58 GMC Project

[OrangeMach]

Any pics of the painted cab yet?

[CAL 58 GMC]

Not yet OrangeMach. I take it in on Wednesday to have the floors and under the cab sand blasted. Then on Friday I will pick it up and take it about two blacks down the street were it will be in for paint. As soon as I get it back I will post some new pixs. Thanks for asking.

[CAL 58 GMC]

The cab is in for paint now I will have it back in 4 weeks, so they say. Here are some pixs of the C-notch I just put in. I am stripping down the rest of the frame to go in for powder coating. After that I can finaly start putting everything back together.

[ChargerBill]

Hey CAL 58, looks like a great project. My father left a '57 GMC big back window custom cab stepside V8 pick-up behind when he passed away a couple years ago. GMC's are like artichokes...you either love them or hate them. I personally think they have great personality and I hope to someday build the '57. Your crate motor is sweet! And it looks like the project is coming along well. The only thing I might say at the risk of irritating someone here: You should really not refer to the truck as a '58 even though that is how it is registered. It's hard to decide what to call a mixed year truck, some guys say right up front,"It's a 58 with a 55 front end" and others would just call it a '55. Personally, if the cab is the ONLY thing '58, I'd call it a '55. It will save you a lot of unecessary explanation and won't confuse anyone in the process. Just my .02¢...but I have been know to be wrong...at least 2 other times that I know of...LOL ;D

PS: Keep the pics coming!

[71chevylowrider]

Hey Cal, I'm glad you are tired of that ol orange truck & want to sell it to me, & now you need to focus on your new Love!

[CAL 58 GMC]

Originally Posted by 71chevylowrider

Hey Cal, I'm glad you are tired of that ol orange truck & want to sell it to me, & now you need to focus on your new Love!

Everything for sell at the right price

[tiggerstoy]

you have a great looking truck there, i'm just doing a customers cab at work at the same stadge as yours, but his is verry bad, it looked like you took your time in the build, and that allways makes for a great looking finish.....can't wate to see it with paint, LOVE the dash!

[flatbedchev]

Just a quick comment and question

The truck is BADASS from front to back bud, congrats on creating a rollin masterpiece

My question is, why did you switch from the 58 front end to the 55? We have a 58 GMC short fleet we will be tearing into this summer and will be keeping the 58 front end just for the cool factor. I too have thought about swapping, just because of the availability of parts. Just curious why you made the switch

[CAL 58 GMC]

Originally Posted by flatbedchev

Just a quick comment and question

The truck is BADASS from front to back bud, congrats on creating a rollin masterpiece

My question is, why did you switch from the 58 front end to the 55? We have a 58 GMC short fleet we will be tearing into this summer and will be keeping the 58 front end just for the cool factor. I too have thought about swapping, just because of the availability of parts. Just curious why you made the switch

Thanks Flatebedchevy! Brain is right, when I bought the truck it had the 55 Chevy clip on it already. I agree with 55chevyPU, I also like the 55-56 clip the best. Not to say 57, 58 & 59 are ugly, I just like the grill on the 55-56 better, it reminds me of the 55 Chevy car's grill witch is my favorite of the Tri-Five Chevy’s.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by CAL 58 GMC

Thanks Flatebedchevy! Brain is right, when I bought the truck it had the 55 Chevy clip on it already. I agree with 55chevyPU, I also like the 55-56 clip the best. Not to say 57, 58 & 59 are ugly, I just like the grill on the 55-56 better, it reminds me of the 55 Chevy car's grill witch is my favorite of the Tri-Five Chevy’s.

I also agree with 55-56 having nice grills. I thought about changing it to match my 55 Chevy car, but after going to many truck shows I decide to stay true to the 58 because everybody seems to have a 55-56 truck. So the double headlights are in my future. I use to think the 58-59 grill was super ugly but now I starting to see the light (4 of them). I must admit I like the 57 grill the best because its different (looks like a fish mouth to me) but I don't care for the 57 hood. Now a 57 grill with a 55-56 hood (love the smooth hood) thats a thought.

