Kenny's project truck

[*Kenny]

Hey guys, name is Kenny and I'm from South Dakota. Been lurking the site for a while and finding a lot of good information. This kind of work is totally new to me so bare with my slow progress and lack of knowledge. I picked up a 1950 3600 a few months ago. After looking and reading around I sort of have a plan:

-s10 frame
-2/3 drop kit
-most likely ls 5.3
-keep the patina


That's the basics and I'm sure I'll change my mind a few times.

Here are some pictures when I first picked it up.








So much rat poop was under the seat I had to literally chisel and scrape it.

Then shortly after I got the donor s10



Stripped it down to the bare frame and prepped it for paint, primed and just put a first coat on it. Used a brush so I can easily do touch ups after I weld mounts and such on it.




Then started stripping the '50 down.






And that's how it sits now. The company I work for relocated about 5 hours away from where I used to live and have this shop at so progress has slowed down. Hopefully I will be able to find a shop where I live now and get crackin' more on this project. Until then it gives me time to save money and search for parts.

-If anyone is around South Dakota and needs a 3/4 ton frame/engine/transmission let me know.

[low54panel]

Very cool project, welcome to the board. are you going to leave the spolight on it? Are you shortening the bed? I would guess so by the s10 you purchased. Just remember slow progress is better than no progress.

[*Kenny]

Originally Posted by low54panel

Very cool project, welcome to the board. are you going to leave the spolight on it? Are you shortening the bed? I would guess so by the s10 you purchased. Just remember slow progress is better than no progress.

Thanks, yes I plan on leaving the spotlight I think its a cool little touch. I'm actually in the hunt for a short bed, this bed is pretty rough but if it comes down to it I'll just shorten it.

[oldman3]

*Kenny, welcome to the site, looks like a nice project, will hang around and watch...Jim

[fabguy]

Welcome to te board, looks to be a real nice project.

[vince921]

Welcome ! Can't wait to see what ya do with it ! Great start!

[*Kenny]

Originally Posted by oldman3

*Kenny, welcome to the site, looks like a nice project, will hang around and watch...Jim

Originally Posted by fabguy

Welcome to te board, looks to be a real nice project.

Originally Posted by vince921

Welcome ! Can't wait to see what ya do with it ! Great start!

Thanks guys, it will be slow but I'll keep you up to date! Found another truck I might have to scoop up...

[*Kenny]

While I was on the search for some parts I stumbled across another whole truck for sale. It had all the parts I needed and more... It is a 5 window and judging from the pictures it seems to be in pretty darn good condition. I called the guy up and did some talking and ended up mailing him a check for a deposit. Won't be able to pick it up until the weather warms up and it thaws from the ground, but here it is.

'49

[ChuckDriver]

Cool project, hope you can get back to work on it soon!

[Daze57]

welcome from sin city !!!! good lookin projects

we;ll be waitin for updates .

[low54panel]

Funny how that works looking for parts and end up with a whole other truck. Doin that with my panel truck, was just lookin for parts and somehow I have 3 and a suburban sitting here now.

[*Kenny]

Thanks guys! Plan on ordering drop spindles soon, are they all basically the same and you just pay more for brand name? or are there some to stay away from, like ebay ones?

[low54panel]

Watch craigslist theres usually always someone selling a good set for under 100 bucks, I have belltechs but I used the blazer ones so I could have the bigger front brakes and 2 piston calipers

[*Kenny]

Not much of an update, but I did pick up a Fulton visor for a good price. Missing the chrome trim piece on the top and a couple pieces of the center mount but hopefully can find some parts to make it work.




Also found a guy with a 4x4 blazer rear end with disk brakes so I'll try to pick that up and order drop spindles this week.

[SCHRUMGMC]

I'd kill(Not literally) to have one of them trucks, I just don't understand what possesses people to swap for an S10 Frame...I shudder when I hear it happening but, people have different tastes and thankfully I don't have it..Nice looking truck man !!!

[*Kenny]

Been gone a while. Been busy buying a house and doing house work. Going to slowly start working on the truck again and hopefully this winter get a lot done on it.

Searched around my area for a LS engine and ended up picking up a 99 LS1 from a local junkyard.


Getting acquainted with the truck.


Comparing it to my last project... yes it's a Honda hah


Also picked up a Ford Explorer rearend from the same junkyard. 3.73 gears and limited sleep.


And after searching so long and finally biting the bullet on the LS1 exactly 1 week later I found one pop up locally on craigslist with 4l60e transmission for cheaper than I paid for the last one so I had to snag it also.


So now I have 2 LS1's and the auto tranny. I am going to look them over and choose one 2 keep and sell the other. I'll use the tranny to mock up and figure out my trans tunnel but then sell it and look for a t56.


So far the plan is not to buy an EZ chassis swap kit and painless engine/cab harness. I know it is all more money but I just want to get it done and enjoy it.

[Advanced Design]

Nice finds on the engines. Nothing wrong with using kits...these builds take a long time. Tagging along for the rest!

[*Kenny]

Yah I meant *plan is (now) to buy....

[T Hilde]

Looks good Kenny, where in the land of amazing faces and amazing places are you? My son is in Parkston.

[*Kenny]

Originally Posted by T Hilde

Looks good Kenny, where in the land of amazing faces and amazing places are you? My son is in Parkston.

Thank T Hilde, I am west of him in Rapid City.

[*Kenny]

Here is a little update on the truck. Going pretty slowly but at least it's some progress.

Cut the front frame horns off:




Cleaned up the front half of the frame:


Sprayed it flat black:


Collection of parts I had:


Installed 2" drop spindles with new upper and lower control arms, tie rods, ball joints.


Mocking up the chassis swap kit from E-Z Chassis swaps.




Cab mounted to the frame.


Installing the front end:


Front end installed. Still need to cut some out of the radiator support to drop the front a little more for the hood to fit with the grill/fenders.


Couple pieces I picked up.


Got the rear end sandblasted. Now need to have someone pull the axles and drill them to Chevy pattern.


Cleaned up the ls1. I think just to be safe, and so I have something really reliable, I am going to have a stock rebuild done on this.


That's it for now. Next steps are to cut down the long box into a short box and mock that up, get the rear end pulled apart and re-drilled, get the engine rebuilt, and find a t56 transmission.

[aknovaman]

Why would,you rebuild a ls1 when they last well over 200k and don't leak or burn any oil?

[*Kenny]

Originally Posted by aknovaman

Why would,you rebuild a ls1 when they last well over 200k and don't leak or burn any oil?

The condition it was in when I bought it looked like it had 200k+ miles or a really hard life. The heads were full of sludge/carbon. Cleaned it up the best I could and rather than putting it all together and having a problem and taking it out again would rather be safe than sorry and have it rebuilt.

[84blaze]

Awesome. Will be following along.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

Greetings from Sioux Falls, SD Kenny I will watch this build for sure!