My 54 GMC Build
 

I am new to the group but have been reading for a while. I was on another group but it does not lend itself to thinking outside of original or stock. You guys are amazing builders with so many great ideas.
I started this thread in the wrong area. So if you see the same pics of the project this is it.
The idea is to take the coolness of the old truck and the modern ride feel of a newer model.Attachment 597901
First take the body off the frame and get rid of 60 year old technology

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

Attachment 597902
I stripped the cab down to bare metal and sprayed with epoxy primer. Not sure how long this project will take but I dont want to go back and resand surface rust

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This is the donnor chassis with a fender. every once in a while you need to visualize your direction.

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Attachment 597904
I bought the 93 Chevy extended cab for 700. running and driving.
The front had been wrecked but I figured I would strip everything and see what I could use. The truck is 142 inch wheel base. The GMC is a 116 inch wheel base. I figured on cutting the frame and boxing the area of the joint. what I found was a factory joint just behind the front wheels

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So I cut the weld

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Removed 26 inches

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using tiedown straps slid the frame sections back together.
Weld. Now I have the 116 wheel base

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I also cut 26 inches out of the exhaust and welded it back together

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Attachment 597912.This is my 54 Chevy. 500 bucks and spare parts. Fun to drive 327 and an automatic good times

Attachment 597913This is my 1950 Ford Woodie I built last year. Built from junk and spare parts

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the 41 Chevy dump truck in the back ground I am not sure what to do with.

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

Yesterday I shaved all the factory mounts off the cab section of the frame. The cab sits down real nice now. Monday I will setup the the rubber body insulators and then take the cab off for mods and rust repair

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That woodie is beautiful man. Progress sounds great! We love pics!

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I like that Woodie man, thats a great ride.

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

Thanks. Woodies are a crazy build. There is no bondo and everything you do shows. Mistakes are costly. I did all the work on that car. Wood, metal, paint, electrical, running gear and scraps of two cars and lots of friends with spare parts. Its a sickness because as soon as I finish the truck I am starting a 49 merc woodie.

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

Was it an original woodie or did you add the wood to a standard wagon? I am leaning toward a 50's Willys 4wd woodie for a project after the 64 Chevelle to kill two birds with one stone. Might do a BBEEP envoy type conversion. I have the wood working skills and enjoy working with wood.

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

This car is a factory Ford Woodie. The Envoy works great. I meet a guy recently who builds AD style Chevy Woodies. A Willys Woodie looks cool. The 41 Chevy dump truck that I have in my drive way I am leaning toward a wood body sitting on a 3500 4x4 chassis. That would be a lumber yard of wood that could climb through the forest. lol

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

Dude, I might have to swing by and learn a thing or two from you! :)

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This is way out there but why not use the 41 chassis, make woodie type doors and lower cab that transitions into a matching wood dump or flat bed? Or a woodie roadster look on big truck frame. Room for lots surf boards or rolling party shack? Too much caffine this morning I guess but could be fun...

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OrrieG way to much fun. Barbq on a woodie. Sounds like a party. lol
58Patch its a funny thing my builds. My friend in the buisness says I have blind luck.
He saw the woodie before I built it and said it was an impossible build with so much of the car missing and rusted. My current build he says "Your just to inexperienced to know that you cant build what your building". I say you can build anything, its your own mind and the expressions of others that get in the way.

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

How about an update with pics[ATTACH]Attachment 598960[/ATTACH]
these are the original body mounts recut to fit in there new location.
the bolt through the orinal bolt holes in the truck. the rear cab mounts i turned them 180 degrees and the bolt into an original bolt location.
For fun I started to fill all the unnecessary holes in the body. im using the late model gas tank with the fuel pump in the tank.Attachment 598958

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

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Cut the ruct out of the rear corners.
The frame is 3 inches wider so I had to remove the turn downs and move them out

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typical front corner rust cut out and patch

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The cab is back on. bolts throught the original holes. The rear of the cab uses the original 54 rear cab mounts drilled into the frame.
Fender fits good considering the wheels are 2 inches wider then stock.
NOW the problem.
Because of the engine, steering box, and frame the cab is sitting 1.5 inches forward of its correct location. Tuesday I will photgraph the before fender mod and then after. I have never liked the out of round look of the stock fender anyway. If you are going to use this chassis swap its better to go higher with the mounts and go for the 4x4 look. My truck is lower then stock and if i flip the rear axle I will be 5 inches lower

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Looks good, keep the pictures coming.

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todays plan was fix the fender gap. let me know what you thinkAttachment 605364

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Fenders look great. Nice progress!

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I have re installed the gas tank between the frame rails but not sure where to put the filler. Almost done with the wiring but am looking for a battery location. Maybe cut the top of the inner fender and recess the battery under the hood or maybe relocater inside the cab behind the seat

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great build

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This is one of my favorite builds on the whole forum! awesome work!!:metal::metal:

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Thanks for the props

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current progress. getting serious again now that car show season is slowing down

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Hey man, looks great so far. Any progress?

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working on the dash. tomorrow I will post pics of before and after. Im cutting out the ash tray and radio hole and raising them so that I can fit a modern radio. Im using the original heater. The donor heater was way to big. I was going to have to pull the dash out 3 inches with no glove box. The ac stuff was another huge hassle trying to get all those parts together from the junk yard. No cash for all that BS. The temps around hear are very mild no big deal. Almost all the wiring is done except for the radio. The antenna will be a hidden unit.

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Finished reworking the dash. sanded primed and painted the inside of the cab. Loving the color.

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Hey, there. I have been appreciating your posts. You are a "Can-Do" kind of guy, with great vision of what can be! You are inspiring me, I am just starting on a 49 Chevy truck woodie, and I am putting it on a S10 frame. You mentioned you had met a guy who is doing AD woodie bodies, can you give me contact info for him? I am a cabinetmaker, I see you are tiler. We both know the nitty-gritty of getting it right, "having a fit" is what I call it. I have restored two 46-48 Fords, and a complete re-wood for a 1939 Plymouth Westchester Wagon. Thanks for your reply! Bruce

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Well, it is now March, I posted the photo of the red 1949 Chevy truck woodie in November, my build is coming along. . . . disappointed that Docrock has dissappeared and wonder about his cool build. . . . Wonder who out there is also building an AD woody body!
Bruce Trueman 805-550-2151

Re: My 54 GMC Build
 

Been working on a Ford and Merc for a while. Started working on the truck again on saturday. The first problem I fixed was the radiator. The bottom hit the steering box and the fenders were not going down all the way. I cut and rolled the edge and slid the radiator up an inch, will post pics on monday. now the fenders are down where they are supposed to be. installed the gas tank between the frame rails. I am going to try to stay with this and finish it. I was looking at my pics on here, I really need to update this. Bruce, I have not seen the guy who was building AD woodies on envoy chassis he has disappeared.