1955 Chevy Handyman Project

[scorpion1110]

So here is the story.....

I bought a 55 Nomad project last summer. It ran, the roof was good, side moldings nice and tight and the body was above average. Frame wasn't horrible. It had a 305 and an automatic. I was going to build a period hotrod, not gasser look, just something you might see rolling around in the late 60s.

Then I got sick. real sick. Almost died sick.

When I was finally released from the hospital, I was wiped. Using a walker to get around, endless dr. appointments. So I realized I wouldn't get to the Nomad in quite a while. So a close friend with a long stalled handyman project but who wanted a Nomad and I made a swap. I mostly did it so he'd have that Nomad he always wanted. However, I had something that was further along.

So I thought and conspired and tried to get well and thought about the babyblue 55.However, I was still pretty messed up and then I went on some meds designed to nearly kill me.

My friend now with the Nomad, comes by one day with a 283 (from a 67 Nova no less) and says here is something for you to play with on the 55. He knew that would get me up and around. And it did. And with the help of another close friend I rebuilt the motor and started the project. My other friend and I formed Pighead Motors because we are both stubborn Germans.

Here is the 55 Nomad:

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Here is the Chevy Handyman when she arrived:

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Here is the boat anchor 67 Nova motor when it arrived:

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As rusty inside as out.

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Here is the 55 as we began to move along on the project fitting brakes and mocking up mounts:

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The motor was built as follows:

Block done (cleaned, magged, cylinder .030, honed, align bored)
Crank (polished and done at .10/.10)
New flat tops
Erson cam
Accel 34000 distributor with Pertronix kit
B&M two piece valve covers
Offenhauser 360 dual quad intake
2- Edelbrock 500cfm carbs with direct linkage

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Car was converted to Power Drum brakes

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ultimately using:

8" booster
67 Chevelle MC
Wilwood Prop valve
All hand bent lines

BTW, I ordred an Eklers kit, and ended up throwing away the prop valve (it was the leaky Brass version) and the lines which were way two bulky. You can see it here before I began to get rid of the stuff I did not like.

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Car was converted to Power Steering with an original kit sourced on the Web. (Guy was a gentleman with great stuff)

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Car was converted to electric wipers using the Raingear kit.

Car will receive a 14 Circuit Kwik Wire Harness in 2 weeks (btw I like these MUCH better than the AAW kits)

Car got 15" GM rally wheels with flat caps. They are staggered and the rears are super-dished (from my parts stash).

We also installed a Turbo 350 with Lokar cables.

We installed the motor using front mounts with Urethane bushings, a mid-mount kit for the Turbo 350 and a rear crossmember for the trans tail housing.

We installed flow tech headers which fit great (driver side up from bottom) and I am fabbing out the exhaust.

So here is the 55 after we dropped the motor:

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and after we began to dress the motor:

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In February, I couldn't walk, could hardly get out of a recliner. Then the Chevy showed up, my friends started pushing me.I felt my strength coming back. I could walk with a cane then without. The Meds were a set back but the Chevy pushed me and I dragged myself out to the garage. I built the motor. Sourced the parts.

So thats where we are. Thanks to two great friends and an amazing car, it wasn't a horrible summer and I got well enough to go in for more surgery next month. :) (they need to fix a few things)

Much work to do. If I have it running before next months surgery then I will feel like mission mostly accomplished.

I will keep you guys posted if you'd like. And thanks for all the help with my questions as I posted.

S

[BamaNomad]

Nice writeup Scorpion! The photos always help us 'see' what you are doing!

We are all glad you are doing better.. Best wishes for a continued recovery and good luck on your build!~

[567chevys]

Really good Story ,Great Job on the work you have done Looks very good !!!
Glad you are felling better & get well soon


Thanks Sid

[WagonCrazy]

Congrats on your recovery and project status Scorpion. Having good friends to be supportive and encouraging is vitally important. Oh and a vintage Tri5 doesnt hurt to have around also. Keep at it.

[scorpion1110]

Ok its been waaaay too long since I posted any pics. So folks since you are all helping me build this through answers to my never-ending questions, I felt you should at least see what you have built so far.

After the oil galley issue that was posted in another thread, my machine shop fixed the issue and did a tune on the carbs and checked timing. Long story I had it about where it should be. Yay.

Here is the 55 after it returned home yesterday:

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and from the back. Gates are in primer:

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From the side. I am running AZ rallies in the back and FWs in the front both with flat caps. Everything fits fine:

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Forgive the sloppy wiring. Kwik Wire harness goes in this winter. Had to build a standoff plate inside from firewall since everything is squished under the dash of these things. However, there is a spot and with a one inch standoff- perfect fit and location. If anyone wants a pic, let me know.

Also you will see that the headers are gone from earlier pics and the alternator is now on the passenger side:

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Last pic is of the shifter I decided on. Love the winters, fits good shifts great. I made an offset plate, welded to floor and its in the perfect spot. If you use one of these, order the 4ft shift cable. Perfect fit and no slop.

