My Machinest Tim Klindt and I were talking. My current 4 wheeled mode of transportation is a 1994 Chevy Astro Van. YEP, as unglamourous as it sounds it servers the function it was purchased for perfectly. It is a small van yet big enough that if I take out the back seats I can fit a motorcycle into it. It also has the benefit of being pretty nice to haul my kids around in...

As you can imagine the van is functional but as of late it has been costing me a fourtune too. I have put at least 1500 into it in the last year keeping it running. Yea I know buy a new one but I have fixed it 100 bucks at a time and it is addin up.

Back to the point, Tim and I were talking. I had mentioned to him that I was looking for a Older Car to fix up. NOT RESTORE. I am going to make it my daily driver. After all, Isn't that what they were made for? To drive. Nothing against the guyst that build show cars or build cars to go ride in on the weekend. If that is there thing GREAT!!! but I want one that I can drive every day. AND I won't have to put near the money into it for a daily driver as I would to restore one.

SO,, I told Tim that I had missed the oportunity to purchase a 55 packard. He asked If I would be intrested in a Chevy. I said if it was the right kind of chevy I would be. He then told me that his father still had the first car he had ever owned, and may be interested in selling it.

Well, that car is the one you see on this page. It is a 1951 Chevrolet Deluxe 4 door. It was parked over 25 years ago. At that time it was running but leaking some oil. It has over 100,000 miles on the odometer so I would say his dad got his money out of it.

It is a 3 on the tree with a straight six 216 motor. Everything is there except the 6 volt coil that someone stole off of it.

When we got to the farm in Southern Iowa to pick it up we had to put wheels back on it. the car has sat outside for all of these years and MANY years ago they put the car on blocks to steal the tires for grain wagons.

The car is not by any means in perfect shape but It has a pretty solid body for a car that has been driven a hundred thousand miles and then parked outside for over 25 years.

As you can see,, the interior is SHOT!!!! the floorboards and all need replaced as does some spots int the trunk. the Seats, Headliner ect.. ar all a lost cause. there will be ALOT of fabric that needs replaced.

I'm either going to have to learn how to work on interiors, Find another interior for it, or I'll be spending a pretty good chunk of change fixing the fabric... Luckily, I don't have to worry about that for a while.

OH,, and by the way, if you were ever looking for the legendary mouse graveyard.. the place that mice go to die.. I think I just bought it.. there must have been HUNDREDS of them dead in the headliner of this car. I cut the rotted headliner and it looked like a scene from a weird movie.. Little skeletons covered the whole front seat and floor....

The Lower Rockers, and very bottoms of the front and rear quarter panels need replaced, but the rest of the body is VERY solid. The car still had most of the paperwork in the glove box. It had been undercoated once when it was brand spankin new. And then Undercoated again when it was sold to the last owners family.

All in All the body repairs should be fixable without too much trouble. I plan to upgrade alot of the suspension components and and deciding what to do with the drive train. I do not plan to keep the Three speed even though it is in great shape. I will be hauling kids in it and need my right hand free to keep them from fighting with each other... HELL,, if I haul my FRIENDS I need my right hand free to keep them from fighting with each other....LOL!!!

If anyone knows of any tech articles on upgrading the suspension and brakes on one of these cars please email me.. OR,, if you knowl of ANY tech articles pertaining to this car please let me know.

OH,, and if your wondering.. I paid $200 dollars for the car.