Projects 1955 f100 new build // satan's chauffeurs

Bullet Nose, yes the Merced club uses the Planada plaques. Planada is only about 5 minutes down the road from Merced. If I remember correctly the club was started in the 60's in Planada and we are kind of informally reviving it. For a more accurate account of the story I'll ask Bennie (SapienKustom on the HAMB) to do a post to get the story right. Bennie's father was a founding member I believe or at least an original member and he always has cool stories about the old days.

 

By the way the picture of the plaque you posted looks killer! Right now we are just a fairly small group if guys that like to hang out and work on eachothers cars.

 

I know Dru has been busy with another project and that work stuff, so I will post some pics I took the other night, just to keep you interested.

 

i say steel. woodgriain painted steel

 

And a few more as it got kinda dark

 

And finally the rear comes down... next the front.

 

Lookin good

 

For now we just kinda faked the rear drop. We flipped the rear axle on top of the springs and removed the monster overload springs. We did this to get an idea of how much drop we could get just by flipping the rear axle and to see how much of a frame notch we would need as well. Well that and we just wanted to play with my truck lol... I'm happy to report the rear sat almost prefectly just with the flip and will require only a small C-notch. No giant Satan's Chauffeurs bridge notches needed on this one, oh well....... As for the front I'm not really sure what I'm going to do there yet.

 

I wanted to stay on the I-beam front end but by the time I get the dropped springs and dropped axle as well as getting the steering and brakes sorted out I'd be out almost as much money as I would if I went Mustang II or the like. I'm going to run a pretty tall front tire 'cus I like the look of a wheelwell that's full of tire. doing so meens that I'll need about six or seven inches of drop though. I was thinking about flipping the front axle like a few people here have done but I dont have to tools to make the spacer blocks needed to get the front axle to bolt up.

 

I know my dad used to work with a guy that bought a kit for his '55 Chevy truck that he said looked like a rear axle flip kit but it was designed for the front. Has anyone ever heard of such a thing? Well that's all for now. Hopefully I'll have some real progress shots for you all soon. Later, Roger

 

kool find! i`m also doing up a `55, just have to finish up my chop top,pie cut hood and the list never ends!!

 

Looks like you have a killer little truck there charger! I'm still up in the air about chopping mine. I chopped one a long time ago and I do feel it really improves the profile of the truck if you get rid of the reverse rake of the roof, but like you said one you get into the sheetmetal work it snowballs and I'd like to get this thing on the road as soon as possible. I'm thinking I might get it on the road and work the bugs out of it and then do the chop and other body mods next winter.

 

Yeah thats the same plaque we use. The original club started in Planada which is a few miles down the road from Merced. My dad is from that area and a few years ago he got an original plaque from one of the old members. He was never in the original club. There are still a couple of oldtimers around that were in the club back in the day that are happy to see the club revived. One guy said he still has one of the old jackets that he wants to show us.

By the way where did you find that picture?

 

Thanks for straighting that out Bennie, I coulden't remember all the facts. I think the picture that was posted was an exploded view of the one we took the other night when I was holding the plaque in the window of my truck and you were holding the light under it. Cool looking picture huh? I was thinking about using it for my avatar! Later, Roger

 

That pic is from goofin off at bennies one night....i shot it with my b/w camera that is down for the count. the damn film pulled out of the canister and i need a dark room to fix it (dont have one). Ive got some pics from the other night (without my BC showing) ill throw up here in the next day or so.

Been busy --

 

Times are Hard ,so this is my bed floor, Pressure treated 1x6 carriage bolts,total cost $52.00. Gonna hit it with wood life once it dries out.

 

Yeh it kinda ****s,mine would of been on the road by now,the roof just got to me and had to go! tried the front chop the rodster shop did on one of their trucks and it just didn`t work at all on mine,nothing lined up,so did the chop,now i`m radiusing the front top of the door,shaving the drip rails,filling the rear seam ect.here`s a recent pic.

 

I have a friend with a 55 f100 they are really nice looking trucks you cant go wrong with one they look good in stock trim or over the top good choice for a project.

 

Any new updates with the truck?

 

Sorry guys no updates right now, I've been bogged down with a customer car and a bunch of other "Life getting in the way" kind of stuff. Thanks for looking guys and stay tuned, as soon as the customer car is done we're going to hit this thing HARD! The plan for this truck is duty as my daily driver so i can get out of my boring late model Ranger so it should be a fun and simple build.

 

Been a few months. Any work on the truck?

 

that is such a cool picture. . . in my book.

 

If you wish to keep the 1950 suspension technology, particularly the front, you can get a reversed eye mono or dual flex springs with a 3 inch dropped straight axle for an overall drop of about 5 to 6 inches, maybe a little more.
then use a power sterring box out of a toyota.

but you get the infamous "bumpsteer" with this set up.

Cost wise, ifs is about the same or just slightly more than the straight axle set up, and with adjustable coilovers with power rack & pinion, you get a nice ride.

 

Sorry guys, I haven't been taking very good care of my thread. I've been really busy with a few customer cars so there still isn't a lot of big progress to report yet. I took a day for myself (Mental health day is what my girlfrined calls them) and plugged a bunch of holes in the firewall and a few in the upper cowl. 69f100, I love that picture, the original plan was to sell the green '72 to finance the build of the '55 but so far no bites on the 4x4 so I may just keep it. Well that and I friggin love that rusty old '72, it's my daily driver at the moment and it never lets me down! OneBad56, I was up in the air about what to do with the front suspension when I received a sign from the hot rod gods in the form of a pair of 3.5" drop and 1" forward front springs for $150. They were never installed on a truck and for the price well....that made the decision easy lol... I have an "A" body power steering box out of a car I built for my Uncle so I think I'm going to give the cross steering kit from Sac Vintage a try. When I have the cash I'll get the front axle dropped. All said and done the running boards should be about 5" off the deck in the front and 7" in the back! Stay tuned guys there will be more progress as soon as possible.

 

No customer cars this next week.....Rog should be able to get out and play for a day or two. Get ready for some updates. Rog if you take the pictures on your phone Ill help you get them on here so we can all see whats been happening.

 

Heres a update on sway bars. I ended up getting everything off of a 80"s Bronco 2. It was a perfect fit front and rear. Was almost spooky, how easy it went on. My cost was 25.00 not including new urethane bushings.

 

5" in the front and 7" in the back I thought you already had a 4x4.I kid,I kid.Those are good #'s on a daily

 

<<<<< Well Roger, I really want to see how this comes along. Oh I have a good speedo for one of these trucks. If you want to pay the shipping, you can have it.
I love driving mine. So hang in there. UGOTPK

 

i'd love to see pics of these bars and any pics of the install, i am considering the same on my 55 Dodge truck

 

Rog got some welding done on the firewall this week....and the motors out now. Stand by for pics