57 Build and a few questions

[Tezjoe84]

Hi guys,
I'm not new to the forums, but new to this section... I recently sold my 84 pickup, and we picked this gal up yesterday, it's going to be a project for my dad and I.

As she currently sits, it's a 57 on a 79 truck frame so i'm told, 350 with a turbo 400 which needs some pretty bad help. Interior is pretty shot but all the electrical seems to work good. The previous owner did the body work and paint back in 2008, and it shows quite a bit of fading from sitting in the weather...

As far as our plans, suspension, wheels and tires are first since it does run, We were looking at Coys or the Boss 338's. probably going with 18x8's in the front and 20x10's in the rear.

Main problem i'm having so far is lowering it, I'm guessing 2.5 inch spindle's and 2 inch springs in the front, and a flip kit and possibly shackles in the rear. We want a good height and stance on it, but I would like to hear from you guys what you think would be best.

Engine plans later will probably be a 5.3 or 6.0 LS Swap with a 4L80E Trans with Vintage Air for A/C, then onto reworking the interior and figuring out what all we want in there.

Body plans are pretty light... most of it is done already, but re-chroming the grill, headlight bezel's and front bumper, and replacing the rear bumper, and changing out the huge side mirror's.

Thanks all for the input that replay, and for looking... We're pretty proud or her and looking forward to working on it together.

Here's a few pics of it when we got it home yesterday.

[Katrina/10]

If you lower that truck, it looks like the tires will hit the fenders.

[Kim57]

Looks like a great truck to start with.
Sounds like your plans to lower it are good with new wheels and rubber.
Kim

[Highsider]

'57 Chevys are the best!

[lv2tri2]

That's a nice truck, wish it was mine. You have to be happy finding that. What was the PO thinking with that rear bumper? it would be the first to go.

[58CameoAZ]

FWIW,Front Bumper is Mounted Upside Down.
Nice Truck to start with!'
Allen

[Tezjoe84]

Yea the wheels and tires are going before we do the drop for sure.

Would the drop I described be right to get a good stance and height with that wheel size combo or would you guys recommend something different?

Also what is your guys personal experience with the Boss wheels Vs Coy's? They look very similar but I don't know if there is a difference and would like input if possible. I would like to stay with the 18/20 stagger I think because we really like the overall look of that.

I definitely love the 55-57 truck, always wanted one and was lucky enough to find a good deal in my home town.

The rear bumper is for sure gone, not sure if going back with a stock wrap around like the front yet or doing a roll pan.

Thanks guys for the comments! :-)

Joe

[Stepside Jim]

Certainly and great truck to start with. I can give you an idea of how a '57 looks with 18" Boss 338's all around.

[mdpaulson1]

That is a great looking truck! You were lucky to find it so close to home! Mine was sitting quietly next to my house for the last 35 years waiting for me to finish it, still a work in progress. I went Mustang ll front with dropped spindles and a 4 inch drop TCI rear leaf kit from CCP. The TCI gives all new frame mounts, flips the axle and I added lowering blocks from summit.

[_Ogre]

nice looking truck... i'd drive it as is for a year or 2 while you gather goodies
but that's just me

you'll find that every part for these trucks are reproduced
new grill, trim rings and bumpers can be bought new, for less than chroming
the 79 is axles are wider than the 55, but with the right offset you can tuck them under the fenders

orreig might be your friend, i believe he has the same frame on his truck in 4x4 version
many of us wish we could have started out with a truck that nice

[dubds10]

Looks like a great truck to start with. Like Ogre said above the track width of the newer chevy is wider & you will be limited to what rims you buy. You may need a FWD offset to tuck them in since you're lowering it.

Here's ours with the 18/20 combo Foose Legends. It now has 20/22 combo.

[OrrieG]

Nice truck, but mine has 74 K10 axles on the 59 springs and frame. Ogre is right about the track width. I run stock 16 steel wheels and skinny tires to keep the tires under the fenders and rocks, etc. from tearing up the body off road.

[Tezjoe84]

Awesome guys and thanks for the welcomes and sharing your rides, I'll take a look at reproduction parts are and get a wish list together to order part by part probably. We're not sure which direction we're gonna go on the suspension yet because we want it to look right, and I'm not a fan at all of a FWD offset just to make the tires fit.

Nice catch on the front bumper, I honestly didn't even notice it! I've ordered catalogs from brothers and LMC just to get ideas of parts, I'll keep an eye on the forums as well as dealers here to try to plan things accordingly. It needs a good long list of little stuff to make it close to where we would like to be... I love this style truck and always wanted one... And now it's became reality.

[Tezjoe84]

Originally Posted by dubds10

Looks like a great truck to start with. Like Ogre said above the track width of the newer chevy is wider & you will be limited to what rims you buy. You may need a FWD offset to tuck them in since you're lowering it.

Here's ours with the 18/20 combo Foose Legends. It now has 20/22 combo.

Dubds10, the way yours is sitting is about the stance I would like to get ours to after we get the wheels and tires... I'm afraid after the comments the others here made with the truck frame we have that we will have to change the full suspension out. If that's what it takes though so be it, will just take longer to accumulate parts.

What all did you do to yours to lower it and what frame/ suspension setup you using?

[Trucknut57]

Congratulations on finding a good looking truck Joe.

Was it uncovered during the last round of tornado's that ran thru that area?

[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

I'm currently running American Racing 17" wheels with 235/60 on front and 255/60 on the rear.

Also has the TCI rear leaf kit, kept the straight axle up front.

She sits pretty level, which is fine with me.

[dubds10]

Here is the stance now with 20/22 setup. It's got a Heidts Superride IFS with coilovers up front and lowered leafs and '68 camaro posi out back. Not exactly a budget setup, none of the aftermarket kits are.

[Tezjoe84]

Thanks TruckNut, Good looking pickup there as well. We were really lucky to find it, the guy had just sat it out... and You know the lovely weather we have been getting here too, but the guy said he had just had it sitting and hasn't ever had time to do anything more with it, so he sold it.

Dubds10, That is a beautiful machine... I wish we had enough to convert to a full new front end and would like to Air bag it... but that's way in the future.

[tmoble]

Trucknut, thx for posting those pics. Just today I was at a tire store looking at those exact size shoes for my truck. I've had 15s on every car I've ever owned, it's sort of a big change. Your pics really help.

[tmoble]

What's that thingy in the center of your grill? I can't make it out on my screen.

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by tmoble

What's that thingy in the center of your grill? I can't make it out on my screen.

That looks like a "Mack" bull dog to me.
Kim

[tmoble]

I see that. I thought for a minute it was a Dodge Ram (horrors) but the Mac thing sounds much better.

[Tezjoe84]

Here's an update of the truck.

Lowered 6 inches in the rear, flip kit and C-notched the frame. 5 inches in the front, CPP 2 inch spindles and 3 inch DJM springs, and Belltech shocks all around.

20x8.5 vision legend 5 wheels with 275/45's on the rear and 18x8 with 225/45 on the front.

Planning to order the front and rear bumpers, grill and headlight bezels next to get more chrome going and then onto the interior.

Here's a few pics.

[mdpaulson1]

Wow! looks great the way it sits, nice work!

[Kim57]

Looks real sharp.
Kim

[Tezjoe84]

Thanks guys!