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w2amr
10-31-2010, 11:44 AM
1937 Chevy 2 DR coupe. Mustang II front end, rack and pinion P/S, P/B, A/C, 350 Chevy V-8, T-350 automatic trans, 10 bolt Chevy rear.
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kf0rt
10-31-2010, 12:48 PM
That's a beaut, George. But a Mustang II??? :yuck:
NQ6U
10-31-2010, 12:54 PM
That's a beaut, George. But a Mustang II??? :yuck:

Mustang II rack and pinion steering gears are popular with street rodders. Cheap and easy to find.
KG4CGC
10-31-2010, 12:57 PM
Thank you for sharing. :)
kf0rt
10-31-2010, 01:01 PM
Really... for the steering? Not doubting you, but I used to have a '75 Mustang II and got rid of it because the R&P steering was about shot. It had about 70K miles on it and that wasn't it's first major problem. That car was a POS from bumper to bumper from what I could tell.
NQ6U
10-31-2010, 01:08 PM
Really... for the steering? Not doubting you, but I used to have a '75 Mustang II and got rid of it because the R&P steering was about shot. It had about 70K miles on it and that wasn't it's first major problem. That car was a POS from bumper to bumper from what I could tell.

Hey, I'm not saying I think it's a good idea or that I'd use one myself, just that they're popular. Most street rods are about the drive train and the body; the suspension is an afterthought.
w2amr
10-31-2010, 01:15 PM
Hey, I'm not saying I think it's a good idea or that I'd use one myself, just that they're popular. Most street rods are about the drive train and the body; the suspension is an afterthought.
Upper and lower control arms with coil springs and R&P steering, is hell of a lot better than the stock straight axle with king pins and manual steering. You would be surprised how nice this thing drives/rides.:agree:
W3MIV
10-31-2010, 01:40 PM
Great pix, Geo. TU. Guy up the street had one just like that when I was a kid, 'cept it was black, of course. You could fit two or three sofas in that trunk, long as they weren't too tall. If memory serves, Chevy called that model a "business coupe" and carried the short-cabin, long-trunk style into the early fifties.
kc7jty
10-31-2010, 01:49 PM
Very nice George. Silky looking.
If I had a street rod it'd be a 67,8,or 9 Camaro w a 454.
w2amr
10-31-2010, 02:08 PM
Very nice George. Silky looking.
If I had a street rod it'd be a 67,8,or 9 Camaro w a 454.Mack just sold his Camaro not too long ago, And it had a big block in it.
kc7jty
10-31-2010, 03:08 PM
Was it a street machine?
w2amr
10-31-2010, 03:16 PM
Was it a street machine?I think It was a body shell & frame with no engine or trans, that they brought home on a trailer. It was Dave Senior's car. His two sons helped him build it back in the 80's. Now the old man wanted to sell it so #2 son John bought it to keep it in the family. Several years ago #1 son Dave JR built a 39 Ford coupe with a 383 stroker engine. It's even nicer than the 37 Chevy. The next time he has it out I'll try to get some pix. I go back quite a ways with these guys. When Dave and John were kids, they went to the drags with us and took turns steering my gasser as it was being towed back up the return road.
kc7jty
10-31-2010, 08:46 PM
I meant Mack's Camaro.
w2amr
11-01-2010, 03:20 AM
I meant Mack's Camaro.Oh, ok.
kc7jty
11-01-2010, 03:20 AM
Well.....
W3MIV
11-01-2010, 06:05 AM
Dry.
w2amr
11-01-2010, 06:33 AM
Well..... I don't remember him saying he every took it to the track.
kc7jty
11-01-2010, 03:50 PM
Coo-well
w2amr
11-16-2010, 09:19 AM
John owns the 37 Chevy. His brother Dave owns this 39 Ford . 383 stroker engine, turbo 400 trans, 9" Ford rear. They built both cars from the ground up.



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w2amr
11-17-2010, 04:01 AM
358535843583Here are a couple of shots of the 39"s frame during reassembly
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KA5PIU
11-17-2010, 06:36 AM
Hello.

I look at that and wonder.
What would have greater value, an original restore or this street rod?
If I were to build a street rod it would be a kit car, modern body and chassis for safety and weight.
KG4CGC
11-17-2010, 01:47 PM
People want to drive them and they don't want to plan stops a half mile in advance like in the days of yore. Modern suspensions and brakes and the rest are not an unreasonable expectation.
w2amr
11-17-2010, 03:20 PM
Hello.

