54 Chev Project, Q&As

[tetfemal]

This will eventually turn into a build thread. At the current moment, I am just trying to avoid pitfalls and learn from those who have built their trucks over the years. I figure it would be easier to have a thread with specific details that pertains to the direction I want to go with my build in one location.

I've been looking to start a project for years now, but never had the opportunity to. Whether it was trying to finish undergrad, starting grad school, getting married, moving from FL to UT, becoming a Peace Officer, having a baby due in October, joining the National Guard, and leaving from basic training in November, the hopes of starting a project was getting slimmer and slimmer.

A coupe of days ago, I was searching around in a local classified ad for something unrelated and stumble across this 54 Chev truck plus 47 5 Window cab for a killer deal. I called the guy to see if it was still available then made arraignments to pick them up.














Yesterday, I borrowed my buddies tow truck and went to pick up the truck and cab. And thus begins the start of building the truck I've always wanted. Talk about an eventful night.

[mongocanfly]

Wow...all that and a project truck...you got your hands full for sure..

[tetfemal]

Today we pulled the cab out of the bed and the truck off the flatbed. I initially wanted to use the 47 Chev 5 Window cab with the truck but after further inspection, the 54 cab is in much better condition than the 47 5 Window cab. The entire floorboard and firewall would have to be replaced in the 47. I'm thinking that I would use the parts from the 5 window and convert the 54 cab to a 5 window cab. I kind of like the windshield on the 54 better than on split windshield, but I make the finally decision on which cab would end up on the truck once every is broken down.

Question: Are the hood, fenders, hood, etc the same on the 47-53 and 54 model trucks?

If there are, there shouldn't be an issue with using the 47-53 style grille as oppose to the 54

[tetfemal]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Wow...all that and a project truck...you got your hands full for sure..

Yeah, things should settle down, this is project is for the long haul. It will probably take me 4 to 5 years to finish it.

[mongocanfly]

47-53 grill won't work (bolt on) on a 54,55.1 fender....the fenders are different around the grill area..pull the grills off and youll see the difference ...although I'm getting ready to mod my 55.1 fenders to use a 47-53 grill..

[tetfemal]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

47-53 grill won't work (bolt on) on a 54,55.1 fender....the fenders are different around the grill area..pull the grills off and youll see the difference ...although I'm getting ready to mod my 55.1 fenders to use a 47-53 grill..

SO the fenders are different then. How about the hood I would imagine that the fenders from a 47-53 would bolt up to the 54 cab, correct?

[mongocanfly]

I don't think their different but I'm not 100% on it...

[lv2tri2]

Just an opinion, everyone has one. Take a long look at a nicely finished 5 window cab and then compare a nice 3 window. My mind changed when I did. I think the 3 window is a better looking cab. I sold my 5 window 49 and bought a 3 window 54 and I am satisfied I made a good choice.

[iowaboynca]

A few things:
1. First and foremost, what is the title situation?
2. If you don't have the title, look what its going to take to get a title in Utah.
a. Is the serial number/vin still there? if not what do you need to get inspected? I see you're a peace officer, can you sign off on your own inspection?

Don't do that much work until you get these sorted out. NO BIG TICKET PURCHASES UNTIL YOU GET THIS SQUARED AWAY

3.Looks like a frame came with the 54. What's its condition? may need to find a good frame or S10 swap...

4. If you find your still serious, buy a shop manual and factory assembly manual
https://www.amazon.com/RESTORERS-CHE...nd+shop+manual

5. Start drafting a build plan that you can schedule, budget and work against.

I hate to say it but that 54 looks like it was in a decent fender bender w/potential roll over...that's going to take a lot of work to get squared away plus there's a lot of slight differences between the 2 cabs (47-53 vs 54-55.1) so its not like all parts are 'plug n play'

Not trying to be debbie downer here but it looks like both cabs and body are going to need ALOT of work, nothing impossible but time. If you dont' want the time then its money for repop parts. It can be daunting...just looking at it day in and day out.

