Flat-N-Low's '55 Chevy Truck Build Thread

I've lurked on this site for years, and only just recently decided that it was time to get out of the shadows and start posting. I have had this '55 Chevy truck since 1992, when I made a trade with a neighbor for some work I had done for him (I put a Vintage Air unit in his '48 Chevy Truck). The initial idea was to build it as a down and dirty shop truck, primered with a mild small block. My neighbor and I did the suspension (Camaro clip, boxed the frame, Ford 9-inch). Right about that time, we started a family, remodeled the house, and I was working 6-7 days a week building my primary job (I build prototype aircraft). So, the truck sat in the garage. Every once in awhile, I'd get a burst of motivation and get a few things done, but paying bills always trumped anything to do with the truck, so it sat. About a year ago, I got motivated to get back on it, with the constant badgering from a fellow HAMBer, hotrod 49.

So, with that lame excuse out of the way, it's time to start posting pictures. I'm going to rapid-fire pictures to get everyone up to date. Here's a shot of it out in the driveway about a year ago. The doors are off so I can fix some broken hinge attach nutplates and to also do the bodywork on them. In this picture, it still has the coil front and leaf spring rear, but I'll try not to get too far ahead of myself. More on the suspension later.



Here's a frontal shot, showing the '57 Chevy Bel Air grille bar, and the 55 Nomad front bumper. I've cut the bumper in about 15 different places to get it to fit, and I'm still not so sure I'm going to go with it. Disregard the straps holding the bumper in position. I needed something to support the bumper while I sliced and diced it. I'll build bumper mounts when I'm closer to getting the fit right. I have also shaved the marker lights, and will use the ones in the grille bar. I also trimmed and hand-filed the headlight rings ( a ton of work) to resemble a '57 Chevy car headlight ring. I tried to utilize a real '57 ring, but it's way too square to fit the round contours of the truck's fender.



I built a firewall because I got sick of trying to weld up the 72 holes in the stock one. I was going to go with a big block, so I needed to build one anyway, because nothing looks as bad as a firewall that has been beaten with a hammer and the p***enger side valve cover still only has a quarter inch of clearance. I also trimmed the core support cover for the radiator.



I love my stuff low, and after seeing the truck in the garage for 15 years with no front coils and about 1.5" of rocker clearance, I knew that there was no way to get the truck sitting where I wanted it with coils and leafs. That meant that I was going to be going with air-ride, and I was a virgin when it came to that stuff. I consulted a buddy, Mike Jones, who owns Exile Fabrication in Apple Valley because after 30 years in the aircraft business building prototype aircraft, a standard slam-dunk Mig welded suspension job was not going to cut it. Here's a shot of the frame rails (work done in 1992) getting ready for the new suspension. I had also built a back-brace for the 9-inch back then, too.



The truck is tubbed (29X15.50-15), so we couldn't put the bags very far outboard, and I wanted to use leverage and put the bags on the lower links and not put them directly over the axle. The ride will be 100% better, and I won't need full bag pressure to get the truck at a reasonable ride height. I have ridden in vehicles with the bags directly over the axle and I don't care for the ride. So, the only way to get what I wanted was to go with a cantilever arm set-up. Here's a shot of the arm and the bag:

 

The suspension is a 3-link design (1 upper wishbone, 2 lower links). Here's a shot of the upper wishbone. I absolutely love Mike's welds. He can weld like a robot.



Here's a shot showing the complete suspension. Still some work to do (build the fuel tank, air tanks, battery box, etc)





This is more like it! The front is also done, and it's pretty standard. We used Slam Specialties bags (RE-7 front, RE-8 rear). I am contemplating building adjustable bumpstops so I won't be completely out of control if I ever blow a bag.
Next on the to-do list: Bed mounts, swaybar mounting tabs (front), shock mounts (front), finish the Hydroboost brackets, change the trans mounting set-up from a th350 to a th700r4, and order the rear wheels. I have been saving up for the rears, and I'll post a picture when they arrive. Top Secret stuff...................

 

Man ,you do first cl*** fab work .I dont think i have seen a bag /suspension setup on the rearend like your 55...

 

WOW ... fantastic work !

 

Bag system looks different than anything I've seen... I would love to see how it works

 

The pics don't do the truck justice, it looks WAY better in person! Its coming along nicely and I can't wait to help on the paint stuff! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=327069

 

i really like this build keep the pics coming

 

Thanks for the kind words, guys. It's been a long time coming, and I'm glad to finally be back on the old beater. I've done a lot of work on everybody else's cars, so finally it's time to get on my own stuff.

