just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

hello all, im new to this...let me first start by telling you a little about myslef....my name is Luciano ( luke) im 26 years old and im currently a student at universal technical institute....i am double phasing which means class from 630am til 830pm monday to friday, its alot to put on one's plate but coming in July i will become a father so it is all worth the trouble to graduate early...so now, enough about me....lets get to the juicy subject lol....i just picked up a 55 first series 3100...its in rough shape no boubt but none the less i believe it was an offer i could not let go by. i bought this truck for 300 dollars and a motor lift ( total value of maybe 450)...i have a couple pictures of what im working with and im wondering what some of the more experienced guys on here have to offer me for advice... any help will be greatly appreciated...now, the nose is all there, but it is in the bed...i have no clue how to put this thing back together or if i even should yet...there is alot of rust, the floor in the cab is practically gone but the original motor, transmission, driveline and radiator came with the purchase. where should i start????

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Start by posting pics!!!!

Welcome! !! Nice to see another ma guy on the forum. :)

Looking forward to seeing some pics for sure.

Brian
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Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

lol thats the problem...i loaded a profile picture, so that should be available if you go directly into my profile but when i enter user CP there is no PICTURES AND ALBUMS to click on...would you happen to know of any website i can visit for step by step instructions on how to put thie nose back together??

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Get a factory assembly manual. You can get one from http://www.fillingstation.com or other classic truck parts suppliers.

All the sheet metal is available if you want to spend a bundle on rust restoration or you could get a used cab from the southwest or a brand new cab with new doors hung for about $7 grand.

BTW to load pictures here first resize (fewer pixels) them for the internet then upload them.
Click on Go Advanced and a upload box will appear use it to chose your pic's from your desktop.

I just looked at your profile Pic and you have a 55 first series Advanced Design, you might want to make your pic your avatar so people don't think you have a second series Task Force.

Have fun with your build ! :)

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

thank you...the picture advice wont help because i dont have an option to even have pictures, thats what i was trying to say before...i can even create an album. as far as the service manual advice...now that was helpful but since this truck is basically a 54 should i buy the 47 - 54 or just go with the 55 - 59 service book

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

also...while looking deeper into the fillinf station website...the manual covers i found, 55 to 59 have a second series model on the cover and 47 to 54 looks exactly like my frame

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

1955 was a transition year. Early 55 are AD (Advanced Design) trucks. Late 55 are TF (Task Force) trucks. Both are usually titled as 1955 year model.

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Order the 47-53 assembly manuel and if your building it close to stock get the shop manuel also.

BTW they might even have an owners manuel also.

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Hey quit teasing us, where are the pics????

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

haha...well i now have a profile picture of the 6 cylinder and my avatar is the truck with fenders and hood on it before i bought it...im working on setting up a photobucket account since i was told that is the only way to create an album:waah:

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Here is a site that is helpful.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

I was just gonna say that, http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Welcome to this site. Photobucket is your best choice for photos. I use it for posting to multiple sites.
Use the [img] link to post here. You can use other links for emailing pics.
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Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

thank you guys...i actually just printed out over 100 pages worth of specs :metal: and since im on my one hour break here at universal technical institute is was at no cost to me :devil: haha so this weekend i plan to start sanding down the nose pieces and getting them ready for paint. anyone know if those rust inhibitors/ neutralizer cans that you buy act as a primer as well or if i should still add a layer of primer? i plan on taking a trip to lowes saturday to get some material so i might as well get it all at once

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

ill make sure i take plenty of pictures and set up that photobucket

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

I thought you HAD to have a photobucket or similar account, but I recently learned you can also click on the paper clip on the menu bar when you are composing a post here and post the pic right on the message you are composing.

Oh yeah BTW very nice truck. I have always liked the 54-55 1st series the best. Gotta love that grill. The flat top bed sides are desirable to. I would like to put a bed cover on mine someday and your bed is soooo much easier to deal with in that respect.

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Yes, that is correct, and that is the easiest way to include pics at the bottom of your post. Note you must select "Post Reply" or select "Go Advanced" at the bottom of the "Post Quick Reply" box at the bottom of this page to get to where you will be able to post pics. But I agree that is the easiest, most convenient method.