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So today I look at the blown muffler on the driver side and once the exhaust is done, then the mechanical is pretty much done allowing for tweaks here and there.

After that its wiring this winter. Gates and windows install in the spring and then wrap up the interior, door panels, bed area, electronics.

All for now and again that you everyone for answering questions.

S

[WagonCrazy]

Great progress Scorpion! Glad to see you staying with it. Your wagon will be done before we all know it (at this pace). Keep posting pics here once in a blue moon.

[carls 56 (RIP 11/24/2021)]

good to see you up and feeling better. looking good.

[scorpion1110]

good to see you up and feeling better. looking good.

Thanks Carl! Surgery on Tuesday fingers crossed that I escape quickly. Always a fight but I am up to it ;)

S

[markm]

Multiple carbs and hump heads are way cooler than another crate motor.

[chevynut]

Only thing worse than one carb is multiple carbs. Antique pieces of junk, imo. That's why no OEM has used one in the past 30 years.

Nothing at all wrong with a crate motor, and they're a great value for the money. I don't consider mine a "crate motor" anymore since I went completely through it and cleaned it, honed the block, installed new rings, custom ground cam, double roller timing chain, and roller rockers. I also checked all the bearing clearances. No different now than any shop-built engine imo.

[55 Rescue Dog]

The car looks great, and built the way you want it, which is the best way!
And with a little tinkering, carbs ROCK. By design, they also self-adjust. Any car guy knows that.
After having intake air restriction problems a couple times, I can see a better air filter setup is all, and it can really wake up a wound up motor.

[scorpion1110]

Only thing worse than one carb is multiple carbs. Antique pieces of junk, imo. That's why no OEM has used one in the past 30 years.

Nothing at all wrong with a crate motor, and they're a great value for the money. I don't consider mine a "crate motor" anymore since I went completely through it and cleaned it, honed the block, installed new rings, custom ground cam, double roller timing chain, and roller rockers. I also checked all the bearing clearances. No different now than any shop-built engine imo.


Really CN?

I post about my car and you bash it? Tsk tsk. To the corner until you can be polite and play with the other kids without being rude.

S

[55 Rescue Dog]

http://www.boldmethod.com/learn-to-fly/systems/carbureted-vs-fuel-injected-engines-in-your-airplane-and-how-it-works/

[55 Tony]

Really CN?

I post about my car and you bash it? Tsk tsk. To the corner until you can be polite and play with the other kids without being rude.

S

If cn can't fix it, he bashes it. Just the kind of guy he is. I love my quadrajet(s), and I also liked the Holley 800 double pumper spread bore mechanical secondaries. After I get other things straightened out, I'll have to pop the Holley on again. I don't think either are better, just different.

[Tabasco]

Scorpion, I like your car. I love the looks of your engine. It looks good.

[Tabasco]

Antique pieces of junk, imo. That's why no OEM has used one in the past 30 years.

Can't the same thing be said about big-block engines? If you really wanted your Nomad to not have antique pieces of junk under hood you should switch that big-block for an LS engine.

Personally I like small blocks with carburetors in old cars.

[markm]

Back in the 90s I sold all my non 454 and small journal SBC stuff, now I am trying to sell my 350 stuff especially the one piece rear main stuff. I have a forged piston early 327 and hump heads to replace the 69 model 350 in my 56. Some of us really dig builds like this . It is extra cool to see someone overcome the issues you have to be this close to done. Just ignore the rude basher and take pleasure in Knowing he will still be polishing parts while you are driving around getting thumbs up.

[scorpion1110]

I havent posted on this thread in ages.

So a few months ago, I was whining about being tired. Well I decided to quit whining, suck it up and find time to push the project along. I started getting the tailgate and liftgate in order, installed power windows and new window fuzzies and started doing the garnish moldings. I need to do the whole interior, as well as pull a wheel house dent. There is still a ton of work to do, including creating bucket seat mounts for a pair of 63-64 GM Abody seats I scored from a local boneyard for a whopping $45.

Of course as soon as I made some headway, I got the word from the Dr. that an old friend is back so its on to surgery this Tuesday. So I have been pushing and this weekend tried to wrap up the mounts and get these SOBs in. While I still need to make up two 1/2 spacers for the passenger inboard mounts, here are the seats, installed with the provisions remaining to swap in the bench seat. The Winters shifter is located a bit forward so that it will accommodate the bench if I swap these out.

So here is what they look like now.

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My reference location was the factory bench seat mounting location.

I had hoped to mark this closed as I am on the shelf for the next 4 weeks. Unfortunately couldnt get there.

Scorp

[scorpion1110]

I have no idea why these posted sideways.

[scorpion1110]

Lets try this:

969896999700

[busterwivell]

Our stories are similar. I don't want to hijack, but cancer and a couple of heart attacks sure slowed down my progress. I'm so thankful to friends who've helped me get my 56 on the road.............since it hit the street in September, I've got almost 7000 miles on it. If my health holds up, we've got more trips planned this summer. Keep at it, it's worth it.

