49' Patina bagged in PA

[Root2812]

99 to Life, Thanks for all the help you've been giving me. I tried to reply to you PM but your inbox is full.

[99 to Life]

No problem man, glad to help. I got two other people emailing me all the time about the similar stuff, one guy just picked up a truck actually, so I'v been fielding even more. Its cool though, I like helping out. I deleted some messages, so you can re send whatever.

[99 to Life]

11-9-13 Painted the rims finally. I ended up mixing two colors to make this goldish bronze. Was going to do the dash, but I think I'll wait until I put it back in the truck first, so at this rate, won't be until spring maybe.

Finally got the cab and clip off of frame and into garage. Finally starting to see some progress. Tore apart the front end on the dime frame. Will probably dehump my lower control arms soon. I'm going with some tubular uppers and poly urethane bushings in the bottoms, so waiting on some loot for that stuff and my bag cups. Hoping to have the rear link kit this week, so next weekend I'll get that in, also should have my whites mounted this coming weekend too.

I still need electric ran to my garage, a new welder and I just came across a 54' gmc I am trying to get, its really rough but like anything, is usually salvageable. So between all that and the holidays money is gonna be tight. My goal is to get the suspension done, so I can get my body mounts made, then get on all the patch panels for the cab. I'm just going to new cab corners, inner outter cowl, kick panels. Wasn't expecting all that work but its something I want to do right. Between all that I'll moch up engine and trans, get them in. Again, once I get some cash flow I'll be able to button up my engine.

[69CST-V]

Nice progress.

[99 to Life]

thanks bryce, yeah its slowly coming along. Just wanna get it a roller so I can start getting stuff moched up. Come spring I'll paint interior and frame. Would like to have it drivable by summer. I thought time would be holding this back cause I really only work on the truck itself on saturdays, I did get to work on dash, rims, engine during week after work. But it seems like money is gonna prolong this if anything. Its all about balance, finding things to do without money, or during the cold times blah blah blah. I did my 51' in about a year worth of weekends, so with more tools and knowledge now, I should be able to get this done in half the time and should be a far better build.

[IWanna49]

Love your pup stretched out in the garage...

[99 to Life]

yeah thats my girl gretta, she is mean to strangers. Just want I want. Always by my side, I need to get her a buddy, as she isn't too keen on big dogs either. She gets lonely cause I'm not with her all the time. But she has a huge fenced in yard now.

[TheBlueBomber]

Awesome truck. Looking forward to getting a '49 myself one day. Great work on the dash. Sometimes I need a reminder that a lot of parts thrown out could be salvaged.

[99 to Life]

bluebomber, thanks man. Yeah I got alot of projects and alot need alot of work!!! Gotta pick and choose battles, but I don't believe in scrapping old stuff at all, not even the dumbest thing. Should hopefully have a nice update this weekend, but we'll see. One of my daily drivers is having some issues, soooooo my only work day might be gone. But I'll atleast be getting my tires mounted this weekend. stay tuned.

[99 to Life]

11-16

Well, had a little bit of time to hurry up and moch up my ridetech link kit. its super roughed in, still need air in the bags and to cut out my bump stop bumps. But its nice to see something coming together. This rear is a out of a blazer with disc brakes, should be wider than an s10 4x4, so may not need spacers. I'll prolly run with this rear end for a while until I find a posi, if this isn't already one.

Got the tires mounted on rims. Front tire is just sitting in place. I got some more stuff on the way so I can get the front end bagged next and hopefully be able to air both back and front up soon. Maybe next weekend if I'm lucky. but have to rebuild rear end in one of my daily drivers, so there goes time and money towards my 49'. I'm chipping away at it though, I'm so glad to see things coming together, but then will get all tore down for painting chassis etc.

[TheBlueBomber]

That looks awesome!!! I hear you on the DD, thermostat went out in the mine and made the tranny lose overdrive and overheat. Stupid computers letting $6 parts ruin things... luckily no damage was done. Good luck on the axle

[99 to Life]

12-1 Got some progress made. Got slammed with a big snow storm so I stayed up north for the whole week, I got to work almost three full days on her. So I got some bag cups, upper control arms and got the front moched up. Had to trim out the spring pocket quite a bit for the 2600 lb bags and roll plates. bag cups gave me hell trying to drill bag holes and not hit the bolts that bolt to the lower control arm. I may not have to dehump the arms. As it is right now it is about 3.75-4" off ground front to back, with no substantial weight on it. The back frame rests on the axle, so no notch as of right now. Good thing is, more bed room.

