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

[Old57]

Originally Posted by LCA1971

Looking great. You're going to have a bulletproof drivetrain for sure!

Thanks, that is my plan... I'll be working this truck.

[Old57]

A little more progress this weekend. I have a very nice passenger door, but the driver door was rusted in the bottom. Now the door is fixed on the inner bottom, and cut out and ready to fit the lower skin. Also started fitting and aligning the door gaps.

[ChuckDriver]

Cool project! Metal work looks great too!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Cool project! Metal work looks great too!

Thanks!

[OutlawDrifter]

Cool build!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Cool build!

Thanks! Slow progress is still progress!

[Old57]

Another step forward this weekend... My friend got the cab sanded and prepped, then sprayed the liner inside and on the firewall. We'll pick it up off the dolly and spray the liner on the bottom, hopefully this week. I really like how it turned out, and with the rust repaired, epoxy primer sprayed on, and then the bed liner sprayed on, it should last a really long time and be very durable.

[Old57]

Another one close up

[Russell Ashley]

Cool build. This is going to be a nice truck.

[jjzepplin]

I'm in!

[ChuckDriver]

Nice texture on the liner, what brand did you use!

[Old57]

Thanks guys. The bed liner is called Liner Extreeme. Its a 2 part mix, plus crushed rubber mixed in. I really like the look and texture of it.

[Old57]

I'm nowhere close to paint yet, but I go through a lot of colors in my mind trying to get ideas for down the line. I saw these pictures and its something I haven't thought of before. I kind of like the subtle look. I looked up color charts, and in 57 there was a color like this called Granite Gray. Does anyone have anymore pictures showing something similar? I'm not sure this is what I'll go with, but I think it would have the look I'm going for. I'll be painting or powder coating my bumpers, grill, and headlight surrounds white, so I think this will look good with that.

[joedoh]

purty!

I think the color you seek was recently released by PPG, kindigit did a 55 bel air in a color they called "putty" and everyone lost their mind for it so PPG was said to have added it.

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

purty!

I think the color you seek was recently released by PPG, kindigit did a 55 bel air in a color they called "putty" and everyone lost their mind for it so PPG was said to have added it.

Thanks! Yes, that color is growing on me.

[Old57]

I went to my friend's garage the other day and we tilted the cab on it's back and removed the dolly, sitting it on a stand. Last night, he got the bottom side prepped and sprayed in the bed liner. I'll go get the cab and bring it home this weekend, then I can get it mounted to the frame.

I shouldn't have to worry about rust in the lower half of the cab anymore.

[ChuckDriver]

Clean!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Clean!

Thanks! It feels good to finally be ready for the cab to go on the chassis.

[OutlawDrifter]

Very cool!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Very cool!

Thanks! Its not everyones preference, but its what I wanted

[joedoh]

super great, it was a great weekend in kansas to be working on trucks!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

super great, it was a great weekend in kansas to be working on trucks!

Man, it was a perfect fall weather for "shop stuff"! Your truck is coming along good... much faster than mine! I wish I had more time to work on my own stuff.

[rusty76]

Awesome truck I’m following.

[Old57]

I had time to work on my front fenders today. I'm using the driver side 57 GMC fender that was on the truck, but the passenger side GMC fender was in bad shape and not worth fixing, so I found a 55-56 Chevy passenger side fender a long time ago to use, which I'm changing to a 55-56 Chevy front clip anyway. I knew this 55-56 fender would need to be re-repaired from poor previous work.

My GMC driver side fender had rust in the headlight eyebrow and rear lower bottom. It also had the holes for the GMC mustache trim, which had been cut out a lot bigger for some reason. The other issue to fix is the grill mount notch that 57 fenders have. I got all of the areas in the driver side fender marked, cut out, and prepped for repairs. I used a new repair piece for the eyebrow, and made a patch for the rear bottom. I used a wrecked donor fender for the other pieces, and also welded in the GMC emblem holes. So the end result is a 57 GMC fender converted to a 55-56 Chevy fender, and now rust free.

After that, I used a wire cup on a grinder to remove all the body filler and inspect what needs done on the 55-56 passenger side fender. It will need a little work in the eyebrow area, and needs the poor quality bottom patch redone, and a new lower inner brace to replace the hacked up one in there now. I'll be able to re-use the previous lower rear patch, just cutting it out where some one lap-welded it so I can properly butt-weld it together and fit it right... and not need 1/4" think body filler then!

So after I get this passenger fender fixed, I'll have a rust free truck... finally! Then I can take all 4 fenders, inner fenders, hood, core support, and doors to get media blasted and sprayed in primer. I'll get the bed blasted and sprayed in primer sometime after that. I still need to come up with a good 73-87 long bed floor to weld into my 57 long bed, which will also have the bed cross rails to mount directly on this K20 frame.

[Old57]

A few more pics