1956 Chevy Pro-Street Build

[Nut Case]

ptc

It's so fun to watch your build, I'm missing the orange frame, not.
What are you going to tow? An M1 Abrams?

Keep on keepin on

NC

[ptc]

Finally completed another one of my trucks single-most-wanted modifications I really wanted to do on this build. Because its a '57 I really wanted to have the '57 Bel-Air parking lamps in the front grill. There are many obstacles in making this mod happen but if you really want something bad enough I guess you just have to grin and bare it and persevere to get it accomplished.

I got ahold of an original Bel Air light bar, (and only the bar) at a swap meet, it was in pretty bad condition, but I figured I was gonna be cutting it up and doing all kinds of things with it anyway. My '57 truck grill was in really good condition so I sold it and bought a less than fancy one because it too was going under the KNIFE! (errrr cutting wheel). So I cut everything up about oh 8 months ago and then put it aside and forgot about it because it was looking like it was gonna be alot of work! - worked on it a few times, tried to get a chrome shop to strip it to no avail, tried sand blasting it, NOT... then just took a 60 grit flapper to it and cut through all that chrome in no time. Then comes the welding, well brazing of the pot metal with some aluminum stuff I got from a swap meet carnival barker, but the stuff looked like it worked.... after a few burnt fingers and melting alot of the holes in the pot metal I finally got it all brazed together and filled.

I wasnt going to re-chrome it, my whole build is about simplicity and NON-SHINY things, so it was going to be painted. I chose stainless steel because I really dislike silver and aluminum is SILVER! --- hello? Stainless has a greyness tint to it that just looks different....

Long story WAY shortened.... I got ALL the parts and pieces ordered,
delivered, sanded, prepped and primed and painted and then got it all put together today and am just loving this look.... Hope you guys enjoy too!



This is once the grill surround was modified and welded up and the light bar was also completed and being final sanded.



All of the holes in the bottom needed to be welded up, ground smooth, mudded, sanded, blocked, primed....... to look like nothing had been there.



This is the grill mesh I finally found online that I liked that didnt look like grandmas kitchen wallpaper.... with the light bar fitted into it. It bolts from behind so it looks like it is just floating.



Here is the final assembled light bar with the satin stainless paint coating all completed. All the bulb cups, lenses, wire looms are new from Danchuk parts. they got everything!



The finished grill surround in satin stainless steel..... smooth!



And the mesh grill I used truck-bed liner to coat it heavily with. Looks thick

and......

Here is the final product.... - ME LIKE

[mongocanfly]

gotta say...it looks GREAT!!!!...

[oldman3]

Nice job and looks great...Jim

[Scottish58chev]

Looks really good.

[MIKESAD50]

That came out looking very nice. Good Job.

[Kim57]

Looks great.
I may have to steal that idea for mine.
Kim

[ptc]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Looks great.
I may have to steal that idea for mine.
Kim

Steal away... I did! --- Saw it on a guys truck up here in Pleasanton. He put PIAA driving lights in his and kept his stock turn signals. I shaved mine.

Theres a guy out there selling these light bars already modified - if you dont want to go thru all the heartache of doing the pot metal work yourself.


Thanks guys! - cant wait to get the truck back now!

Tackling my door/window/latches project is next.....

[lower50's]

That turned out really nice I like the look, and your right the stainless looks way better!

[Nut Case]

ptc

Strong Work!!!!

What a great modification. What's the contact info on the dude that's makes this modification.

Fun to watch..

Keep on keepin on

Nut Case

[BIGglaSS]

I like it. Due to the cost of re-chrome now days, it is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

[ChuckDriver]

Nicely done!

What are your plans for the hood latch?

[ptc]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Nicely done!

What are your plans for the hood latch?

Latch? what latch?..... electric popper! - ah another relay!, switch, and wire to the front harness!... NOT - I think I am just gonna do a cable release latch. Something out of any GM product truck should work and just run it into the cab alongside the driver kick panel.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Great progress on the truck! I love the grill. Looks really sharp!

