The Scream 53

Howdy and thanks for stopping in.

So having been out of the car resto for about twelve years, I decided to get back into the rat rod community.  So I picked up this 1953 Chevy with original bones but with a 1979 Camaro drive train slapped in. 

Here is what I found when I answered the Craigslist ad:

Below is the before photo right after it was dropped off the flatbed hauler:

The car was barely running, but I saw enough to take the gamble. After an hour or two, after finding misplaced vac lines and a distributor that was very loose, I got it to at least idle.

Satisfied I did ok, I cleaned it up a bit, before backing it into my barn lean-to. That is, I broke out some starlight silver spray paint that was left over from a Honda Accord repair, and painted away the rust on the bumper and dressed up the grill.

Then I removed the bumper guards...and then the whole front bumper.

The next step was to do some minor rewire to get all the lights to work, as well as brake lights.

Now after replacing two front suspension kingpins, air shocks, and some brake lines and wheel cylinders, I am finally able to drive it. At first around the neighborhood, then on the local interstate. 

Now the scary stuff. One day, I am taking it on its spin in the area, and I am about to get on the interstate. As I am making the turn towards the entrance ramp, I feel something warm on my legs. I look down, to see my pants covered in oil. The "nylon" tubing too the oil gauge was so old and brittle it had snapped and oil from the engine was pumping out. I tried grabbing it to pinch it off and steer with one hand but it was crumbling into pieces. So a couple of quick turns and rushing back to the house, which was fortunately a few blocks away, I get it home and lost 3/4 of a quart. 

I spent the rest of the day cleaning car, pants, shoes and threw out oil covered socks. The next day I got a set of new gauges, (oil, temp and alt) and THIS time, copper...repeat copper lines with correct fittings. 

I moved the banged up exhaust from out the back and replaced in front of back wheels. Finally, with the right stance, running great and steering and (somewhat) stopping, and no more engine oil pumping into my legs, I decorated the missing trunk lock with a version of Edvard Munch's "The Scream".

Here is the after and a couple pics at local car shows:

So! Legal running steering stopping shake rattle and roll, I still need to redo the wiper system, but since I would never (or never have to I hope) drive it in the rain, what the hell, it looks better without the wipers.

Rat Rodding. 

Noise dust smoke and rust.