My other 2 projects in waiting

[Neophyte]

1952 Chevrolet DeLuxe. Apart from a motor and mirrors this car was very complete and rust free. The only rusted item on the car was the battery tray. You will notice however that the dash is not correct as it's a '50 dash. That was the issue here in South Africa where they would use those kinda parts if they had surplus from the previous year(s). As you can see it even stilll had the tune-up tag.

The youngster I bought it from was an apprentice at a local panelbeater and didn't make much. He also had to work some ridiculous hours and therefor didn't have the time or money to build this car and it was getting in his mom's way. I saw the ad in our local classifieds and at the price didn't expect much but when I went to look and saw no rust and how complete it was I just had to have it.

My wife was in hospital at the time in I.C.U. after an emergency operation 5 days before to remove her gallbladder so I couldn't get her conscent. I jusrt couldn't pass this up so I took the gamble and bought it. I only told her about the car about 2 or 3 weeks later as she stayed in I.C.U. a full 2 weeks after the op. That was a scary time we went through and now just over 2 years ago.

p.s. Due to the condition and completeness of this car I can't get it over myself to build it as a custom. So apart from a full oil-pressure 235 from a '56 and Powerglide from a '54 I'll be re-building this car to stock condition.

 

[Neophyte]

1954 Chevrolet Bel-Air. The price on this one was just perfect: FREE! I just had to wait a while and hope things went my way. I got it from a guy I originally met over on Hotrodders.com. His parents actually moved to the UK from the States and he later moved to South Africa. He stayed in Cape Town at the time he got the car but moved to Pretoria to be with his fiancee. He brought the car with him but due to work didn't get around to it further. When wedding plans started and with the inevitable change in living arrangements he had to get rid of it. He asked if I wanted it for free if he couldn't sell it by his deadline and I gave the very obvious answer to that. Welll two months later it was mine.

The first pics are as he found the car. I think he paid way too much for the car considering the condition so yes, he did loose quite a bit. He did also put a fair bit of work in on the car to get rid of the worst surface rust and a dented roof. There is however quite some work for me to do also. The rear passengers floors are rusted as well as the rear wheel arch edges.

I'm planning to build this car as an old skool look custom. Front suspension will be Jaguar IFS and the rear axle will be a '56 10-bolt. All this will be height adjustable via Citroen DS20 hydraulics.