51' 3100 build in PA New to Site

[99 to Life]

Hi, been visiting this site for a while. New to building any vehicle. Learning alot about 47-54 specific chevy trucks. Love em, and also 60's c-10's. I am from Pittsburgh, will be working on this in Erie PA where I have access to all the essentials for customizing. Also going to do a 53' and will bag that. But the 51' is my baby in the making. I am a picture freak too. Keeping this looking vintage on the outside but under the hood, fenders, frame, inside etc will be crisp. Going to put this on an s-10 frame, lower it and use a 350 with manual trans.
Hope to meet some cool people on here, seems like I will.

[drivea55]

looks like a nice place to work on the truck, and also looks like a great project. keep the pics coming.
i dig the winter pics, it makes you want to hold up in that garage, fire up the wood stove and get grinding!....lol

welcome!

[c10addict]

Subscribed!

[99 to Life]

Thanks guys. Yes the winter is a must. I feel it not only resembles how much harder it is to deal with finding and getting an oldie but also what we have to deal with on the east coast. It is so hard to find good oldies that lived thier lives here because of this very weather. It is kind of ironic I think, it is the heart of winter and this ol' beast is hybernating just waiting to be build and steet seeking again. This truck was built in Kansas City in August 51 my goal is to have it on the road before then but having a christening for it in August 2010. I got original license plates for the years of all the trucks I want, so those will accompany themselves on the front and also some original never used PA inspection stickers that I am displaying inside the cab for the year of each truck.

I have some cool ideas on some custom stuff I am gonna do. But never the less, I want this to look it's age. I am not a big fan of new paint jobs. Also the original guages are a must. OG steering wheel. My pockets are short, but I will make the best of it. I been fortunate to find really good deals on on this stuff. I will post all the other parts from when I first started with this. Such as a slew of 48' parts that I got on black friday this year, that is where this all started. Going from the ground up. That will be the 53'. This was pretty much complete and in good shape, so I had to jump on it. Also I want all the metal to be original, no aftermarket stuff, I think that is just too easy (and expensive). I love to hunt for stuff, find it and go get it, it makes it that much more satisfying.

Anyway speaking of that. This day was so crazy. This is my friends place where the build will take place. This driveway is loooonnnnggg and curvy, I started the day, getting stuck at the bottom of it, (s-10 2wd) so we had to push the dolly up the hill and all around the curves (I had zero traction on my shoes). This is my friend Fye in the picture. But after that everything went good. Then we got back and had to snowblow and shovel (pitch black) about 2-3ft deep of snow and wide enough to get this truck through at about 40 yards in length. It was a PIA getting it in the barn, but here she sits.

stay tuned, sorry for the long typing. I will post pics at night and have a story in the mornings.

[foyth]

Anybody figured out how to install all new side window hardware and insulation so window doesn't rattle? I installed side windows after many banged up knuckles and figured out how to get window assy in and out but the after market insulation and so called rattle gaskets are a pain and don't work well. I got mine from LMC Truck Parts but haven't seen other catalog sales with better options. I also can't find source for interior trim molding for two pcs wind shield.

[daverod]

Seems like when I did mine they just glued in.

[tiny2085]

That truck looks solid ! nice find

[99 to Life]

Thanks, yeah the truck is solid which was a huge selling point for me. I am so anxious to get this going and to be street seeking. I am also going to do one from scratch but I will do this first since it is in better shape. I really am digging the 51' since it has vent windows and pull down door handles, it's the only model that has that. I got this for 1200 bucks. Up in NY came with extra rear fenders too, but no guages, kinda bumbed on that but still overall so happy with it.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Welcome to the board. We'll be watching your progress. Plenty of S-10 swaps either done or going on here.

tiny2085, where have you been? Two posts in almost 6 years? Military?

[Kabwe]

Welcome to the site, great people, great information, and knowledge what else can you ask for.

[99 to Life]

So here is the frame I should be getting soon, weather has been an issue. Not
sure of the year but this is a single cab long bed frame. Getting a real good deal on it, minus that telephone pole.

Here is an engine and cradle I picked up. This is 350 fully carb and yes the
valve covers are on it. Just been hunting for the essentials and have had some
luck with a brand new dist HEI, a used carb, maybe some donor manifolds just to get it running (not sure about the steering and manifolds quite yet) got water pump, should be getting starter next week. Building an engine stand and degreasing it this weekend, going to paint it up nice and crome it up with the rest. So next weekend I am hoping to get it running.

Maybe I'll post pics from my initial part searching. Thanks everyone and if you know off hand if I will have steering issues, let me know.

