My 54 Chev pickup - Contradiction

[niper0108]

Hello all! I've been on the site a long time, checking out everyone else's projects, admiring the work & capabilities of many, and getting ideas & motivation. Now its time to tell my story;

Back around 2001, I originally bought a complete 3 window 1950 Chevy truck, and proceeded to collect parts and disassemble it. Sometime in 2002, I answered an ad in the local classifieds for a bunch of truck parts from someone who had given up on their project - a 1954 5 window Chevy truck. He had accumulated thousands of dollars in new parts, as well as the complete truck. I originally just wanted a laundry list of parts they had for sale, but then he made me an offer for the whole package that I couldnt refuse.

I brought that truck home (3 trailer loads incl parts) sold off my other truck, and all the parts that I decided I wouldnt be using. That $ went to further fund my new '54.


The early stage

[oldman3]

Only 12 post in 10 years, so I guess I can say welcome to the forum. What's the plans for your build, what shape is everything,etc?....Jim

[niper0108]

As you will see as I continue to post all the pics I have been taking during the build, the truck will be almost totally new. Very little original metal left.

[niper0108]

B1tchin sheet metal

[niper0108]

fitting the inner panels from the B1tchin kit

[niper0108]

[niper0108]

350 4 bolt, bored .040 over, 2.02 camel hump heads. Color will be changed soon.

[niper0108]

Engine going in for mockup purposes

[niper0108]

[niper0108]

Checking radiator fit & swapping original mashed metal fenders for new fiberglass





Also swapping out the old metal running boards & rear fenders for 'glass

[niper0108]

[niper0108]

[niper0108]

Shaved filler neck, drip rails & door handles

[niper0108]

Seat from a 88-94 full size Chev truck

[niper0108]

[niper0108]

[oldman3]

Niper0108, doing some very nice work. I also used the B!tchin floor pan, but only the front half. I like their inner fender panels, look good. How is the hood, fitting the glass front fenders?. What type of rear end set up did you use? Looking great...Jim

[*Kenny]

truck is looking great! I'll be watching for more progress.

[54 CHEVY LR]

Looks good. Lots of stuff I will be doing, Or have done.

[OrrieG]

Wow, you got a lot done in a couple of weeks, looking good. I too took mine apart in 2000, sat until 2007, couple of years good effort, than slowed until last year. Hope to have it running this summer, but have said that for the last three...

[chev3600]

Truck looks great! What's the rear suspension setup?

[STOCKISH]

Looks awesome man. Love what you've done so far.

[niper0108]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Niper0108, doing some very nice work. I also used the B!tchin floor pan, but only the front half. I like their inner fender panels, look good. How is the hood, fitting the glass front fenders?. What type of rear end set up did you use? Looking great...Jim

I have 2 hoods. 1 shaved, one louvered. Havent started on any final fitment yet, but there looks to be a lot of adjusting yet to be done. The rear end in the early pics is a 10 bolt from a Nova with the Chassis Engineering parallel leaf kit. My initial plan was to c notch it and put some 2 or 3" lowering blocks in it, but as you will see in more recent photos I will be posting, I switched it all out to an S-10 Blazer 10 bolt with discs and a triangulated 4 link with bags to match the front. Also step notched it. It now sits way lower. More to my liking.

Hindsight being 20/20, it probably would have been easier & cheaper to just go the S-10 chassis route, but when I started this project many years ago, that wasnt on anyones radar that I know of.

[niper0108]

Originally Posted by chev3600

Truck looks great! What's the rear suspension setup?

In the early pics it had a 10 bolt from a Nova with the parallel leaf kit from Chassis Engineering. Early plan was to put in a c notch & some lowering blocks, but as you will see in the upcoming photos Ive yet to post, I switched everything out and went with a step notch (approx 6") and installed an S-10 Blazer disc rear end with a triangulated 4 link & bags to match the front. That change resulted in having to raise the bed floor & put in mini tubs, etc. A whole lot more work, but it sits so much lower now.

[niper0108]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Wow, you got a lot done in a couple of weeks, looking good. I too took mine apart in 2000, sat until 2007, couple of years good effort, than slowed until last year. Hope to have it running this summer, but have said that for the last three...

Actually, the most Ive gotten done in the last 2 weeks is upload & organize all the pics Ive had sitting around for years. ha ha. We're in the same boat... I've been working on it for the last 12 years, but really only got any significant work done on it in 2 different summers- one being around 2008, the other was last summer. It used to be at my brothers in laws house in his garage, but I finally brought it home early in 2013 and that's when I was able to really get motivated on it.