So my advice. Get the title squared away or figure out what its going take, no big ticket purchases until you get that taken care of. Next, to be honest I'd be on the look out for one more cab. You also will need to start thinking about drivetrain; engine, transmission and rear end. Last figure out what direction you want/need to go w/frame as it is the foundation of your build.

I can't speak for the rest of the folks on the site, but personally i find researching and learning all the nuances from this site, shop manuals and parts catalogs fun almost as fun as wrenching. Also get out to shows if you can and see what other guys have done with their trucks. What do you like and what you don't.

good luck and keep us posted. If this truck doesn't work out, it means it wasn't meant to be and thus you were meant to find the good one

TL/DR:
Get title, figure out frame, Start researching, Start looking for more parts.

[tetfemal]

Originally Posted by iowaboynca

A few things:
1. First and foremost, what is the title situation?
2. If you don't have the title, look what its going to take to get a title in Utah.
a. Is the serial number/vin still there? if not what do you need to get inspected? I see you're a peace officer, can you sign off on your own inspection?

Don't do that much work until you get these sorted out. NO BIG TICKET PURCHASES UNTIL YOU GET THIS SQUARED AWAY

3.Looks like a frame came with the 54. What's its condition? may need to find a good frame or S10 swap...

4. If you find your still serious, buy a shop manual and factory assembly manual
https://www.amazon.com/RESTORERS-CHE...nd+shop+manual

5. Start drafting a build plan that you can schedule, budget and work against.

I hate to say it but that 54 looks like it was in a decent fender bender w/potential roll over...that's going to take a lot of work to get squared away plus there's a lot of slight differences between the 2 cabs (47-53 vs 54-55.1) so its not like all parts are 'plug n play'

Not trying to be debbie downer here but it looks like both cabs and body are going to need ALOT of work, nothing impossible but time. If you dont' want the time then its money for repop parts. It can be daunting...just looking at it day in and day out.

So my advice. Get the title squared away or figure out what its going take, no big ticket purchases until you get that taken care of. Next, to be honest I'd be on the look out for one more cab. You also will need to start thinking about drivetrain; engine, transmission and rear end. Last figure out what direction you want/need to go w/frame as it is the foundation of your build.

I can't speak for the rest of the folks on the site, but personally i find researching and learning all the nuances from this site, shop manuals and parts catalogs fun almost as fun as wrenching. Also get out to shows if you can and see what other guys have done with their trucks. What do you like and what you don't.

good luck and keep us posted. If this truck doesn't work out, it means it wasn't meant to be and thus you were meant to find the good one

TL/DR:
Get title, figure out frame, Start researching, Start looking for more parts.

Both Cabs came with a title. I have a general idea as to what I want to do. The plans for the truck are as follows:

- S-10 frame swap
- Bagged with 2600s, using a triangular 4 link kit and s10 control arms from Thorbros
- I already have a ls1 engine that I will completely rebuild for the truck
- Not sure which rear end to use, but everything I read has me leaning to the Ford explorer rear end. Any recommendations on the rear end?

It will take a crap load of bodywork but I have extra fenders and a hood for both cabs and I also going to look at a 49 cab with front clip tomorrow.

[iowaboynca]

awesome!

which ever cab you don't go with don't hack up too much. Cab w/title is almost worth its weight in gold.

May want to look for a rear out of a 4x4 S10. Can't remember if there's a difference between 4x4 rears out of blazers/ZR2/plain jane 4x4 but may want to go that route so you won't need to drill out the hubs. If you go the 8.8, its a different bolt pattern than the chevy so you'd need 1. universal or different wheels front to back or drill out the hubs on the 8.8.

You're actually in a good spot. good luck on 49 cab! and keep us posted.

On a side note, i kinda like the spare tire on the side beds...don't know why, just do.

