My first Restoration...Where to start?

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

It helps me to make a list and tape it to the bathroom mirror and the dash of my daily driver. I put everything in an order of dissasembly and reassembly and focus on keeping each task SMALL AND OBTAINABLE. Example: Get truck on jack stands, presshure wash and lubricate rusty bolts. Pull box. Pull front clip. Pull interior items , mark locations and bag parts/bolts in freezer bags. Pull cab.. Each of those single jobs are obtainable in a short period of time. I cross off each one as I go and feel accomplishment. If I have time left over from one completed job, I start or even finish the next. It's a huge list, but keeping the tasks small keeps the goal in sight. taping it to the mirror gets me thinking of it for the day, taping it to the dash helps when running for parts etc. or working on a project on a lunch hour. Remeber, its just nuts and bolts.

I do the oppisite. No list no solid plan. I take everything apart and play it by ear. It always suprises me at how many parts I have left over!
Like pices of frame, wayward crossmembers, ECT.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

Wow! That looks like a lot of work. Just curious, but how much would think you'll spend? On both of my projects, I was going to try and keep the costs down, hahaha! I hate telling my husband, " honey, I need a couple thousand dollars---" then a few weeks later, I need more stuff, this goes on and on! These old trucks and old cars require a seemingly endless supply of funds: (
Dne'

Last night I was telling Gary that this will more than likely be my last project due to "ailments", he asked "why?", I was a little mixed up cause he says we need to slow down on our spending, and I feel he is pointing the finger at me, but then he comes home with a 1000 dollar 44 magnum! This is hurting my brain! Lol
Dne'
Posted via Mobile Device

Well If you shoot the 44 you may need another car to pick you up in the next county!

[Denee007]

I just shot that gun this evening at a local gun place, once was enough! I'll stick with my little Walther ppks!

Originally Posted by mknittle

Well If you shoot the 44 you may need another car to pick you up in the next county!

Posted via Mobile Device

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Denee007

I just shot that gun this evening at a local gun place, once was enough! I'll stick with my little Walther ppks!


Posted via Mobile Device

I havent shot mine for a long time

[blue 72 gmc 4x4]

You can first start by cutting that tree down thats growing out of the engine compartment!

[Chevette]

Don't listen to these guys! The first thing you have to do is get your wife used to the idea that:
(1) Your garage will be tied up for the next few years.
(2) She will need to purchase household cleaning products in volume.
(3) Dinner will be served in the garage.
(4) She must get used to telling the local power provider that "No, we are not running a grow-op. It's the welder and plasma cutter that are using all the electricity...........honest".

BTW: You must get used to hearing her say "get away from me you pig, you smell like a dirty old truck".

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by blue 72 gmc 4x4

You can first start by cutting that tree down thats growing out of the engine compartment!

HAHA!!!! Yeah that was the very first thing to go! It's been cut down and there is no longer any visible vines/brush/poison ivy on it!

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by Chevette

Don't listen to these guys! The first thing you have to do is get your wife used to the idea that:
(1) Your garage will be tied up for the next few years.
(2) She will need to purchase household cleaning products in volume.
(3) Dinner will be served in the garage.
(4) She must get used to telling the local power provider that "No, we are not running a grow-op. It's the welder and plasma cutter that are using all the electricity...........honest".

BTW: You must get used to hearing her say "get away from me you pig, you smell like a dirty old truck".

Actually, she is very excited about this project! She will be helping out when she can(she's a very busy girl)! But she's looking forward to it being complete because it was her Great Grandfather's!

[99monte]

I don't know what all the other guys are talking about,the FIRST thing you gonna need is a saw,cuz there ain't no way you can jack that truck up high enought to get it off that tree(first pic).

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by 99monte

I don't know what all the other guys are talking about,the FIRST thing you gonna need is a saw,cuz there ain't no way you can jack that truck up high enought to get it off that tree(first pic).

That tree is DEAD now...firewood!

[xpickup]

Originally Posted by Chevette

Don't listen to these guys! The first thing you have to do is get your wife used to the idea that:
(1) Your garage will be tied up for the next few years.
(2) She will need to purchase household cleaning products in volume.
(3) Dinner will be served in the garage.
(4) She must get used to telling the local power provider that "No, we are not running a grow-op. It's the welder and plasma cutter that are using all the electricity...........honest".

BTW: You must get used to hearing her say "get away from me you pig, you smell like a dirty old truck".

That is ALL SO TRUE! My wife says sometimes , boy the electric bill seems high, I have NO idea why. I have 4 major tools that are 220 1 phase and 1 220 3 phase. HAHA


alabama1949chevy, cool story and glad you are keeping it in the family. Should be a good project.


Shannon

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by xpickup

That is ALL SO TRUE! My wife says sometimes , boy the electric bill seems high, I have NO idea why. I have 4 major tools that are 220 1 phase and 1 220 3 phase. HAHA


alabama1949chevy, cool story and glad you are keeping it in the family. Should be a good project.


