"Mr. Deep Pockets." "Money Bags." You have to be rich to own a street rod." Those were the words hurled my way by a surly, unknowing fellow as he poked my chest - with yellowed fingers - and I instinctively responded by engaging my mouth before my brain was fully in gear. While he lit up once again, I promised I could build and drive a safe street rod for the price he'd pay - in a year's time - to ruin his health.
"You're on" he wheezed, flicking away the ashes his jittery coughing caused to drop onto his shirt. "And my mouth has gotten me into another jam," I quietly realized. We agreed on a $5/day habit, or, to satisfy the politically correct: 50 cents a pound. Either way, I had an $1825 budget with which to put another street rod on the road.
And so a new adventure was born; paint for the Chrysler 'vert would wait. Again. I found an Oldsmobile, a fairly solid 2-door sedan with front fenders and hood rusted badly. For the cost - $100 - I couldn't refuse the opportunity, and I saved another car from the crusher. I began with an '83 GM subframe grafted 'neath the 48's firewall; the rear end was installed using Cutlass coil springs - four inches shorter than stock. Project '48 Olds sat comfortably on four wheels; the driveshaft - sheer luck - would prove to be a perfect fit. A multiple-use bracket was fabricated, bolted at one end to the firewall and at the other to the dash, preventing that firewall from flexing when the brake pedal is depressed. The steering colun mounts beneath the bracket in a stock manner, and I mounted relays and some necessary circuitry to it - out of sight but handy.
The power brake booster was bolted onto the firewall, and the pedal was lengthened a bit. The throttle pedal location was determined by installing the driver's seat in a normal position, then finding a comfortable "feel" for my right foot. I've spent too much time in too many street rods - mine - regretting my foolishness in not planning the correct placement of these important elements.
Cutting the collapsible steering shaft, then placing the halves in either end of a heavy wall pipe with an inside diameter of 3/4 inch enabled me to use otherwise stock parts to stretch that column sufficiently. The ends were held tightly in place in the pipe with roll pins, and the assembly was welded once the final dimensions were okay'd.
The body, with surface rust eliminated, was in remarkably straight condition. It didn't take a lot to prep it for primer; color will come later, though I lean toward a sunset orange and black combination.
The powerplant problem was solved in a right and proper way: A friend, knowing of my need, spotted a ratty Oldsmobile sedan at an estate auction in Pennsylvania. When it drew no interest, he bid $100, at which time another fellow uped the ante a few bucks. Eventually my buddy found himself, at $200, the owner of a 1979 Olds 98 Royale with 40,800 miles showing. A turn of the key revealed a fully charged battery - the tires were new as well - and the fuel level was sufficient for the drive home, so drive he did. The animated phone call was next.
Long story short: I gained a loaded donor car - power everything - with a four barrel-urged 350 cubic inch engine, minus four tires and radio - a fair transaction, you'll agree. The spare tire was never on the ground.
The '79 had many parts I could have used, had I been patient, but I'd already spent $75 for the subframe, steering column, brake system and rear end from an '83 Buick Regal. I sold the corresponding items, though, from the Royale for $200, and gained many usable things: horns, wiring, light bulbs, trunk lid opener, wire wheel hubcaps, etc. Doing the rodder math, I got the latter car free.
I removed the '48 tranny crossmember, which held the bracketry for the underfloor master cylinder and brake pedal, and created a new one, making it unboltable. A rear transmission bearing and seal problem on my '48 Chrysler a few years ago in Kentucky resulted in the entire housing being replaced. Luckily I had made that crossmember removable, a lesson I'll not forget. Motor mounts? Square tubing - welded.
While beneath the Olds I mounted the proportioning valve which distributes brake fluid front and rear from the firewall-fastened master cylinder. It hugs the frame, and the input lines remained as is. I didn't intend to skimp at the expense of safety; all brake lines to the four wheels were renewed - cheap insurance.
The original radiator shell fits inside the Buick subframe, though it's a close call with the power steering box and its hoses. To install it I erected upright attachment points on the frame rails, and I welded a plate off the front of the crossmember. The positioning is critical; the front sheetmetal bolts to the shell. Up, down, in, out and "square" locating will determine how well the front end fits. We've seen otherwise attractive autos with problems in this area. Measuring and marking, before the original '48 frame was dissected, helped a lot.