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

yes that would be true if i had the original bed...the bed i have is actually from a 70's chevy

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Luke, you ask "where should I start?"

To be really brutally honest, given you are double shifting on the study and have a baby due shorty, I would focus on your studies and keeping your wife/partner happy and start on the truck after graduation.

She will be much happier once you have graduated, and then you can avoid some of the hassles that those of us who learned the above stuff from experience got into.

Cheers
Todd

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Luke, I will second that last comment. If mama ain't happy...nobody is happy!

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

she actually doesnt mind...she would rather me stay home on the weekends and fix this up than go out and blow my money on stupid things like a bar or something...during the week i focus on school and on the weekends is where i plan on putting a good 2-3 hours into the truck...and when that starts to piss me off ill just grab my gun and head to the woods to blow off some rounds :)

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Sounds like you have a keeper there!

Start with the end in mind. Figure what you want the truck to be like when its finished, and what you are going to use it for. Super low may not work on rough roads and stuff like that.

Look at heaps of pikkys and articles till you have the theme and the look that YOU are happy with. You are doing the truck for you, not to impress people you dont really know. So if you want 20 inch rims, go for it, likewise if you want 15 inch chromies and whitewalls, go for it.

My experience is that its WAY WAY cheaper to do it once the way you want it, than to redo it two or three times to get what you really want

Good luck with it all

Cheers
Todd

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

so today i decided to start sanding working on my build, didnt really get much done but i did sand down and apply rust inhibitor on the grill

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

as you can see from my profile picture is was white with rust everywhere lol

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Sounds good to me, that's the way my wife feels about my truck too.

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

lol they are a very rare breed arent they?? only find one in a million haha

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

so i just sanded down and sprayed inhibitor on the hood...next is the fenders and inner wells...its going slow but slowly progressing

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

can anyone believe the weather we are having in mass?? its gorgeous out!! i hope it holds throughout the weekend as well, im hoping to have both fenders done and put the nose back together by sunday

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

weather is looking good!

progress is going to happen on my end too for sure!

keep chippin away

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

oh i plan on it...and im coming out of the double phasing and going back to just morning classes...damb government wanted to take 2500 dollars from my loans for trying to graduate early...low blow if you ask me, you would think they would be happy to see someone using government money the right way and applying themselves...so i should have plenty of progress now...also, anyone know how i can go about replacing the floor in the cab? its rotted pretty bad...i see people on here using the bottom half of s-10

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

so i finally have the nose done...slowly getting there...but as any great project, it may take a year to finish since ill be putting it together slowly...

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

here i have the nose all buttoned up :metal: looking better already lol now i have to the nose back off again and the cab as well and begin all the prep on the frame

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

lookin good man!!!

what are you using for rust inhibitor?

Brian

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Since money is tight I've just been buying rustolean spray cans it's the rust restorer...I was told it would do, I'm not going to make the truck pop in a flawless original way...I'm going to stay flat black, white wall the wheels and Paint the rims red :devil: to me that's a perfect hot rod...i want her to have her own soul and story if you can imagine what i mean...one day I'll build a nice v8 to throw in it with a good rear end. I was told ford9 inch...what would you suggest?
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Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

I heard of a product called extense in a can that goes on clear but as it eats it turns black and dries.

I need to find something due to some start rust wanting to come thru primer.

Loooking good. My build is also gonna be a driver and nothing for best of show. Just remember, once a driver you can always pick at it to make it better as you go!.

Keep up the good work.

Brian
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Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

if you end up finder that product let me know where you got it and how well it works if you dont mind...oh and any suggestions on a floor i can cut out of a later model and use on my cab?? the whole floor is rotted out

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

and at $8000 for a new cab:waah: ill stick to salvaging what i can

Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

Thats mostly a flat floor right?

Go to local sheet metal place and get a sheet of 14 gauge steel.

A cut off wheel or snips and go to town.
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Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

I thought about that too lol just didn't know if I could pull it off myself, figured if I found a cab with the same bolt pattern I can just weld it on
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Re: just bought a 55 chevy 3100 ( first series)
 

you can always order the replacement floor panels