Shannon

I was worried that one of the other family members was going to want to have the truck but apparently nobody has time to deal with it...I'm pretty excited that I am the one who gets it!

[alabama1949chevy]

This is what the passenger side looked like when I found the truck! Yeah you can tell I was on a hunting trip...hence the rifle! HAHA

There were Vines growing up around it, the tree in the engine compartment...

[alabama1949chevy]

With a little bit of elbow grease I finally got the drivers side door open!

[Garys8]

My advice would be to run away, as fast as you can, RUN!

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by Garys8

My advice would be to run away, as fast as you can, RUN!

HAHA! Although nobody has told me that yet on this site, you are not the first person to tell me that! I've never one time backed down from a fight but i have the feeling this is going to be the toughest fight I've ever been in! But I'm up for the challenge!

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by mknittle

I do the oppisite. No list no solid plan. I take everything apart and play it by ear. It always suprises me at how many parts I have left over!

i used the mknittle method, i tore it down and scattered parts all over in boxes, bags and piles
i didn't write up a plan; the plan changed so much i would have been rewriting the plan 90% of the time.

this also might explain why it took me 8 yrs to get truk on the road

[alabama1949chevy]

This may be a stupid question but I'm gonna ask it anyway because if I don't I'll probably never know...

I plan on using an original 216 in my build, and I've been reading a lot that the top speed for these is around 45mph. Is there a way to modify the engine/tranny to increase the overall speed of the truck?

Fire away!

[Root2812]

The engine isn't really the problem. Yes the 216 won't be able to safely rev really high but its more of the fact that you have low gearing all the way back. Your options would be to swap the trans and rear end to a set up with better gearing and then you'd have a open drive shaft. The easyest way if you want to keep the stock stuff is to get a ring and pinion kit from Patricks. The change in rear end gearing will boost your overall speed by about 10-15 mph i think. Stovebolt.com has gearing calculators (or all over the web) where you can put in your final transmission gearing (1:1 for you), your tire size, desired rpm, and rear end gearing (stock is 4.10, patrick's kit is 3.55) and they tell you the speed you'd be going.

With that said I have all the stock everything including the 216 and I can run 55-60 but my tires are slightly taller than stock.

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by Root2812

The engine isn't really the problem. Yes the 216 won't be able to safely rev really high but its more of the fact that you have low gearing all the way back. Your options would be to swap the trans and rear end to a set up with better gearing and then you'd have a open drive shaft. The easyest way if you want to keep the stock stuff is to get a ring and pinion kit from Patricks. The change in rear end gearing will boost your overall speed by about 10-15 mph i think. Stovebolt.com has gearing calculators (or all over the web) where you can put in your final transmission gearing (1:1 for you), your tire size, desired rpm, and rear end gearing (stock is 4.10, patrick's kit is 3.55) and they tell you the speed you'd be going.

With that said I have all the stock everything including the 216 and I can run 55-60 but my tires are slightly taller than stock.

Thanks Root! I'll take all of that into consideration, but I really want to stick to the stock. And if you have all stock stuff, and you are running 55-60, then I should be good. what size tires are you using?

[Root2812]

Originally Posted by alabama1949chevy

Thanks Root! I'll take all of that into consideration, but I really want to stick to the stock. And if you have all stock stuff, and you are running 55-60, then I should be good. what size tires are you using?

I have some 195/85/r16s on my truck that were taken off my uncles 07 3500 dually. They were free so I have them on for the time being but they are too tall and look kind of silly (also expencive new). Below is a pic of them on the truck. With these tires I can cruise at 55 but I don't hit 60 for long just because I am not comfortable pushing the engine to higher revs. I was going to use the Patricks kit until I decided I wanted to go to a more sporty suspension.

[Layedoutsonoma91]

Welcome to the forum. Good to see more AD's in Alabama. I got a 50 i am doing an s10 swap and v8. Got a 216 motor, trans and rolling chassis to go under that body if you decide to keep it stock. Im not gonna use any of it. I live toward Birmingham. Just let send me a pm if you are interested.

[alabama1949chevy]

Originally Posted by Layedoutsonoma91

Welcome to the forum. Good to see more AD's in Alabama. I got a 50 i am doing an s10 swap and v8. Got a 216 motor, trans and rolling chassis to go under that body if you decide to keep it stock. Im not gonna use any of it. I live toward Birmingham. Just let send me a pm if you are interested.

Man, I wish I would have known that about a week ago! I would have been interested! I found a '49 GMC rolling chassis with 228 and transmission on Craigslist and jumped on it!

[jpmanyhearts]

HAHA! Although nobody has told me that yet on this site, you are not the first person to tell me that! I've never one time backed down from a fight but i have the feeling this is going to be the toughest fight I've ever been in! But I'm up for the challenge !

now here's a a die hard fan of old sheet metal

[Midgets50]

id probly start by getting it out of that field and putting the bed, cab and front clip on stands so they can roll around individually. makes it easier for me to work on it especially with limited space