Passenger 57 - Chevy 210 Four Door

[nick_bbb]

Thought I'd share some shots of the car I bought today. We thought a four door would be good with a baby on the way. This just cleared customs yesterday after being shipped in from LA. I give you Passenger 57...

[edit] Sorry these first photos are lost[/edit]

It is a 1957 Chevy 210 Four Door Sedan. It already has power discs fitted and will be getting power rack and pinion steering next, tidied up, MOT registered and off we go. Then a few subtle custom modifications

Edited by Nick Grant on Thursday 11th July 21:25

[nick_bbb]

Thanks guys

rfn, I've bought the last three on ebay but I found this through word of mouth on another forum, I spoke to the guy brining it in from the States and got first dibs to look when it got here.

David, running costs are low, mechanical parts are dirt cheap, body panels slightly more. 1955 -1957 Chevys share much of the same parts and are known as Tri Chevys. They made hundreds of thousands of them and they are still very popular meaning that parts are easy to get. Also parts to upgrade are readily available such as the rack and pinion power steering kit I'm getting fitted. This is a cruiser rather than a muscle car, if you look at the size of the carb you'll see that it can't get much fuel in anyway! Only thing is it is only a two speed automatic just now. They are built like tanks and keep going and going.

Plans involve upgrading the steering, then suspension, some cosmetic changes and then eventually drive train upgrades

[nick_bbb]

Well it has passed the MOT now. Just waiting for paperwork to complete the registration and then it can hit the road

[nick_bbb]

Still waiting for some paperwork before I can hit the road. Meanwhile I found one of Hersham Bobs photos and have started working out where I'm going with it.

Now...



Flaked roof and rear panels, air ride, spider caps and trims on steels...



and an interior similar to this....



That should do it

[nick_bbb]

Cheers

Finally got the 57 yesterday after waiting for a DVLA inspection to be done

[nick_bbb]

Thanks guys. Ebay is probably the best place to look in the UK (or Pistonheads!)

Had a visit from Nefarious (Simon) today - www.pinstriping.co.uk who did a great job. I wanted to incorporate the hood bird from a 55 Chevy into the design as the 57 is the only Tri Chevy without a bird. It also fits with the Passenger 57 name of the car.

[nick_bbb]

Thanks guys

Pinstriping was a whole days work, I got a bit of a mates discount so you'd need to speak to Simon (pinstriping.co.uk).

A few other jobs have been done over the past few weeks, all part of making it a usable family cruiser. . There is now a stereo in the glovebox, with a memory stick full of 50s music in it so it's a bit like Christine. The speakers are hidden in the rear under the parcel shelf I built which now has some of the striping on. There are LED lights fitted all round including a 3rd brake light for the numpties on the road round here. The car also now has an alarm and remote central locking on all four doors. Seatbelts were fitted last week with these guys... http://www.quickfitsbs.com/ who did an outstanding job.





So the baby seat fits in safely and legally for family trips.

Wheels are now steels with spider caps...



Trim rings I bought don't fit!

Also Chrome bumper bullets have been fitted to finish the bumper, broken quarter-light replaced and broken mirror replaced.

[nick_bbb]

Cheers

It's a 57 that we bought to carry our extra passenger

[nick_bbb]

Not done much with the 57 other than drive it, I have a problem with the fuel pump at the minute but that should be sorted soon. Got a bunch more parts on the way over from the US. I did use the car for a shoot the other day though, more of these later...

[nick_bbb]

Thanks guys

Yes Braddo, there was a cruise to celebrate 55 years of the 55, I couldn't make it but there is a video here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hCS9IiP6r0

[nick_bbb]

Here's some more photos of Knoxville Roxie with the '57...

[nick_bbb]

Thanks DJT100

When I got my 57 Chevy I wanted this to be a fun car that I could get creative with, it was never going to be a 100 point resto. The next phase of creativity is complete today with the new headlining. I took down the fabric liner and covered the roof in damplifier to keep the noise down, then I painted the bit of roof on show black to tie in with the body and finally I have covered the roof in some of my favourite black and white photos. So next time your see the Chevy at a show check out the roof, you may find that you or your car are travelling with me all the time.

[Nick Grant]

Been a long time since I updated this thread!

Just been driving it pretty much since I posted before apart from having to have the gearbox rebuilt as it was stuck in first (out of two speeds). When they took it apart it still had all the factory seals so had provided over 50 years of service

The car is now undergoing some major work, which is about 75% complete. Mostly to make it low and loud and handle much better.

This is the list of parts going on...

Rack and Pinion Steering
http://www.unisteer.com/seach_by_veh...lack_rack.h...

