my 57' build

[Anderson 57']

well, ive been around reading for about two years and ive read a lot of threads... my truck was my dads and it had sat for 30-35 years. he passed a couple years ago. any ways im only 13 and a few months ago I got my stepdad to help me get it out... it has a 327 in it from a 60s era corvette. ill post some pics later. they are all on my phone and im on my pc.

[alaska gasser]

Welcome from the north and congrats on getting the truck. Pic's are a must when you can. There's lots of info here so jump in and enjoy the fun.

[Anderson 57']

ask and you shall receive! posting right now.

[Anderson 57']

heres when we were pulling it and ill post more in a bit. my grandma had her ford help out!

[Kim57]

Welcome.
Sorry for your loss.
Great to see someone as young as you getting into the old iron.
Good luck with the build.
Kim

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by Kim57

Welcome.
Sorry for your loss.
Great to see someone as young as you getting into the old iron.
Good luck with the build.
Kim

thanks kim, ive read through your build once or twice but I prefer the stock look! ive always loved old cars . and to think that I have my own project is amazing!

here she is after I took the front sheet metal off.

I also got a 235 with a 4 speed Muncie transmission out of a 59 school bus! the motors being rebuild and im gonna wire wheel the transmission and give it a shot of black to make it shine

[Kodiaks53]

Looking good, It'll all come together. Just keep chipping away at it. Welcome to the forum.

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by Kodiaks53

Looking good, It'll all come together. Just keep chipping away at it. Welcome to the forum.

thanks not much has been done for a few days but today I want to remove the old exhaust.

[ptc]

Welcome! and like Kim said glad to see you young guys getting involved.... wish I had some more young guys around here that wanted to get involved, I would sure have some work for them to do....

Learning all the grunt work from the bottom up is where it all begins, looks like you have a good start on that. Good luck with your build and enjoy many years of 'building' to come your way.

p

[Advanced Design]

Welcome! Congratulations on your project. Very cool to have young folks interested and involved.

What are your plans?

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Welcome! Congratulations on your project. Very cool to have young folks interested and involved.

What are your plans?

Plans? Well I want it to be almost 100 percent stock except for the rims, i know thats weird for sombody like me. But its not cut up and its got a trucks stance! I still like the dropped ones. But nothin beats that classic stock look! Anyways itll be black with powder coated rally rims... Thats the plan! But knowing me i may want aliitle more shiny stuff!

[RockinKees]

Welcome!
You're the next generation Hot Rodder, even if you're building a stock looking truck

It looks like a great, solid truck!
Have fun building it and please, post many pics along the way!

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Welcome!
You're the next generation Hot Rodder, even if you're building a stock looking truck

It looks like a great, solid truck!
Have fun building it and please, post many pics along the way!

I plan on it! thanks for the welcoming everyone!

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by Anderson 57'

Plans? Well I want it to be almost 100 percent stock except for the rims, i know thats weird for sombody like me. But its not cut up and its got a trucks stance! I still like the dropped ones. But nothin beats that classic stock look! Anyways itll be black with powder coated rally rims... Thats the plan! But knowing me i may want aliitle more shiny stuff!

Getting it running and driving safely in stock form is a great plan! Have some fun with the truck.

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Getting it running and driving safely in stock form is a great plan! Have some fun with the truck.

Thanks i definatly will!

[Anderson 57']

Well I was thinking about the motor and trannsmision and realized I need mounts for the front... anybody have or know where I can get them. I've heard the v8 ones are different in length and I can't find the inline six ones anywhere?

[Anderson 57']

just an update... no pics but I found a steering column from a 57' for 20 bucks if we go pick it up and I found a guy who is trying to get me motor mounts.... also got the newer rigged heater out yesterday... now to finish up in the cab. so far ive done all this on my own and I thought it would be a little tougher but its coming along!

[Anderson 57']

UPDATE! I pulled the heater first of all... I also painted and put a lot of elbow grease into the horn button out of that bus! and finally I have a question, is that metal supposed to overlap like that? im not to sure on this any help would be appreciated.

[Advanced Design]

Nice progress Anderson! Hopefully one of the guys with way more knowledge than me on the 57 trucks will jump in with answers on your questions.
Hope you are having fun.

