57 GMC, frame swap, 4wd, 454 big block, 4 speed

[Old57]

I've been reading the forum for quite a while, and decided I should make a build thread for my truck. I got it from a farmer in Missouri about 1 1/2 years ago. I've been working on it since I brought it home, so I'll post pics and info in order to catch up the thread, then keep it up to date as time and money allows. These pics are when I picked it up. It was all original with the Pontiac 347, except it had utility sides on the bed, and a Dana 44 front axle, but wasnt converted to 4wd yet.

[Old57]

Tore down the truck right away. Sold the Pontiac 347 to my friend, sold the transmission to another friend, sold the stock frame and axles on Craigslist. Sold the utility sides to a welder for a trailer he was building for a portable work rig. I picked up a decent pair of stock fenders. The bed was rusty, so I sold it to a guy building a rat rod.

[Old57]

I picked up a really nice late 60s bed and sold the nice fenders and steps, so I can use my 55-59 fenders and steps. The truck was the medium long bed, but the new bed is the long long bed. I want the long bed to use it like a truck when I'm done.
Next, I bought a 73 K20 long bed, 454, SM465 transmission, 14 bolt rear, for the donor truck. Its exactly what I was looking for. It was rusty in the body, but I drove it home before tearing it apart. I sold some of the parts that I could, and scrapped the rest that I wasn't using.

[Old57]

Now I'm down to the chassis and drive train that I'm using. I took everything apart and got the frame ready to power wash. The engine was pretty clean inside from running on propane.

[Old57]

Next was to shorten the frame to the 124" wheelbase, then get it sandblasted. After it came back, I put epoxy primer on it.

[Old57]

I also had the axles blasted so I could go through them with new seals and bearings, etc, and get them primed and painted. I painted the frame in satin black tractor enamel. I replaced the rear spring hangers with new ones from LMC because the old ones were rusty. I also got the body mounts from EZ Chassis Swaps.

[hotrodelrod]

Nice work! Looking forward to watching your build.

[Old57]

I got all of my suspension lift and steering parts, extended brake lines, etc. from ORD and installed it all with the axles on the chassis. Then I disassembled the SM465 transmission and NP205 transfer case to inspect everything. I put them back together with new gaskets, seals and bearings, then painted them satin black. I had the local drive line shop shorten the rear drive shaft, and rebuild/balance both drive shafts and got them installed in the chassis.

[Old57]

I got my boy out in the shop and off the video games to teach him the ways of the big block chevy tear down. We got everything apart and ready to go to the machine shop. I had already taken my heads to the machine shop and they were ready when I took the rest of the motor there.

[Old57]

While waiting for the engine to get machined, I made a dolly to sit the cab on for rust repairs, and disassembled the rest of the cab and front clip.

[Old57]

The machine shop got done with everything, and balanced the rotating assembly, surfaced the flywheel, etc. I picked up a nice set of big block Michey Thompson valve covers and blasted them, painted them satin black, then sanded the raised parts back to aluminum. I really like how they turned out. I got the motor built and painted it satin black, then got it installed in the chassis.

[Old57]

I got a 88-98 Chevy seat to recover and use.

I took the cab and some of the front clip parts to get media blasted and shot in aircraft primer. I also picked up all of the cab repair panels from Bowtie Bits.

[Old57]

All along I kind of wanted the 55-56 front end on the truck. I came across a nice grill with the upper and lower bars, and a passenger door that is extremely nice, and a driver door in better shape than mine. So... I guess I'm going to be getting rid of the one year only, 57 GMC grill and core support stuff, and going with the Chevy now. I'll sell my doors and a decent 57 fender too, and track down a pair of 55-56 fenders. I already have the Chevy core support. It's what I really want, so it'll make me happier with the truck in the end.

[Old57]

Originally Posted by hotrodelrod

Nice work! Looking forward to watching your build.

Thanks, it'll be a slow build as time and money allows but I want to build it just how I want it and not cut corners. If I don't build it how I want to now, I'll never be happy with it in the end.

[joedoh]

welcome from another doodahian! that bed looks familiar, did you get that from a 93 year old guy named wayne?

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

welcome from another doodahian! that bed looks familiar, did you get that from a 93 year old guy named wayne?

HI! I got the bed from a young guy down south of Wellington.

[joedoh]

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

Wow, thats cool... small world. Was that you that I got it from?

[joedoh]

nope, you got it from wayne, at least that is waynes stash. he might have had another guy sell it for him though, he is 93 after all. I have bought a couple tons of stuff from wayne

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

nope, you got it from wayne, at least that is waynes stash. he might have had another guy sell it for him though, he is 93 after all. I have bought a couple tons of stuff from wayne

Ok, it was a younger guy that I got it from. He may have bought the truck from Wayne and sold the bed because he was changing it to a short bed. He said it was sitting on an AD truck. I wanted the long bed for how I plan to use the truck, so I was glad to get it. It's in nice shape.

[Old57]

I had a few hours to spare this afternoon, so I started on the dreaded rust repairs.

[joedoh]

rust repair is my least favorite thing in the world, good luck!

[Old57]

I got some more work done this weekend. Now the driver side of the cab is rust free except for a small patch in the toe board. I also filled in the gas filler hole. After I patch the toe board, I'll sand/blend all the weld seams, then I can move to the passenger side. It feels good to be making progress, and getting rid of the rust.

[Nut Case]

57 GMC

Your build looks fun, doing interesting stuff. I'll be following along.
You mentioned that you are looking to sell a 57 GMC front fender, which one? And the cost your looking to get?


Thanks

Nut Case

[Old57]

Originally Posted by Nut Case

57 GMC

Your build looks fun, doing interesting stuff. I'll be following along.
You mentioned that you are looking to sell a 57 GMC front fender, which one? And the cost your looking to get?


Thanks

Nut Case

Thanks, hopefully one of these years I'll be able to drive it! The fender is spoken for now. What I have left to get rid of is the GMC gauge panel, and the complete 57 GMC grill/trim/core support/ bumper/ emblems