Chevyrestoguy's '55 build

[chevyrestoguy]

Got the steering linkage finished tonight:

[tiggerstoy]

the truck's looking great, nice job on the column....keep up with pics

[Kabwe]

Any updates. I really like what you are doing, and wanted to keep up with your build.

[chevyrestoguy]

Thanks for your interest in my beater! I have been extremely busy as work lately, so the progress has slowed. I have done a few things, though. If you remember, I had a nasty gaping hole in the floor just aft of the trans access cover. I wanted to find an old junk cab and cut out the needed piece and weld it into my cab, but had no luck finding a junk cab for the donor part. So, I decided to tackle it myself. I duplicated the factory step-down by using a slip roll. To fill the hole completely, it took 7 seperate pieces, all welded together. It really tightened up the floor after it was finished.

[spaz109]

Looks like you could use some sway bar links

[46deluxe]

Wanted to let you know that I like the direction your taking your truck.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Bad azz ride your building keep up the good work..

[chevyrestoguy]

Was bored yesterday, so I decided to tackle the filler hole in the cab. I figure that if I keep working on the little things, then I'll keep making progress. I made a cardboard pattern of the cut-out, and used a piece of the old trans tunnel because it had the compound curve already in it that I was looking for. Plus, I didn't have any .063" scrap left, and the cover was the right thickness. And, I got a auto-darkening hood for Christmas, and I was dying to try it out. I LOVE it! Should have bought one years ago!



I decided to roll it out for a frontal shot. I've been cutting and narrowing the front bumper to get it to fit better. I've still got alot more work to do before it fits the way I want it to. I narrowed it 2" in the center, took 3" out of the corners, and pie-cut it in 8 places. I still need to re-contour the center and the corners, and build a valance to cover the area between the bumper and the front of the fenders. The straps on the top are there only to hold the bumper in place until I build the brackets, so they're not permanent. I just got a set of H-4 headlights and wanted to see how they looked. Unfortunately, I dropped and broke the passenger side light when I was taping it in. S@*t happens........

[Kabwe]

love it. What headlight bezel are you using?

[chevyrestoguy]

It's the factory 55-57 bezel, but I cut out the open areas by hand using a cut-off wheel, a rotary file, and a hand file. It took forever.

[Tri5Nerd]

I'm keeping a close eye on your work. Good job!
Love that grille.

[biggsteve]

i like the guage-in-the-dash trick. i found these on ebay. ck 'em out! number 140187981768. plus--i love the way you deleted those stupid parking lights under the headlights!
i'll be doing the same/steve

[71'tahoe]

Very nice ride.

[Tri5Nerd]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

Thanks for your interest in my beater! I have been extremely busy as work lately, so the progress has slowed. I have done a few things, though. If you remember, I had a nasty gaping hole in the floor just aft of the trans access cover. I wanted to find an old junk cab and cut out the needed piece and weld it into my cab, but had no luck finding a junk cab for the donor part. So, I decided to tackle it myself. I duplicated the factory step-down by using a slip roll. To fill the hole completely, it took 7 seperate pieces, all welded together. It really tightened up the floor after it was finished.

Why did people cut that part out? My cab has the exact same piece cut out.

[chevyrestoguy]

Many years before I owned my truck, legend has it that it was street raced in Pasadena, California. It had a built 396, Turbo 400, and a narrowed Olds rearend. I can only figure that the shifter for the th400 must have been located so far aft that the floor had to be cut. Whoever cut my hole must have not had a saw. He used a method called chain drilling, where you overlap your drilled holes until you've seperated the metal. It was a mess.

A built big block, factory brakes, factory steering, factory straight axle. Man....that guy must have had some big heuvos.

[Sam59]

love your truck man.. keep it up!
-sam

[Igotachevyor2]

any progress pics? i love the front of your truck looks great

[Kabwe]

Any more progress?

[chevyrestoguy]

Not much lately. I've been swamped at work, and when I get home I'm too tired to work on it. Do you know the feeling when you step away from something for awhile and then try to get back going on it? I feel sort of lost, like I'm not sure what to do next. My plan on Sunday (I have to work Saturday) is to do a clean-up on the truck, do an inventory, and get going on the first thing that peaks my interest. I still love this truck, but lately, my extra time has been spent doing yardwork and fixing the stuff around the house that always seems to break when you'd rather be doing something else. And I've also been doing lots of work on all my friends stuff that they now owe me big-time. I think it's about time for the favors to be returned......

I'm still collecting pieces for the "other" truck, too. I have amassed a sizeable collection of parts for this one. It's a '73 1/2 shortbed fleetside that wouldn't take much to get it back on the road again. I'm debating on whether to bite the bullet and make it happen, or use that time and effort to keep plugging away on the '55. The problem is, I like my stuff low and Nathan Porter's (Porterbuilt) Dropmember crossmember kit has been peaking my interest lately. The problem with the 73-87 trucks (at least for me) is that when I get them as low as I like, the front crossmember is so low that it hits everything in the road. My stuff HAS to ride nice, so I had better put on the thinking cap and do my homework.

Thanks for thinking of me, guys. How's everybody elses's trucks coming along?

[Coronas56]

chev, Same boat your on, working,Out of state for training, tired, fixin stuff round the house, getting an engine in the 16 yr old's car. takes time away from my project..........

[GRIMSS]

Man that front end is great. can't wait to see some more progress.

[Kabwe]

chevyrestoguy,

Hows it going?

Any update?

[chevyrestoguy]

I'm still alive!!

I haven't been doing too much on the truck at all. I have been real busy at work lately, and I've been working on my '73 Cheyenne Super (700r4 trans problem) the last week because I don't have a truck for doing errands and it's driving me nuts. I hate borrowing anything from anybody, so I need to get the beast going again.

On the '59, the last thing I was doing was trying to get the hood to fit better. The PO had the hood louvered and removed the skin from the inner structure and didn't get it back on correctly. The hood is really flimsy, and I shot about 15 clecos into the frame/skin to tighten it up. It's better, but now my brand new hinges are fighting me and the hood doesn't want to close without pushing down on the back near the cowl. I've got some ideas to try, but right now, time is my biggest enemy with the kid in football and daylight savings time (which i HATE more than anything). I plan on getting back on the '59 in the next few weeks. I did buy some engine parts for the BBC. I bought a pair of Dart Pro-1 310s and a Dart intake manifold. In retrospect, I could have used the cash for items that would have been money better spent, but oh well.

How's your truck coming?

[Kabwe]

Well,

I understand about hating to borrow stuff, that why I brought a little pickup to haul parts and house stuff.

As for my truck I finished install the 55 belair dash and smooth the rear interior of the cab and I'm finally happy with the look. Now I'm just working on tiny things that no one will notice and not worth taking pics of. I'm mostly doing metal finish now and trying to get the cab back on the frame. Its seems the more a do the more I have to do.

When you get a chance to work on the truck don't forget to update your thread I really like the stuff you been doing.

[OLDIRON69]

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