My 1955 Chevy 3100 build

[55 Chevy Dave]

I wasn't happy with the noisy frame-mounted inline fuel pump so I upgraded to an in-tank Aeromotive pump. I managed to get a deal on a new one at a local Performance and Race Expo.

It went in fairly easily and I was able to bend a new aluminum fuel line and get rid of the inline pump.

It is so much quieter!

I haven't even gotten the thing out on the road yet, and I'm already upgrading. This is not a good sign!

[55 Chevy Dave]

I loaded up the truck on the trailer and hauled it to the local speed shop for rim and tire measuring.

They spent nearly two hours with me getting all of the measurements for the front and rear rims and tires figured out.

I didn't get a lot of pictures as I was busy helping them, but I did manage to get a shot of a 15"x 14" rim they pulled out of inventory and put on the rear axle to check for fitment.

I won't be going with a 15" diameter rim and this is not the style of rim I will end up with, but I now know that a 14" wide rim will fit!

[Scottish58chev]

Nice work. Always good to see progress 😃

[Advanced Design]

Great update Dave! Truck is coming together nicely. Good looking tow rig you have there too.

[Kim57]

Looking real nice.
Kim

[55 Chevy Dave]

Finally...out for a little ride. https://youtu.be/NlLUr3YCF2k

[Advanced Design]

Nice cruising sound....good tunes too!

[55 Chevy Dave]

Wow! Aside from the video of my stroll around the block, I apparently have not posted since April. Here is some of the steps I skipped before the video of her out on the road.

Installation of the brake system was long and grueling, but came out pretty good. I bent all the lines out of regular steel. When I tear the truck down for paint, I plan to bend all the new lines out of stainless steel. I'll use the steel lines as a template to bend the new lines.

I already have the stainless line and fittings.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Here's another pic of the pieces all laid out prior to installation. I highly recommend the Eastwood brake line flaring tool. It's expensive, but makes flaring a breeze. I watched it for a while and ended up picking it up while on sale.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I mounted the brake line to the inner side of the frame by drilling and tapping holes for the screw-in mounts. They seem to hold everything nice and tight.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Since I have not yet settled on my final wheels and tires, I decided to pick up some "temp" rear tires that filled out the rear wheel wells a bit better. It occurred to me that I had some steel rims sitting in the shed that just might fit. Sure enough, the backspace was about right.

I picked up the 295/50-R15's on sale at the local tire shop. I didn't think $120.00 a piece was too bad.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I also made a quick gear shift knob using a nut, bolt and a sheet metal scrap from one of my cuts made with the electric shear. I welded it together and ground the edges of the sheet metal smooth to avoid cutting up my hand when shifting.

My friends think it looks too 'rat rod', so I may not keep it, but for now, it works and actually feels pretty good.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I decided it would probably be a good idea to have emergency brakes. I couldn't see spending the cash for one of the expensive new billet brake pedals, so I found this one on Ebay for about a quarter of the cost of a new one.

It fit pretty good, but I will need to do some more modifications to it when reinstalling it after paint.

[55 Chevy Dave]

After bleeding the brake system multiple times, I found that the brake pedal was still spongy. I picked up a hand vacuum pump and bled the system again, but still had a spongy pedal. By the way, the same hand vacuum pump was a life saver when bleeding the hydraulic throw-out bearing.

The friend I bought the engine from did not run power brakes, so I assumed it was a vacuum problem because of the cam he had installed in the engine. I picked up a vacuum canister hoping that would solve the issue.

I made a mount for it and installed it on the outside of the frame under the driver's seat. It is very close to the master cylinder. I redid the vacuum lines running them through the canister before going back to the brake booster.

[55 Chevy Dave]

The vacuum canister did not solve the issue, so I picked up a vacuum pump and mounted it directly behind the canister.

I wired it to it's own relay that is triggered by the electric fan switch.

I redid the vacuum plumbing again, running the vacuum line from the carb to the pump to the canister to the brake booster.

The pump turns on and off automatically when the electric fan is on and does not seem to vibrate much at all.

This unfortunately still has not solved the issue. The brakes work, but they are still spongy as if there is still air in the lines.

While hunting around this forum, I found someone that said it was necessary to bench bleed the master cylinder before it's first use. I did not do that. I need to do some more research on this, but would welcome your thoughts on bench bleeding the master cylinder or your ideas as to what else I should try.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Here are a couple more pictures of the vacuum pump fully plumbed and installed.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Now that I had the truck out on the road moving and stopping (sort of), I decided to dive into the bed.

The original bedsides were pretty beat up from use. I looked at new ones and couldn't justify the cost. I decided to make my own, so after drawing up the plans, started by making the new rear stake pockets that will also receive the tailgate. I made these out of 1"x 2" rectangular tubing. After cutting out a section, I was able to flip it over and weld it back in creating the relief for the tailgate.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I never liked the way the stake pockets came down and just ended at the top of the step.

I made front stake pockets using the same 1"x 2" rectangular tub and extended them all the way down to the step. I drilled and tops some holes in the back of the tube to accept bolts through the back side of the steps. This will ensure they stay tight to the steps.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I bought two sheets of 16-gauge sheet metal and cut everything per my plans in preparation for bending.

It turns out a friend of mine who owns a roofing company had a metal brake large enough to make 90-degree bends in 16-gauge sheet metal up to 12 feet long. He helped me out and bent the sheet metal for me.

The top bend is for the rail and the bottom bend bolts to the original steps.

[55 Chevy Dave]

He couldn't make the bend in the sheet metal at the front of the bedside where the bedside bolts to the bed front sheet metal so I had to do that one by hand for each side.

I then bolted the step to the bottom of the bedside and test fit it to the frame.

This just might work!

[55 Chevy Dave]

I cut the wheel opening.

I then finished off the bottom end of the rear stake pocket to match the roll pan
and welded it to the bedside.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I picked up some trailer fenders at Farm and Fleet. They are made of a thick gauge metal and seemed to be quite a bit cheaper than the inner fenders you can buy in the aftermarket.

I cut a few inches out of the center section, welded the two halves back together and then bolted it to the bedside.

I still plan to weld a plate to the inside of the inner fender, but I haven't decided how I want the inner fenders to connect to the wood that will eventually be installed in the bed. So, for now, I am leaving them long so I can finish them later.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I bought some 1-3/4" tubing for the bedside rails. I wanted solid tube in lieu of the rolled sheet metal used on the factory bedsides.

I picked up a couple 1-3/4" exhaust elbows to return the rails back to the tailgate at the rear.

I welded the elbows to the end of the tubing and clamped it to the bedside.

The exhaust tubing elbows were a bit thin, but I managed to get them welded up.

[55 Chevy Dave]

I made the piece in the first pic out of the same 1"x 2" rectangular tubing. It supports the tubing at the front of the bedside.

I also forgot to mention that I welded a second 16-gauge plate to the front of the bedside where it bolts to the front bed metal. It reinforces the sheet metal and extends past the stake pocket.

I then proceeded to slowly weld the rail to the bedside.

[55 Chevy Dave]

And here is the finished product. And some more pics with the factory fender bolted in.

I definitely like how it turned out.