My 55 Chevy 4X4

[marc55]

I will go back about 6 month to when I started working on the truck. Glass is in. I like wing windows so I refurbed them. I know they will leak but I like the look. Put bear claw latches, and power windows. The way the door hinges makes it tough to run power to the door. I don't like the sliding looms. I think I am going to go with a contact switch.

[marc55]

Yep, LS everything. Engine trans is set. I will need to modify the trans x-member for the front driveline. engine has a mild cam. Just started the plumbing and exhaust system.

[57FleetsideC4]

Coming along nicely. I like the vent widows also and will be putting them back in on my build. Nice progress!! Steve

[62 Barnfind]

Paint looks good! Is that Brewster green?

[dsraven]

curious what style of construction that is, wall studs with cross studs. joists on roof with beams spaced far apart. is there a name for that? engineered for some heavy load?
do you plan on a hoist since you have that tall cieling.

[marc55]

The color is real close to 2005 GM Silverado. Don't know the name. The building is a "vaulted clearspan truss". It uses pearling's and gert's to tie in the steel trusses. Building uses cables for shear wall strength. I have a 3/12 roof and is fully engineered for snow load in WA. state. Usually you side it with steel but I sheeted it with OSB and put Hardieplank siding to match my house. The nice thing is you can put a door or window anywhere you want because the walls are not structural. So I was able to put 2 16' and 2 10' wide doors in.

[dsraven]

nice. the wall loading was what I was wondering about, I thought the truss system was prolly what holds the building.

[Kevin_C]

Truck looks great but I'm jealous of the garage. Been trying to build a 24x42 for two years now. nothing fancy just an open shell. Most contractors don't even call back. got one quote for 78k. Im sure its probably even more now with the way the world is.

[vintovka]

Originally Posted by Kevin_C

Truck looks great but I'm jealous of the garage. Been trying to build a 24x42 for two years now. nothing fancy just an open shell. Most contractors don't even call back. got one quote for 78k. Im sure its probably even more now with the way the world is.

Feel your pain. Had to go with a cheapy 24x26 metal building only 2 years after building a first quality stick built garage for same price of 22K!! Remember to spec door height at least 6" taller than your rig.

[marc55]

Thanks, I came in just under 80k, but I got lucky purchased building in 2018 and was buying OSB for $11 a sheet. Back in 2019 bids were about 130k so the sweat equity was worth it.

[Southcity]

You nailed it on the garage, great job! and yeah, most of us on this board would love to have such a sweet setup. Curious about the color on the 55, looks real nice, custom blend or?

[marc55]

I found the paint code.

[6DoF]

jealous of the shop!

gota feel good getting back to real progress, glad ya didn't let it go in the mean time.

[marc55]

Put the exhaust together. Going with flowmaster delta 40s. Wanted to stainless steel but my TIG skills are not there yet.

[dsraven]

for anybody lurking, you can also weld stainless with an arc welder. I just did a repair on the wifes audi exhaust with my old arc welder. the exhaust pipes are from 2001. it turned out great. clean the metal well first, don't use a regular steel wire brush to do that.

[marc55]

Have the gas tank ready to install and working on the radiator hoses.

[G&R's57GMC]

Great project .
Congratulations on your marriage, I was married on Halloween also .

I’ve got a genuine factory installed NAPCO ‘57 GMC that’s been finished for decades . Soon it will go under the wrench and become a two wheel drive air ride 5.3 automatic Currie 9” .
It also will have power windows ,Altman latches a/c etc. The new chassis was done in 2010 then other projects took over the shop .

Did you use Bear Claw or Altman door latches ?
Looking forward to your solution to getting Electric into the doors, I’m thinking contacts also .

[marc55]

The kit was an Altman kit. I need to do more adjustment on the doors. right now they latch but after I get the door gaps where I want them I might not have the adjustment I need for the striker. The power windows are Nu-relic and they went in nice. Just a little trimming on an inner brace for motor clearance. I rather just use contactors instead of the sliding loom style for door power but I have some folding steps I want to install and not sure what they need to switch them to work.

[marc55]

Got a BP automotive harness and started wiring the engine bay.

[marc55]

The engine started up just fine and I let is run for about 30 seconds. The next day I had a small leak from the top of the gas tank. I was never happy with the mounting bracket I made for the tank. Verry hard to remove the tank. So I decided to redo the bracket so it can be removed easier. I am also going to add hard lines to extend past the top of the tank so I can disconnect the flex lines without having to lower the tank.

[marc55]

I fixed the gas leak issue. Got my air intake routed and plumbed the power steering.

[marc55]

Added all the fluids and ran the engine up to temp. No leaks and the fan turned on at 190 degrees. So now I can start the wiring. Doing the ignition first. Everything but the starter is going through a 200 amp megafuse. Then I am using a button that controls a 200 amp relay that send power to an engine bay and dashboard power distribution block. The dash power is also protected by a 150 amp breaker. I figure the relay is a convenient way to disconnect the battery and prevent a draw when sitting.

[marc55]

Getting closer. Front end is on. Lights are done. Shocks installed. The rear was a little squatted so I removed the 2" lift blocks and installed a 4" shackle reverse kit. I also found some bucket seat that work better than the bench seat I had and I bough a dakoda digital dash.

[rgunlock]

Truck is looking really good... and pretty much done! What is left to do?

[marc55]

I am registered and will start doing some shake down runs in March when the weather gets better. I am working on the interior. Going to put the sound deadener in, picking carpet colors, and designing a center console, adding 3 point seat belts, and a heater. Looking to do a tannish Carmel with black. Down the road I will have the seats reupholstered to match. It feels good to be done. I have 2 more projects on deck. a 38 ford rat rod that I started when the truck was in paint jail and a 68 Firebird I bought over 30 years ago with my lawn mower money when I was 15. I want the 38 moving at the end of summer and the 68 on the road in 3 years.