Building my 57 Chevy for the Pro Series

72_Chevy_C10 Wednesday, 1/6/2016

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Hey Guys,

With Bian's Pro Series coming up, I thought I'd do a build-up on the car I'll be running. If you haven't already guessed, I'm a 'Chevy Guy'...with a love of '67-'72 pick-ups and Tri-5's. And, I also like my cars to be a little on the "well played with" side....so, this car seemed perfect...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160106_191342_zps4tfevtak.jpg

There will be a lot of stuff done to this old girl...she will get axle tubes and I will be using (and explaining) my new approach to wheels. And, of course, I'll be weighting her up and getting her ready to go. All while leaving her very "well played with"

So, be sure to check in on this thread...I haven't done a build-up lately...should be fun


Discussion

Page 1 of 3

And to go along with the build pics, I'll be having a little fun with the photography. Here's the "the day we got the '57 home" pic...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160106_200252_zpsapc74irq.jpg

And the the "first time we put her up on the lift" pic...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160106_200618_zpsrudo2izs.jpg

Lots more to follow :)

 Well, here we go...this is the last time she will look like this...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084200_zpsij5kerpm.jpg

First off, the rivets need to be drilled. GO slowly here. This old plastic can be a little brittle and you want to preserve it...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084257_zpsmmp1g8rn.jpg

This is what it should look like when you drill the rivets...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084550_zpsgfizsytm.jpg

And these are the elements...body, interior and chassis...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084656_zpsfksbnh9p.jpg

I just bend the axles up and pull them out...they come out pretty easy...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084820_zpseapv3vlu.jpg



And, now it's on to the wheels! I have plenty of unused FTE wheels to choose from...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084910_zpsxvl4nymy.jpg

I just pulled out 4 at random...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_084955_zpscedtpsh1.jpg

I press the wheel into the end of my wheel tool...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_085200_zpsyq4srwca.jpg

And, it's off to the lathe! First, I use a center drill to start the hole...a center drill ensures that the hole is started straight...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_085426_zpsbp4iocjx.jpg

Then, I can use a standard 1/16" bit to drill the centers...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_085515_zpsldqstqhi.jpg

As you can see, the wheels all have new 1/16" holes drilled...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_090352_zpsl7ucnh5q.jpg

That's all for right now. Tomorrow, I will use the other side of the wheel tool and I will true up the wheels in the lathe...and maybe narrow them a little

Stay tuned for more tomorrow! 


  • i'm watching this close... — Traction-Event
  • This is really great! Out of the box, searching for more speed!! — aircooled

This is how the wheel fits in the tool...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_095124_zpsmp8agmtd.jpg

The second pin goes through the spokes so the wheel won't spin on the tool when I'm turning it


  • could you turn down the center pin and not enlarge the wheel's center hole... labor... — fordman
  • By drilling a new center hole, it gives me a good starting point — 72_Chevy_C10

It's tempting to try to fix up these redlines...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160107_110031-1_zpsksvzalzi.jpg

I could do this same process to them, but holding them to turn them would be a little challenging. Maybe for the next race!

We need a Super Stock  series for us who do not have the tech to be competitive in the Pro Stock ranks. Kudo's to those who do and have truly become the Big Dogs. I, for one, am willing to stay off the porch for I must admit I cannot run with them or have the access to the technology to run with them. Please do not take me wrong, I feel you guys are all friends. But the pond is getting bigger and I am but a small fish. I will try from time to time to compete cuz lets face it. it's fun, and everybody can't win. Ask most of the 40 something NASCAR drivers who may never win, but there they are every race. So, I gonna have to stay outta the Pro ranks and flounder "see what I did  there" around in the "hint" no wheel mods classes. Just sayin'. ........Da Stalker.


  • Fear not, a Pro Stock series is in the works too - I love stock racing — redlinederby
  • big block and small block classes ? — fordman
  • I am actually now inspired... to change my name to " Crazy Guppy Dude"!!! — CrzyTrkrDude

Well said, Stalker! I have access to a lot of cool stuff that let's me take these cars pretty far. 

The trouble is going to be where to draw the 'line in the sand'. I'm planning on rubbing in the 'Pro' series, the LJLRC races and DCR this year...and maybe an occasional monthly race. 

I'd love to see 'super stock' (modded, but not heavily...maybe weighted and using untouched wheels) class. Put one together and have an event. 

That's what is nice about RLD...your race, your rules! 

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redlinederby 1/7/16
Site manager

So what does giving wheels a 1/16" hole get you...using the 1/16" tubing as the axle without the need to insert the original? Not sure I'm following the advantage here...


  • The 1/16" hole will have a bush inserted into it...the next step will be turning the wheels off of that center hole — 72_Chevy_C10
  • interferance fit, warm wheel and "frozen" insert ? — fordman
  • When you drill plastic, like this the plastic heats up and when it cools, the hole is a little small, so it's a pretty tight fit — 72_Chevy_C10
  • I will probably put a tiny bit of JB Quick around the bushing, it I have to — 72_Chevy_C10

I'll be returning to this next week...busy morning! I did turn the wheels, but they had a little wobble after I pressed in the hub. I think I was just in too much of a hurry!

I think the way to go will be to press in a solid piece of brass or copper after they are trued up. And then drill the center hole on the lathe. It's pretty fiddly stuff to get it right!

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72_Chevy_C10 1/11/16

The new wheels and the bushings...

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160111_195451_zpswp4z5o0l.jpg

Now, to see if ai can press these in and not screw them up.

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160111_214019_zpsiro1uiih.jpg

Two out of the four that I am happy with. The other front wheel isn't too bad, but I'll try to get one that is right.

These wheels are so fragile...thibgs have to go just right for then to come out right. But, just seeing how wonky a stock fte is when I turn them makes me think that I am on the right track.

I'll continue to sort out the process until I have all the bugs worked out. The wheels that are right seem very encouraging 

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72_Chevy_C10 1/12/16

I'm continuing to learn with this build...

https://images1-focus-opensocial

http://i1074.photobucket.com/albums/w407/critterwerks/20160112_101344_zpsa8lbjszc.jpg

Broke two spokes while turning the wheels this morning. These wheels are so fragile to work with...butI'm getting there! 


  • maybe a solid wheel will work better, 5sp? since I think we all agree the nickle plated axle is what we need from the fte wheels? — Traction-Event
  • Yeah, I think the next set will be something a little more solid :) — 72_Chevy_C10
  • i'm thinking gov'ner's fat whites — fordman

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