Project: Pack Rat

[MrTucker]

The old girl is finally home! Already started the tear down...

[53GMC]

updates please!! wanna see this one!

[JimmyFloyd]

Good deal. Always good to see progress on a project.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very cool story! And nice truck! Atleast you found the scragglers before you unloaded it at home. You may have had more of a mess to clean up with them still in there.

[MrTucker]

Last night I got the doors, hood, and grill off - so I'm making a little progress. I'm very surprised how easily this thing is coming apart so far. I was worried that every bolt would snap off and be a ***** to remove, but I've only snapped two off. One was on purpose so I didn't have to fight it, the other was because I went the wrong way with the impact - oops!

but damn - I forgot how damn bad this thing smelled. It was bad enough in the parking lot, now it's in the garage trapping the smell in.

[OrrieG]

Get 3-4 boxs of baking soda and open them up in the cab, that will help. Or you can get some Axe colonge and spray it around, will also make the truck more manly.

[Dan in Pasadena]

English Leather! You can probably buy it by the case at the 99 Cents store and just bathe the truck in that crap!

[ambryatim]

Or you could also get some active charcoal and let it set in the cab..Charcoal is an odor neutralizer. The baking soda will work too.

You should be able to get it at a pet store, it is used in aquarium filter systems. Pretty cheap too.

Some info here.

You could actually buy this and place the bags in the cab, no mess either.

[MrTucker]

I think I'll try both - a couple of bags of charcoal and a couple barrels of baking soda

[ambryatim]

LOL!! Thatta' boy!

[T Hilde]

Stetson Cologne, it needs to be rugged.

Odo-ban might work too. I mixed up some bleach and water and sprayed in mine, but you need to be careful with it, mask yourself.

[fist5366]

good luck with the project. I just started my to rebuild mine after ten years of sittin. But sounds like you have a good game plan. If its anything like my build money runs out faster then excitment

[MrTucker]

Well, good news and bad. The good news is that I got the front end disassembled and I have the cab ready to be taken off the frame and to be media blasted. The bad news is that I also discovered that my frame is bent and there's also a crack in it, right at the front shackle mount.

I'm still surprised at how easily this truck is coming along. I figured it would be a nightmare and all the bolts would snap off, or be impossible to remove. But 90% came off with zero issues. The bolts that did snap off were just the bolts that held the fender to the inner fender, so I dont have to drill those out.

Here's some pics...

[nickp51chevy]

Replied to your other thread about the crack.

[LEEVON]

If you're not in a hurry and the frame has other issues (like more cracks or bad pitting), I know you can find one. I've seen lots of Chevy and several GMC frames on Craigslist. I found a good one for $75 and know where there are more. Otherwise just weld 'er up, box the front and you're good.

[MrTucker]

Got that pesky frame issue solved...bought a new frame! And met a hell of a cool guy doing it. He's a fellow hot rodder - built a '65 GTO on a '06 GTO chassis/drivetrain/interior. One amazing ride!

Anyways, he sold me the frame, we got to talking and he threw in pretty much the rest of the truck (minus the body) for nothing! Top notch guy - he's building a '52 GMC on an S10 frame - I told him to check out this board.

Anyway, here's the new frame...

[bjcaldwe]

Very nice.

If all goes right, mine should be at home soon, and I will be using these oder removing tips on mine.

[MrTucker]

I cant believe I've hardley done any work in 9 months!! Funny how a new baby can put everything on hold...


Anyways, my wife and daughter are going out of town tomorrow and not coming back until tuesday! Hopefully I'll have made some serious progress by then.

The plan is to strip and paint the new frame, swap/strip/paint the front and rear axles to the new frame, disassemble the bed, and take the garage back over!!

wish me luck!

[OrrieG]

When my wife went out of town for a week to see the grandkids I about killed myself working on the truck, but it was nice to get in about 40 concentrated hours in to do major body work (firewall hole fill, cab corners). Enjoy it and try to wipe that grin off your face when she returns.

[Dieselwrencher]

Good luck on the work weekend man!

[MrTucker]

Holy hell, what a weekend. I got the bed off, cab off, engine/tranny off, new frame painted, front/rear axels swapped, and garage reclaimed!!!

The bad news however is that the entire bed is shot - the the bottom where the bed meets the bed sides is rotted, both rear fenders are toast, so I just scrapped it.

PICS!!








and here's what a 1953 Hydramatic transmission looks like...



The batteries on the camera died before I could get a pic of everything back together in the garage, I'll post those tomorrow.

I'm tired - time to drink some beer!

[MrTucker]

screw it, here are a couple really crappy shots with the old camera...

[Dieselwrencher]

Very cool progress! That stinks about the box!

[Denee007]

Gosh, your frame looks ~ NEW! I can see where your HF crane comes in handy! You are making so great progress!! ; )
dne'

[MrTucker]

Eh - the frame looks better in the pics than in person. I just hit it with a wire wheel for a few hours, then rattle canned it with some VTH chassis semi gloss. I'm not very impressed with it and will eventually get it powder coated.

But yes - the HF 2ton crane did make it all possible, especially since I was flying solo
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