I mocked the front fenders in place, fenders I gained when I bought another Olds - a '46 - for $500 - which had originally held a straight-eight engine, and nothing I needed was the correct size. Everything was larger than the corresponding part on my '48 "6". As it turned out, though, it was for the better; I priced replacement parts. Trimming a couple of inches from the bottom, and a few more from the rear, enabled them to fit neatly onto the body; the contour beneath the hood was right and besides, I'd have to do something about the rusted-beyond-hope "bonnet" anyway.
Solution? I'd done many rodding modifications in my lifetime, but had never "pancaked" a hood. Slicing three inches at the front, and continuing that pie-cut rearword, the remains were tacked together, and the relic served as a one-time mold for a fiberglass unit. I was fortunate to buy the needed 'glass products at cost, and thus have under $80 invested - it's a neat alteration, and one which will set PO48 apart from others.
A couple of years ago I won, as a door prize, a recessed license plate holder, and it fit perfectly, replacing a worthless, keyless, frozen-by-time trunk handle. In the process an electric opener from the donor car was installed - a nice addition.
The larger-than-mine Olds also came with a re-upholstered interior - mine had been stripped clean - though it had to be trimmed to fit, a small cost for the gain and, remember, I was building this on the "very" cheap. Gauges from the local parts store would suffice, though it might have been better to opt for electric where possible. A flat fiberglass panel, inserted beneath the original stainless trim ring, accepted them nicely, and I have only $145 invested, including high beam and turn signal indicators - no speedometer as yet, but there are future swap meets on the calendar.
A friend was discarding his CD player, upset at its erratic behavior. Checking continuity, I found a bad connection at the plug, soldered a wire around it, and am quite happy with the result. A housing - fiberglass again - looks almost original in the dash.
Aft, I had the original fuel tank reconditioned, and reinstalled it after all the welding was finished: suspension, shock brackets, etc. I bought new shock bolts, with bushings, and new shocks as well. A fellow, going out of business, gave me a roll of 5/16" steel tubing, and it worked well for my fuel line.
I had replaced the radiator in my '48 Chrysler with an aluminum crossflow product; what would I do with the former? It was a perfect fit (almost) in PO48, and seems to handle 350 inches better than the 500 Caddy it served previously.
Final details involved wiring and exhaust; I had accumulated a lot of excess electrical equipment over the years and have wired all my automobiles. The same fellow who provided the fuel line also had some excellent pipe - and mufflers - available, and I gratefully accepted it forthe cause. Free is good.
Total cost? Two bodies - $600. Gauges - $145. '83 Buick Regal - $75. '79 Olds donor car - free. (after re-sale) Gas tank reconditioning - $55. Brake lines - $28. Shocks, bolts and bushings - $65. Fiberglass material - $80. Two new tires: 235x75x15 - $120. Sandblasting: exhaust manifolds, brackets, dash and window moldings - $75. Miscellaneous hardware: nuts, bolts, plastic filler, welding rod, rubber hose,clamps - $150. Primer and associated equipment (sandpaper, etc.) - $125. Wiper blades - $16. Tags and insurance - $200. I may have missed a few incidentals, but as you can see I came in well under my assessed limit. I won't have any need for trophy polish.
I had planned to drive my instigator around town in the street rod he challenged me to build, but, alas, I can't: He succumbed a few months ago to lung cancer. Obviously I have a hollow feeling regarding my completion of this project, but all in all I'm satisfied; another car has been saved and I utter a silent "thanks"each time I open the garage door. I suspect this scenario is repeated - with variations - in many back yard shops across our nation, and serves as the blue-collar backbone of our hobby.
"You're on" he wheezed, flicking away the ashes his jittery coughing caused to drop onto his shirt. "And my mouth has gotten me into another jam," I quietly realized. We agreed on a $5/day habit, or, to satisfy the politically correct: 50 cents a pound. Either way, I had an $1825 budget with which to put another street rod on the road.
