Projects 1955 Chevy Truck Project -- PHOTOSGALORE

you can see the "gimme gimme motor" look on the truck hahah....mine had that, now it is replaced by the "Finish an Drive Me" look

 

Damn I shoulda called it would have been nice to come down to the shop and get something done after another day of beating my head against the elcamino all day at my shop lol... I better be carefull Vince isn't going to let me have my welding helmet back! Let me know when the next work day is and I'll see if I can sneek out for a while and get in the way some more. Later guys. Rog

 

Dru- I love the color that the truck is now. You guys are getting with the program. The guys around here are not into helping each other out like we did in the old days. It seems like it is all about money or whatever around here. Course I am and always will be just a poor boy and have always had to do most of my own crap. I can't wait to see your truck done and I know you feel the same way.
Later,
Dick

 

Works been keepin up busy. Nothing new on the truck in a few days. Updated the Roadster thread and Bennies thread.

Maybe get some stuff hammered out the truck tomorry.

 

dru, what up? Its been a long week.....i'll be back at it on sunday, i've got some catch'n up to do, but we should make the deadline.

 

07072009

Little more work last night. Got some brackets pounded out and made some measurements for a new custom fuel tank too.





Little more finish welding and this thing should be roller status. talked to Vince and he said he just dropped some serious coin on dress up motor parts and the front bag set up....hopefully it will be in soon.

 

18 days to go, gents. . .cheerleading from here in Tejas that y'all CAN and WILL make this a reality!!!!. . .

 

Damn bro...you guys are getting a ton done!! I checked in on this about a month ago and it was looking good then. And hell no those aren't C notches, they're freakin double-D notches. I like. Mine will be the simple "out of the catalog" versions on my '56 Chevy pickup, but you have me feeling a little envious now. I'm dropping 5 inches so maybe I'm still OK with the meager C-notches. I should show you the steering wheel I'm making for mine. It's the cool stock 55-56 style so I can keep the stock horn button but I cut it down to 15 inches and created a 3 inch dish and I'm making it two-tone like the old Impala steering wheels...can't wait to finish it. I love the way those old wheels look, just don't like steering a bus wheel and I needed extra clearance for my 6 foot 4 inch legs....

I'm also sticking with a stock I-beam straight axle with a 3 inch drop and then dropping around 3 inches more with spring shackles and dearched springs. Of course I did put later model Chevy pickup front discs on (safety and stopping power) and a dual master cylinder under the cab, and I'm planning on relocating the gas tank to the rear, but you have me thinking about putting the battery behind the seat and smoothing the firewall completely...looks great, but tell me....where do you, or how do you plan on routing the heater hoses?

Thanks for keeping us posted on the progress...keep the pics coming.

 

Heater hoses? Why? Throw on a jacket. It looks alot cleaner without the core and the hoses. I'm talking for him but just putting my 2 cents in.

 

Yeah a heater is nice on those early morning and late night drives. I think Vince has looked at some of the Vintage Air units and talked about running them across and into the inner fender to hide them before making new holes where they are hidden.

 

So the hoses still span across the engine bay a bit...hmmm...I'm going to need to think about this. I want to use the stock heater with a later model blower that turns at a higher rate delivering more forced air. A friend of mine took the internal valve out of the heater itself and transferred it to the firewall with new upgraded plumbing that is brass as opposed to the original material which seems to fail every so often. I'm thinking that doing the same thing at floor level and running the hoses parallel to the oil pan or something like that might work... Just thinking out loud here...anyone done this or have any ideas how to?

 

yea the jacket plan is the route im taking....No A/C or Heat(if its cold bring a blanket and if its hot roll down the windows and go Faster!)

 

LOL...I live in an area where 20 degrees in the winter is not uncommon and 45 to 55 is the norm. I like heat...heat is good. As far as A/C goes...no way...

 

I guess we are lucky weather wise in the valley. Winters around here are in the 40's and 50's during the day and high 30's at night. Summer time usually cools to 70's or high 60's and anywhere from 90 - 100 during the days. I could see the concern for heat in the colder climates.

