55 chevy truck build and intro

[lotussutol]

Here are some more pics. I have the headers mocked up. On the passenger side I have a little less then half an inch clearance. will be a little less with a gasket. How much clearance do I need?

I am not sure what the headers were made for...i heard for a truck but who knows what year.

I was told they are Doug something or another headers. The flanges are nice and thick. I need to clean them up before bolting them on.

I am going to run some straight 2.5" pipe into cherry bomb glasspacks dumping right in front of the rear tires. It should be fairly loud.

[solidaxel]

The passenger side is where you will need the most clearence, as that is the direction the torque moves under power. You may want to put in some very hard motor mounts in, check out energy suspension or any one that has that type of mount! Do you have a lumpy cam at idle?
The headers I think are Doug Thorley.

[Daniel U]

I've been real happy with our Doug Thorley headers on our 99 vortec Tahoe. I got ours with the ceramic coating. My clearance issue was more for the steering linkage. Thats why I chose the sanderson cast header. I got them ceramic coated as well. Here's the Sanderson's on our '54:

[lotussutol]

What a day. I started off with just wanting to mount the turbo 350 in. I put the torque converter in the tranny and proceeded to mount the tranny to the engine.

As I was snugging up the bolts...SNAP. here is what it was.


After removing the tranny/torque converter I tried to put the torque conver matted up to the flex wheel. no luck. the parts are a TIGHT fit.

I dug out the 700R4 I have and put a torque converter in it and mounted it up to the engine. No problem what so ever. I move the crossmember back to where it needs to be and drilled the holes and bolted it in.

On the plus side now my frame is drilled for a turbo 350 and 700r4. That and I will now have an overdrive too.

[tiggerstoy]

bad luck, but it worked out for the best

[Daniel U]

I always try to see the upside as well. Looks good. I think the 700R4 will make a better cruiser for you. Is it the early or late version. I have the early on in my '54 and the late one in my '88 IROC. The later ones are a little tougher. Just curious.

[lotussutol]

Originally Posted by Daniel U

I always try to see the upside as well. Looks good. I think the 700R4 will make a better cruiser for you. Is it the early or late version. I have the early on in my '54 and the late one in my '88 IROC. The later ones are a little tougher. Just curious.

I am not sure of the cutoff year...It was built for a 86 monte carlo that had a 383 with nitrous on it. I bought it off the guy after he pulled the engine/tranny out. I am not sure if it was the tranny that came with that vehilce or not.

I believe it has a full manual valve body on it too. I emailed the guy I got it from trying to get more details about it.

The lower first gear and overdrive do sound appealing!

[1-ton of fun]

that's why you need to make sure the tranny is aligned right when installing it. it will slide up all the way up against the motor when it is on there right. DO NOT ever use the bolts to pull the tranny and motor together, or you will break an ear off the tranny. i have done that before also, that's how i learned my lesson.

[72BlckButy]

Love the truck. I can't wait to see the end result of this build!

[Daniel U]

The info I read says in '87 they got an auxilary valve body giving them fwd/rev. accumulators that soften the initial shift into gear.

[lotussutol]

ooops...an extra part. Oh well, it is in now.





I also set the carb/air cleaner on to see what it will look like.

[Kim57]

Lookin good.
Kim

[solidaxel]

You will wish you had put that front seal now instead of later when you are driving it, and there is ATF on the floor after it has set for a few days !!!!!

[lotussutol]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

You will wish you had put that front seal now instead of later when you are driving it, and there is ATF on the floor after it has set for a few days !!!!!

it is the passenger side front inner wheel bearing seal.

I was cleaning the shop up and found that seal...I tore the wheel back apart and put it in last night.

[lotussutol]

This week there is work going on in two interiors...
1. My 55 chevy truck.
2. My 1940's house master bathroom.

I have been scraping and cleaning up the inside of the 55 chevy cab.
After the pics were taken I applied some rust converter. I will let that dry for 24 hours and tuesday night I will wire brush the floor before I start patching the driver side floor. I then hope to get it primered and apply some underliner on it.

I will let the floor stay in that state until it is time for carpet. Then I will lay down some sound insulation and put the carpet in.

Also before painting the floor with the undercoating I have to sand the dash and cut it up. I have one of the smooth dash kits coming in from brothers (on sale for 50 clams right now).




the worst spot...the drivers side floor. I almost parted the cab out because this spot is so beyond repair (California rust is the worst! )


Also...with the 1940s house. We are tearing out the fiberglass insert and going with a shower pan and tile shower and floor in the master bathroom.




You can see one of the tiles laying on the floor in this picture.

[entourageguy]

2 projects on the go at once. Brave but busy guy !!!!
Please don't tell my wife that this is possible

Brian ...

[Daniel U]

I can relate as we are landscaping our backyard and recovering our patio! Good work on both projects. My wife digs your 2nd project.

[tiggerstoy]

i know how it goes, trying to buy a home, working, building everyone elses hot-rods, and making time to build the 55.....not easy, but fun...lol

[1-ton of fun]

shesh, only 2 projects? lol, i know how it goes also. it makes it difficult running in 17 different directions, but i may finish something one day. building my '59, my mustang road racer, always modding the harley, trying to still make time for the family, gotta fix that jet ski one of these days, trying to keep my house in one piece, starting the turbo project on my lightning once the mustang is done (i need a way to get to work!) my only problem is my shop is tooooooo small. that and i never have enough time. although i do spend almost 8 hours a day sleeping, that's not necessary is it?

[lotussutol]

I can not wait for the shower to be done! the shower head before was about chest height. I am making sure it is above my head this time.

well just got home from training and the wife and kids are nowhere to be found. time to run to the garage!

[b.sharp]

I pm'ed you. I really need that dash if you're going to just cover it up !! I need the radio section if you'll cut it out before putting the smooth dash on.

Latr,

Bryan

[lotussutol]

yup yup...pm'd you back. you can have it and I have a radio patch panel that you can have too. just pay for shipping and they are yours. I should be cutting out the radio section in a week.

[b.sharp]

That's just sweeeet man, I can't wait to get that ugly hole in my dash fixed.

[lotussutol]

well we went under the house to look at the plumbing and noticed the next bathroom over {butted up next to the master bathroom} has rotted wood under the shower. So now we are gutting that bathroom too and going to make it into one large bathroom for that side of the house.

I also have the front of my 55 chevy truck all patched up and ready for some paint on the floor on the inside.

[b.sharp]

sory to hnere about the floor. I guess better to find it now that later when it might fall thru. Also better to do it all at once than in two separate times. Keep me posted on the dash removal and what I owe you for shipping.

Thanks again,

Bryan