1937 Chevy Drag Truck

[Fox Fabrication]

Here I go again!!!!

I've always wanted to do a 1960's drag truck style vehicle...but could never find the right cab for the right price....I ended up driving 3 hours to south Jersey over this past weekend to see what I got myself into....

Burried in the woods was a 1937 Chevy truck...With the help of an excavator....it was pulled out into an open area, torched free of its worn out frame and hoisted into the back of my truck.

The bottom 3" of the cab is gone to the rust gods...but above that is still very workable steel. The roof is mint...no dings, dents or anything else...the window frame has a little bit of rust-thru...but the welder will take care of that!!

I also was able to get (at the same location)....a near perfect bed for the truck, workable rear fenders (if I even use them--most likely not) and a very good condition grill shell.

$200 loaded into my truck I couldn't refuse it.

If I can find lower patch panels I'll fix the bottom...if not..may plasma off the bottom 3" and go frome there.

Plans are to build a 2x3 frame with full roll cage (6 or 8 point)
4 link coilover rear suspension
Blown BBC
Powerglide with brake
Ford 9"
Straight axle
Fenderless
aprox 115" Wheel base (may change that a bit-undecided right now)

Tons of stuff to plan out...but keep posted...Will be updating as it progresses!


Sorry for the poor picture qualty (crappy camera phone)

 

[hotrod preacher]

sounds like a cool plan ...keep us posted....[P

 

[Ratcrazy]

Looks like you got a great start on one bad rat...ummm......hotrod[S uhhh...ratrod..........What ever you decide to call it is going to be nice....[cl

 

[Gregster]

I have no problem visualizing that build , sounds fun [

 

[jfg455]

Nothin better than old iron pulling wheelies at the strip! Anyone can make a cavalier bodied car or a mustang go fast. Takes talent to make a 30's era box fly![cl

 

[international rat]

Blown bbc is cool in about anything, blown bbc in old tin is even cooler! I'll be watching this one..

 

[Tripper]

Cab looks awesome in u're garage! Gonna look even better on da streets!!! [cl

BoB

 

[jdsdjservices]

Looks cool and you cant beat a blower.

 

[CORPO]

sounds like an awesome plan... but i am definitely partial to these cabs...


FYI.. I know you can buy door skins for these.. and i think fiberglass rockers.. i have a set of rockers for these cabs up in my attic they are pretty messed up but i can take a look again and see if they could be of use to you..

Also... I believe that the cab corners are the same from 36-46...

 

[Fox Fabrication]

sounds like an awesome plan... but i am definitely partial to these cabs...


FYI.. I know you can buy door skins for these.. and i think fiberglass rockers.. i have a set of rockers for these cabs up in my attic they are pretty messed up but i can take a look again and see if they could be of use to you..

Also... I believe that the cab corners are the same from 36-46...

Let me know about the door skins and if you happen to dig out those rockers...let me know as well!! Appreciate your help!!

------------------------

Thanks everyone....This should one Hellacious ride!!

 

[CORPO]

I know these guys have the door patches

http://www.chevsofthe40s.com Im cheep so I made my own... It may be awhile before I get up in the attic...

 

[Fox Fabrication]

Few updates since I last posted....

Cut off a few inches off the bottom edge of the cab (rotted to death!)

Engine update.....

Picked up a low milage 1971 Cadillac 500 (8.2l) engine and TH400 Tranny for $200...

Will go thru the engine and put an aluminum intake, cam change...Lakester style headers...ect

Laying out the look before I start to build the frame

Trimming the bedsides to fit some 31x16.5x15 mounted on 15x14" Centerline Auto Drag's

Another side view with the rear fender secured to the bedside and tire/wheel in place

I will be running a cage in the cab with downtubes exiting the back of the cab terminating to the frame rails in the bed.

Getting close to the look I want...almost time to start the frame!

 

[bob w]

Not many people use a blower case to block up a transmission! Looks like you're gonna have a fast and cool looking truck.

 

[Fox Fabrication]

Man.. this holiday season is SLOWWWING my build time down BIG TIME!!!!

Can't seem to find much time to work on this project...but got a little time in :4:


Been sitting in the thinking chair in the garage...looking at the truck and wanting it much lower to the ground...but drivable around these New England roadways....after hours of moving the body ,bed and engine up and down...I found that 8" from lower edge of the body to the ground was a nice livable ride height.

Now that the ride height of the truck was decided....had to try and fit the big Mickey Thompsons on the bed....

I want to run REAR fenders on this truck....but... in order to fit a 31" tall tire on a ground to bed rail height of 28.5"....something has to be moved/cut!

I split the bedside in half. cut the bedrail out of the middle ( length of the fender), and secuted the fender to the bedsides. The fender extends above the rail about 4"..giving me plenty of tire clearance.

Looks a little different with rear fenders above the bedrails...but I like it.

Got all my steel in for the frame..awaiting on a few ladder bar brackets to arrive..but should have time to start the frame next week.

Still debating on chopping it....let me get it as a rolling chassis and decide from there!

 

[Bubba650]

I LOVE the look of the rear fenders above the bed sides like that!!! It kinda gives it that Pro Mod drag car feel. Will you be extending the fronts of the fenders down to the bottom of the bedsides?

 

[Fox Fabrication]

I LOVE the look of the rear fenders above the bed sides like that!!! It kinda gives it that Pro Mod drag car feel. Will you be extending the fronts of the fenders down to the bottom of the bedsides?

That was the same thought I had on the PRO-MOD look!!

The front of the fenders will be extended down to the bottom edge of the bed, then will build a short running board from the front of the fender to the backside of the cab..kinda a STEP SIDE truck look.

1.75 x .134 wall cage bars will be exiting the upper back of the cab to about the centerline of the rear axle housing.

The bed is still 6.5" long...plenty of room for the fuel cell, battery and may even run the radiator back there.

 

[Gregster]

I'm ready to see you start building !

 

[derbyking]

wonder how itd look with a little more taken of the rear of the box.i love the pro mod look of the rear now,id run with the whole theme and build a pro mod style rear spoiler into the box,kinda like a metal tonneau cover

 

[Fox Fabrication]

wonder how itd look with a little more taken of the rear of the box.i love the pro mod look of the rear now,id run with the whole theme and build a pro mod style rear spoiler into the box,kinda like a metal tonneau cover

I played around with the different bed lengths.....had it shorter but didn't look right due to the size if the rear fenders. I can picture a pro-mod style wing..but only when I have the proper PRO-MOD engine in it!!! Ohhhh someday [dr

 

[JOD34N]

Tom,

The truck looks awesome, will watch this one!!

Dean.