[ptc]

Embarked on a relay panel for all my mechanical and motor driven circuits; ended up with 14 relays!!! - Now I am installing an AUX FUSE PANEL to support the entire relay setup. Also adding keyless start and entry, door locks, door poppers and the regular stuff too like High Beam/Low Beam which will be Halogen amperage sucking lights eventually, electric water pump, radiator fans, fuel pump, and future power windows too.



The whole panel is going to fit into the driver side kick panel area. Have to make it waterproof.

[55 Chevy Dave]

Originally Posted by ptc

Embarked on a relay panel for all my mechanical and motor driven circuits; ended up with 14 relays!!! - Now I am installing an AUX FUSE PANEL to support the entire relay setup. Also adding keyless start and entry, door locks, door poppers and the regular stuff too like High Beam/Low Beam which will be Halogen amperage sucking lights eventually, electric water pump, radiator fans, fuel pump, and future power windows too.



The whole panel is going to fit into the driver side kick panel area. Have to make it waterproof.

ptc, I find it amazing how you and I always seem to be working on the same things on our trucks. I spent the better part of the past weekend wiring up the first 4 relays for my truck. I really like your choice of placement for the relays and find myself second-guessing my choice of placement for my relays behind the passenger seat.

Keep going and keep posting! I'm learning a lot from your build thread!

[ptc]

Here it is all finished. If anybody needs a wiring diagram then drop me a PM.

This is a real simple setup and is just a basic 12V powered relay lineup through the Aux Fuse Box which you can fuse up to 10 fuses, (4 of my relays are fused from the Main fuse box already).

Then I ran all the #86 relay wires to the INPUT terminal blocks on top and the #87 relay wires to the OUPUT terminal blocks on the bottom. Its just IN n OUT. real easy peasy!

[BIGglaSS]

Nice! I've been thinking about the same thing. Where did you get the relay box? Is that for the standard bosch size automotive relay?

[ptc]

Originally Posted by BIGglaSS

Nice! I've been thinking about the same thing. Where did you get the relay box? Is that for the standard bosch size automotive relay?

Actually no they are the Hella mini relays 25A NC-35A NO capable. The fuse block is a HELLA also and they are modular so you can connect them together. They come in 7 relay or 4 relay groups.

Check out Del City on the web for all the parts.

[Rods57]

looks realy good, cant wait until i am re-assembiling.

[lower50's]

Relays are great I have 12 in mine

[Kim57]

That looks pretty slick.
Kim

[Rods57]

Very Nice..

[Dan in Pasadena]

I hope I'm not hijacking by askingthis questionbut my truck will shortly be fully rewired and i have a question about the use of relays.

I am about as dumb when it comes to electrical wiring in a car as one can be but by understanding is that a relay is basically, "switching a switch" electronically so the swit itself doesnt carry the full electrical load of the item being powered. Is this about right?

I have asked the guy about to do my wiring to use relays in wiring my headlights. He says I don't need to do that and doesnt really recommend it. This puzzles me because it seems i read about using relays on headlight wiring as the ONLY way to do it. What gives?

Mind you, I intend to use ordinary conventional incandescent headlights. I had something called Sylvania Silver Stars (or some such name) on y truck before. Why DON'T I want to use ordinary headlights again?

I'd like to hear the arguments in favor of using other types of lights but I don't understand the new technologies. I know LED's are light emitting diodes, use less power, but why do I want these? H4's - I know nothing really about this term. Need it explained and i get all wrapped around the axle reading online about this subject.

Since ptc appears to be using an arm load of relays i thought this might be a good place to ask. If ptc objects to my questions, I understand and ignore them. Any help appreciated though. PS: I'm not having power windows, air suspension or actuators of any kind.

[lower50's]

Dan I'll post some stuff on your thread for this question.