CAUTION... THIS WILL BE A VERY SLOW BUILD PROCESS! YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! Well folks, two and a half years ago I spotted a '54 cab in my friend's yard. It wasn't for sale, but I let him know I REALLY wanted it. He called me a week later and we struck a deal. When we traded cash and ***le he also gave me pictures of where it had sat since the mid 80's. It was just up the road in plain view. A number of people have said "I wondered where that thing went!" Not sure how I never noticed it as I've driven past that spot thousands of times. Story goes that the truck came in for rear brakes in the mid 80's. The truck was partially dis***embled, parts were ordered and the owner never returned. The truck never moved. Many years later the shop had a ***le lein done and owned the truck. The business closed many years later and the shop owner's widow sold it to my friend. He removed the cab, took it home, and s****ped the ch***is. Shortly afterwards, through a strange turn of events I ended up with a '76 Chevy crew cab dually ch***is. Perfect! Another buddy was lowering his dually and running 22.5" wheels so he sold me his old 16's for cheap. Found a set of dropped spindles on Craigslist for cheap. @RMR&C generously donated a steering box that was missing from this ch***is... thanks again buddy! Of course Willy Pelzer has helped a TON in the planning of my build, thanks man! So fast forward to this week. We loaded the cab onto my trailer... Loaded my ch***is on to @KSNPVMT 's trailer (thanks again Troy!) and dropped everything off at my buddy Kyle's shop. My buddy Kyle is going to build a sub-frame to mount the cab to the ch***is. He's done this before, but on a motor home ch***is. Kyle did all of the design and the majority of the work on the truck that Welder Up built a few years ago. My truck will be finished and painted and probably not bagged. Here's that truck I'm sure you've all seen. Did I mention this will be a very slow moving project? Okay, fair warning: I have to finish my wife's '27 T roadster and built a shop in my backyard before I tear into this. The timing just worked out really well for me on this so we jumped on it. I'm pretty excited to see it beginning to take shape.
Congratulations!! You are off to a great start, with lots of preplanning. Skilled friends are the key, along with the collective wisdom of everyone on this site. Without both of these, I would still be scratching my head and watching television. Keep plugging away everyday, even if they are baby steps, they add up quickly!
Thanks for starting your build thread... The sheet metal on that thing is amazing. That's not a New England truck.
Great truck . Just don't be as slow as me and I know you will keep the family involved . I'll be watching and hope to see you in June . Blue
Awesome! Glad to see you are starting on this. What are the plans for the back? Car hauler, flat deck, pu box, or? What engine and location?
I'll be lucky to plug away on this one every month at this point, ha! Way too many irons in the fire and I le a red long ago I can onlyou have one major project going at a time, or nothing gets done. We'll get the cab mounted then it'll sit for a while. That really the first big hurdle anyway. Next are the ***mins/Allison, the bed, and of course steering and brakes. Yeah, I lived in M*** in 1990-1992 and know what you mean! Cars came off the showroom floor with rust holes! This thing is really solid, like none I've ever seen even living in the desert southwest! Straight too! I'll be way slower than you, brother, I don't anticipate this one seeing much dedicated time or effort for several years. Too many irons in the fire right now. Thanks again for the steering box! The bed will be flat-ish for hauling broken hot rods and new projects. Although the truck will be similar in construction to Pelzer's the bed will be different than anything that's been built to date. From an artist's eye (mine) it will be unique and functional, keeping super clean lines that will compliment the cab. Should be fun.
Sweet looking project mate i like cant wait to see what you do with the bed. This is what my dad and i are currently building
The timer has started ticking........Get going on that shop. I am coming back down in April to pick up my car. Will work for room and board
I tow my bed, not too fond of bugs bunny stew. I did look up Alpine on the map though, a little closer and I would have stopped in on the way home.
Update time! Kyle and I brainstormed a bit, but ultimately I left the design of the subframe up to him. Artists (fabricators!) work better that way. Using a photo of Pelzer's subframe for inspiration, Kyle built this one from 1-1/2" x 3" rectangular tubing. Cab mounts were built out of 3" square tubing cut and welded into submission. Photos aren't the best, but I'll get better ones soon.
I tell you guys "Thars' Sumptin'in tha Air!" Heck Daddio is working it! We need to ride this wave. I feel we can get alot done on our rigs! Looking Good Daddio!
Looks really nice and is getting exciting. Hope to see it when my wife and I are out there in June . Blue
It'll be here, but probably won't look much different than the latest picture. Looking forward to meeting you two!
Kyle let me know today that the subframe is complete. He sent me these pics. Sorry, not the best pics but I'll get more for y'all in the next few days. Guess I'm going to need to call a roll back. I don't think it'll fit on any of my friend's trailers any more.
So after a totally ridiculous day yesterday I got the cabover back home. Started with my brother in law who wanted to help. He lined up a tow dolly for the trip. When it came down to it, he wasn't available so I picked up the tow dolly and headed out on what SHOULD have been a one hour jaunt. Yeah, right. Got to Night Shift Kustoms and loaded up, strapped down, tied the driveshaft out of the way and pulled down the road. Driver's side strap came undone after two blocks. It was really a little too small for the tire size, but it's what I had. Rolling along this big ugly thing kept tailgating me.... Couldn't shake it... Whoops, tried too hard to shake it! Making a left hand turn I noticed the rear wheel of COE was wobbling. Pulled into a parking lot to figure out what was going on and found three very loose lugnuts on that wheel. ****. When I dropped the truck off at Kyle's shop we had some "helpers". They put that wheel on and like the dumb *** I can be occasionally I didn't double check their work. Ugh. Got it fixed and realized my daily driver had a low tire. Good thing Discount Tire was in the same parking lot. About this time the wind REALLY kicked up and it started raining. Of course, I'm not a "waiting room" kind of guy so I was out watching the truck(s) and the tire guys. Cold, wet, allergy attack, blah blah blah.... Got the truck home in the driving rain and ridiculous wind and put it away. Of course, that required moving EVERYTHING else around. So five hours later, a sore back (fell off the bumper of the truck grabbing a tool), skinned shin and s****ed up hand it's home. I didn't even take pictures of it last night I'd had so much. These photos are from this afternoon in it's resting place. It'll sit here for a while as I have to finish Victoria's roadster and build a shop in the back yard before I take on another project! I'm just glad yesterday is over with!!! It's in pretty good company with our hot rod stretcher and our 1964 Aristocrat travel trailer.
very nice... You need friends with trailers. Buford just fits on 2 different trailers that my buddies own.
Love it and the TT . My wife got new tires put on her driver and a block down the road the front wheel came off . New front fender and rotor , shop went in the hole on this one . Keep plugging away . Blue
Glad to see it home, I'll be out west in mine in June of this year so if you need I could haul it outta your way. Hey no charge (just the ***le). Just trying to help. Rob
I have plenty of friends with trailers and borrowed one to get the ch***is to Night Shift Kustoms. Unfortunately my brother in law wanted to "help", LOL. My 18' trailer is about 2 feet too short. Oh no! Well this one ultimately is on me as it was my son and anot ambitious kid Kyle was letting hang around the shop... read "floor sweeper". Both great kids but I knew I should double check their work and didn't. Come on by, leave empty! LOL
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