49 chevy 1433
 

Figure I will start a thread on my '49. I have followed many builds here but never contributed much. So I guess here it goes. This is what I started with.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

First thing I did was tear it down. Seems like a good place to start.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I ordered a speedway motors bolt in front crossmember and TCI rear leaf spring suspension package. I installed the front crossmember before pulling the cab sonic could mock things up. Then pulled it apart and sand blasted the frame.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I then picked up a good running four bolt main 350 and turbo 350 combo out of an '80 C10.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Got a smokin' deal on a low mile g-body rear end. I know its not the toughest rear out there but it's in great shape and should give me room for the wheels I want with some tubbing. A little cutting and grinding and blasting got it cleaned up.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I sprayed the frame and front suspension parts and bolted some parts together.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Starting to look like something.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I really like how you're doing it with the stock frame.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Looks good, will be watching...Jim

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Thanks. I couldn't see any reason not to. Its a nice straight frame. I did consider the s-10 swap thing. My brother even offered me a frame for free but I had this one and seems the s10 swap is becoming so common my truck will be a bit of a rarity.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

good lookin project -- keep up the good work !

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I cleaned uo the engine, checked it over and gave it a few new gaskets and some black paint.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I also bought some stainless hardware to set off the black. Its a lot of black but I think I like it. I didn't want just another hugger orange sbc. What I really wanted was a 409 but this will suffice.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I really like what you've done so far. Simple but effective and nice looking. May I suggest(?) if you're staying with those chrome valve covers consider putting a chrome timing chain cover on too.

FYI, I bought a Chinese finned aluminum valve cover & air cleaner set for my old 283 on eBay and they fit well, never leaked etc and were very cheap. It's been awhile but I THINK I only paid about $80 something for all three! Just an idea.

PS: What did you spray the frame with?

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Thanks for the suggestion but I like the black timing cover. The finned aluminum valve covers is exactly what I want for, I will just spray the low part of the fins black.
The paint on the frame is Tremclad semi gloss, (made by rustoleum) I mix it 4 to 1 with laquer thinner and it sprays awesome. I put down a coat of their primer first then two rounds of black. It's cheap and works great. I had an 86 chevy half ton a few years back that was pretty rough. I scotch brited the whole thing and slpashed it with gloss white Tremclad and it held up great. I drove it like that for two years hear in southern Alberta before getting rid of it. 100 degrees plus in the summer to way below freezing in the winter. Sun, wind, rain, snow, you name it and that stuff stuck on there and held a decent shine.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Sand blasted my Weiand intake. Cleaned up well.:metal: nothing else was really working. I think I will go over it with a brass brush to bring up a bit of a shine.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

looking good! glass bead the intake!

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

When you installed the TCI rear set up, did you use the stock location or move it back some? I wonder how much drop you'll get in the front?

Cool project.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

The tci spring hangers bolt on to where the old hangers were mounted. They do move the springs back and the spring perch pin is also centered in the spring.
I ordered my front end with 2 inch dropped spindles so I should get around six inches of drop. It also has two Inch adjusters in the spring pockets.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Here you can see the difference in the spring hangers. You just have to drill an extra hole.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Thanks for the info, great to know because I'm keeping the stock frame too.

Look forward to more updates

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

My intake cleaned up pretty well. I may clear it just to keep it low maintenance. Cast aluminum is kind of a pain to keep clean.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I've got a nearly new Edelbrock Peformer intake that some rats nested on and screwed up with their urine (I assume). I plan to have it sandblasted but always thought clear - either paint or powder coat - would yellow with the heat of the engine over time. Anyone know?

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

We used POR 15 Glisten PC on my boss's Boss 351 valve covers that are cast aluminum, and it's been about four years now and they still look great. It's a 2K direct to metal clear that sprays pretty well but I hear they don't sell it anymore. I'll have to look into it.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

glass bead it! gives a nice silver finish that is impervious to oil and stains and doesnt require maintenance or clearcoat. just make sure you seal off all the threads and openings, and rinse it about 500 times. dont want glass in your oil.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Maybe I will try the glass bead. I am after a more natural finish.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Not to get off subject but what brand are your motor mount isolators?
and where can they be purchased?

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Its all from speedway motors, I got them with the motor mounts as a kit for $100 US. You can buy the isolators separately not sure how much they are alone though.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Pulled the seat frame out of the cab among other things. The cab floor is very solid.
gotta love the passenger side window crank handle.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I cleaned up the grille a while back. It's a pretty straight peice. I'm still trying to decide what direction I want to go with this thing. Its a nice solid truck its just too bad it has an old farm paint job. I wish it had a nice original patina.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I was going to take photos of what I did to the stock transmission crossmember as I went along to make it work with the turbo 350, but I totally forgot. Pretty straight forward anyway as you can see in the photos. It just made more sense to modify this one than to buy one.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Wow, I did exactly the same thing with the trans mount on my truck, about 25 years ago!

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Great minds think alike:metal:
I thought about buying one or building one from scratch but once I realized how little it would take to mod this one it was a no brainer. It's also a nice strong cross member.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Exactly! It is a good, strong piece, but it looks like a pain to remove. I mocked up the mount by bolting it to the transmission, and welded it up. Hasn't moved since.

I didn't want to cut the one under the front of the cab, but didn't have much choice.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I did pretty much the same thing. I leveled up the engine and transmission then bolted in the cross member, bolted a plate to the trans mount and tacked it to the cross member then pulled the cross member out and added some gussets and welded all up. Hopefully it won't be too hard to remove later if necessary. It should be able to slide back far enough and drop out.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I welded mine up in place, under the truck. I think I got a few burns from that. There are so many bolts in that thing I didn't want to remove it. Good point, since the frame tapers to the front, it should slide to the rear and come out.

I have a Turbo 350 in there, with a brake booster and master cylinder under floor. It was a tight fit, but got it all in.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Very nice project!

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Thanks!

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

I haven't accomplished much lately because I have been doing renovations in my house. Since I had my mitre saw set up I figured i would quickly chop up some wood and build one of those nifty cab lift attachments I have seen on a few different build threads for my shop crane. So thanks to whom ever I borrowed the idea from, it worked a lot better than the Jimmy rigged chain deal I used to pull the cab off.

This is just a test fit to see if I will need a trans tunnel, and I will. The cab is actually sitting on 2x4 blocks for now because it doesn't quite clear the transmission.

Re: 49 chevy 1433
 

Looking great, any progress?