just picked this bad boy up on Saturday. all stock. had been stored for over 6 years and before it was stored it had a body off "restoration " zero rust, body is straight, frame is perfect and has a coat on it. all original matching numbers with 235 and 3 speed. I'm pretty stoked to get this thing where I wanted. I want to lower it but I need to get wheels that'll fit better in the fenders. any ideas what sizes are good? I want to lower it, I'm gonna do a 4 speed floor shift. keep the 235 for now and do dual carbs and split headers. I need a few parts like door handle and latches. if anyone has spare parts, and I need em let me know!! want to get this on the road soon!
NICE FIND!!! THAT was the caliber of truck I was looking for at 16, back in 1974, but every truck I called on ('55-59's) had rust issues the seller downplayed - except a '53, still have it with a 235 and a 4-speed. I NEED to get back to it, have a couple '57 Chevys that got between us... The 4-speed to look for is a Saginaw with a 2.54, 2.85 or 3.11 low gears. Think Camaro for a 2.54, Vega or Monza for 2.85 or 3.11. I'd lean towards a Vega/Monza box, then you can upgrade the rear with taller gears with a later unit from an automatic - depending on your tire size. IIR, stock was a 3.70. A Borg T-10 will also work, if you could find one with a 2.64 or 2.85. Use a Hurst shifter for a tri-5 Chevy, or a shift arm with a dogleg to clear the bench seat. I LIKE the dogleg arm, easier to cut the floor for. The tri-5 has the arm integrial with the shift body, PITA to install. I had to 'guesstimate' the hole in one car. P*** on lowering springs, as they reduce axle travel between the snubbers and frame. Dude in OK (I think) streches the axle to whatever drop you like, and will go this route for a 2-3" drop on mine. A co. named ROYAL made roller bearing king-pin kits - but I don't know if they are still available. HEAT THE INTAKE! Easy to use exhaust heat with Fentons. Clifford headers will need a hot water kit from Tom Langdon (Stovebolt Engine Co.). My truck never had heat, but used Langdon's kit on my '57 - Man, it made a REAL difference! PM me - I have a extra set of headers with pipes and turbo mufflers that came with a 235 I bought, and they NEED a good home! Also a buddy in Alabama that could help with good used parts. ORDER the repop factory repair AND ***embly manuals - the BEST $$$ you'll EVER SPEND!!! Jim Carter is the only guy I can think of near the east coast that stocks them. Might be others, I dunno... CONGRATS on your find, and my BEST for your build! - Tim
If you are set on a 4 speed, the Sag trans to look for is the 3.11:1 ratio, that would give a great 1st gear to get moving with. If you're going through the effort to change out the trans anyway, you should consider the T5 five speed. That truck probably has a 3.9 or 4.11 rear end (maybe a 3.75 or so), which will also give you a good torque advantage to get rolling. The problem is that 235 six may be running out of steam at around 60 MPH with that 4.11 rear. With an overdrive five speed between that 235 and your stock rear end, you could be doing 70 MPH in 5th with the engine turning around 2100 RPM and not even breathing hard. Take a look on the HAMB for opinions on the T5 conversion. Its a little more effort, but it will work really well w/ your 235 six. K6 Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Great find! Looks like a really nice pickup! Even though I really like 4-speeds, I would have to agree with the idea of putting in a T5 behind the 235. It will likely make it much more driveable. And, be sure and give Sid (55Mercury) a call for your dropped axle. 405-416-3080
thanks for all the input guys! much appreciated. I'm def on a budget so I'll have to keep an eye out in good deals, at the same time I want to do it right. it is a fantastic truck so it would be a shame to cut corners. and I'll try to not piss my wife off too much on money spending [emoji12]. the truck came with an extra grill that I'll try to sell and I have a few other things I'm trying to unload and use towards the truck. what's the best and cost effective way to go low in the rear? never done leaf removal and which ones are the ones to take off? and if I do go for a Saginaw, will the driveshaft need to be shortened and slip yoke replaced?
