55 Chevy !!!!
- Thread starter BSL409
- Start date
Sorry,not a fan!
This IS gonna be Long.
After my Dad's 55 Pontiac, gave up it's ghost, a friend of mine told me, his boss had a customer's car, that they were looking to sell.
This was around 1962. We went to look at it. It was a 55 Chevy 2 door.
Lime green with green /white cloth interior. 6 cylinder, 3 on the tree.I instantly loved that car.
2 door stick.The wheels were turning, in my head. Of course, I kept my thoughts to myself.
The bigger surprise, the guy only wanted $ 100.00. I still remember, the smile my Dad, had on his face.
He did the transaction, and my buddy, dropped the car at our house, a couple days later. After a grueling 2 hour ride, down and back, on the bus, not to mention dealing with the Nazi-like workers at DVM, he finally had his plates.
I put the plates, on the old girl, and we went for a spin, to the gas station. He loved it. Quiet motor, shifted well, brakes worked good, didn't wander. WOW! What a deal. Couldn't get over, why they sold it, So Cheap. Seven year old car for $ 100.00 
After a couple month's, he said I'm gonna take the car to Birch, and have him change the oil and filter. Birch ran the Amoco station, a few blocks away. After he changed the oil and filter, he told my Dad, your oil was So Black and dirty, it took longer than usual to drain. Of course that didn't ring any bells for him, but it did for me.
A couple days later, we were coming back from the market, and were sitting at a RED light, some Blue exhaust smoke, was making it's way towards the front of the car.
My father said to me, "is that us" Oh, I don't know? To make a long story short, this pig started smoking, more and more every day. It smoked So bad, it looked like a Mosquito Control vehicle. OMG STP Oil Treatment became a regular diet, for this car. He didn't like driving it anymore, because he was embarrassed. Most of his shopping, was done at night.
I had the car, this particular Saturday, and I was racing a friends 57 Ford wagon. Doing pretty good, too. As I shifted into 2nd gear, the linkage got jammed, and I was stuck between two gears at once. 
Luckily, my buddy knew what to do. After farting around, under the hood, it was OK. A couple days later, I get a phone call, from Dad, to come and get this F#*%ing piece of shit. I'm stuck in traffic. The gear shift is jammed. Luckily, he was only 3 or 4 blocks away, because I had to walk. After I got there, I popped the hood, and played with the linkage, and we made it back home. I tried to show him how to shift into second gear, so it wouldn't happen again. He told me "I will Never drive that piece of shit again." And he didn't. I drove it, for another month or so, and it got so bad, it wouldn't shift at all. I traded it in on a 57 Chevy station wagon. That's another story, for another time. Here's a picture, of the two cars.
After my Dad's 55 Pontiac, gave up it's ghost, a friend of mine told me, his boss had a customer's car, that they were looking to sell. This was around 1962. We went to look at it. It was a 55 Chevy 2 door.Lime green with green /white cloth interior. 6 cylinder, 3 on the tree.I instantly loved that car.2 door stick.The wheels were turning, in my head. Of course, I kept my thoughts to myself. The bigger surprise, the guy only wanted $ 100.00. I still remember, the smile my Dad, had on his face. He did the transaction, and my buddy, dropped the car at our house, a couple days later. After a grueling 2 hour ride, down and back, on the bus, not to mention dealing with the Nazi-like workers at DVM, he finally had his plates. I put the plates, on the old girl, and we went for a spin, to the gas station. He loved it. Quiet motor, shifted well, brakes worked good, didn't wander. WOW! What a deal. Couldn't get over, why they sold it, So Cheap. Seven year old car for $ 100.00 After a couple month's, he said I'm gonna take the car to Birch, and have him change the oil and filter. Birch ran the Amoco station, a few blocks away. After he changed the oil and filter, he told my Dad, your oil was So Black and dirty, it took longer than usual to drain. Of course that didn't ring any bells for him, but it did for me. A couple days later, we were coming back from the market, and were sitting at a RED light, some Blue exhaust smoke, was making it's way towards the front of the car. My father said to me, "is that us" Oh, I don't know? To make a long story short, this pig started smoking, more and more every day. It smoked So bad, it looked like a Mosquito Control vehicle. OMG STP Oil Treatment became a regular diet, for this car. He didn't like driving it anymore, because he was embarrassed. Most of his shopping, was done at night. I had the car, this particular Saturday, and I was racing a friends 57 Ford wagon. Doing pretty good, too. As I shifted into 2nd gear, the linkage got jammed, and I was stuck between two gears at once. Luckily, my buddy knew what to do. After farting around, under the hood, it was OK. A couple days later, I get a phone call, from Dad, to come and get this F#*%ing piece of shit. I'm stuck in traffic. The gear shift is jammed. Luckily, he was only 3 or 4 blocks away, because I had to walk. After I got there, I popped the hood, and played with the linkage, and we made it back home. I tried to show him how to shift into second gear, so it wouldn't happen again. He told me "I will Never drive that piece of shit again." And he didn't. I drove it, for another month or so, and it got so bad, it wouldn't shift at all. I traded it in on a 57 Chevy station wagon. That's another story, for another time. Here's a picture, of the two cars. 