[tiny2085]

Originally Posted by 63 & 64 Bowties

Welcome to the board. We'll be watching your progress. Plenty of S-10 swaps either done or going on here.

tiny2085, where have you been? Two posts in almost 6 years? Military?

I joined back in the day because I loved to look at trucks, and finally about 6 yrs later finally got one, and totally forgot I was a member !

[99 to Life]

tiny, cool welcome back. Is that your 54'? I really am falling in love with those grille's. I just found a really good deal around here on the whole front end to one of those. But my money is so tight, I don't think I can jump on it. But anyway, I am glad you got a truck and that one. You don't see too many of those it seems.

I worked on my engine over the weekend, will post pics tonight. hopefully.

[xJoey Dubsx]

Welcome, can't wait to see progress!

[nickp51chevy]

This looks like it's going to be a great build. I'm going keep an eye on this one.

[Dan Bowles]

Cool. I'm digging the switch to the '54/55S1! I just got 2" Belltech for my son's '54. It already sits pretty low but lower isn't too bad. I'm not cutting coils or pulling leaves because I want the better ride.

Watch Craigslist, you never know what you'll find!

[99 to Life]

dan, well I am still doing the 51' first. the 55 1st series will be another project. It needs a lot of metal work done to the cab, corners, back bottom, kick panels and right below the hood latches on the fire wall. The rear floor boards etc. So that is going to be an emense amount of work, not to mention the fenders and all that. Here is a pic of what I got, I will upload more of the actual haul. I got corner glass,door glass and gauges.

Just got my s-10 frame last night. I will upload pics of that as well.

[Bullit68]

Hey 99 to Life, I'm in the Pgh area, saw this thread and have a couple questions. Sent you a PM. Looks like you have a good project started there! -Don

[1sik52]

subscribed

[99 to Life]

Ok, I know I am mixing up two builds here. I am still working on the 51' truck first (the first pics in thread).

So after getting this 55.1 cab and clip, I also finally picked up my s-10 frame. I put the cab on the frame and took it up north to work on it. Well as the pics show, cab was on there and snow wasn't too bad. Let me say, don't haul a frame with bald tires, a cab on it and connected to a tow dolly. Pulling it with a 2wd s-10 in a snow storm. Well that is what I did, took 2 hours to go the distance of one. Got stuck in my grams driveway. Next day got stuck again, had to have a friend help tow me out. Finally got it into his garage and it was a snow storm again. This snow has been KILLING my project. I had to move the cab up higher on the frame the second day because the frame was swirling so bad I almost wrecked.

We torched the ice and snow off it. Some work has begun, will post them pics next week.

[99 to Life]

MARCH 2ND.

Got another s-10 for a frame and also some other odds and ends off it.
Just picked this up today. got a tranny with it, I'll sell to get my money
back for this set up. Paid $150 for this.

Now I have two frames and a 55.1 and a 51' truck.

I need a 5 speed tranny for my 350 that will be in the 51'. An
aluminum radiator, exhaust and some odds and ends.

The 55.1needs a lot of metal work (front clip, cab) I need engine, tranny
etc for that. I want to bag that one.

[Dan Bowles]

You should haul that 55.1 to my house instead and haul back a NV3500 I've got in the barn...

[99 to Life]

55.1 cab is MINE! lol it needs a lot of work though.

Ok, question for all of you. I am going to be mocking up this weekend. I have a cab and front clip, rad support etc, but I will not have my bed and rear fenders with me. So does anyone have a good idea on how far back or forward they mounted their motor mounts if they used a 350? I have an engine block I am using for moch up purposes. From there I feel like I can place the cab, but I don't want to do all that work and realize the rear wheels won't center up with the fenders. I am using the s-10 long bed frame 118" Basically I want to get the front all lined up, but feel like I can't unless I have the bed and or specs of the rear wheel well on the bed. p.s I will be using a manual transmission, has anyone done this? If so are there any pre planning to do with that with moching up? cross member and drive shaft I assume. thanks

[99 to Life]

I just checked out some specs on the original frame and chassis blueprints
it looks like from the back of the cab to the center of the wheels is 39" But
the wheelbase is 2" shorter than the s-10, so the s-10 rear wheels will actually
set back 2" or 1" forward for the front axle and 1" in the rear? anyway I don't think the original specs will justify this, but it is good to know. The bed is about 78" long, inside.

[OrrieG]

If you take a look at some of the other AD S-10 build threads you will see how they adjusted the wheel base so things fit and center up. Everything starts at the front, get the front wheels centered which sets up the cab-hood-rad support. Then set the bed and adjust the rear. I think most relocate the rearend on the springs to center it in the rear fenders.