1949 Chevy 3600......making it a daily driver!!

Actually, Nate, they would function the same as air brake gauges, but, air brake gauges are red/orange, and green needles.
I notice the gauges go all the way up to 150 psi. WOW. I'm guessing an unloaded Chevy 3600, will only need what, 15-20 psi?

Very nice work, by the way, Coach.

Steve.

 

Right around 25 PSI to ride height. I am afraid the ride might need to decrease the size of my bags.

 

Shop time has been few and far between lately. Grass is growing like crazy which means yard work.

Both of my boy are aspiring to be motocross stars, so we have been spending a lot of time at the track. I can't complain........sure is fun watching them learn.





Crazy kids.....



I have been doing a little tinkering as time allows. I got my fuel pressure regulator mounted to the firewall and got all the lines ran.



Yesterday I spent a little time rigging up a temporary radiator support and we fired up the SBC for the first time in the updated chassis.



Click the picture below to hear it run.

 

Coach, that engine sounds, real good.
I don't know much about air-ride street rods, but, in big rigs, with air-ride, the larger the bags, the less air you need to lift the load, and the better the ride.

Steve.

 

Thanks.....I am pretty happy how good it sounds. EXACTLY what I was shooting for.

I am a little concerned the bags are too big, so possibly the ride being overly soft. Time will tell.

 

She sounds GOOD! Thanks for the link!

 

Spent some time hacking away at the punch list last night. Nothing photo worthy. Threw the battery in the battery box which is located inside the Hamm's cooler in the bed.

Pulled apart the drivers side hub to pack the bearings and assemble the brake caliper. Also doing the final tightening on the ball joints and inserting cotter pins.

I also took a quick video of the exhaust. I already shared it on Facebook.....but figured I would post it here as well.

ttps://kustomcreations.smugmug.com/Other/Henry-20/i-bBSvHCZ/A

I tried to install my driveshaft. I had this driveshaft made when I installed the SBC. Turn out is about an 1" shorter than I feel comfortable with. Just not enough yoke inside the tranny tail shaft. Trying to decide to have another driveshaft made, or just order a longer TH350 yoke.

 

Still plugging away. I get a lot of questions from friends, co-workers asking when Henry will be on the road. Last week I told a guy "A couple good long days and he will be on the road". Either I am a crappy estimator or a crappy mechanic.

Probably about 10 hour into the truck the last two days.

Brake lines done and ready for fluid!!



Rear shock mounts built and painted.





Punch list is getting smaller. Local car show in two weeks. Trying to decide if I make the commitment to get it done!!

 

Forward progress...
I guess I'm not seeing enough of your fabricated shock mount. If you are using just a single flat piece of steel for the vertical portion, that doesn't seem beefy enough to me.
You will have to gusset that, I'm thinking.

Steve.

 

love the way your paint job cleaned up, id clear coat that thing how it is, haha. love these threads, i just picked up my 52 yesterday, unfortunately it'll be awhile before i can really get going. but its great too see how you guys are doing yours and catching these great little tips and tricks along the way. thanks for documenting.

 

I am undecided if I will change the shock mounts at this point. The flat stock is 1/4" thick and I feel the majority of the stress will be vertical.

 

Just amazing work also I liked the video of the engine at idle can imagine how beefy it would sound with a little more foot in the throttle

 

Thanks!!

 

But we are still waiting... Let's get back to that "couple of days" estimate.

 

Couple working days Paul.........I have not touched it since Friday!

 

One step forward.....two steps backs. Ha, seems to be a reoccurring theme.

Some steps forward last night. Pulled the tail off the TH350 and replaced the seals in it. Button that all back up and bolted on my driveshaft. I also pulled my pan on the TH350 ad replaced the filter.

After that there was a step backwards. I filled the tranny and started the motor to check the tranny fluid level. All seems fine. For kicks I checked the engine oil. Oil was really milky. DAMN.

When I did my initial start up I had a couple bolt on the passenger side rear of the intake that were weeping. I am guessing I forgot to do the second pass of the 25ft/lb torque for them. I tightened them up, the weeping stopped and I continued on with the start up. I am wondering if that leak also weeped inside......or do I have another problem?

I dumped the startup oil. I did not have a fresh filter, but I topped it off with fresh oil and let it run for 15 minutes and dumped it again. Still milky, but not near as bad.

Picked up a couple new filters this morning on the way to work.

Not sure if this is all residual water from the initial leak or if I should start digging into finding another leak.

Any advice??

 

Maybe pressurize the coolant system- it'll only go to 15 PSI (or whatever your cap is), and see if it holds pressure. Sounds like you haven't gotten it HOT yet, to the point where gaskets might creep if not snug. Another oil and filter change is in order, and if it is less milky than last time, I'd say the tightening worked. It doesn't take a whole lot of water to turn oil milky, but engines prefer their oil straight up, no chaser.

 

I just grabbed some misc pipe fittings to build a DIY coolant pressure tester. Plan on doing it tonight.

 

I took some time this afternoon doing a pressure test on the cooling system. I cobbled together some pipe fittings and a pressure gauge.

Held pressure for well over and hour both with the motor hot and cold.

I changed the oil and filter 2 times and now it appears to be dried out......

 

Solid couple of days. My trailer fenders arrived to make rear wheel tubs. I cut them down with a skinny wheel with a guide. Would out great!





Installed



Patina'd





MC bench bled and bled the rest of the brakes.



List is getting shorter!!