Quote:
Originally Posted by MrTucker
It's all a personal choice. I'm doing a stock restoration on my '53, for a couple different reasons. First off, I just like old trucks. If I wanted something that had sporty suspension, gobbs of power, single finger easy steering, and stop on a dime brakes - I'm not going to get a stock truck. Second, this truck has been in the family since it was brand new, and I want to honor that by returning the truck to it's former glory - to bring back some memories for the family. Third - this is a pretty damn rare truck, a factory original Hydramatic in a '53 GMC - I've only seen 5 of them (there were a million made in '54).
There's nothing wrong with "customizing" an old truck, but I prefer to see something other than a typical AD truck with an IFS, 4link, 350 sbc, turbo 350/400/700R4, mexican blanket seat covered truck with a 9" Ford rear end and an 18"/20" staggered wheel pattern.
Grab any issue of Classic Trucks magazine and that's exactly what you'll see almost cookie cutter, if you ask me. Again, there's nothing wrong with that, but it seems "custom" has become anything but original. Every once in a while you'll see a chopped top, an S10 chassis, a flat black or copper paint job, with air ride suspension. It's getting boring as hell, IMHO...
How many on here are rocking a stock truck? Or even running a 6 cyl?
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Right on, I fully agree.
When I find a driver, I'm going to update the mastercylinder, ad an alarm system, some sort of radio, cruise control, and maybe someother things, all without drilling a new hole, or cutting something up. In other words it all can be taken out and made stock again. How many trucks are done like that? It will not be riding on the snubbers either, I'd rather blocks between the axles and springs than that. As far as power steering on the older trucks, I remember my mom driving dads 59 GMC once, and she was not muscle bound at all, she had no problem steering it. But then again dad never had a car or truck with an automatic or powersteering when I was a kid. I drove all kinds of trucks and cars in the old days with no fancy options like power steering power brakes and that. Gosh I remember enjoying driving then. Well I guess its the nice higher speed limits on the roads, and way less traffic too back then.