Project 37 Begins

As with any project a good game plan is needed. And since I've been asked many times how to start a street rod project I thought I'd give you my first step. The first thing I do is visualize the finished truck, then write it all down. Color, wheels, body modifications, powerplant and interior, write it down. This is a good spot for rendering of you future street rod to see if it is really what you want before you begin. An example would be this '37 Chevy pickup. Pen and ink rendering like many I have done here are also good, sometimes better. You can make several photocopies and play with color and paint designs.

The hardest part for me was deciding on a color, I finally did. Purple with flames. Body modifications will not be to wild, nothing like the Chevy I was thinking about. The top will get a mild top chop, around 1.5 inches. Door handles will be shaved along with any remaining trim. The grille shell will have the radiator opening filled and right now I plan on using the stock hood. A third brake light will be recessed below the full sized rear window near three quarters of the way up from the bed.

Speaking of the bed I plan on building my own. I know reproduction beds are out there but this is one place I can save a good chunk of cash by building my own. But I'll leave it open if anybody wants to donate a bed for my truck. Fiberglass rear fenders will be mounted to the bed along with a rolled rear pan. The stock running boards and front fenders will be repaired and smoothed out for their next tour of street duty.

The stock frame will be used as a platform for my chassis. Although the more I look at it the more I think a new frame would be best. A dropped axle will be used up front and parallel leafs on the rear sporting disk/drum power brakes. A set of solid steel wheels with Ford caps and rings will be mounted on all four corners. A small block Chevy will power the truck backed by either a TH350 or a 4speed transmission. A reversed eye spring will hold the axle in place along with split wish bones. Nothing fancy is going on under here, just your basic street rod catalog ordered parts.

Do not look for anything fancy or sculptured on the interior either. A GM tilt wheel will be mounted below the dash while I sit on a bench seat. An overhead console will most likely find it's way in so I can leave the dash clean. If there is one thing I'm not sure about it is the original opening windshield, leave or not?

Well I think that pretty much covers it for now. It is time for disassembly and parts ordering.