[Tri5Nerd]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

I also agree with 55-56 having nice grills. I thought about changing it to match my 55 Chevy car, but after going to many truck shows I decide to stay true to the 58 because everybody seems to have a 55-56 truck. So the double headlights are in my future. I use to think the 58-59 grill was super ugly but now I starting to see the light (4 of them). I must admit I like the 57 grill the best because its different (looks like a fish mouth to me) but I don't care for the 57 hood. Now a 57 grill with a 55-56 hood (love the smooth hood) thats a thought.

I have an Idea that I'm working on that might look good, let's say it's the 55 grill with parts of a mid to late 50s car grill. Once finished I'll post pictures.

Tri5

[CAL 58 GMC]

Thanks, ChargerBill. I am getting back the frame from the powder coater Friday. I will post pics. I understand what you are saying about the year and make. I gave it some thought and figured to go by the registration year. When it’s all done it will look like a 55 Chevy and not a 58 GMC with the exception of the dash. I know it might upset some GMC guys to turn this tuck into a Chevy, so to all of you GMC guys, sorry. But as I see it, I am saving an old truck from rusting away at the bone yard.

[Kabwe]

Cal 58. I have a 58 that I'm also gonna change to a 55. I have a 55 Chevy and I want them to be twins.lol My motto is its mine and I do with it what I want. If you like it cool if you don't keep your mouth shut.lol Thats what I do when I look at cars. You have a nice project there.

Go checkout mine at http://www.cardomain.com/id/mkabwe

You can take a look at my almost finished 55 Chevy 210 (finished really just minor stuff I want to do) and my basketcase of a 58 chevy truck.

[CAL 58 GMC]

Kabwe, I checked your pics out and love you 55 210. I always have loved the grill opening of the 55 chevys. That one reason I have a 55 chevy clip on the front of my truck, it reminds me of the 55 210. Your truck project looks like it's coming along well. I would like to see pics when your done.

[Kabwe]

Cal58GMC.

Thanks for the wonderful comments you made about my 55 210. I get a lot of thumbs up on that car and it feels great. Yeah the truck is coming a long, but since I have the 55 210 I'm not in a rush. I want this truck to be slamin and done as nice as I can do it. So the things I can't afford right now will have to wait until I can. I'm not settling for nothing. I have always been disappointed when I settle for something wishing I would have done it the way I really wanted to.

So I don't listen to my buddies anymore when they say things like "man you really like that" "why do you want to do that" etc.

After building a couple of cars and trucks I learned to I do what I want or I will never be happy with it.

I don't want a show truck but heck of a nice driver.

Plus after the money I put into the 55 210 my wife will kill me if I rush this project and spend all my money at once.lol

I will be sure to post pics when I do anything of note. But like I said I will take my time on this truck I want it to be really nice. Just as nice as I think my 55 210 is. But with the truck I'm going a little more bling bling. lol Because the parts are much cheaper than the 55 210. Man I don't even want to talk about it. My wife almost left me behind that car.lol

But everytime I pull it out of the garage there she is talking about " where we going"?

She loves it now that its finished. I think she really likes the attention we get in it.lol

[CAL 58 GMC]

Kabwe,

I have done the same thing, taking short cut our trying to save a buck and then end up not happy. I end up spending more time and money getting the way I should have done it in the first place or that one thing keeps sticking out like a sore thumb. And as for the wife thing, I hear you man!! Right now all my wife sees is all those parts and the money I have spent. I hope my wife will be like yours and fall in love my truck when I am done!

[ChargerBill]

CAL 58, the way I see it, you're saving an old truck. The sad truth is that GMC fenders and grille pieces are very difficult to find. By turning this into a '55 Chevy you're not doing anything wrong at all...in fact, you're helping the hobby. My main concern in calling it a '58 GMC is that someone who doesn't know any better is going to actually think it IS a '58 GMC. Maybe not somene here, but someone along the line somewhere, and to avoid the endless explanations you're going to have to endure it might be easier to call it a '55 up front. BTW: Did you know that you can grind a few welds and separate the dash from the cowl? You could then install a Chevy dash. I'm not sure how many swap meets you go to or junk yards you visit, but I see them every so often. In fact, if my father didn't throw it away, I may have one out behind the workshop....

