1954 Chevy 1/2 ton Truck Build

[Ricos54]

Hello I'm new here and wanted to share my build. This is my first build and have never really work on cars before. I've done some body work on a 40 Ford Coupe and some sheet metal on a 49 chevy truck I had. Both were done about 20 years ago, but that was the extent of any work I have ever done on cars. I'll be 49 in another month and about 6 months ago I decided I wanted to do a ground up restoration since I've always wanted to do one. It started with a friends 54 that had been sitting on a mountain for over 10 years just rotten away. I really didn't want a 54, I like the 47-53 models, but since I could pick it up for $200 I said why not!
August 10,2013 day I pick it up



One thing the truck was supposed to have was a 9" ford and IFS in the front. I brought the truck to my friends to start off with. When I got it to his house we took the body off the frame and discovered a freckin mess. It look like tweekers had the truck. There was a 9", but the IFS was this transverse torsion suspension that was the ugliest thing I've ever seen. It wasn't even put on straight. Let me show you

[Ricos54]

The first thing I did was cut off that IFS



Next I clean up the frame and got it ready for sand blasting




Since I was fond of the 5 window and still like the 47-53 front end and the bed I knew that's what I wanted it to look like. After seeing the windshield and seeing it was one piece and the dash was a little different I decided to keep the 54 cab look. So I put the entire body up for sale and start looking for the body I want

[Ricos54]

First I found a 54 5 window cab $400 and a bed for $100 about 100 miles away



The bed was a little rough the rear panel was bad, had no tailgate but for $100 good enough


Next I found a 1950 front clip and fenders for $200. Then I sand blasted everything

[Kabwe]

Hey Ricos54,

Welcome I'm BAM55 on the other site and I checked out your build there. I'm glad to see you here man. There is a great group of guys with a lot of knowledge and very willing to share, so enjoy man.

[whitedog76]

I'm jealous. Two solid cabs, not alot of $$.

I love that you're keeping the 54 cab. Don't like that you're dumping the front sheet metal. But that's me being picky. At least you'll gets some good cash out of that frontend to keep your project moving.

Boy, that frontend you cut off, scared me. All I can say is WTF!

BTW- you may have some issues lining up that '50 bed. The 54 and 55's have a different arch in the rear part of the frame. You'll probably have to make your own spacer blocks for the bed.

Keep up the good work!!

[Ricos54]

Then I primed and started the Mustang II

[Ricos54]

Thanks Bam, good to here from you

White dog, the cab wasn't that great all four corners needed work and the front fenders had the bondo nipples sticking out inside the fenders about a 100 of them so no telling what they did. Didn't like feeling that on the inside so I sold everything $500

[Ricos54]

Finally I can roll it, figured I would work on the rear end another time

Home at last


Now start working on the cab and all the problem it has
Don't me why, but I guess someone needed thrice pieces. Lol


Guess I could have replaced everything but This was supposed to be a budget project since it was my first.


Cowl panel was messed up so I replace it.

[Ricos54]

Next started on body work which it needed a lot, including the dash because it looked like someone armed there head into it.




I also welded up all the holes in the firewall


Then body work got rid of gas hole

[Ricos54]

And the started on the fenders



In the process of doing the fenders I bought the brake assembly


Then I decided to put an add on Craigslist for a 350/700r4 combo. 2 hours later some guy called me and said he had a 350 crate motor brand new with a rebuilt 700R4, it also came with a new edelbrock water pump an intake, a new MSD distrubutor a new 670 street avenger Holley a torque start an new neoprene motor mounts. Pick that baby up for $750

[Ricos54]

First thing I did is buy ceramic hugger headers



Then I dropped that baby in by making my motor mounts and using a tranny crossmember I bought on the net

[Ricos54]

Next I didn't like the way the front end sat so I cut the springs to lower it and a friend ended up having some dropped spindles I got for a sound an dance
I ended cutting a entire coil out of my springs first 3/4" then another 1/4"



Then I patched up the cowling panel with kitty hair then bondo over it. I thinking about sanding off though, because I don't need the vent because I plan installing Vintage Air and I don't want cold air coming in. If I keep it I would know how to plug it off so I'm thinking of getting rid of it. First the what it looked like

[Ricos54]

Now I wanted to get rid of the leaf springs since they were crap. It looked like the tweekers took a torch to the springs and cut them to lower the truck, boy some people
I started by ordering a 4 link with the diagonal bar
First I cut a shelf in the crossmember for the 4 link crossmember to sit in