[tetfemal]

A few days ago, I got dispatched to a accident that occurred while a kid was backing out of his driveway. It was nothing too serious just a fender bender. After I did all the paperwork, I looked into his yard and noticed a chevy s10 single cab long bed sitting there. I asked him about it and he said that it belonged to his younger brother. I asked him if they would be willing to sale it and he said, I don't know why not. He only bought it for to swap the engine into a his short bed truck.

Today I picked it up and began to tear it down. It was probably the best $200 I've spent in a long time.

[tetfemal]

Should I be keeping the wire harnesses from the s10?

[mongocanfly]

Good score...I don't see you needing the s10 harness...

[joedoh]

YES keep the harness, especially if you plan to use the column and just install a carbureted V8, you will be light years ahead with a harness that already fits the frame and those 90s s10s are about as simple as you can get for wiring.

you can buy a new wiring harness, sure, and it will be cleaner to terminate it all where it needs terminated, sure. but its also pretty easy to mark the harness when you take it out and plug it all back in.

I would unbolt the booster and leave all the brake lines hooked, unplug the engine bay harness and just move it so you can get the cab off, then strip the dash and interior wiring. a lot easier to hook stuff back up you never unhooked.

[tetfemal]

Today I got the s10 completely stripped down and off the frame. Scrapping all the metal tomorrow. The 700r4 tranny will be sold and hopefully, I'll make some of the money I've already spent on truck back at the scrap yard.

I promised my wife that I won't buy anymore parts for the AD until I get back from Basic Training in May 2017. We'll see how that turns out.

[joedoh]

dismantling is the fun and fast part! you should hold on to the bed floor if you can, its a pretty easy way to get a bed floor that mounts to the s10 frame and has wheel tubs all in one shot.




also, its been said, make sure you hold on to all your proof on the trucks, if you got a title with the s10 save it, and try to take care of registering your 54 before you start working on it. too many guys leave it to the end and it can be a real problem

[tetfemal]

Originally Posted by joedoh

dismantling is the fun and fast part! you should hold on to the bed floor if you can, its a pretty easy way to get a bed floor that mounts to the s10 frame and has wheel tubs all in one shot.




also, its been said, make sure you hold on to all your proof on the trucks, if you got a title with the s10 save it, and try to take care of registering your 54 before you start working on it. too many guys leave it to the end and it can be a real problem

I already registered the truck. I like the wood bed look, so I think I'll be buying all new wood for the bed once it is raised.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by tetfemal

I already registered the truck. I like the wood bed look, so I think I'll be buying all new wood for the bed once it is raised.

I do the wood floor over the steel, it looks great and is a bunch easier.



also, when you raise the floor there isnt a bed wood kit that fits, you have to make it yourself.

[Russell Ashley]

Terrific, you have covered a lot of bases already. It seems that you have a plan of what you want to do, and a good start to getting it done. Keep us posted as you go. That looks like a decent 51 or 52 Buick hard top that was parked next to your 54 truck. I hope someone other than the crusher will get it.

I think I speak for us all when I say we respect peace officers. Be careful and stay safe.

[tetfemal]

Question: Which 4x4 rear axle should it plan on purchasing? Are there any specific model s10s that comes with disc brakes?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by tetfemal

Question: Which 4x4 rear axle should it plan on purchasing? Are there any specific model s10s that comes with disc brakes?

only blazers from 98-03 and 98-03 zr2 and zr5 s10 4x4 came with rear disc brakes.

and make sure you get a 4x4 blazer rear if you want the width, the 2wd came with discs too.

[tetfemal]

Got back home from my initial training for the National Guard and decided it's time to start working on my project.

I found a complete rear end from a 1999 Blazer 4x4 with 3.42 gears for $40.00. Would I be okay with this rear end for the project or should I spend the extra money for a rear end out of a ZR2 with 3.73?

[mongocanfly]

4.32? Misprint?..maybe 3.42s? 40 bucks is a deal no matter what..the zr2 rear is going to be 3" wider than a reg s10 rear..so wheel backspacing will, come into play if you've already got rims..
The zr2 will have a g80 locker with the 3.73s and disc brakes..