Patina56 build aka the never ending story

[Patina56]

Warning! Long post!

This is a build that starts way back in 2005 when I picked up a very nice original paint 56 short bed.
I had wanted a tri 5 truck since I was around 14 back in the 80’s and a neighbor in so cal was the king of Camaro clips. I got to see some of the cool trucks he worked on and it put them in my mental radar.
Fast forward 20 years and I’m cruising Craigslist one day and I see an interesting project truck listed for $3500 and looks like a pretty good deal but, as I was in the middle of a 54 bel air build I wasn’t actively looking.
I keep seeing it sitting there not selling! After several weeks I see it now for just $1500! Can’t pass this up so made the trip out and it was even better in person, 56 big window last on the road in ‘75 must have spent most of its life in a garage as the rust is very minimal. It was an abandoned project with some mid 90’s mods including a Gibbons torsion bar front clip, Lincoln Versailles rear with ladder bars. Also included a low mileage ‘87 z28 tuneport 350 and 700r4.
Deal done I loaded it up and took it home.
1st time around was total junkyard build; early van column eBay headers and a Jegs fuel cell. Got it to run and drive and then basically life happens and it sat for a while.
Next incarnation was a little more money on new stuff and then life happened some more and it sat…this time for more that 10 years.
So now we are up to 2020 and the desire Is back.
I realize that I need to start from the ground up as the torsion bar front was not going to be good enough, I wanted bags and it just made sense to go m2, found a bare chassis and made some plans.
But,
As I do I’m cruising marketplace and come across a full custom air ride chassis for sale. Mind starts turning and math is being done and I convince myself that this is the way to go.
I get the chassis which turns out to be a Rydman ranch ‘65 c10 based chassis that had been modified to just 102’ wheels base. I contact Spencer Rydman and have him fab up some extensions to get me out to 115’ then the fun begin
too be continued…

Attached photos from way back when I first started with the low budget build