The rear suspension is unique, but with the tubbed rear, it presented a new set of challenges. For stability, I didn't want the bags real far inboard, and for leverage, I didn't want them directly over the axle. When Mike mentioned cantilever arms, I was all over it. We went a little overboard with the bushings and rod ends because I wanted to use the best stuff I could afford, and honestly, it's not much more money between the good stuff and the ****py stuff. The suspension has a really nice, smooth action when you inflate and deflate the bags, and the pinion angle doesn't change at all during inflation or deflation. That's one of the features I like the most. I've seen setups where the pinion angle moves +/- 3 degrees full up/full down, and over time, that beats the **** out of your u-joints. A lot of those guys complain about "a vibration at 55mph that I just can't seem to find", when the whole time, it's the rear u-joint that's running at a constant 45 degree angle.

Today's task: call the wheel company

 

Very cool project and great looking work! I hope you end up using that Nomad bumper, I think it suits the truck really well. By adjustable bump stops, do you mean air bump stops like what they run on desert trucks and rock crawlers? I'll definitely be keeping an eye on this build.

Ryan

 

Yeah, that's kinda what I'm thinking. I'm looking for a way to have it safe at ride height in case of a bag failure and still be able to air it all the way out and lay it on the ground when I'm parked. The 55-59 trucks have rockers that are lower than the frame rails, so there's no such thing as "laying frame" (I hate that term).

I'll start looking at the air bump stops and trying to figure out a way to tie them into the air system. It would be cool to make them work automatically in relation to either the pressure or the height of the bag.

I've even thought about screw motors, but I'm unsure if they can handle the possibility of being bottomed out by a 4000lb vehicle.

maybe I'm over-thinking this whole thing.......

 

My eyes fell out when I saw the welds in the rear.

He welds like a Robot? I would think yes.

This is pretty darn good looking.

Nice truck.

 

man those welds look crazy!!!! good job

 

that is going to be 1 nice truck. keep us posted with pics. thanks

 

I love it. I like them low. Those welds are fantastic. I suspect the whole truck will be when done. Keep us posted.
Later,
****

 

Hell yeah, gives me great inspiration for my 55'. keep up the great work, and i look forward to seeing more!

 

Looking very nice!

 

Same think with the Nomad bumper, use it.

If you don't use it let me know and I'll buy it for my 55'!

Keep the pictures comming.

 

Some nice fab work, I like the work on the front end as well...It all works without screaming "Im from another car"...Are those lower link bars set on edge so they look like diamonds from the end?

 

Great looking truck. I vote yes on using the front bumper.

 

Great looking fab work. I'll be following along on this one too.

Thanks for sharing, really great to "see" how you progress with it.

 

Had a real busy holiday season, and actually got a lot of stuff done around the house. I even had a chance to get some time in yesterday on the truck. After we finished the suspension, the truck has sat in the garage while I pondered how I was going to install the bed. All of the suspension components have taken up the places where the original bed mounts used to be. I finally got tired of contemplating and fired up the cutoff wheel. I made a bet to myself that by yesterday evening, the bed would be in position. This is only temporary until I can design the permanent mounts, but not seeing the bed on the truck was killing me. The weather ****s here right now (30 degrees and snowing, and I live in the high desert of California!) and it finally stopped so I could roll the truck outside for some pictures. Here's some shots:







Thanks to everybody for the nice compliments. They motivate more than you'll ever know.

Cshabang- Yes, the lower links were turned on their edges in a diamond shape because I wanted to go with something that looked different. Most everybody runs their links in the standard square shape, and I'm a goofball.

 

wow that's cool. front bumper looks great can't wait to see it done......

 

i wish i could run mine low like that but im in utah and the roads here arent worth a damn.pot hole hell.im affraid i would rip the body right off the frame in a hole around here.i like the fab work on that bumper and the suspension.great looking truck.

 

Well, the package I have waited a long time for finally showed up on my doorstep. I saved for a long time and sold a few parts to finally get them. They are freaking stunning. I'm like a kid at Christmas.





ET Fuelers, 16X12 with a 5.0" backspace. I will be mounting the tires on Saturday, and I'll post pictures when I get 'em bolted up.

Now I'm going to look through my parts pile to see what I can sell so I can buy the fronts!

 

flat & low ,on the lower links, is that @ 2" sq. tubing? if so what ga. to support the the bag set up ? sure does look cool !! i like your idea for giving a smoother ride !!

 

looks good!..sent you a pm...

 

PM replied!

 

*****in truck, what engine you putting in it ?

 

Yeah Baby!!!

 

LOOKING GOOD!!! wish i could air bag my truck