Then I put boxing plates behind it


It took about 3 days because there are so many measurements and then it seemed like by the time you get to the first measurement it seemed like it would move not to mention the pumpkin had to be up a few degrees



Then as you can see the rear end is sitting on the frame. More problems. Lol
I decided to C notch the frame and make it big enough so if I decided to bag it I wouldn't have to do it twice

[Ricos54]

Next was shock mounts



Then cap the C notches off and box it all in

[Ricos54]

Now I ordered a gas tank, I new I wanted a big tank so I drive on long trips with out having to fill up all the time. Trying to do it on a budget I found a 1970 mustang 22 gallon tank that slanted in the back with a sending unit $125. I wanted to keep the symmetry of the round pipe flowing all the way thought my truck so ?I stuck with that for my gas tank mounts.

[nuke1]

Nice project!!! And some amazing deals you have gotten. Unreal. Kinda jealous about them. Lol

[Ricos54]

Everything is mock in so I can take it to my friends house again because he has the miller 220 mig. Wouldn't feel safe welding everything up with my 120. So after I weld the rear end up I can also use his plasma cutter to cut the frame out under the C notch and finish that off with the plates on the bottom of the notch.
Well that's it for now, next I'm wanting to French in my headlights and like I talk about before cutting out the cowling vent and making it smooth. Man, that was a bare doing all that in one sitting, I need a nap.

[Ricos54]

Originally Posted by Ricos54

Thanks Bam, good to here from you

White dog, the cab wasn't that great all four corners needed work and the front fenders had the bondo nipples sticking out inside the fenders about a 100 of them so no telling what they did. Didn't like feeling that on the inside so I sold everything $500

Originally Posted by whitedog76

I'm jealous. Two solid cabs, not alot of $$.

I love that you're keeping the 54 cab. Don't like that you're dumping the front sheet metal. But that's me being picky. At least you'll gets some good cash out of that frontend to keep your project moving.

Boy, that frontend you cut off, scared me. All I can say is WTF!

BTW- you may have some issues lining up that '50 bed. The 54 and 55's have a different arch in the rear part of the frame. You'll probably have to make your own spacer blocks for the bed.

Keep up the good work!!

I forgot to mention about the bed, all I have to do is get the blocks and also the splash guards between the bed and the running boards the 54 are shorter, So I just need to get the guards for the 47-53 and all will be good.

[Ricos54]

Well I've been busy working on my pride an joy. Decided since I'm going to put Vintage Air in I would get rid of the cowling vent.






Then I went and bought some 1950 doors to get rid of the wing window. The passenger fit pretty good




When I got to the drivers side I had a bit of a problem. The door would not line up right




No matter what I did the door fought me. I started open and closing it then I pick the door up and down and notice the hinges where moving and the cab didn't move with the door. I went over to the passenger side and when I picked up the door the cab went up. I realized there was a problem with the hinges. The door hinges should be tight and not move when picking the door up. In my opinion it's easier to test your hinges with the door on the cab because it helps the weight distribution when lifting the door to test the hinge. So, if you lift the door and the cab go's up then most likely the hinges are good, but if you lift the door and the cab doesn't really go up then the hinges are bad. You can actually see the hinges moving when lifting door if you watch them. This means the pins and spacers hold the hinge together are worn out. Don't try to use them because they can and will brake. I messed with my worn out hinges and this was the result.



After replacing my hinges with some other ones I had, I was good to go.



Then I went to a salvage yard in Sacramento, there's a place called recycle RD. There's every manufacture there. The road is about a mile long, I drove to every different place to look at seats that I liked. I ended up going to the Lexus yard and found in mint condition some 2009 IS 250 black leather seats, they were electric, heated an cooled. Paid $800 for them which I felt was a good deal since they were mint. The car just got there and wasn't even in a wreck. They said it was vandalized and they hadn't put it into the system yet.
Here they are still in the car



And here they are in my truck


Then I received my tailgate and my roll pan



Today I decided to do a little fabricating

[STOCKISH]

Man, you are killing this thing! Super work man, it is looking amazing.

[dmack91]

All I can say is that for someone without much experience, you are kicking it up several notches! Keep up the great work.

[Pop's C-10]

killer work sofar

[oldman3]

Nice job on everything, and seats look great...Jim

[Daze57]

great lookin seats! great work on your project !!

[youngrodder]

You are cranking right along. Nice work.

Marc