Morphing a 1956 Chevy 3200 onto a 2001 Tahoe Chassis

[AllenF]

I went with an omega. It was cheap, like 375 including shipping from a guy in Canada. He sells them on ebay. No frills, kind of crude, but it works.

[AllenF]

Update

Not quite done with the door panels, but she got her first shake down drive today. Miraculously everything works. Drives like a Tahoe! The oil pressure, temp and voltage guages are obviously relocated to the center console.

[youngrodder]

Wow ....very cool build. It's builds like yours that make this forum the best out there for truck enthusiasts. Great looking final product.

Marc

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Wow ....very cool build. It's builds like yours that make this forum the best out there for truck enthusiasts. Great looking final product.

Marc

wow impressive build in 2 years. agree totally with marc, a few more of these would make the forum pop

impressed at the total package and the time frame. truk took me 8 yrs and had half the fabrication and 5x the hours spent. mad fab skills. that ball of wiring would have scared the poop out of me.

and that eldorado is da bomb!

[dsraven]

can I ask where the a/c vents in the dash came from?

[AllenF]

This is what I used.


https://www.summitracing.com/parts/v...hoCUoUQAvD_BwE

[oldman3]

Really nice job, enjoy...Jim

[layinrocker65]

Super clean

[joedoh]

love it! seats look huge but thats what you have with the integral belt seats so as long as it drives well they sure look nice in there

[dsraven]

what have you got going on there for hood hinges?

[AllenF]

Finally got enough sun to show what the color actually looks like. The hood hinges are just plain old aftermarket replacements. The tubes coming off the firewall are drain tubes. I modified the plenum such that water no longer runs down the A pillars but instead runs out the front like modern vehicles.

Drove it on the freeway on it's first shakedown run, and it's remarkable quiet and stable. I thought there would be a lot of wind noise from the "dirty" un-aerodynamic body design but it's pretty quiet in there.

As I close this project out, here are a few useful data points for anyone crazy enough to want to do this...

Total cash outlay....about 33k including the two vehicles.

Total hours....probably 1200

Things I would have done differently... everything...I probably wouldn't integrate the floor and firewall. Yes, having the 2001 HVAC and steering is cool, but the customizations to the dash, dealing with the body control module issues, modifying the instrument cluster, and dealing with all that integration isn't worth the effort. As for the seats, the old fashioned, sit upright seat may not be comfortable, but there's no way a 6' tall person could drive this with the 06 chevy pickup seats.

Also, I will need to circle back and add just a bit more room to the rear fenders. Just a tad too close. I didn't have the final wheel size/backspacing/fitment resolved before I went to paint. Poor planning/ rushed.... at any rate, on to the airstream it's supposed to pull...

[G&R's57GMC]

Nice build , came out great .

Now about that Airstream ... What is it and what do you have planed for it , fellow Airstream owners what to know :-)

Check out http://www.airforums.com

While you’re there start a build thread in the trailers forum under the model of your trailer.

I have one in the Trade Wind forum , mine is a ‘69 under the username Glenritas .

[dsraven]

truck looks great. awesome job.
just as a side bar, what kind of body control module issues did you have?

[caja_larga]

Great job. It looks beautiful.

[AllenF]

I have a 66 TradeWind. We were looking for one with a good body and a crappy interior, and found one in amazing condition. Too nice to modify. I will eventually post photos of it connected to the truck but it needs polishing first.

As for the body control module question, the issue here is that the BCM is really the master of the entry and security system. I had no way to replicated what all the switches did on the latches such that I could use the original remote key fob. I hate alarms so I wound up only connecting the door open function and wired the aftermarket remote to the same ground so I get convenience lighting. If I had it to do over again I would see if there's a way to eliminate the BCM completely.

[G&R's57GMC]

I’ll Be looking for your Trade Wind build in the 59 - 69 Trade Wind trailer forum on http://www.airforums.com
That’s the same forum mine is in under Glenritas .

[dug224]

Great build. Really appreciated your #84 post where you rolled up what you may have done differently.

[AllenF]

well, that's one of the issues wiht the Tahoe chassis choice. I was hoping to find wheels that woiuld fit me into the rear fenders but the Tahoe brake calipers stick out into the mounting face such that only a modern wheel works. So it had to be those alloy spares you see, and no, the rears don't clear. I added about 3/4 to each side when I double walled the bed but that wasn't quite enough. So I had to do a 3" lift, which, in the end looks better anyway. One of the other many errors I made was not considering that the 56 bed and cab is waaaay lighter than the tahoe shell. Had I thought of this I wouild have made those adjustments prior. I didn't want to cut the fenders and add 1" to each, but I may be forced to do that if the 3" lift doesn't keep those fenders from touching the new Michelins. I do intend to tow with it.

[dsraven]

It would be some work, but less than adding to the fender. What about fabbing a space for between the fender and box, from MDF or something, till you get the width right. Then fab out of tubing of the correct width. Your steps and step supports would need to be cut and added to but less work than cutting the fenders.
Just a thought.

[docrock]

Wow! that came out nice.

[Russell Ashley]

That is nice.

[AllenF]

We pulled the Airstream with the 56 to a show in NH. Folks loved it. The 1966 Airstream Tradewind is 24' and weighs in at 4,000 lbs. Tahoe (56) tows it just fine.

No major issues with the rig, other than that the doors don't drain water very well, and the aftermarket power window lifts I chose are crappy. Not nearly powerful enough. Otherwise, all good.

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by AllenF

We pulled the Airstream with the 56 to a show in NH. Folks loved it. The 1966 Airstream Tradewind is 24' and weighs in at 4,000 lbs. Tahoe (56) tows it just fine.

No major issues with the rig, other than that the doors don't drain water very well, and the aftermarket power window lifts I chose are crappy. Not nearly powerful enough. Otherwise, all good.

Looks great being put to work hauling.

Try window power window units from NuRelics. They are not cheap but American made and very good quality. I used them in my last build.

Marc

[6DoF]

YES!!!!!

super jealous, that's a super nice setup

[G&R's57GMC]

Gorgeous Combination !