewall, and then it just cleared the alternator, and slipped over the supplied studs. Once in place the coil can go back on as it's only in the way when sliding them in place. They do make the engine look slightly larger with their physical size, and height.





I also broke out the metal working tools and cut up some sheet metal fillers to weld into the old bumper openings. Ground everything smooth and tacked them in. Still need to hammer them into shape after welding, and give them a coat of filler. Discovered a small crack on the bottom edge of one fender also, so welded that up too.

Next I swapped out the shackles on my front axle springs. I've had these shackles sitting here forever, and wanted to install them to give a slight lift, and slightly more kingpin angle. They're 1.5" longer hole to hole, and have a tube brace welded between the shackles to make them one piece, and an H shape. Which makes them a little stronger also.
That turned out to be more of a task than I thought! One pair had the brace welded in crooked, so the holes didn't align! Couldn't get a bolt through the close fitting holes. I could have opened the holes up, but that didn't sound right. So I cut the tube brace out, put bolts in top and bottom, and welded the brace back in properly aligned. It went right in after that.
The 1.5" taller rear shackle raised the front almost 1", and changed the kingpin angle from 6 degrees, to 7.5 degrees. Should make it track even better, although it tracked fine before too.

Need to check valve lash before putting gaskets on, and finishing the valve covers. And need to see if I still have spare valve cover gaskets too!
 
#1,237 ·
Wow what a list in a short time. Valve covers look cool. How in the world does someone weld the shackle crooked. No pride in the worker anymore. Must have been a 5 o’clock whistle shackle. Glad you got it sorted out.
 
#1,238 ·
I wondered the same Mario. They were new pieces I found at a swap meet. Appeared to have never been used, and now I know why! Quick cut with the band saw on one end was all it took. I stopped just shy of cutting clear through so it would help hold it while I put bolts through and rewelded it.

I've always bought inexpensive shackle sets at swap meets, and I keep finding projects to use them on!
 
#1,240 ·
If you read my earlier post I mentioned I have to drill a hole in each valve cover. One for a PCV valve, and another for a breather, where I'll fill oil also.
Longer shackles are now 4.25" between holes. Not really that long. My old ones were just that short.
 
#1,242 ·
Thanks Lash! I think after nearly 40 years of drilling holes as an electrician I'll try to muddle through drilling them. I'm going to keep the PCV hole back towards the rear on driver's side to shorten the hose length, and see it less. But on passenger side I'll keep the breather up front to make adding oil easier, and be further from the PCV valve also.
 
#1,243 ·
Been too cold in the shop to do much, but I couldn't stand sitting around today, so went out for a few hours.
Got my holes drilled in the valve covers for breather and PCV, and of course my big step bit was just a little too small once I drilled them. Had to get out the big half round rasp to finish the holes off. Got them mounted up, and checked and adjusted the valves before putting them on.
Then I removed my battery disconnect switch. It went bad on me weeks ago, and I just moved the cables together, and left it. Got the replcement finally, and put it on. Then hit the Duraglass I spread over my two front patch panels for the bumper bracket cutouts I welded in. Just knocked off the top, and they'll get a skim coat of filler to finish them.
Even with my insulated Carhardts 38 degrees was too chilly, so fired it up to warm it up, and then headed inside for a hot shower to warm me up too!
 
#1,244 ·
After installing the longer shackles the other day, I noticed my shocks were actually almost topped out. Didn't want rebound to damage them internally, so I planned to raise the lower mounting points on the axle end. Got to looking at my brackets I built and discovered I could get about 1.5" extra by flipping them side to side, which turned them upside down also. Just a small relief cut on a non structural area allowed it to lay flat on the opposite side and gain the extra length needed.
My new trans dipstick tube came to eliminate the ugly van dipstick tube I had. So installed that also. Easy to install, but wrestling the old one out was a chore.



 
#1,249 ·
I used baffled grommets! Mr Gasket sells a grommet that's got a closed end with an overlapping slit to allow them to breath, but keep from sucking oil. And of course I drilled my holes between rockers to avoid a rocker arm from flinging oil at the breather or PCV valve also.
I cut a second slit at 90 degrees to the factory slit on the breather, as I figured adding oil would be nearly impossible without removing the grommet. So now it allows me to push a funnel through the grommet to open it, and then when removed the end closes.
 
#1,250 ·
Weatherman blew it today, and instead of cold, heavy rains, we got 60 degrees, windy, and warm, with almost no rain until a few minutes ago. So decided it was warm enough to spread some filler, and got my bumper fillers mudded in and sanded.



Then moved on to the Austin seats.
 
#1,252 ·
Thanks Mario!


Was out today to finally install the line lock I bought maybe a year ago? Not sure why I didn't put it in when I plumbed the brakes, but I didn't. And of course I didn't run the wiring under the carpet before gluing it down either!
So after fishing wiring from the shifter to the firewall, and fighting to get it pulled in, I began taking the plumbing apart to reroute it to the solenoid. Got all the fittings yesterday at Autoboneheads. Surprised after who knows how many years buying things from them, the kid at the counter sees my USAF cap and asks if I served? I tell him yes, and he says if I have ID they give 10% off everything! So I showed my ID and saved a couple bucks. Then I thought how much I could have said if any other counter moron had asked the same question when I wore the same cap?
Any way, I got the solenoid located, bent and flared lines, and mounted it all up. Then pushed the wires through a grommet, and wired up the switch, pilot light, and tested to see if it clicked. After that I was cold and tired, so save bleeding the brakes for another day.
 
#1,254 ·
I swear to God I'm getting senile! After taking my brake lines apart and replumbing them to install the line lock, I got back today to just bleed the brakes. I'm gathering my vacuum pump, and tools, and laying things on the front fender. I suddenly look down and it hits me that I plumbed the line lock into the line going to my proportional valve! The same prop valve that goes to the REAR BRAKES! What an idiot!
So had to remove all the plumbed lines, repipe the line to the proportional valve, then take the front line off, and make up new lines to plumb the line lock back into the front brakes. Of course the only parts I could reuse were the fittings, as none of the lines were correct anymore. Had one line I could shorten and rebend, and swap one end fitting, but otherwise it all had to be redone.
So after several hours of work and $8 worth of new line, I finally got back to bleeding the system, and finished. Sometimes I wonder how my mind works to end up piping a line lock into the rear brakes? Or I guess it just wasn't working. At least I didn't have to bleed it twice, or figure it out when I tried to use it!
 
#1,255 ·
That sounds like something I would do. Lol. At least you finished your project. Way to go on the recovery.
 
#1,256 ·
I guess

I'm in good company in the senile line then. Last month I wanted to replace 2 studs on a hub adaptor that I had cross threaded and was also going to replace some short studs with longer ones in a pair of wheel adaptors. I have all the parts in front of me, have pressed out all of the hub studs, put the first adaptor on the press when I realized I had removed all the studs from the wrong parts. I had meant to press out the studs from the adaptors not the hubs. I only had the hubs off because they were riveted (I had finished removing the rivets) to the brake drums and I was changing drums. What a dummy.................:mad:
 
#1,257 ·
I feel better knowing I'm not the only one that does stuff like this. Still irritating to cause myself extra work that was unnecessary.
Waiting on AN fittings to add a pressure regulator after my mechanical fuel pump. I think my pump puts out enough pressure it might be more than the 4-5 psi I want. So adding a Holley regulator and gauge so I can make sure it's within the correct range. At least I've only got one hose to cut and splice in, so no chance of getting the wrong one!
 
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