57 GMC shop truck
 

Well this going to be my second truck build. A few years ago i came across a super nice 58/59 short bed fleetside box with great patina which gave me the idea of building a second truck i could use every day. So this is going to be a low budget patina looking shop truck i can use anytime anywhere thru stuff in the back.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

After looking for a good cab for a while i came across this onse, 57 GMC in decent shape, it has the normal issues but very fixable.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

First thing is to find good doors. Gave a friend of mine a call that i knew had a few truck to see if he had decent doors. Got 3 doors that were pretty decent. The last two pictures shows the one i picked and mounted on my cab.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Just playing around the other day, mucking up pieces together to see what it will look like.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

nice start. That is a verry impressive and agresive front.
so long

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Killer project

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Deadly! Love the patina!

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

well not too much going on with the shop truck project, got to finish a few other things first. A few week ago i bought a couple of front fenders that look really good from 20 feet away but after a closer look i was amassed by the way the last guy did the bodywork repairs. The guy installed full patch panels over the rusty areas but never cut the old rusty part off, also why use the whole repair panel when probably only a portion of it was required at the time. Now because it was double lair for a while its rusting again but now much further. Any way here's some of the cleaning i did to save those fenders and the rusty bits i cut off.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

I have been looking for a while now for a short bed frame and see what followed me home today.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Looks like a fun project...

Marc

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

and a straight front bumper too?
nice

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Nice project .

BTW nice Chevy chassis. :-)

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

looks great!

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

She's starting to look like a real truck now.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Not too much going on the shop truck project but while taking a break on my daughter's car project I started mucking up the new rear end, I quite like the stance so far. Has you can see still got to work on the front end, right now the front axle is sitting right on the ground.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

nice.
are you planning IFS for the front?

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Yes for sure just not quite sure yet what I want to go with. I have C4 conversion kit on my 55 but would like this one to be a little bit more low budget.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Very nice looking project. I was looking for a big back window 57 GMC but settled for the 57 big back window chevy with a fleetside box. Will be following your build. Steve

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Not much is happening on the shop truck, still working on my daughter's 56 4dr ht. Couple weekends ago I spend a few days building the floor boards, came out pretty good.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Also install the visor.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

welders series has a "build your own" MII front suspension. located in Canada so better pricing than the USD conversion. lots of other stuff on their site as well.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Yes, I was thinking of that but still need to get control arm, spindles and rack.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Mucking up seats and steering column .

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

What vehicle are those seats out of?

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

You know what I don't quite remember, a friend of mine gave them to me a few years ago, I think they were out of a Gran Am.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

looks good. you gotta fit it to yourself. personally, it looks like my short guy arms would be fully extended to reaxh the steering wheel. if it fits you, then thats what counts.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Tilt steering and power seat, it'll fit you.😁👍

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Worked on adapting this old rear bumper i had kicking around. Also got the tail light working.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Well it's time to get back on the shop truck build. It's been a couple years since last time I worked on it.
Got an aftermarket left front fender a while back, has expected it needed work. It actually fits really well with the door and hood but the headlight bezel didn't fit at all. Had to reshape the inner part of the fender where the headlight bucket attached to.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Back working on the shop truck today. Rust repairs on the doors. Driver's door very minimum repair at the bottom corner. Passenger door different story, the bottom was fairly rusty so I'm putting a new inner lower repair panel. The lower hinge pocket had to be removed and reinstall to the new inner panel.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

nice work and thanks for showing the pics. that inner hinge panel is one of the common door problems as it can become unwelded from the door. a new hinge bracket is available but mostly they need to be reworked to look and fit like an original. it's good yours was in good shape. curious if it was also unwelded from the old part of the door.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

Actually that hinge bracket was in really good shape. Just a little bit of cracks around the first nut which was easy fix with the bracket off. I can see how those bracket welds breaking easy, the spot welds are very small. I was using a 3/16 drill bit and if you hit the spot weld right center it popped the weld right away. I got that door from a bigger truck (viking 60 I think) must have been low mileage that door was only rusted at the bottom from being on the ground for years.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

I find that generally most of the bigger trucks have less rust issues. maybe taller off the ground and also maybe not driven much in the winter. dry days getting crops in so not getting wet slop stuck to them, parked in a barn or quonset when not getting used or out in the grass where they seem to rust less anyway and for the doors possibly less use means less door opening and closing to rattle the insides around and less window up and downs so the glass gets a better weather seal?
dunno, good to see the inside though

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

More rust repair today on the 57 GMC shop truck. Passenger side lower door hinge pocket, quite rusty. Well they sure always look better until you really get into it. Will need the usual steps, cab corners and some floor work too. The good part I don't have to fix the upper windshield edge, it's in good shape.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

An other day more rust repairs. 😁

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

step, floor, and body mount is a big repair. she's guna be solid!

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

I know you have experience and a plan but maybe try a door for fit since thats a lot of sheet metal structure that was removed. it would be sad if the body tweaked a little and then your door fit suffers.
thanks for posting up your pics and work.

Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

I'm actually hoping they will fit better. 🤣

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Re: 57 GMC shop truck
 

I cross braced .y cab when I did my door pillars, firewall etc. No moving by accident then. My cab was pretty bad though. No floor or firewall at one point.