Projects 51 Chevy P/U Daily Driver Build Thread

Wow!!! Decisions, decisions, which one to take to the Mooneyes Xmas Show......

 

FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lots-o-hard work = Lots-o-fun. Glad for ya!!

 

Looks Great!!!

 

Looks great !!!Eric wish we clean trucks up here like that to start with..

 

This is such a great looking truck! You did a fantastic job rebuilding that! Really makes me wanna rush into my Garage, clear out everything and start tearing into my 1950 AD Panel...
Congrats.

Klaus

 

Thanx man, Get going on bring yours back to life!

I know your right on my heals for your completion!

Hah...It will help me keep the shiney gloss black chev clean...especially if we keep getting showered on at sat breakfast buddy...the 51 will make alot of those mornings!

Thanx! I had to push all summer and do nothing but work on it while I had time before I started working. If not it would have takin forever!!

 

Thanx Phill, its almost time for a little striping Im thinking!!

Rick, I think I have that covered....buddies will be intown from Maine and AZ, Im thinking the 54 will be there along with the 51 loaded with the bed full of chairs, beer coolers and shade tent!

Thanx Vin!

Im from New England originally so I know very well how nice it was to start with a nice truck!


A big thanks to all you others for all the great compliments, hopefully it was interesting to follow and inspiring for those AD truckers!

 

how the hell did i miss this??? its beautiful yo!

 

looks GREAT! the color is awesome.. looks like it just rolled out from the factory!

 

Hah, not sure but thanx brotha! you going to Motorama? if so ill catch u there!

 

Eric,

I've been following this build with great interest. You have some fantastic ideas that look great for reasonable cost. Thanks for documenting it for us.

I have a few questions for you if you don't mind.

It sounds like you reversed the eyes on the front springs but kept all the leafs. Did you re-arch the mains when you reversed them? You mention some massaging to get the reversed eyes to fit. Can you tell me what you did?

You mention reworked pitman arm and steering arms from Nostalgia Sid's. Were they modified for clearance for the drop, or was it just for updated tie rod ends?

Congrats on a beautiful truck. I'm amazed at how fast and how well it came together.

JP

 

Thanks JP! I actually bought a set of reversed eye main leafs only from The Truck Shop in Orange. They sell them sepperately, I did have to relieve the front of the rear spring mounts. The reason is the stock eyes roll off the bottom towards the front of truck and there is plenty of room for them to pivit when the spring flexes. The reversed eye obviously rolles off the top and hits the pocket before you can even get the bolt thru the eye. You also have to give it enough room for flex upward too!

When you order a axle from Sid he offers you the option of him installing the king pins, spindles etc. He also will send you (with yours in trade and a fee for reworking them) reworked steering arms that are adjusted for the drop and a pitman arm to go with it. You get a new tie rod and drag link that accepts older style Ford ball joints.

Let me know if I can help anymore, thanx again!

 

Some more pics!

She finally got to go into the garage for some work after spending the last 4-5 months outside in the back yard.








Gotta love the 50s!!

 

With all that bitchin iron layed out in the driveway , all the guys in the neighborhood must be really envious .

 

Super lil' truck- but hey man, that gone-ass tudor is stealing the limelight some..

 

Love both those rides, great combo.....Jim

 

VERY jealous right now! What a great looking driveway! Nice car, nice truck and nice bikes, what more could you ask for

 

Thanx fellas, Years of collecting and building (no kids! hah) Im glad you all are digging it...cant wait to get the bugs worked out and start to use it! As for the other toys...theyve gotten no use this year due to the 51 build!

So Dan (1oldtimer) came by tonight and helped me thru the electrical bugs! Its good to have smart friends to make you feel not so smart!! The 6volt bulbs in the tail lights were a good reason they stopped working (in my 12vlt system). The gauge power was grounding on back side of panel and if you actually put a fuse in the spot made for one in the older GM light switch you get power where needed!

Thanx again buddy!

 

Next post will be you driving down pch right ? .

 

Eric dropped by my shop today on his maiden cruise in the '51, and I gotta say, it looks pretty damn good, and purrs like a kitten ! Ya done good my friend !

 

absolutley perfect.......love the fog lights....guess i'm gonna have to start lookin for a pair......whid

 

Any word on some video of this pig driving around. Cant wait for some footage

 

Been working alot and barely time to even spend time on the computer plus company intown the last few weeks...I finally have a weekend to myself to tinker on the truck a bit.
Updates are...Ive been bombin around town abit to make sure all is roadworthy. So far so good, Ill get some video and better pics up soon!

 

Looks great Eric!

 

Damn, I wish I could leave mine alone like that. That looks amazing!

 

nice truck

 

Wow! great build period. Never mind a back yard build. I wish I had half you motivation.

 

X2. He's got me pumped up now and wanting to tear mine apart. He made it look easy, knowing mine would sit blown apart for 2 years.

 

Glad to hear it man! I had free time durring the build, I worked almost everyday all day during the build. Now that im back working I cant even put a minute on it during the week. It would of taken forever if I was working so much like now, especially in the back yard

Thanx for all the props fellas, almost have all the bugs worked out!

 

I just found and read this thread and all I can say is, "WOW"!

By the way, I think you have ruined the term "daily driver build" for all mankind. I thought that was what mine would be, now I guess it will be a "ready for the junk pile build".