And so a new adventure was born; paint for the Chrysler 'vert would wait. Again. I found an Oldsmobile, a fairly solid 2-door sedan with front fenders and hood rusted badly. For the cost - $100 - I couldn't refuse the opportunity, and I saved another car from the crusher. I began with an '83 GM subframe grafted 'neath the 48's firewall; the rear end was installed using Cutlass coil springs - four inches shorter than stock. Project '48 Olds sat comfortably on four wheels; the driveshaft - sheer luck - would prove to be a perfect fit. A multiple-use bracket was fabricated, bolted at one end to the firewall and at the other to the dash, preventing that firewall from flexing when the brake pedal is depressed. The steering colun mounts beneath the bracket in a stock manner, and I mounted relays and some necessary circuitry to it - out of sight but handy.
The power brake booster was bolted onto the firewall, and the pedal was lengthened a bit. The throttle pedal location was determined by installing the driver's seat in a normal position, then finding a comfortable "feel" for my right foot. I've spent too much time in too many street rods - mine - regretting my foolishness in not planning the correct placement of these important elements.
Cutting the collapsible steering shaft, then placing the halves in either end of a heavy wall pipe with an inside diameter of 3/4 inch enabled me to use otherwise stock parts to stretch that column sufficiently. The ends were held tightly in place in the pipe with roll pins, and the assembly was welded once the final dimensions were okay'd.
The body, with surface rust eliminated, was in remarkably straight condition. It didn't take a lot to prep it for primer; color will come later, though I lean toward a sunset orange and black combination.
The powerplant problem was solved in a right and proper way: A friend, knowing of my need, spotted a ratty Oldsmobile sedan at an estate auction in Pennsylvania. When it drew no interest, he bid $100, at which time another fellow uped the ante a few bucks. Eventually my buddy found himself, at $200, the owner of a 1979 Olds 98 Royale with 40,800 miles showing. A turn of the key revealed a fully charged battery - the tires were new as well - and the fuel level was sufficient for the drive home, so drive he did. The animated phone call was next.
Long story short: I gained a loaded donor car - power everything - with a four barrel-urged 350 cubic inch engine, minus four tires and radio - a fair transaction, you'll agree. The spare tire was never on the ground.
The '79 had many parts I could have used, had I been patient, but I'd already spent $75 for the subframe, steering column, brake system and rear end from an '83 Buick Regal. I sold the corresponding items, though, from the Royale for $200, and gained many usable things: horns, wiring, light bulbs, trunk lid opener, wire wheel hubcaps, etc. Doing the rodder math, I got the latter car free.
I removed the '48 tranny crossmember, which held the bracketry for the underfloor master cylinder and brake pedal, and created a new one, making it unboltable. A rear transmission bearing and seal problem on my '48 Chrysler a few years ago in Kentucky resulted in the entire housing being replaced. Luckily I had made that crossmember removable, a lesson I'll not forget. Motor mounts? Square tubing - welded.
While beneath the Olds I mounted the proportioning valve which distributes brake fluid front and rear from the firewall-fastened master cylinder. It hugs the frame, and the input lines remained as is. I didn't intend to skimp at the expense of safety; all brake lines to the four wheels were renewed - cheap insurance.
The original radiator shell fits inside the Buick subframe, though it's a close call with the power steering box and its hoses. To install it I erected upright attachment points on the frame rails, and I welded a plate off the front of the crossmember. The positioning is critical; the front sheetmetal bolts to the shell. Up, down, in, out and "square" locating will determine how well the front end fits. We've seen otherwise attractive autos with problems in this area. Measuring and marking, before the original '48 frame was dissected, helped a lot.
I mocked the front fenders in place, fenders I gained when I bought another Olds - a '46 - for $500 - which had originally held a straight-eight engine, and nothing I needed was the correct size. Everything was larger than the corresponding part on my '48 "6". As it turned out, though, it was for the better; I priced replacement parts. Trimming a couple of inches from the bottom, and a few more from the rear, enabled them to fit neatly onto the body; the contour beneath the hood was right and besides, I'd have to do something about the rusted-beyond-hope "bonnet" anyway.