So that seems pretty far off from laying frame, but good thing is plenty of clearance incase something goes bad, and two I'm at 3" off frame right now. I think aired up ride height the frame will be around 7" which is where my 51' rides, but the 51' is 4" off frame, so I'm guessing the 49' should be cruising with body about 4" off ground so pretty close to my current truck and perhaps a little better. I figured the highest the cab could mount would be 3" that enable me to bolt the front fender on and have it sit on the ground. the running boards normally have a 1.5-2" gap below cab, so I may add filler in there.

I'm pretty happy so far with the outcome, rather than notch frame, dehump control arms, just to get my body 4-5" off frame, I may take my chances with driveshaft, which is about the only issue I see having. All in all I like how I'll have as much bed room as possible and the safety of the frame keeping my oilpan up outta the ground.

[99 to Life]

Some edited pics.

[STOCKISH]

Looking good man.

[ghettoluxury]

What size are your wheels and tires?

[99 to Life]

14" rims 26"tall tire. running same exact tire on my 51'

[ghettoluxury]

Thanks, I have been trying to figure out a tire size that will clear without tubbing.

[69CST-V]

Looking sick. Keep it up

[Wybrow]

You're on a hell of a roll. Something about these rusty old things laying on their running board that gets me, I tell ya.

[99 to Life]

thanks fellas, yah I'm about a year overdue on starting this. got caught up with so much yard work and other projects, soooo I'm def not wasting any time on this. -ghetto As for not notching the frame I'm running bias tires, so I'm not sure if some aftermarket white wall radials 14" would have less wall height or not. If worst came of it, I and you can just do a couple inch C notch in the rear, requires no humping of the frame. They sell bolt on kits and or pretty easy to make one. I'm still waiting on my electric hook up and 220 welder so I would have done that already, but I think right now I probably won't need to even do that.

[IWanna49]

Lookin sweet, Henry. Love the stance and the progress so far. Drop spindles up front or no?

Greg

[99 to Life]

thanks greg, yes 2" drop spindles up front, right now I got a 2" drop block in my airbar set up in the rear, but that just affects the bags and shock height, frame is gonna hit axle and set about 3.75" off ground with my tire size in the rear. If I were to notch the rear I'd have to dehump the lower control arms up front, so it would drop evenly. I pretty much lucked out with this set up as of right now as its laying pretty even. Also a big dictator is the front fenders, they want to sit at a certain height, so the bare min my cab can go is about 3" up off frame, maybe 3.5 would be best outcome. Hoping all the weight added to front, doesn't make it sit lower, cause it can squish some when I step on it. So I'll iron all that out when I get the moch up engine and trans on there and get the front metal all finalized.

[ghettoluxury]

I am not worried about notching the frame. I just don't want wheel tubs on the inside of the bed. A 6 inch deep bed is fine by me if thats what it takes to lay out. I just want all of the factory width from inside edge to inside edge.

[99 to Life]

im trying to get bed and front clip on next, I think ill be able to dodge tubs. gotta work on daily this weekend so might not even have time to work on the truck.

[99 to Life]

12-8
man it was freezing saturday, had to do brakes on my daily out in the elements. managed to get a few hours in on the 49'. Just getting cab aligned, so I can get bed aligned. My 51' bed depth is about 10" with about 2" of wood. The 49' bed depth should be 9" final after about 1" of wood. As of right now, no tubs. I'll have to put maybe .5" spacers in the back, 1" tops. right now wheel tuck is 3" so I got some room to play with.

Hoping to have body mounts made and everything finalized by the new year. The front fenders on there now are just moch ups, they are not the final fenders. Im getting my electric hooked up monday, and ordering a welder this month. So I can really get cracking on some things. Once body height is final (after I get moch up engine/trans weight, still should be around 3-3.5" of frame. I can then start working on all new cab floor and trans tunnel. Once I finalize that and maybe do doors alignment with bear claws and do cab corners while its on frame. Or take off frame and do on dolly, while frame is being sandblaster OR stripped by hand which I don't want to do! Then final assembly of body, exhaust, brakes, engine etc. Then onto interior and wiring, air ride wiring/plumbing,glass door logos, bed wood and list will keep going.