1981 Chevrolet C50 Pick-up Conversion

[UPNADM]

I have been busy with day work and home work.

I have a few things to do and I am back onto this truck... should be later this week...

[JRANGER]

Progress?

[hopelessredneck]

Originally Posted by JRANGER

Progress?

X2

[JRANGER]

DUDE!!! Where are you? We miss you lol

[N2TRUX]

Cool build. You get snowed in?

[German_AC]

Hi guys. I'm converting my own C50 to power steering. I have the gearbox, the pump and hoses, but I can't find the reservoir anywhere!
Cardone sells the remanufactured pumps, but without reservoir.

Any help on where to find one?

Thanks!


PS: UPNADM, you are doing heck of a job! Congrats man!

[bucannon]

Originally Posted by German_AC

Hi guys. I'm converting my own C50 to power steering. I have the gearbox, the pump and hoses, but I can't find the reservoir anywhere!
Cardone sells the remanufactured pumps, but without reservoir.

Any help on where to find one?

you should have started a new thread for this question, but with that said.

Why don't you use a reservoir from a light duty truck or and aftermarket one, I imagine one of those would work just as well as or better than the original reservoir.

[UPNADM]

Good evening folks,

It has been way too long since I have had a chance to get working on the C50.

The truck has been a floor ornament way too long.

I finally got into the shop over the weekend and made some progress.

I am ready to put some more hours back into this truck.

I stripped the fuel tank and got it painted.

Good to be back!

[UPNADM]

Another tank shot...

[JRANGER]

woohoo!

[Kreivi68]

Nice ! Good work ..man.

[JRANGER]

I drive by 3 of these trucks almost every day now and they never move....It makes me want to do this.....Ahhh if I had the time, money, and know how to put a bed on.....yeah....ahhhhh it kinda drives me crazy

[Gordonr1973]

Those gas tanks are awesome!!

If I had a regular lifted truck I'd put a set of those on, they are COOL!

[UPNADM]

The summer months have been a challenge, but I have spent some time on the truck this week. It seems every weekend there is something going on keeping me out of my shop.

One of the longest challenges has been getting the box ready for primer. Many layers of paint and a bunch of asphalt.... apparently this box may have been on a municipal truck.

It is now ready to prime. I have have got the fiberglass fenders back to primer and fairly smooth.

See attached photos... oh and if anyone is wondering, the 2x4's holding up the box is just a template to get my height. I will be making a metal sub frame.

Hopefully I can get back in the swing and get some regular work done. I am getting sick of having to work around this machine and push it in and out of my garage... Ha!

[hick]

I have been wondering, in your opinion, what would it take to make this a 4x4?

Do you have any idea what one could use an axle?

I have always dreamed of one of these (crew cab) but it would have to be 4x4

[UPNADM]

Originally Posted by hick

I have been wondering, in your opinion, what would it take to make this a 4x4?

Do you have any idea what one could use an axle?

I have always dreamed of one of these (crew cab) but it would have to be 4x4

I think it would be very doable to make this a 4wd, the frame is a straight rail, anyone with some fabrication skills could make some hangers for a front axle and leaf springs. Adding a transfer case would be fairly easy, a cross member and making the appropriate length drive shaft and getting your pinion angle.

I personally think the hard part would be getting a crew cab. Not sure if they came this way in the 80's, but the firewall and floors are different in these trucks... not to say it isn't doable though.

Giver!!!

[Mattman2010]

Originally Posted by hick

I have been wondering, in your opinion, what would it take to make this a 4x4?

Do you have any idea what one could use an axle?

I have always dreamed of one of these (crew cab) but it would have to be 4x4

I have seen people cut the firewalls off these trucks and weld them to a crew cab. As for axles I would probably find a set of rockwells. Might make the truck taller with the top pinions but rockwells can be had for pretty cheap and will defenetly handle the weight. Maybe run a divorced transfercase to make the drivelines better.
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[rchavez101]

Very Cool Great job.

[UPNADM]

Third day in a row I have got to continuously work on the C50. Late night start but got the box on its end and ready to start cleaning up the underside.

Unfortunately I really didn't take my time searching for a box... with that in mind it is not a show stopper underneath. With that in mind, I am not expecting the 100 point show judges to be looking at this truck, nor will it be driving over the Barrett Jackson chassis cam, so....

Rubberised undercoating will be my friend. I sprayed the underside of the cab with it as well, so it will technically match, HA!

I am now committed to working on this truck. As you can see the box is now on the shop floor. I would like to get this all back and sitting on the truck permanently.

As for the chassis, I have some brake line relocation work to do, drill the shackles, shorten the drive shaft and paint everything from the cab back shiny black.

Getting there!

[MrBeast]

Progress is good. I am sure it won't be long now and she will be up and running.

[UPNADM]

Another late start but made some progress. Got the underside cleaned up and under coated.

Looks presentable to me.

Hoping to get the inside of the box in primer this morning.

Here is what I got done tonight...

[Bigasstrux]

Nice work, this is going to be a very unique vehicle.

[UPNADM]

Motivation was with me this morning. Got up and and got the inside of the box primed.

Hopefully some lads will drop by and I can get this back down on saw horses and get the boxsides finished.

Going to a bbq this afternoon and hoping I will still have motivation tomorrow.... Ha!

I hope to get the shackles drilled and bolted and get a measurement for my driveshaft so I can get it sent out Monday.

[UPNADM]

Well I finally got the spring shackles in place and bolted down. As you will see in the attached pictures I still have more drilling to do... ha. My 3/8 drill and Canadian Tire drill bit set are doing it, but with too much effort on my end.

I am going to get a good 1/2 bit tomorrow from our local industrial supplier...

I have also got the rear wheels off, going to get everything cleaned up and get my driveshaft in to be shortened.

[UPNADM]

I am starting to envision the finished product....