Cars

My first car was a 1949 Chevrolet four door Styleline Deluxe. My brother had purchased it as his first car as the second owner and I bought it from him when I was 15. I kept it in the garage and worked on it until I turned 16 and got my license. I drove that car through high school and eventually put over a quarter of a million miles on it. Needless to say by then the babbitt bearings were shot and I replaced the engine after graduation. Instead of the 216 I installed a 1955 235 so it would have the benefit of hydraulic lifters, oil pressure, and main bearings. What I didn't realize is the water pump had been relocated lower and the fan wouldn't fit behind the radiator. I had to custom make a water pump to fit. I drove that car through college but sold it back to my brother when I graduated and moved to Oregon to work for Tektronix. In 1996 he sold it back to me and I still have it. It now has over 400,000 miles on it.

At Tektronix I had responsibility for Grass Valley manufacturing and spent quite a bit of time there. One day I saw a near identical car for sale with only 55,000 miles on it. I purchased it and now have two 1949 Chevrolets. The differences between the two are minor - an inside hood release, an optional oil filter and windshield washer, and of course several hundred thousand miles.

My original 1949 Chevrolet

     Radiator shroud project

     Floorboard project

My Grass Valley 1949 Chevrolet

 

 

 

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