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Nice progress Anderson! Hopefully one of the guys with way more knowledge than me on the 57 trucks will jump in with answers on your questions.
Hope you are having fun.

thanks and its definatly cool to get to mess around with it after school and when I can get a ride! and after alittle thinking I realized the horn button is the first refurbished peace

[Coupeguy2001]

Welcome to the forum, and as a 57 chevy truck owner, i welcome you in a big way. The 57 is a one year only trimmed truck with it's distinctive grille and wind splits on the hood. It is the only year of TF trucks with the V on the door to signify the v8 engine.
If I might give you a little information for your build:
Ya know,
It already has an engine, fuel lines, exhaust, motor mounts, transmission, bellhousing, starter, and all the pieces to make the V8 run. They just need fixing.
You might think of using the 327 since it is already part of a non running, but viable assembly. Being a corvette engine, depending on the crank, it might be valuable and make your truck unique and worth more.....I noticed the water pump and alternator. The water pump is 69 or 70, and the alternator brackets are year specific. you might go on the internet and see if you can find the year car it came out of by the engine number stamped into the block right in front of the right cylinder head behind the alternator. If it is 69 and later, it would have a large journal crank, and use 350 bearings. That also would make it more valuable, and if you need a crank if anything is wrong with it, you could always use a crank out of a 70's 307. The stroke is the same, but the 307 crank wouldn't be forged.

You might find that the cost of putting the 6 back in might outweigh the cost of getting the 327 engine running and driving.
you have both, and cost sometimes is the driving factor.

What i would do, is turn over the 327, see if it is not locked, and if it turns, i would do a compression test, and if all the cylinders are around 145 or higher, I would fire that sucker up and put the radiator back on it and see what you have. I wouldn't drive it around a lot that way, but just driving it puts the hope and enthusiasm back in your brain. It will be inspiring. Just change the oil and fix the brakes first. you can hold the doors closed with bungee cords if you don't have the door hardware. If you are missing some things, there are people here on the forum that have parts to sell if you need them.

Something to think about is that they made over 40 million Chevy V8's and probably 500,000 235's for that era.
My truck was a V8 from the factory, and it's never been powered by anything other than a small block chevy.
it has had a 265, 283, 327, and two 350's. They all fit and when you blow up an engine from doing burnouts, there are more engines just laying around.

There are more parts available for the chevy V8 at a lower cost than 6 cyl. parts because the parts can be manufactured in large quantities and therefore it holds down production costs. That in turn means that parts are cheaper to you as well.

In 1962, Chevy redesigned the 6 cylinder engines, and came out with the 194 and 292 engines, and that ended the run of the early 6cyl. production.

The Truck also might be worth more with a V8, although totally stock trucks in perfectly restored condition bring higher prices with the right amount of factory options than hot rods.
That means that you shouldn't drive it much after it's finished to help hold it's value. If you want to drive it, then drive it. It's your truck.

Stock is neat, but it always helps to have a little more horsepower to get up hills and pull that trailer you might buy to tow your next project home with.
Just a thought:
If you want to hop up the 6, look up Clifford engines. They are the gurus of the 6 cyl. chevy engines. They have kits and parts to make that old 6 get up and fly.
If you change the steering column, you have to jack the truck up in the front pretty high. It comes out the bottom, and is pretty long.

If you want rally wheels, you will have to change axles, or have them redrilled, because your wheels are 6 lug, and rally wheels are 5 lug.
Good luck with your project!

[59chev]

Something to remember as well is these trucks could come with a V8 as an option. In a 57 that would have been a 283 I believe. Externally a 283 and an early 327 look identical.

Check out my build thread. I bought my truck at 17 and restored it pretty much back to stock. After driving it for a couple of years I really found the performance of the 6 cylinder matched with the original transmission and rear end quite lacking. I tore it all back apart and will be installing a 327 in place of the 6 cylinder.

Personally if it was me, I would look into what the 327 needs to get running. The 327 was only around from 63-69 and if it is actually from a Corvette it is quite a desirable engine.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
If you're talking about the metal on the floor that looks straight from the factory to me.
Kim

[ptc]

I too am building a '57 - I just like the "one-year design" of it all I guess. Altough mine is not going to be a stock or near stock restoration, most of my body changes are going to be pretty subtle, but sitting on top of a completely custom chassis..... I think the least subtle thing will be STUFFING 22" wide tires under the rear STOCK-width fenders....

But at least they will be 'stock' -

I dont want a hacked up racer truck - I want something that is going to be a platform to go and show and be fun. There are alot of these trucks still out there and if you want yours to stand out from the crowd, then it has to have some WOW factor about it someplace. People notice 'detail'. If you do things good and right, it will be noticed. So my best advice to you would be that whatever you decide to go with, just detail it out the best you possibly can.

You got lots of time, so do it good and do it right.

[Anderson 57']

Originally Posted by ptc

I too am building a '57 - I just like the "one-year design" of it all I guess. Altough mine is not going to be a stock or near stock restoration, most of my body changes are going to be pretty subtle, but sitting on top of a completely custom chassis..... I think the least subtle thing will be STUFFING 22" wide tires under the rear STOCK-width fenders....

