57 GMC, frame swap, 4wd, 454 big block, 4 speed

[joedoh]

purty!

I think the color you seek was recently released by PPG, kindigit did a 55 bel air in a color they called "putty" and everyone lost their mind for it so PPG was said to have added it.

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

purty!

I think the color you seek was recently released by PPG, kindigit did a 55 bel air in a color they called "putty" and everyone lost their mind for it so PPG was said to have added it.

Thanks! Yes, that color is growing on me.

[Old57]

I went to my friend's garage the other day and we tilted the cab on it's back and removed the dolly, sitting it on a stand. Last night, he got the bottom side prepped and sprayed in the bed liner. I'll go get the cab and bring it home this weekend, then I can get it mounted to the frame.

I shouldn't have to worry about rust in the lower half of the cab anymore.

[ChuckDriver]

Clean!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Clean!

Thanks! It feels good to finally be ready for the cab to go on the chassis.

[Old57]

There was a "marriage" in the shop today... the 57 GMC cab is mounted to the K20 4x4 chassis. It feels good to start seeing it take shape. Wheels and tires will raise it a couple inches... It's going to be a big boy, but will fit under my 8' doors. I'll be using an HEI distributor too, now that I know it'll clear ok.

[OutlawDrifter]

Very cool!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

Very cool!

Thanks! Its not everyones preference, but its what I wanted

[joedoh]

super great, it was a great weekend in kansas to be working on trucks!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by joedoh

super great, it was a great weekend in kansas to be working on trucks!

Man, it was a perfect fall weather for "shop stuff"! Your truck is coming along good... much faster than mine! I wish I had more time to work on my own stuff.

[rusty76]

Awesome truck I’m following.

[Old57]

I had time to work on my front fenders today. I'm using the driver side 57 GMC fender that was on the truck, but the passenger side GMC fender was in bad shape and not worth fixing, so I found a 55-56 Chevy passenger side fender a long time ago to use, which I'm changing to a 55-56 Chevy front clip anyway. I knew this 55-56 fender would need to be re-repaired from poor previous work.

My GMC driver side fender had rust in the headlight eyebrow and rear lower bottom. It also had the holes for the GMC mustache trim, which had been cut out a lot bigger for some reason. The other issue to fix is the grill mount notch that 57 fenders have. I got all of the areas in the driver side fender marked, cut out, and prepped for repairs. I used a new repair piece for the eyebrow, and made a patch for the rear bottom. I used a wrecked donor fender for the other pieces, and also welded in the GMC emblem holes. So the end result is a 57 GMC fender converted to a 55-56 Chevy fender, and now rust free.

After that, I used a wire cup on a grinder to remove all the body filler and inspect what needs done on the 55-56 passenger side fender. It will need a little work in the eyebrow area, and needs the poor quality bottom patch redone, and a new lower inner brace to replace the hacked up one in there now. I'll be able to re-use the previous lower rear patch, just cutting it out where some one lap-welded it so I can properly butt-weld it together and fit it right... and not need 1/4" think body filler then!

So after I get this passenger fender fixed, I'll have a rust free truck... finally! Then I can take all 4 fenders, inner fenders, hood, core support, and doors to get media blasted and sprayed in primer. I'll get the bed blasted and sprayed in primer sometime after that. I still need to come up with a good 73-87 long bed floor to weld into my 57 long bed, which will also have the bed cross rails to mount directly on this K20 frame.

[Old57]

A few more pics

[Old57]

I started fitting my core support, inner fenders and driver side fender. I was having trouble getting the inner fenders to mount to the core support and be lined up with the cab, then noticed that the EZ Chassis Swap mounts had my cab leaning down in the front. I asked a guy to get me some measurements on a stock frame for the body mount height difference in the front and rear mounts. With his measurements, I figured out that I needed to add 1/2" shims at the front mounts, then everything started lining up and looking right. I trimmed the driver inner fender to clear the steering box, and I'll shape it nice when I take the front clip back apart for blasting and priming. Also, the EZ Chassis mounts for the core support was a good fit for the passenger side, but I had to rework the driver side mount quite a bit, and rework the driver side of the core support to get everything bolted on. I messaged Ed at EZ Chassis Swaps to ask about the core support mounts not clearing the steering box, and he knew about it and said I'd have to modify everything to work on the 55-57 trucks. He never mentioned anything like that when I ordered the cab and core support mounts from him. I'd think that if the mounts weren't correct, they'd be revised before they are sold as being right. If I was to do this again, I'd make my own mounts. The EZ mounts are really pricey, especially when they don't fit right anyway. It's nice to start seeing what the truck is going to look like now. It'll come up 3 or 4 inches with wheels and tires... Going to be a big boy.

[Old57]

This evening's mock-up progress on the 57... I got the front clip fit up to the cab and frame. I need to install the hood, fix the passenger side fender, and make both fender bottoms match the door and cab, then I can get it all media blasted and sprayed in epoxy primer like the cab. Nothing just goes right together, haha!

[izzy_Britton]

nice build. looking good. wish i had the time to work on all my projects. lol

[joedoh]

holy geeze that is a big truck! haha looking good!

[mongocanfly]

yep....coming together nicely. ..

[Black_Sheep]

Lovin' it...

[Old57]

Thanks guys

I had a little bit of time this evening, so I set in the 88-98 Chevy truck bench seat and marked for the mounting holes. It fits in great, and I'll get it recovered sometime. I think I might shorten the bottom mounting brackets 1 1/2" or 2". Its much more room and comfortable than the stock bench, but I'm 6'-4", so I sit up pretty close to the roof now. I also mounted the wiring panel on the inner firewall.

[Old57]

I had a chance to get a little more done this afternoon. I got rid of the drum brakes on the 14 bolt rear end, and installed rear disc brakes.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work on your truck, I love it!

[Old57]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work on your truck, I love it!

Thanks! I feel the same about your truck too!

[Old57]

This afternoon, I cut 2" out of the mounts on the 88-98 Chevy truck seat. The seat fits great in the cab, but I'm tall and my head was close to the roof of the cab, so I cut the mounts down. I sprayed some black paint on them after I welded them together. I'll probably have them powder coated later on when I re-cover the seat in pleated black vinyl.

[Advanced Design]

Wow, cool build and nice work! Catching up and tagging along for the rest.