'50 5 window.....s10 swap

[rhodog77]

Not much to update. Im on the search for a new cab/truck. Mine is alot rougher than I thought. I think Im going to buy a complete truck. I only have 400 in the sheetmetal so far, hood, fenders and dash are good so I should get a couple of bucks back from that. Anyway, Not much to do right now, too cold to do anything. I am working on getting the motor fired up and running. I will post to youtube and on the build thread ASAP.

brian

[chevy49]

how bad is the cab?pics thanks jim

[rhodog77]

its shot!! the corners are obviously gone, not a huge deal to fix but the main problem is the front floor and pillar supports, they were rotted thru. I thought about replacing them, and still might, but its a ton or work. You can see pix on my photobucket link. Just some advice to those out there who care to listen. Im a body guy, anything can be fixed with enough time and money. However. when doing the s10 swap having good front channel cab mounts and pillar supports are critical. They really need to be solid to get the rest of the front sheetmetal to sit good. You have to have something solid to mount the cab to.

[chevy49]

dont look that bad to me.i will pm you thanks

[rhodog77]

Just wanted to update.

Looking for a new cab. having my driveshaft made this week. I looked and looked for one in a junkyard but really didnt find one that would worked. My local driveshaft shop wanted $155 to cut, balance and put new universals in. Not to bad but I still have to provide a shaft for them to cut down. Anyway, found a old timer hot rodder who will make me a steel one from scratch with new universals for $200.00. Hope to have this weekend. Will post some pix of it installed.

[Dan Bowles]

How's the cab hunt coming? I know the feeling. We ended up buying one from TX to replace the set up cab on my son's '54. It was like a whole new world opened up. We could chase threads on captured nuts rather than looking at air!

[rhodog77]

Dan,

I think I found the one I want. Im made an offer to the owner, he is mulling it over. I hate to start over with a different cab but I know the project will be so much easier and turn out a lot nicer.

[Dan Bowles]

If you look at my build album: http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z...Chevy%20Truck/

You'll see we started with a rough cab (no floor and hit in the DS cowl). We got the frame set, motor set, bed set, and a ton mocked up before we found it. We actually had planned to just fix it and have a box of sheet metal to do just that. The price was right so off it came. It really didn't hurt us and only took a long Saturday to change. We probably would have gotten more done but my son had to go somewhere for school that night (or FFA or 4H or something) so he HAD to go take a shower...

[rhodog77]

Dan,

Love the photobucket pages. Pix are awesome. Im really in the same boat. I used my cab to get everything mocked up the way I wanted it. I kinda knew that I would be one the hunt for a better cab a while ago. I have found a few prospects but have snagged on yet. Its way to cold to wrench right now so Im in no rush.

[rhodog77]

well, just wanted to update. Went to the junkyard last weekend and found a driveshaft. I found one the exact size that I needed for $40. Bought and installed new joints for $15. $55 total is alot better than the $200 I was going to pay to have someone build me one. Plus, a very good learning experience, and some fun. I sanded it down, got it painted and installed it today.









Still have to clean up the rear end but wanted to get the driveshaft installed to see how everything fit together. Im very happy how it worked out, especially the price!! Just for some info, here is video shot on how to remove the nylon retaining pins in stock GM u joints. Pretty cool design but a huge pain in the butt to get out........unless you heat them, then its a snap.

YouTube- GM universal joint threads.AVI

[wibas]

Anybody done the radiator yet? I'm looking at anorthern aluminum radiator but cannot figure how to mount the universal model. I think that was what Jeff used but I cannot see his mounting brackets and how they are attached. Also has anyone installed headers yet? If so what kind? Thanks

[wibas]

What was the driveshaft out of?

[southbounddee]

i'm with wibas,..what did that drive shaft come out of??

[rhodog77]

not exactly sure what the driveshaft came out of. Im pretty sure it was a full size pickup, definitley came from a GM product. I went to the junkyard expecting to do some hunting around but my junkyard had a tractor trailer full of driveshafts. I was the easiest trip to the junkyard Ive ever had. They even somewhat organized all the driveshafts by length, it took me about 5 minutes total to find what I needed.

[T Hilde]

dog, where's all the earlier pics?

[rhodog77]

i have no idea what happened to them. I got an email from photobucket saying that some of my files had beed corrupted ????? I will go back and try to repost them. My photobucket account still has all the pix so Im not sure what happened.

[rhodog77]

Well, the search is over. I bought a new cab today!!! This one, a 1950 5 window out of Arizona via Ohio!!!! It is very very solid. minimal surface rust only. Cab corners are solid, no replacement or patch panels will be needed on this cab. I feel like am so far ahead over my other cab. There is a small dent right in the front center of the cab roof. I got the dash as well. Im going to try to have the firewall sanded and primed this week, then I will mount the cab. With the weather getting warmer, I hoping to start making some weekly progess. thats the goal anyway!!!!





And if anyone wanted to know. The AD cabs will fit in the bed of a new full size pickup.

[bjcaldwe]

Very nice.

[nickp51chevy]

I hope that the AD cab forgives you for putting it in the back of a f@&d truck.

That is a nice find. Congrats.

[rhodog77]

I thought I would catch some grief needing a ford to haul my chevy!!!!

Got the firewall sanded down and primed up today. Mounted the cab and threw on the front fenders. The cab went back perfectly where my old one was. I guess all the measuring and measuring and remeasuring paid off. It took about 10 minutes to bolt the cab down. Im hoping to have the inside of the cab sanded down and primed this weekend.

[bjcaldwe]

Looking good.

[nickp51chevy]

Nice! Congrats on your good work the first time to have it pay off this time

[99 to Life]

What was the length of your driveshaft? What tranny are you using?
Just curious. I know alot of peoples will be different. I am finding out,
the cross member will be moved, there will be a hump in the floor and
the drive shaft length. I am running an NV3500 5 speed, 350 engine.
thanks

[Dan Bowles]

99, we've got the NV3500 in ours but you'll have to know where your engine sits to make sure you have the right driveshaft length. You are right, they are all over the place!

[rhodog77]

99 to life,

The driveshaft is 58" center to center. I am running a 700R4, stock from my s10 donor truck. Your right, you will move the crossmember, need a different driveshaft and probably hump the floor. I did use the stock crossmember, cut and moved it back about 3 inches. I will have to hump the floor just a bit. I havent really gotten to that part yet. Dan is right, each build is different!!
Good luck.

Brian