Projects '57 chevy stepside build

Bought me a sorta rough non running but complete 57 chevy and a running 78 z28 its been a week of dis***embling decreasing pressure washing frames engines and ******s but its finally lined up clamped in and ready to be welded together.

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That's not welded in yet is it ? The reason I'm asking is because the jackstands to level the truck frame should be under the frame, that level is not level.
There is a really good thread on how to do this swap here on the HAMB.

 

Nope its not welded in yet. I put my other jack stands under the rear frame and mid frame to level the truck bed. Its level now. I followed the thread you're talking about im just leaving the motor and transmission so I know exactly what its going to look with the engine and ****** installed. Thanks

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Just make sure your two frame sections are both level then diagonally measure about a hundred times before you lock it in with a weld. After it's locked in, do it another hundred times before finish welding.
Your bed may not be level to the frame do to years of use and abuse.

 

cant go wrong with a 57 chevy I clipped mine very happy with the end result

 

nice project.

 

Thanks guys I got a few extra clamps its gna be a slow process but tomorrow im gna dial it in and make sure everything is level. Ill keep posting pictures. Thanks for all the tips and info I've been stressing about getting it perfect.

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Love the '57 Chevy trucks too! Looks like a great project!

 

Good luck with the truck! Looks like you've got a good start!!

 

Thanks a lot everyone just tacked it in today. Im gna move the body back and get some good welds all along the frames tomorrow. Then sand and paint. Also ill be pulling the camaro rear end to put in the rear of the truck. Im saving the wiring for last should be all sorts of fun! Finally after the past two weeks of blood sweat and beers and the help of my lil brother I can see it all together. Should be doin urnouts by nye. Ill post pics tomorrow.

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Looks Good...

 

Pulled the '57 out of the garage. Im gna pull the cab and truck bed tomorrow and finish up cleaner welds along the frame. I just pulled the camaro rear end found out the donor z28 had some monroe air shocks. After the rear end/ubolt flip is done I'm gna sand and paint the frame rear end and drive shaft then possibly c notch the frame.

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Just finished mocking up the front end trimmed the inner fenders put in the radiator support. Decreased and pressurewashed the rear end decreased it again. Gna pressurewash it again and paint it then install it tomorrow. Then pull the truck bed and cab.
Finding more patches if rust in the cab bottom corners.... not to happy about that.

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The '57 is back in the garage. Slow in down the build. I made a newbie mistake and jacked up the clip from the transmission tailhousing something is bent and is binding not allowing my starter to turn the engine over.

Sooo I'm getting a bonus here soon. Im thinking I'm gna put a used t56 in it.

Should have the '57 running in a month or so.
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So a few minutes if tinkering saved my transmission. Fired up the engine today. Just doing some dialing of the 750 double pumper holley. Had some flooding issues did some research and sounds like stuck floats. After running it one float is stuck now.

Tomorrow I'm gna tune the carb clean it up and hopefully run it longer.

Only things left to do to get the truck on the road is

Shorten drive shaft
Weld radiator support mounts
Install shift kit
Install switch panel
Rear ubolt flip kit
Wheel adapters
New tires
Truck bed kit
Few bolts for main pulley
Power steering pump alignment
Bolt up radiator
Speedo cable

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Just finished bolting up the front fenders together then bolted the radiator support to the new body mounts. Used an old bushing I had cut it in half and used as a cushion/ spacer between the body mount and radiator support. I just need to ship it a lil and line up the fenders and he should be done. Also im gna be welding the old bumper brackets to the camaro subframe. Should be tricky but ill figure it out.

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Also I moved the original bracket that holds the steering column about 5 inches. Im 6'4" so I needed the space to clear my knees. I also kept the camaro tilt steering cokumn and installed it.

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I saved the camaro brake ***embly and cut it down to size so it'll bolt up to the firewall and sit/hook just right around the steering column. I kept the brake booster and master cylinder. I am going to order new brake lines though.

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Here's the final look for today.

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Just made some brackets to hold the camaro radiator onto the trucks original radiator support. Welded everything together. Radiator fits great. Hooked up all the hoses. The original heater core I need to pull and have it flushed out there is alot of rust in it. Maybe buy a new one.

Just ordered a rear ubolt flip kit and a key and ignition switch should be here in a few days.

In the meantime I am going to finally install the brake ***embly booster and master cylinder. Next on the to-do list. So far I have a month and a half into the build im pretty happy w the progress.

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Boy you are a glutten for a lot of hard work....Best of luck to ya.

 

Yeah I get in the zone focused and get alot of work done.

Today just finished the prolonged brake system. Drilled some holes in the firewall. bolted up and ***embled the brake ***embly, booster, and master cylinder. Moved the steering closer to the driver an inch ***embled blinkers ***embly.

Tomorrow im going to be finishing up the cooling system
Water pump gaskets, byp*** the heater core, hose clamps and work on the carburetor.

Then its three days vacation w the gf in Huntington beach, CA. So im gna try to finish up as much as I can.

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Washed all of the moss and caked on dirt it had after sitting in a field for over 25 years. Final look for today.

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Got any pictures of the graft of the two frames ?

 

No I didnt get to take any pics of the welds they're the same as the thread here on the h.a.m.b. message board. I just used an arc welder. Stick welded prety y wide welds the whole length of the camaro clip.. I followed the same instructions from this forum. I just didnt have the swing to pick my engine and ****** so I installed it with the engine and ****** installed already. It was hard but I liked the fact that I knew exactly what it would look like when I mocked up the fenders.
I didnt want the look to change after I placed the engine and ****** in. There's a guy on youtube and on this message board that measured with additional inches to push the tire forward but once the engine was installed it was way too far forward.
Im really happy with the wheel placement its perfect to me.

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It looks good, just curious what part of the camaro stub you cut at. With the arch of the frame you can lower it pretty good by just where you cut it at, my old blue 58 is in that thread somewhere.

 

I didnt graft the frames I welded truck frame rails on top of the camaro subframe rails. Grafting the two frames required way more precise cutting and splicing of the two frames I kept it simple and grafting was by far out of my scope im a d.I.y.Er but I couldn't do that without a large error percentage at risk.

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I was stuck between keeping the patina/rust bucket look, bare metal finish or matte black. I decided on bare metal. So today consists of sanding all the old rust bondo and paint off w a wire bit on my grinder. Ill post pics in a few days after im completely done with it.

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Green suede would look cool on there with a quartet of cragars


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I agree green suede would look nice im far away from paint though.

Here's a few pics of what my bare metal/patina looks like. I still have to touch up the whole truck to get the metal to shine more but here's an idea.

Key and ignition just came in the mail. I went down ti AutoZone and bought me some heavier gauge wiring and connectors to wire up the starter ignition to the key. 10 guage I believe.
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