Solution? I'd done many rodding modifications in my lifetime, but had never "pancaked" a hood. Slicing three inches at the front, and continuing that pie-cut rearword, the remains were tacked together, and the relic served as a one-time mold for a fiberglass unit. I was fortunate to buy the needed 'glass products at cost, and thus have under $80 invested - it's a neat alteration, and one which will set PO48 apart from others.
A couple of years ago I won, as a door prize, a recessed license plate holder, and it fit perfectly, replacing a worthless, keyless, frozen-by-time trunk handle. In the process an electric opener from the donor car was installed - a nice addition.
The larger-than-mine Olds also came with a re-upholstered interior - mine had been stripped clean - though it had to be trimmed to fit, a small cost for the gain and, remember, I was building this on the "very" cheap. Gauges from the local parts store would suffice, though it might have been better to opt for electric where possible. A flat fiberglass panel, inserted beneath the original stainless trim ring, accepted them nicely, and I have only $145 invested, including high beam and turn signal indicators - no speedometer as yet, but there are future swap meets on the calendar.
A friend was discarding his CD player, upset at its erratic behavior. Checking continuity, I found a bad connection at the plug, soldered a wire around it, and am quite happy with the result. A housing - fiberglass again - looks almost original in the dash.
Aft, I had the original fuel tank reconditioned, and reinstalled it after all the welding was finished: suspension, shock brackets, etc. I bought new shock bolts, with bushings, and new shocks as well. A fellow, going out of business, gave me a roll of 5/16" steel tubing, and it worked well for my fuel line.
I had replaced the radiator in my '48 Chrysler with an aluminum crossflow product; what would I do with the former? It was a perfect fit (almost) in PO48, and seems to handle 350 inches better than the 500 Caddy it served previously.
Final details involved wiring and exhaust; I had accumulated a lot of excess electrical equipment over the years and have wired all my automobiles. The same fellow who provided the fuel line also had some excellent pipe - and mufflers - available, and I gratefully accepted it forthe cause. Free is good.
Total cost? Two bodies - $600. Gauges - $145. '83 Buick Regal - $75. '79 Olds donor car - free. (after re-sale) Gas tank reconditioning - $55. Brake lines - $28. Shocks, bolts and bushings - $65. Fiberglass material - $80. Two new tires: 235x75x15 - $120. Sandblasting: exhaust manifolds, brackets, dash and window moldings - $75. Miscellaneous hardware: nuts, bolts, plastic filler, welding rod, rubber hose,clamps - $150. Primer and associated equipment (sandpaper, etc.) - $125. Wiper blades - $16. Tags and insurance - $200. I may have missed a few incidentals, but as you can see I came in well under my assessed limit. I won't have any need for trophy polish.
I had planned to drive my instigator around town in the street rod he challenged me to build, but, alas, I can't: He succumbed a few months ago to lung cancer. Obviously I have a hollow feeling regarding my completion of this project, but all in all I'm satisfied; another car has been saved and I utter a silent "thanks"each time I open the garage door. I suspect this scenario is repeated - with variations - in many back yard shops across our nation, and serves as the blue-collar backbone of our hobby.
Postscript: This was written in response to several friends who wanted to see for themselves what this car looked like; the story had appeared in Street Scene Magazine a couple of months ago. So - I'm enclosing a few photos of the car in transformation, one as it was bought, and one showing the shade of primer I'm applying, only it's on a '46 Chevy fastback - the same body style. Primer thus far is on some places from the firewall back; I've added a couple of shots of the actual Olds in primer, and one from the front showing, but not too well, the yellow engine and accessories, chrome valve covers and flat firewall. The fiberglass, pancaked hood awaits final resolution; it fits and could be installed, but I choose to leave it off until the under-hood work is further along. I've also added some photos of the Olds and its garage mates taken outside on the day my '48 Chrysler convertible was pronounced finished - on the outside - and driven for the first time in almost a year. The '48 DeSoto was left behind - abandoned? - by a friend who went back to Ohio four years ago. They get along well together, and there's always something to do to one or the other vehicle. Hope you enjoy the tale and the pics. Al
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