Jay's 54 6.0/4l80 C4 IFS/IRS

[jevonniespapi]

This thread has been long and coming for quite some time now. I remember being on here back 2003, lurkin over all the great builds. I have spent over 6 years overseas in the last 10 years, as I serve in the US Army, thus delaying my build.
This is my 1954 Chevy truck. My grandfather bought this truck back in the 60’s from his neighbor. After many years of service, she was parked in the 80’s. My dad was gifted the truck during his high school days, to which the truck was given a set of chrome steel wheels, and a poorly done paint job. At an attempt of keeping the truck original, and uncut, a boom box was placed in the center of the bench seat, with wooden cased speakers hot glued to either side of the top of the back rest… wish I took a pic of that!
My dad gave the truck to me conveniently while I was serving in South Korea, yet we always knew and called the truck mine. She hadn’t actually run since 1992, to where she received most of the abuse. All the glass had cracked, or had been vandalized. Everything started to rust (we wont elaborate about this). Of course I couldn’t get the truck moved, even after I left 2.5 years later. I moved to Washington DC. If you know anything about that place, you know that I did not have the ability to get the truck there. My parents began to put the pressure on me.
After a tour in Iraq and another in Korea, I finally came to Texas. Wow, what a great place. I had to pull another shift in Iraq before getting the truck tailored from Central California to Central Texas. Funny thing was, I did this on my mid tour leave from Iraq. I flew into Phoenix AZ, picked up my Silverado, drove the 14 hours, bought a trailer, and drove back to AZ. The truck/trailer/truck combo was parked at my father-in-law’s brother’s ranch for yet another 5 months, before making the trip to Texas!
Upon my return to the states, needless to say, I had A LOT OF ENERGY to get started on this truck.
The plan used to be to keep her original. It seems that too my parents, the only that ANYTHING is of any money value, is if its all original. This matters very little to me. I do not want to restore this truck, only to have it sit in the garage due to its impractical performance.
The plan is to have a truck perform as well as look good. 6.0L/4L80, C4 IRS/IFS, hopefully some great body mods, but we will see, as I’m learning pretty much everything as I go.




This is her right after I unloaded the trailer, I was off to get a donar truck for motor/trans.