I look at that and wonder.
What would have greater value, an original restore or this street rod?
If I were to build a street rod it would be a kit car, modern body and chassis for safety and weight.
If done right , the street rod.
Where would you get that? Modern cars don't have a chassis.
w2amr
11-17-2010, 03:23 PM
People want to drive them and they don't want to plan stops a half mile in advance like in the days of yore. Modern suspensions and brakes and the rest are not an unreasonable expectation.You got that right, some of these old cars had mechanical drum brakes. Brutal. The good news was, they couldn't go very fast.:lol:
NQ6U
11-17-2010, 04:15 PM
People want to drive them and they don't want to plan stops a half mile in advance like in the days of yore. Modern suspensions and brakes and the rest are not an unreasonable expectation.

12 volt electrical systems with headlights brighter than birthday candles and hydraulic brakes are nice things to have.
w2amr
11-17-2010, 04:28 PM
12 volt electrical systems with headlights brighter than birthday candles and hydraulic brakes are nice things to have.
I already mentioned brakes. I get the distinct impression that you're not paying attention to what I said.
NQ6U
11-17-2010, 04:36 PM
I already mentioned brakes. I get the distinct impression that you're not paying attention to what I said.

Nah--I didn't read it until after I posted. I was responding to Charles's post.
KG4CGC
11-17-2010, 04:38 PM
Sometimes, sometimes, the new posts don't pop up right away. At least that's how it is over here sometimes.
w2amr
11-17-2010, 05:02 PM
This may be before your time, Vacuum powered windshield wiper motors that stopped running when the gas pedal was pushed down.
kf0rt
11-17-2010, 05:17 PM
This may be before your time, Vacuum powered windshield wiper motors that stopped running when the gas pedal was pushed down.

Old buddy of mine had a 1940 Chevy (IIRC?) that had that. Drive it in the rain, you'd sometimes have to let up on the gas for a quick wipe of the windshield. It also had a spinner knob in the steering wheel, starter button on the floor and the floorboard in the front was flat (no center hump). Lots of leg room and head room. Kinda cool to drive, but it always felt really top-heavy. But it made up for it because you always felt like Al Capone driving it. :snicker:
NQ6U
11-17-2010, 06:05 PM
This may be before your time, Vacuum powered windshield wiper motors that stopped running when the gas pedal was pushed down.

My '53 Dodge had those.
w2amr
11-18-2010, 04:11 AM
My '53 Dodge had those.Do you remember if it had the Gyro-Torque transmission?
NQ6U
11-18-2010, 01:57 PM
Do you remember if it had the Gyro-Torque transmission?

It had a 3-on-the-tree with a hydraulic coupling that let you shift without using the clutch if you wanted to. It would also allow you to idle in gear without stepping on the clutch pedal but mine didn't work all that well and the engine would shudder and load down and sometimes die.
w2amr
11-18-2010, 02:30 PM
It had a 3-on-the-tree with a hydraulic coupling that let you shift without using the clutch if you wanted to. It would also allow you to idle in gear without stepping on the clutch peddle but mine didn't work all that well and the engine would shudder and load down and sometimes die. It wasn't the greatest design.
NQ6U
11-18-2010, 02:35 PM
It wasn't the greatest design.

It was great for "hey, look at this", though. Great car for consumption of certain herbal supplements, too. Big and soft and comfortable, like being inside a glove, and you could stretch out on the seats.
KG4CGC
11-18-2010, 02:37 PM
and you could stretch out your significant other du jour on the seats.
Slight adjustment.
NQ6U
11-18-2010, 02:39 PM
Slight adjustment.

Back in those days, I never had the opportunity, alas. I'm an ugly f***.
KA5PIU
11-18-2010, 06:08 PM
Hello.

My preferred manual transmission is a standard tranny with an inline shift selector and pre-select.
This is a shifter that works somewhat like an automatic in that you simply pull down or up to change gears, much like a motorcycle.
The transmission itself is still a manual, just the shift pattern has changed.
But unlike a motorcycle you can go from 1st to top gear by simply pulling the shifter, just like an automatic.
When it is time to shift you simply depress the clutch pedal.
A hydraulic clutch and controller will allow you to use the clutch only for stopping and starting, once rolling it is an automatic.
This is still a mechanical transmission and so has the advantages of same, low power loss and simple operation, but with the comfort of an automatic.
Most true race cars are now equipped with paddle shifters and the inline shifter under electrical control, it is that good.
Some big trucks are now equipped with this also, again, a proven design.