 

any chance you guys want to show how you mounted your booster? or the pedel assembly from under the dash to the booster..

 

ill try to remember to do that when i head back to the shop. i havent been down there much in the last week or so.

 

Just curious here...did you decide on a booster because you think the pedal will be too hard without it? I was planning on no booster with my disc front/drum rear setup but wondering if that's a bad choice. I was figuring that at 275 lbs I'd be able to get that pedal to the floor but I could be misjudging the situation. Anyone here tried a setup like mine without the booster?

 

Thanks that will help a ton!

Buzznut im going without the booster to... i dont care if its to hard its a truck

 

I'm using a CPP mounting bracket with the Vette style dual res MC. I had to fabricate the pushrod since the parts went missing, but it was pretty basic...5 minutes to do with 3/8 rod stock, a belt sander, a tap and die set and a new heim joint. I also shortened the brake pedal 2 inches and the clutch pedal 1 1/2 inches so I didn't have to bang my knee into the steering wheel as often. I found a guy selling the bracket for the metering blocks at the Pleasanton Good Guys swap meet last month. It mounts right under the MC, but now I'm thinking I may use a proportioning valve to the rear drums instead and plumb the front brakes directly off the MC...still not sure, I need to do some more research on brake plumbing to see if this is correct. We should all keep in contact on our builds...share ideas and ask questions. I love these old trucks...as soon as I'm done with the '56 I'm going to do my '58 custom cab with a Vette theme....

 

this truck was already set up with the booster. its a camaro clip in the front with discs and its got a firebird rearend with the staggered disc calipers. ultimately vince wants to run and under the cab style booster to keep the firewall clean but in the thrash to hit the road its gonna stay where its at for now.

 

Cool deal...I'd drive it for now too but think it's cooler with the firewall clean as well. The problem is that those kits aren't cheap, but if you're willing to do a little extra legwork you can piece a non-booster undercab setup together for around half the retail price...that's what I did, think I have around $135 into it including the MC, bracket and hardware.

 

Oh BTW, I was wondering if either of you know if a '60-'67 truck bench seat bolts right in...I'm thinking about using one because the back of the seat is about 3 inches thinner and will give me more leg room.

 

mine was to wide out of my 65'....couldnt close my doors

 

great looking truck love the wheels and there is nothing better then sitting on the frame old trucks rule!!!

 

Sweet as I am building a 56 also nice work guys....

 

Now THAT bums me out...I had a line on THREE bench seats all in decent to great shape. I like them because they give you about 3" more of legroom. Oh well, plan B I guess...

 

Buzz I am looking for a stock seat for my 63

 

PM me and I'll send you the info. I know the guys at the yard so I may be able to get you a better deal...you just never know. I'll stop by on monday and ask the yard boss what he wants for one of the seats, but it may depend on condition. If I remember correctly the '65 they rolled in there 3 weeks ago had one in really good condition.

Where in Cal are you located? I'm up in Grass Valley, about 20 minutes past Auburn which is about 30 minutes east of Sacramento.

 

i have the exact same setup with no booster,i still need to put in the valves(prop-resid)but honestly the damn thing stops great.no problems whatsoever.so i have been lazy in getting this part done.(7 years of lazy)

 

Meddler, I think it's a good setup...you're happy with yours?

I'm not too up on brake theory but I did find out this last week that the metering block is what helps keep residual pressure to the brake cylinders. This is so your brake pedals don't need to travel so far before they begin to engage. I guess finding the right metering block is as simple as matching one to the pressure it takes to actuate the wheel cylinders and then backing off a few lbs of pressure.

For example: if it takes 4 lbs of pressure for the front to actuate and 8 lbs for the rear then you would get a metering bloc that was setup as 2 lbs front and 6 lbs rear. Am I right in this or did I get something wrong? If anyone here knows better please correct me... thanks guys.

BTW: I graduated from UCD...used to go into Woodland every now and then just to poke around.