thanks for the compliments/praise, i really appreciate it! its strange, there's a local street car (random modified car) forum i go on and 75% of them either hate it/me or just don't get it. you guys would be so entertained by their negativity toward what i do, at the same time it can get you down knowing these hater type people are out there. its really nice to be recognized by true automotive enthusiasts. on the other hand, why do i care? they drive mitsubishi evo's and honda s2000's their parents bought them so how would they really understand. Pscott- ye i really like those mag wheels too, they get alot of compliments. i was surprised at how cheap they are out on the market, and how light they are. i had planned on upgrading the opti to the msd version. that one seems to be pretty good according to the ltx forums. DeuceKustoms- what you need for dimensions? i know every dimension of the advance design trucks by heart after doing that frame for my '48 in the spring. basicly what i have been doing is getting at least 50' (for a 4100) of 2x4" steel (youll need alot more to do it like this orange truck), i think its 12ga, might be 14, idk. i cut the rails to 16'9" (thats how long a stock 4100 is in total, there will be a piece cut off the front usually, more on that later). cut two pieces of the 2x4 for rear x-members to 32" (the width of the frame from mid cab to the back is 36" outside). measuring from the very rear of each rail make a chop saw cut through the inside, top, & bottom of the rail, not the outside though, at 10'8". again on the inside (this will help pinch the rails later). lay it all out on a jig, or flat concrete and tack the x-members in at 2' & 9' from the rear, make sure you use a framing square at least, a tape measure is best to keep it square as you tack it up. measure opposite corner to opposite corner and make them the same. after those rear x-members are in grab a ratcheting tie down and wrap it around the front most end of the frame and pull it together 'till its the right distance apart and tack the chop saw cuts. i set my front width based on how i am using the frame. for instance, my '48 had a complete x-member the suspension attached to so i needed to accomnodate that. i kept the frame flat (horizontal) all the way to the front of the inner fenderwell, then the piece i cut off the front later just got welded directly under the new front of the rails and sister plated. if you look theres a pretty good pic of this on the first page. if you do it this way you just need to get a little creative with your radiator support x-member (same pic) and thats about it for the basic frame. from there ya just need to come up with how you want everything laid out inside the frame and front cab mounts. i re-used some original ones on the '48, but there are so many ways to meke your own. if you or anyone wants a frame made up let me know, it only takes a day to do a basic one & @ $750.00-1,000.00 that would be with whatever k-member, body mounts and crossmember locations. same goes for any bending, plasma cutting, whatever. just let me know and ill help you guys out. if your local and need something just call me up.
Your truck is definetly a 52 or 53. I've seen some very early 54 trucks that were built in 53 that had the curved one piece windshield. Some states ***led cars as the year they were bought and ***led, so it was probably a late 53 that didnt sell tlll the first of the year.
thanks for the info... that should be enough to get me going i would say... i am just trying to do as much research ahead of time, so i have to do less figuring, and more building later on. this is the first time i have worked with one of these trucks and since i don't have the original frame to work off of, i am solely going off of prints, and measurements i have gotten from others. the exact dimensions of the original frame aren't extremely critical, being that there are going to be no original driveline components, but i am leaning towards running a dropped straight axle so there, i will need to be more exact. your thread here is very helpful as well as your pics. contrary to your frame however, i will not be using such a big Z in the front and rear, i will being going much more towards stock, using 2x6 sq. tube in the center, and 2x4 in the front and rear much like a stock frame with only a small Z in the front and a c notch in the rear, and just lower the suspension to get the right stance. if i need anymore measurements i will PM you, but for now i am going to head out the the shop and start building a mock up frame out of wood so i can see more easily where i will need to tweak things before i start building the actual frame.( besides i am still waiting on the steel to come in to work) then at least if something is off, it was only $18 dollars worth of screw up and i can have a toasty bonfire when i am all done. once i get going i will start a thread on here with pics. thanks for all your help! Deuce
Duece, I don't know how far you are from St. Louis but there is a 54 GMC frame offered up there by a fellow HAMBer.
nothing wrong with an orange truck,... I like what you have done with your projects, very cool looking "green one"
Nice work you're dong. Original and creative. For the reinforcing plates on the **** welds, instead of a fish plate you can cut slots top and bottom, in the middle of the top and bottom tubes. Slide in a vertical piece, weld and trim. Also, looks like that Caprice motor has an electric water pump. Neat.