[Jebb1978]

I agree with ChargerBill, maybe some day you will come across the front clip that belongs on it. If so it was ment to be if not, there is nothing wrong with fixing up an old truck with the parts you have for it. A 55 Chevy truck is a wonderful thing in itself. The progress looks awsome, keep the pics coming! My next project is my Dad's 59 GMC. He ran it for 15 years with no grille at all because he never came across the right one. I am not sure how I am going to deal with the lack of a grille but I will just be happy to join the 50's club you guys all ready belong to! Keep up the good work,

Shawn

[CAL 58 GMC]

ChargerBill & Jebb1978, I appreciate both of your thoughs on what make and year to call it. I really did give the matter alot of thought. The fact is it is a 58 GMC. Here's my reasoning. The title and VIN number is a 1958 GMC. If you think about it only the hood grill & fenders are a 55 Chevy, the rest of the truck is a 58 GMC. Yes, from the outside it looks like a 55 Chevy, but that's really not what it is. Another way I looked at it is if I was to list it for sale as a 55 Chevy, then I would be legally miss representing what the truck is. Jebb1978, with ALL DUE RESPECT to all of you GMC fan, I really don't what to put back the 58 GMC clip back on. Thanks again for you thoughs on my project and I hope you both keep checking out my progress, Dave.

[CAL 58 GMC]

The frame is just back from the powder coater. I just found out, the hard way that the Camaro clip up front is a 1980 and not a 1979 like the guy I bought it off of told me. I went to have the bushings pressed in is when we found one of them was to small. After a few phone call to Energy Suspension and researching some measurements we found out it was a 1980. The good news is I now know what year the clip is, bad news is now I have to send back the bushing set for the correct set. Heres a picture of the frame.

[Jebb1978]

Originally Posted by CAL 58 GMC

Jebb1978, with ALL DUE RESPECT to all of you GMC fan, I really don't what to put back the 58 GMC clip back on. Thanks again for you thoughs on my project and I hope you both keep checking out my progress, Dave.

I can certainly respect that, like I said a 55 Chevy is a wonderful thing in itself! You can rest assured that I will continue to follow as we have essentally the same project. I don't have the room to start mine yet but my plan is to do it the right way like you are. I have the Camaro front end on it and all. I have been watching your progress for some time and I find myself jonsing for some progress on mine. I bought a parts truck a while back for the front fenders, doors and took the entire bed too. I took my junk parts and the rest of the donor and loaded them up the same day to save the room. My truck has not yet even been reassembled. Since watching your thread, it is starting to make me sick to think of it sitting in pieces. I really wanted to wait until I was able to do the frame up but I am starting to rethink it. Watching your truck come together makes me want to at least respect mine enough to put it back together even if I am going to tear it back down in a few years. Not too many of us around with the same ol truck and simular plans, it's inspiring! Best of luck and the frame looks AWSOME!

Shawn

[Kabwe]

Hey man that is looking real good to me. I will be powder coating my frame also. By the way I kind of like your gauge/dash idea. I like it because its different . I'm really into being a little different but thats me.

Keep up the good work.

Mkabwe

[CAL 58 GMC]

Thanks Kabwe, The frame was powder coated a gun metal gray, you can't tell by the picture but it has a slight blue tint to it.

[CAL 58 GMC]

Thanks, Jebb1978 for fallowing my project! It's a pretty cool feeling to know guys like yourself are intrested in my project and it's an honor to share the prodject with all of you! Jebb, do you have any pics posted on your truck?

P.S. I don't blame you for wanting to get you truck back on the road agian, mine has been in my garage almost two years now.

[Jebb1978]

I will take some but as a prewarning it's not pretty.!!! She's all tore down! I may be able to find some old pics of it together??? I will look around!