1949 Chevy 3600 into a daily driver

[Coach529]

Today was an adventure that is for sure.

Out goal today was to get the rear end cut out of the donor and get it mocked up in Henry, and hopefully get it down on the ground for a peak. Lofty goal maybe......but achievable. so I thought!!

The donor:



18 degrees and a 20 mph wind means you work fast. Less than 45 minutes later the rear end was in the pickup, paid for and we were headed home!!. Good help is awesome!! The Scrap yard guys were generous today, $75.00 for the rear end and I can use the rims for mock up if I bring them back!!



When we got home the train came off the tracks. Somehow I had missed it before, but the stock 3600 shackles and mounts were shot.





No what?? We headed back to the scrap yard, pushed for time with a noon closing looming. Not sure what direction to go we looked around. There are two 3600 series trucks onsite....but both were in the same shape as mine.

Next option, find a usable truck and steal the leaves, mounts and shackles. We located a mid 80's S-10, and had the man flip it on it's side. Quick work with an impact and a torch, as well as $40 lighter in the wallet we were back on the road.



Once home I leveled the truck front to back and marked the centering pin of the existing spring pack. Then we stripped the old shackle mounts with a skinny wheel, a BFH and a punch. Some cussing, swinging and more cussing the frame is stripped!!





The S-10 spring packs are longer. Stock 3600 leaf packs were about 45" eye to eye. The S-10's are 52". This means the rear running board mount will have to be modified. No big deal, but another step.

Now the big question. Outboard springs or not?

The stock outboard leaf to leaf width of the 3600 was about 41-1/2 center to center.

The stock frame rails are 33" center to center.

Would it be possible to mount my new leaf packs under the frame or would that be too narrow?