1954 Chevy 1/2 ton Truck Build

[Ricos54]

Hello I'm new here and wanted to share my build. This is my first build and have never really work on cars before. I've done some body work on a 40 Ford Coupe and some sheet metal on a 49 chevy truck I had. Both were done about 20 years ago, but that was the extent of any work I have ever done on cars. I'll be 49 in another month and about 6 months ago I decided I wanted to do a ground up restoration since I've always wanted to do one. It started with a friends 54 that had been sitting on a mountain for over 10 years just rotten away. I really didn't want a 54, I like the 47-53 models, but since I could pick it up for $200 I said why not!
August 10,2013 day I pick it up



One thing the truck was supposed to have was a 9" ford and IFS in the front. I brought the truck to my friends to start off with. When I got it to his house we took the body off the frame and discovered a freckin mess. It look like tweekers had the truck. There was a 9", but the IFS was this transverse torsion suspension that was the ugliest thing I've ever seen. It wasn't even put on straight. Let me show you

[Ricos54]

The first thing I did was cut off that IFS



Next I clean up the frame and got it ready for sand blasting




Since I was fond of the 5 window and still like the 47-53 front end and the bed I knew that's what I wanted it to look like. After seeing the windshield and seeing it was one piece and the dash was a little different I decided to keep the 54 cab look. So I put the entire body up for sale and start looking for the body I want

[Ricos54]

First I found a 54 5 window cab $400 and a bed for $100 about 100 miles away



The bed was a little rough the rear panel was bad, had no tailgate but for $100 good enough


Next I found a 1950 front clip and fenders for $200. Then I sand blasted everything

[Ricos54]

Then I primed and started the Mustang II

[Ricos54]

Thanks Bam, good to here from you

White dog, the cab wasn't that great all four corners needed work and the front fenders had the bondo nipples sticking out inside the fenders about a 100 of them so no telling what they did. Didn't like feeling that on the inside so I sold everything $500

[Ricos54]

Finally I can roll it, figured I would work on the rear end another time

Home at last


Now start working on the cab and all the problem it has
Don't me why, but I guess someone needed thrice pieces. Lol


Guess I could have replaced everything but This was supposed to be a budget project since it was my first.


Cowl panel was messed up so I replace it.

[Kabwe]

Hey Ricos54,

Welcome I'm BAM55 on the other site and I checked out your build there. I'm glad to see you here man. There is a great group of guys with a lot of knowledge and very willing to share, so enjoy man.

[whitedog76]

I'm jealous. Two solid cabs, not alot of $$.

I love that you're keeping the 54 cab. Don't like that you're dumping the front sheet metal. But that's me being picky. At least you'll gets some good cash out of that frontend to keep your project moving.

Boy, that frontend you cut off, scared me. All I can say is WTF!

BTW- you may have some issues lining up that '50 bed. The 54 and 55's have a different arch in the rear part of the frame. You'll probably have to make your own spacer blocks for the bed.

Keep up the good work!!

[Ricos54]

Originally Posted by Ricos54

Thanks Bam, good to here from you

White dog, the cab wasn't that great all four corners needed work and the front fenders had the bondo nipples sticking out inside the fenders about a 100 of them so no telling what they did. Didn't like feeling that on the inside so I sold everything $500

Originally Posted by whitedog76

I'm jealous. Two solid cabs, not alot of $$.

I love that you're keeping the 54 cab. Don't like that you're dumping the front sheet metal. But that's me being picky. At least you'll gets some good cash out of that frontend to keep your project moving.

Boy, that frontend you cut off, scared me. All I can say is WTF!

BTW- you may have some issues lining up that '50 bed. The 54 and 55's have a different arch in the rear part of the frame. You'll probably have to make your own spacer blocks for the bed.

Keep up the good work!!

I forgot to mention about the bed, all I have to do is get the blocks and also the splash guards between the bed and the running boards the 54 are shorter, So I just need to get the guards for the 47-53 and all will be good.

[Ricos54]

Well I've been busy working on my pride an joy. Decided since I'm going to put Vintage Air in I would get rid of the cowling vent.






Then I went and bought some 1950 doors to get rid of the wing window. The passenger fit pretty good




When I got to the drivers side I had a bit of a problem. The door would not line up right




No matter what I did the door fought me. I started open and closing it then I pick the door up and down and notice the hinges where moving and the cab didn't move with the door. I went over to the passenger side and when I picked up the door the cab went up. I realized there was a problem with the hinges. The door hinges should be tight and not move when picking the door up. In my opinion it's easier to test your hinges with the door on the cab because it helps the weight distribution when lifting the door to test the hinge. So, if you lift the door and the cab go's up then most likely the hinges are good, but if you lift the door and the cab doesn't really go up then the hinges are bad. You can actually see the hinges moving when lifting door if you watch them. This means the pins and spacers hold the hinge together are worn out. Don't try to use them because they can and will brake. I messed with my worn out hinges and this was the result.



After replacing my hinges with some other ones I had, I was good to go.



Then I went to a salvage yard in Sacramento, there's a place called recycle RD. There's every manufacture there. The road is about a mile long, I drove to every different place to look at seats that I liked. I ended up going to the Lexus yard and found in mint condition some 2009 IS 250 black leather seats, they were electric, heated an cooled. Paid $800 for them which I felt was a good deal since they were mint. The car just got there and wasn't even in a wreck. They said it was vandalized and they hadn't put it into the system yet.
Here they are still in the car



And here they are in my truck


Then I received my tailgate and my roll pan



Today I decided to do a little fabricating

[nuke1]

Nice project!!! And some amazing deals you have gotten. Unreal. Kinda jealous about them. Lol

[STOCKISH]

Man, you are killing this thing! Super work man, it is looking amazing.

[dmack91]

All I can say is that for someone without much experience, you are kicking it up several notches! Keep up the great work.

[Pop's C-10]

killer work sofar

[oldman3]

Nice job on everything, and seats look great...Jim

[Daze57]

great lookin seats! great work on your project !!

[youngrodder]

You are cranking right along. Nice work.

Marc

[STOCKISH]

So nice, keep at it.

[Ricos54]

Thank you to all of you for the kind words, I really do appreciate it. Looking at all your rides gives me the drive to try things I would never attempt, considering I have never done any of this. I just received my steering column assembly steering wheel and knuckles. Installed everything up and tomorrow I'll start building the seat mounts.

[oldman3]

Very nice parts, and everything looks great...Jim

[Ricos54]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Very nice parts, and everything looks great...Jim

Thank you Jim, working on my seat brackets today

[Ricos54]

Hello, haven't put any pictures up because I been putting most of them up on classic parts site. Called - Installing a C-Notch. Anyways, I have a little time today. Not going to put everything up but you will get the idea what's going on, plus I spent 8 months doing body work so that took a lot of time. It was my first time and half my truck just got painted and I'm pretty proud how it turned out.
In primer


Made a middle console

Mirrors

Wood floor

It's also a tilt bed floor

Then I stained the wood

[Ricos54]

Now the best part after 2 years of building this thing here is half the truck in paint

[oldman3]

Hey Rico, you've done some great work. Truck looks great in the new paint. Please continue to keep the group updated, would love to see it come together...Jim

[youngrodder]

Looking good....

Marc