indeed, there is nothing wrong with an orange truck... a year ago when i first got my 54, this is almost the exact image i had in my head for what i wanted to do with it, but have since changed directions slightly... but a cl***y looking ride, nonetheless.
according to my door tag i have 5VJF1237, going to http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/vin/vinbuster.html gets me 5=Kansas City V=1952 J=4100 (137") F=June 1237=1237th built the North Dakota ***le the original owner gave me says 1954 in the yr. model and yr. registration box. it does not list the aforementioned door dag # anywhere on it. its definitely a '52 technically, but was prob not ***led until the actual '54 model year.
hey i dont know if you said what front axle you are using, but what is it and how wide? i know KP ctr. to KP ctr. on stock axle is 50.5" but does anyone see a problem with using a 48" KP to KP aftermarket tube dropped axle on my 54 if i am going to use stock 49-54 chevy spindles and convert to disc brakes??? just curious if thats feasable or i should s**** the idea???
i go by the theory of do what ya want as long as you arent gonna literally hurt/kill yourself or others. i used a mr. roadster 3" drop tube set up w./their 4 bar. i also had them send me the 9" brake setup since i was running 14" wheels. now saying that i knew there was going to be alot of gap between my fender edge and wheel, but i like it...
Duece, I'd stick with the '53/4 Chevy brakes to do the 5 lug swap because they have a better brake system than the 49-52. Matt, have you looked into 1/2-1 ton sheet metal for the front?
sorry, did not specify... those would be NEW 49-54 CAR spindles, made for an aftermarket tube dropped axle (semi-eliptical setup, like stock) ., with the disc brake hubs made for the Car spindles (all from speedway). i want to run a dropped straight axle, and so far this seems to be the easiest and cheapest way to do it with my ch***is that i am building, since its all fairly universal. does that make more sense? any obections to a 2.5" narrower axle? ( i have heard that the disc brake setup makes it slightly larger anyways, so giving up 1.25" on either side should not be a big deal... nothing drastically noticable anyways!
I don't see why a more narrow front axle would hurt what you're doing. Wider gives you tire to fender clearance problems but narrower should be OK. Just make sure you don't have lock to lock trouble hitting anything. Are you doing stock inner fenders or fabbed?
i have the stockers, but nothing can stop me from making my own if i have to! thanks for your opinion... i was sure that it wouldnt be a problem, i just thought maybe someone else would think of something i might have overlooked. i suppose thats why we are all on here. Matt- what is the width of your axle? do you know off the top of your head??
What ties the ***le to the truck or ch***is if it does not use the door tag?? the North Dakota ***le the original owner gave me says 1954 in the yr. model and yr. registration box. it does not list the aforementioned door dag # anywhere on it. its definitely a '52 technically, but was prob not ***led until the actual '54 model year.[/quote]
SO it is just a piece ID for a truck but nothing related to that ****ific truck, as it does not have the orginal engine and the door tag is not reflected, do you have to get a new ***le to get it licensed and a inspection before you get a plate? I would asume it was ***led with the original engin ID.[/quote]
[/quote] I'm thinking the same thing. I've got a '50 VIN and paperwork and the same thing, they don't match. TN used engine. I live in MI so I can get the ***le fixed to the VIN on those trucks for me.
These are a couple of mine. The red '54 is now a friend of mine's, and the chopped '52 is mine...this is the 4th time I've owned it in the last 20 or so years! Yours are VERY cool!
Heck, set up a HAMB relay. Ask Danimal if it works OK. LOL Can throw in your choice of Astro or Safari vans. Needs motors in both. One is a fresh road kill from Monday evening. Don't ask how I know all the details. '93 is AWD with posi rear end. V8 is almost effortless drop in. Have motor mounts I would throw in.
on both of my trucks i have just walked into the dmv and gotten a new ***le & plates. but this brings up a good point. what should i be doing to make sure there is some sort of id between the ***le & truck. i will get over to the dmv before i take them too far in the spring. as for truck progress... yesterday i finished (well almost) clearing the interior out, cut the dash out, and started making a new interior out of tag board. i didnt get very far because i kept changing my mind on how i wanted it, wasted alot of of tag board though... i did make some progress though, i cut the dash up and started to tack it back together (temporarily). what i need is another '48-? dash to finish this thing up so i can tack it back in. so does anyone have one? i actually dont need the whole thing just the glove box section and door of one... my x-mas card
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