But at least they will be 'stock' -

I dont want a hacked up racer truck - I want something that is going to be a platform to go and show and be fun. There are alot of these trucks still out there and if you want yours to stand out from the crowd, then it has to have some WOW factor about it someplace. People notice 'detail'. If you do things good and right, it will be noticed. So my best advice to you would be that whatever you decide to go with, just detail it out the best you possibly can.

You got lots of time, so do it good and do it right.

yup im in no rush but I would like to have it done within 3 years or at least drivable hey if it works it works... ill check out your build...

Originally Posted by Kim57

Looks good.
If you're talking about the metal on the floor that looks straight from the factory to me.
Kim

thanks kim I was hoping somebody would say that! I just wanted to make sure... it will be coverd by floor matts

Originally Posted by 59chev

Something to remember as well is these trucks could come with a V8 as an option. In a 57 that would have been a 283 I believe. Externally a 283 and an early 327 look identical.

Check out my build thread. I bought my truck at 17 and restored it pretty much back to stock. After driving it for a couple of years I really found the performance of the 6 cylinder matched with the original transmission and rear end quite lacking. I tore it all back apart and will be installing a 327 in place of the 6 cylinder.

Personally if it was me, I would look into what the 327 needs to get running. The 327 was only around from 63-69 and if it is actually from a Corvette it is quite a desirable engine.

I read through your a couple months ago your truck is pretty cool and I have thought about keeping the engine in, and saving the 235 for another project but I have also thought vise versa...

Originally Posted by Coupeguy2001

Welcome to the forum, and as a 57 chevy truck owner, i welcome you in a big way. The 57 is a one year only trimmed truck with it's distinctive grille and wind splits on the hood. It is the only year of TF trucks with the V on the door to signify the v8 engine.
If I might give you a little information for your build:
Ya know,
It already has an engine, fuel lines, exhaust, motor mounts, transmission, bellhousing, starter, and all the pieces to make the V8 run. They just need fixing.
You might think of using the 327 since it is already part of a non running, but viable assembly. Being a corvette engine, depending on the crank, it might be valuable and make your truck unique and worth more.....I noticed the water pump and alternator. The water pump is 69 or 70, and the alternator brackets are year specific. you might go on the internet and see if you can find the year car it came out of by the engine number stamped into the block right in front of the right cylinder head behind the alternator. If it is 69 and later, it would have a large journal crank, and use 350 bearings. That also would make it more valuable, and if you need a crank if anything is wrong with it, you could always use a crank out of a 70's 307. The stroke is the same, but the 307 crank wouldn't be forged.

You might find that the cost of putting the 6 back in might outweigh the cost of getting the 327 engine running and driving.
you have both, and cost sometimes is the driving factor.

What i would do, is turn over the 327, see if it is not locked, and if it turns, i would do a compression test, and if all the cylinders are around 145 or higher, I would fire that sucker up and put the radiator back on it and see what you have. I wouldn't drive it around a lot that way, but just driving it puts the hope and enthusiasm back in your brain. It will be inspiring. Just change the oil and fix the brakes first. you can hold the doors closed with bungee cords if you don't have the door hardware. If you are missing some things, there are people here on the forum that have parts to sell if you need them.

Something to think about is that they made over 40 million Chevy V8's and probably 500,000 235's for that era.
My truck was a V8 from the factory, and it's never been powered by anything other than a small block chevy.
it has had a 265, 283, 327, and two 350's. They all fit and when you blow up an engine from doing burnouts, there are more engines just laying around.

There are more parts available for the chevy V8 at a lower cost than 6 cyl. parts because the parts can be manufactured in large quantities and therefore it holds down production costs. That in turn means that parts are cheaper to you as well.

In 1962, Chevy redesigned the 6 cylinder engines, and came out with the 194 and 292 engines, and that ended the run of the early 6cyl. production.

The Truck also might be worth more with a V8, although totally stock trucks in perfectly restored condition bring higher prices with the right amount of factory options than hot rods.
That means that you shouldn't drive it much after it's finished to help hold it's value. If you want to drive it, then drive it. It's your truck.

Stock is neat, but it always helps to have a little more horsepower to get up hills and pull that trailer you might buy to tow your next project home with.
Just a thought:
If you want to hop up the 6, look up Clifford engines. They are the gurus of the 6 cyl. chevy engines. They have kits and parts to make that old 6 get up and fly.
If you change the steering column, you have to jack the truck up in the front pretty high. It comes out the bottom, and is pretty long.

If you want rally wheels, you will have to change axles, or have them redrilled, because your wheels are 6 lug, and rally wheels are 5 lug.
Good luck with your project!

thanks! im definatly gonna do some thinking between the engines and weather or not to keep the v8 in... I may end up finding another truck that's 4x4 and throw the v8 in it... but like I said ive got time and also do you have a build thread? the axles I have I think I will just stay with... I may stay with stock rims too.