[scorpion1110]

Our stories are similar. I don't want to hijack, but cancer and a couple of heart attacks sure slowed down my progress. I'm so thankful to friends who've helped me get my 56 on the road.............since it hit the street in September, I've got almost 7000 miles on it. If my health holds up, we've got more trips planned this summer. Keep at it, it's worth it.

I know Buster, and I have thought about your toughness when I have felt slightly beaten. I am always thankful for the perspective you shared. Thats why I am heading into the hospital as just a brief delay, with hopes that I am out in a jiff and messing around in the garage.

Thats the Plan.

BTW, those buckets make it easier to access the back seat in the wagon.

Scorp

[scorpion1110]

So while we are all stuck at home reading about Covid-19 and eating snacks, I thought I would post a few pictures of the handyman project. Since everyone is probably bored, I thought I would bore you even further.

When last I posted on this thread I was whining about just being wiped. Well I think it was the long term effects of a dance with Chemo because eventually I started getting my energy back and started hitting the wagon hard.

I sourced buckets from a '63 Skylark convertible, made mounts and installed them:

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Sourced a winters shifter that you can also see in the picture.

I blasted and then had the gate and liftgate painted. I cut the gate and installed vintage ADS 320I speakers, and upholstered with marine grade diamond point vinyl:

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Then I pulled the crap wiring out of the dash and installed a Kwik Wire harness. I rebuilt the deluxe heater, installed 2 5/8 Autometers, installed a JVC Marine digital media head unit, powered up the rear speakers with a vintage ADS PQ10 amp and went with AudioFrog GS 42 speakers in the doors.

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Here are some more pics of dash:

The JVC is short from a depth standpoint so fits well in glovebox
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Gauges and shifter. Gauges have green tint bulb covers
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I added an aux ppanel to provide a fan override and a prime fuel pump which you can just see.
Here is the cluster which I rebuilt and relit:
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Molex connectors to remove gauges.

I also shortened the column and rebuilt it here is a pic right after install:
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Seats from the other side:
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Moving to underhood next.

[scorpion1110]

While I was buttoning up inside I was installing a CP500 box, Hydroboost with Chevynut mount plate, Corvette MC, Wilwood Combination Valve (with hydraulic brake switch), Mike Garcia Disk Brakes, A Borgeson Hydroboost pump and Aeroquip hoses.

Here is the hydro sourced from a Chevy truck:
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I reversed it:
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Replumbed everything:
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And it looks like this right now:

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Pump needs to go in and hoses need to be run but things are moving along:
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[BamaNomad]

Good work Scorp! :)

Did you use the new NIKOPP (or NICOPP?) lines to plumb from your MC?? or ?? If so, what's your view/opinion about it?

[scorpion1110]

Thanks Bama-

I am a bit of a bending fool. I love doing lines even though I am average at best. I am using a mastercool hydraulic bender on the nickle copper lines. I like them. They bend well, flare well and have had no issues with them. The small bends at the MC were a pain as snall bends always are.

I stopped using the edp coated steel lines because the flares were becoming a problem. Felt like the steel was more brittle. This also made me concerned about scoring the brass seats in the MCs and blocks.

I think the alloy lines are easier to bend, flare and easier on the seats.

Scorp

[BamaNomad]

I like what I've read about nicopp lines (*easy to bend, etc) but I watched a video of a restorer using them and he 'seemingly did only single flares on the ends.. Is that safe? If so, what makes single flares safe on nicopp??

I've been afraid of single flares since I began doing car work so I bought a double flare tool many years ago.

[scorpion1110]

I like what I've read about nicopp lines (*easy to bend, etc) but I watched a video of a restorer using them and he 'seemingly did only single flares on the ends.. Is that safe? If so, what makes single flares safe on nicopp??

I've been afraid of single flares since I began doing car work so I bought a double flare tool many years ago.

Always do a double flare. Because its easier to bend and flare, the double flare isnt a problem. I am a serious fan of a hydraulic flaring tool and all my benders are imperial benders which I really like. This line is also easy to situate so you can get the seal when you have to loosen the lines after the initial leak. Again it reduces the risk of scoring the seats too.

Dont single flare the line if you use the alloy tubing.

[Belair-o]

Hi Scorp,
My, my, you have been busy! As I look at your pics, I can almost hear the motor, just about ready to start revving (ala BTO's Roll on Down the Highway)!
Regards, Doug

[scorpion1110]

Continue to hit the wagon.........

Here is the Kwik Wire fuseblock with a standoff. Its in an easy to reach spot next to the column.
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Here's the auxpanel I put in. It controls the Fan override, prime fuel pump and one is open but will be for hazards
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Yesterday I installed the Borgeson Hydroboost pump and pully:
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Finally I made and ran Aeroquip high pressure lines to the hydroboost. I ordered the wrong id return line hose so I reordered new lines.
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Finally here is the mocked up ADS PQ10 amp. I used magdaddy magnets at the corners so I can move it and not drill the floor. Everything works and sounds great.
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More to come.