We should do a poll and see how many guys stuck a 3 on the tree between 1st and 2nd.......
I'd also bet most of those guys ran around without an air cleaner now and then .....
I'd also bet most of those guys ran around without an air cleaner now and then .....
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,but not the other while on the street.
I have fixed more than I have locked up.
After I traded, my Dad's 55, for the 57, I didn't want, to put up with that crap anymore.So I went, to our local Speed Shop, (Pfeiffer's) and purchased a Foxcraft Shifter Kit. It was Awesome. Large Black knob, w/ the H pattern. Drove the car, half up on the sidewalk laid a couple blankets down. (It was winter)Compared the shifting rods, to the originals and disconnected everything. For some reason, that I can't remember now, I had to use the new levers for the tranny. 
I put the two levers on, dented the floor, with a hammer, and drilled a hole just large enough for the shifter, to stick through the floor. After I installed the rods and Mr. Kotter pins. I picked everything up, and then cut the hole in the floor. The shift lever was pretty cheap, and only had a 3/4" nut and lock washer holding it, wherever you positioned it. Obviously, not a lot of thought, went into that. Anyhow, when I got all done, it was time for a ride.Started the car, and shifted into reverse and the car went forward, and stalled.
Shifted into 1st, and it backed up.
I had to remove, the two shifting levers, and turn them around, before everything worked correctly. I also remember filing metal off, so the levers would stay tight. This is the price you pay, when you don't have the money, to buy a Hurst. I must say, after playing around for awhile, it did shift pretty good. Just couldn't, get that Nut tight enough, on the shifter Handle. Everytime, I banged 2nd gear, I punched the dashboard with my right hand. After thinking back, it was still Fun.
So I went, to our local Speed Shop, (Pfeiffer's) and purchased a Foxcraft Shifter Kit. It was Awesome. Large Black knob, w/ the H pattern. Drove the car, half up on the sidewalk laid a couple blankets down. (It was winter)Compared the shifting rods, to the originals and disconnected everything. For some reason, that I can't remember now, I had to use the new levers for the tranny. I put the two levers on, dented the floor, with a hammer, and drilled a hole just large enough for the shifter, to stick through the floor. After I installed the rods and Mr. Kotter pins. I picked everything up, and then cut the hole in the floor. The shift lever was pretty cheap, and only had a 3/4" nut and lock washer holding it, wherever you positioned it. Obviously, not a lot of thought, went into that. Anyhow, when I got all done, it was time for a ride.Started the car, and shifted into reverse and the car went forward, and stalled.Shifted into 1st, and it backed up.I had to remove, the two shifting levers, and turn them around, before everything worked correctly. I also remember filing metal off, so the levers would stay tight. This is the price you pay, when you don't have the money, to buy a Hurst. I must say, after playing around for awhile, it did shift pretty good. Just couldn't, get that Nut tight enough, on the shifter Handle. Everytime, I banged 2nd gear, I punched the dashboard with my right hand. After thinking back, it was still Fun.
This one better Don?
That Nomad is AWESOME!!!!^^^