Nice truck! Congratulations! Take your time in any decisions you make, so you don't wind up doing things twice. The hardest part is done; finding the truck. Good luck.......
I didn't see anywhere what he paid for it, so can't consider it a steal. It is a nice start to a beautiful truck, but if he paid $50K for it then I wouldn't call it a steal.
ok I'll tell. guy was asking 10,000. body had come off 6 years ago so all the rust has been taken care of. body is straight, so no rust is rare in NJ. rebuilt 235 all matching numbers. frame was cleaned and painted. it does need a few things but all the major stuff has been done. I got it for $8800. so u tell me, steal or no?
I wouldnt say it was a steal but it looks like a pretty decent ole truck and if your happy everyone else should be.................The first thing I would do is get rid of that wrong front bumper ................looks like a 70s ford truck bumper??? Did you only get the 2 - 4x4 rallies and the 2 stock wheels?(and/or the manakin?spelling?) ...sorry... But back to being serious the stock size wheels should allow lowering.
hahah u noticed the mannequin! that's funny. yea and u noticed 2 stock wheels and the other rallies. so I need 2 other stock wheels. what's the biggest size tire that can go in stock wheels. they are pretty narrow. and the bumper has been taken off. something else I have to buy is a front bumper. got my lil lady helping me. kind of. hah
Bumpers aren't hard to find. Make sure to get the right brackets for it as well. put the wide wheels on the back, skinny ones on the front, and see how it looks. Skinny wheels are not too hard to find, stock 6" wheels from a 70s-80s 4x4 will fit if you can't find the original style.
I probably wouldnt go any bigger than a 235 70 on the stock wheels considering you are wanting to lower it but it all comes down to personal preference and what you can get away with when it comes to wheels and tires.
Saginaws are easy to ID by looking at the rings cut on the input shaft. IIR, the 2.85 has 1 ring, the 3.11 2 rings. I'm using the 3.11 behind the 235 in my '57 and LOVE it - ratios are spread as nice as I could ask!!! I did have to swap the yoke, driveshaft shop had what I needed. BUT, I had to use a 'shaft that was around 1" SHORTER. Both trannies are the same length, but the yoke doesn't slide in as far in the 4-speed. You need at least an inch between the yoke shoulder and the back of the trans. Check out INLAND DRIVESHAFT's site - they custom build for any application and explain it pretty well. You might luck out at wrecking yard for the correct shaft, or a local shop could shorten the stocker. I lucked-out - buddy had one that was shortened for a Turbo 400! If you want to get clever, you can modify the stock shift rods to shift the 4-speed off the column, use a OVERDRIVE cable and bracket to shift reverse... Hurst shifters are damn-expensive NEW. Lowering blocks with longer U-bolts will drop the rear whatever amount you like. I would settle on the tire and wheel combo you want first, before lowering the truck. I LIKE the snap-on MOON DISCS, as the wheels won't matter, or 4x4 stock wheels - $25 a pop at a yard or a tire and wheel shop that keeps the take-offs. IMO, poverty caps or baby-moons look BEST in a deep-dish wheel. Wack the handle off a big, cheap screwdriver to chuck-up in a drill, to spin the oil pump, (with fresh oil) until you see the rockers getting oil. Pull the plugs and squirt some Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders and spin over with the starter, before lighting the motor off. Good Luck, Tim
It has a 4 speed truck transmission, which has a fixed yoke on the back of it. Yes the driveshaft will have to be modified (or replaced) to work with a Saginaw 3 speed or 4 speed car type transmission.
Nice truck! Those trucks are few and far between in any shape here on the east coast. Much of the parts I get are from out west. Looks like everything is there but you can get just about everything from LMC or Cl***ic parts of America if you don't mind repoped. I have 30" tires, SM420 and 3.90 in the rear. I can get 65 out of her in 4th but it gets scary past 55 with the longbed starting to catch air. Great ***istant you guys will make a lot of memories with that truck. Probably what will make that deal a solid gold steal.
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