norms 55 chevy pu build

[washington blue]

Thanks for the input, I made the C out of 1/2 inch pipe and I boxed the insides with 1/4 inch plate. I have the C almost 1 inch wider than the frame for extra strength. I will think about adding to the top, can't hurt to be really safe. The beehive rubber stoppers are something I really need to get. My measurements show the rear end will hit the box wood before the frame, can't win, lol.

[washington blue]

Ogre, in your last photo it looks like the exhaust ends just in front of your rear end, is that the finished product and do you like it?

[washington blue]

I ordered 2 bump stops from Speedway today so I will get them put on above the rear-end soon. Ogre, are you saying the frame will twist due to the weight on the front cab mounts and leverage due to their distance out from the frame? the frame is boxed with 3/16 plate from front to back and the Camaro subframe is quite beefy.

[washington blue]

I needed a little more trans room so I did a little bending and cutting and welding. I didn't loose much foot room at all.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by washington blue

Thanks for the input, I made the C out of 1/2 inch pipe and I boxed the insides with 1/4 inch plate. I have the C almost 1 inch wider than the frame for extra strength. I will think about adding to the top, can't hurt to be really safe. The beehive rubber stoppers are something I really need to get. My measurements show the rear end will hit the box wood before the frame, can't win, lol.

think of the forces involved the first time you bottom out on the c-notch, it'll be like snapping a stick over your leg
thus is why i added as much on top as possible, the bump stop pic show less than 1/4" to bed wood
i also boxed my frame bumper to bumper
your measurements are correct, the bump stops really minimize the impact
i did have to recess the nut and cut off the bed bolt directly over the diff
i replaced the missing bolt twice before i figured out what was happening

Originally Posted by washington blue

Ogre, in your last photo it looks like the exhaust ends just in front of your rear end, is that the finished product and do you like it?

hate it. i'd really like to get over the axle, it's more noise in the cab.
i'd need heat shields to keep the trex from melting and then i'd be close to the axle

Originally Posted by washington blue

I needed a little more trans room so I did a little bending and cutting and welding. I didn't loose much foot room at all.

i had to do the same mod on the trans cover. had everything ready to go and tried to throw the trans cover on...

[dsraven]

Nice work on the floor.
In the c notch, you can always add the rubber to the underside of the c notch, like stock, if you need to. Better than busted bed wood.

[washington blue]

Thanks, I will have to do something, I hope the 2 bump stops I just ordered will mostly solve the hitting the wood problem. I made sure to clean both sides of the metal on the transmission cover before welding and it went well.

[dsraven]

Just know that bump stops break and fall off at times, especially if they get used a lot, so the best medicine for that is to ensure there is a fail safe built in. Personally I would install a metal bump stop of some form that would be the absolute safe upper limit of suspension travel. Then install the rubber or urethane bump stops/snubbers at a height that will allow them to absorb the last bit of suspension travel before the metal on metal occurs. Use a nice big snubber that is progressive like the beehive style. Make it adjustable for height with a shim pack or something similar. After a road test when the truck is completed you will see if you need to make some adjustments. Making to adjust now will make any future work easy.
Did you notice a difference in the welding with clean both sides metal?

[dsraven]

Some of the stock gm beehive snubbers, like the ones used on the rear of an S10, are hollow and bolt on through the hollow part. You could use something like that and incorporate a built in positive stop by using a longer bolt with a spacer under the bolt head. The snubber would absorb travel until the axle hit the bolt. The thickness or depth of the spacer would set the bolt height and therefore the upper limit of suspension travel.
Remember to do suspension travel mock ups with the axle at an angle to horizontal so you simulate one wheel going over a bump or whatever. That will check for tire rub on the box as well as axle hitting box, brake line rubbing issues, park brake cable issues, axle vent hose issues, shock absorber issues, etc.

[_Ogre]

i see you have cutouts in your boxing plates, for the big bolts that hold the bed on
started out doing the same thing and left drain holes for any water that got in
ended up welding up the cutouts and welding on 2x2x3/16 angle bracket on the outside of the frame
i reinforced the bed rails for new bolt location, bolted the rails on and recessed the bed wood to hide the bolts
i like the look of hidden bed bolts

[washington blue]

Made a little clearance for the bed bolts above the tank area. Put 1 inch square tubing inside the channel.

[washington blue]

Put a cam, lifters, springs, and pushrods in. Guys that know more than me suggested the heads go to a machine shop to make sure they are clean and the valves are seating right. I decided that was a good thing so they went there and I wait.

[washington blue]

Where you see my hand in the pic is the lower right of the gas tank. Because of the exhaust needing to go there I am moving the outlet to the center of the tank. I took the tank to a hot rod shop to get a new outlet welded in since I don't weld aluminum. Now I wait for that too. Covid has caused some of my stuff to be on back order and these other things I'm waiting for, I'm not getting much done.

[washington blue]

While I'm waiting I made a couple bump stop mounts.

[washington blue]

After a long dry summer in South Dakota which allowed me to get many farm things done, I have just started on the 55 again in the last few days. I made a dual exhaust for it, it's not quite finished, I need to make and install rear hangers, hence the twine string in the back. After my rear bumper is mounted I will trim the length accordingly. I used 2 1/2 inch stainless tubing, I bought an assortment of bends and straight stuff. Got about $300 roughly in it, not counting the headers. Don't know if the mufflers are right or not, I don't know what to expect as far as noise is concerned. I would like to be able to hear my radio.

[washington blue]

Put my box together, this is the first time all these pieces from 5 different pickups has ever been together. I was surprised at how nicely everything fit together. As you can see, my tailpipes need some work, lol.

[washington blue]

Once I get my bumper and tailpipes done I am going to have to build some inner fenders. I'm thinking about 3 inches will do it. I will also be investigating the Trex plastic decking as a possibility. Thanks for looking, norm

[Jason 56]

Great work. Did you make your own headers?

[washington blue]

No sir, I did not build my headers. A company named "speed engineering" & performance, had them, a company in California. They were about $190 bucks.

[Jason 56]

I’ll have to check them out. They look like they would flow nice.

[washington blue]

I finished up the back of the pu. Got done cutting, welding, and mounting the exhaust. Bumper is all mounted and I have 4 backup lights in the stock bumper holes. I cut and welded a pair of simple mounts to the backside of the bumper and they bolt to the frame. I also made a super simple license plate and plate light mount, since no one will see it I decided not to make it fancy, just functionable. It simply bolts to the inside of the frame C. The tail lights look stock and fit stock but they have LED stuff in them.

[washington blue]

Been working on the radiator mount, as you can see I cut both sides and I moved the mounts forward 1/2 inch so it is flush. I have not finished the mounts for my Lincoln mark VIII electric fan yet but holding it in place I have 1/2 inch of room between the fan motor and the water pump shaft. Thanks for looking, norm

[daveshilling]

Love this momentum Norm, keep it up!

[Jason 56]

Looks good. I like your fix for the radiator.

[washington blue]

Had to make a little clearance for the steering gearbox. l cut out a piece and turned it over and JB welded it back in.