Power Steering Pump
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/aaf-all48242

Sway Bars
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/bel-9989

Dropped Spindles
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/clp-cp30102

Coil Over Shocks (front)
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hal-gs501-11250a
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hal-t114w

Rear Shocks
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mmc-2051

Shock Bar
http://www.classicchevy.com/chevy-sh...1955-1957.h...

Headers
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pte-h8055-1

Carb and Intake
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cmb-03-0206

I also have some stainless steel Y pipes and electric cut outs for the exhaust.

3” dropped rear leaf springs

Moon steering wheel and boss as the steering will be too light I guess with the existing wheel , once the power R&P is in.

So far all this bolt on stuff has proved to be far from that! RM Restorations near Glasgow are doing the work for me. The springs that came with the coil overs were not man enough so have now been swapped for some shorter 500lb ones. The shocks I ordered for the back were too long so have been swapped for ones that are only 9" closed. The headers have needed some adjustment to get the new steering rack to line up, and an extra UV joint will be needed. We are trying to presvere the column shift which has caused Ross to do some fabrication work. The biggest delay has been with the brakes though as the discs that were fitted were of unknown origin and didn't work with the new dropped spindles, so a new set of cross drilled brakes needed to be ordered from California which has taken a while. They should be here any day now as I 've just payed the customs charge to DHL.

There is a fixed deadline on this as I am planning a 1500 mile trip in the '57 at the end of July so we need to get a crack on.

I'll get some photos of the works up later.

[Nick Grant]

Yes it's a similar makeover to the Gas Monkey guys, I'm trying to avoid the big wheel look though and sticking with the 14"s

[Nick Grant]

Right some photos, first of all some of it getting used a lot over the past few years Put about 9000 miles on it

Loaded up for a day out...


Passenger 57 with roof rack by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

For my mate's daughters prom...


282260_10150906090393922_1193991213_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


177576_10151008820791220_2063055931_o by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


179177_10150918457008922_713365542_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Why the Anti Roll bars are needed...


398808_10150906091993922_914939411_n (1) by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Brooklands...


461515_476888175671609_533426914_o by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Krispy Kreme Meet...


170018_144383658952795_4826675_o by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


228950_10151152994458815_1479726274_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Chelsea...


582231_10150732782723922_801189375_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

On a run to Brighton...


242022_173876069336887_8359498_o by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Buster Langs Car Show...


290832_10150281713368922_8067372_o by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Belgium (Chimay)....


314826_10150933175813897_1577484291_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


553156_10150933551108897_392403676_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Camber Sands and Rye...


387586_250231331701360_1604675736_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


385390_10150482509126804_1154754393_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


310319_10150386089408922_526552429_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


385380_10150482657761804_1769537222_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


305317_10150391730468922_1102060687_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Wheels Day...


540835_422767407740743_1633263764_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


527823_10150934953579762_236908787_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


556471_10150678143843897_1163103460_n by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Night Shot...


Light Painting Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

New Air Cleaner, pinstriped by Nefarious...


Nefarious-Air-Filter-1 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Nefarious-Air-Filter-2 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Nefarious-Air-Filter-3 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


With my son....


Eddie and the Chevy by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Speaker grills...


Organ pipe speaker grills by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Edited by Nick Grant on Saturday 8th June 17:34

Edited by Nick Grant on Saturday 8th June 17:34

[Nick Grant]

Then came the time to move to Scotland from London. I brought the car up and put in into Storage for a few weeks before we moved the whole family up into the new house. Weather got better the further north I got. 440 miles used about £150 of petrol

The day I set off was the day of the London to Brighton Veteran Car run!


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

[Nick Grant]

The bridge that hold the air cleaner in the car snapped. So I decided to go with a much bigger carb and intake


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

I decided to flake the wheels so first had a go at the back of a licence plate to test the painting technique. Two coats of primer, two coats of red, three coats of flake and three coats of clear.


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Masked...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Painted...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Had to do one side at a time as I only have two axel stands and can't get down the other side in the garage.


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Loaded up with parts and off to RM Restorations...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Cruised with a few friends...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

New carb in...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Mocked up lowering with the coil over wound right in, before the dropped spindles..


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Needed new valve covers as the intake doesn't have an oil filler like the old one. Painted to match the wheels...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

Shots of the progress at RM Restorations...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

[Nick Grant]

The discs have finally arrived!

[Nick Grant]

Well there's still plenty left to do but Ross got it back on its wheels so we can see the stance now...


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr


Passenger 57 by NickGrant.co.uk, on Flickr

[Nick Grant]

Thanks guys I'll get some better pics once it's all back together. End of July I'm driving down to the Hot Rod Hayride, a big show in Surrey, staying down in the South East and visiting various car friends and workshops then on to the NRSA Super Nationals and then back up to Scotland. Should be quite a shakedown for the changes