Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

2005 Dad went to Iowa (Where he grew up/early childhood) To pick this car up from a field where it had been sitting for 15 20 years, brought it home and re did a few thigns to get it running driving (sandblasted wheels/new tires/new gas tank lines etc) drove it around long enough to park it in the bar where it sat until me and my buddy got curious one day, charged the battery and backed it into my ATV (We were 13 or somethign!) Broke the tailight and drove it around the bumpy field fast as we could! I remember it took FOREVER to find reverse to back it out (equipment in the front of the car). I remember dad telling us to slow down and dont beat on the old car!!!

Well we got tired of driving it around the field and back in the bar it went. A couple years later we wanted to start driving it again washed it and tryed to figure out why it wouldnt run it went thru fuelpumpsexcessively! Tried mech. electrical (still 6 volt). Well turns out I guess a combo of bad gas and installing pump upside down and getting stranded far from home (dad thought we would make it). We ended up parking it for another year or so...

Its 'grams 53' because its my great grandmothers car bought new

Fast forward to last year about this time...We got it out AGAIN and tinkered abit..long story short it was overheating and running bad and bending pushrods over and over, valve was stuck shut. (75,xxx miles) took head to machine shop they re did it and reinstalled after some spray bombing! Still having problems with fuel pump so we parked it for another 6 months..

Well, a few weeks ago I wanted to get it out so we drained the gas put new in it figured out the pumps were all upside down new fuel filter charged the battery and fired it up, dad drove into town (20 miles away) and filled it up, well he comes back lost a hubcab on the way, we go to get in the car and the brakes are locked up, we take the toyota find the hubcab and come back to work on the brakes

here are some pictures..

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

pics

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

more

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

more

We are working on brakes now

New wheel cyc's rubber lines and rebuilding MC hard lines I believe have been replaced...look pretty good

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

ooooo bel airs are so n:metal:ice

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Nice, i love the body style of these cars :metal:

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

sweet! Ive seen some of your work and Im sure this car is in good hands..

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

very cool! nice pics

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

soft lines (3) MC rebuild kit, wheel cyc (4) orderd saturday, hopefully there here soon and its on the road asap!!!

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

NICE old car....wanna buy a crappyer 2dr one of these or parts? lol

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

YES!!! Were looking for a knob or 2 on the interior..Do you have any????!?!!?!?!! Not interested in a parts car..not really restoring it, just gonna get it running driving reliabbly, and looking factory/decent

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

find me a pic of what you need and I will see what I got.

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Windshield

Rear right window (if 4 dr)

headlight switch

Will try to snap some shots morrow

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

I want to keep the windshield in case someone buys the whole car but I will check the headlamp switch. I dont even know if 2dr front glass is the same as 4dr

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Its REAR pass. side glass, Ok I understand..

Reason were looking for switch is because someone replaced it with univeral switch that looks out of the way..got any pics of the car btw?

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

I can get some this weekend.

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Sweeeet always wanted to see more of this car.
Glad to see the 53 got a thread!
And as always
Keep up the good work!
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Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Going to take pics of boxes/switch for spudz

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

2nd to the left from the steering column

thanks!

i mite fix this up and put it on it (old school vac. fan!)

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Hardlines installed!
soft lines installed!
everything put away
wheel cyc. installed

whats left:
pack 1 bearing
bleed the brakes
double check everything (lug nuts etc etc) and go for a ride hopefully (tuesday) caues im out of school again

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Awesome, What part of IOWA?

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Somewhere around creston IA

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Got the brakes bled today!

Gotta repack wheel bearings..How does this seal thing come out?

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

This pic is the inside of the F/R drum, this is the innner bearing/seal

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Great lookin' old cruiser!

Not sure on the bearing...

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

thanks nate

We orderd new seals the other day, they came in dad picked em up while I was in school watching frosty the snowman etc etc (12th grade!)

Anyway, cleaned out the bearings etc etc new seals repacked everything its ready for a trip to breakfast tomorow AM (Hopefully)

I did something stupid today too..I got in the car to sit for a bit and pumped on the brakes to see how good of a job we did the day prior (bled brakes). Well front drums werent on yet ;)

Pictures of maiden voyage tomorow

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Tried some CLR and a scotchbrite pad..let it soak in for 25 seconds or so and started scrubbing! Came out pretty good! Cant wait for a warm day and some more CLR!!

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

lookin good nice car

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Any updates?

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

No not really. Unfortunately something this old really needs to be frame off'd. I think its gotta short somewhere and were having to dissconnect the battery. And with snow/ice/salt it stays in the garage.

Need to:
Adj. wheel cyls and make sure brakes dont keep locking up (adj. pushrod correctly now just need to adj. wheel cyc.

Fix brakelights/turnsignals

Chase down a water leak somewhere (around heater core, but dont think its the core)

And keep driving till more probs. come up. I always play with my truck so this thing doesnt get MUCH attention, maybe when it warms up..

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

we need updated pics!

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Yes we do lol

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Gf and I just got home from a cruise in it, she took some sunset pictures.

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

is your 68 getting left home alot?:lol:

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Nahh, The car is mostly been torn up, still not ready for in town driving yet. Gota get brakelights working, and turn signals. And triple go over the brakes, get the vacumn wipers working (aunts bf or someone tried to convert to 12v wipers 6 volt car and parts are in a box in trunk)

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Brittany took the pictures. So if there good tell me i'll tell her. I think she started adj. camera cause they start to get darker and darker...

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

wow cool pics!

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

I'm subscribed. Very cool car and I hope to see some updates this spring.

I have a '53 convertible that is third on my list of builds. It was my moms high school car.

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

something your may want to try instead of the CLR. Get a high speed buffer with the wool pad and good agressive compound.. it will buff the paint out and romove the surface rust at the same time.... works great.. Ive seen it dont several times.. it ruins the pad tho.

Re: Grams '53 (1953 Chevrolet Belair)
 

Thanks guys!

ghosttown, post some picures?!

spudz, anyupdates on the switch? lol