1949 Chevy 3600 into a daily driver

[NEWFISHER]

That's sexy. We need a close up of the painters tape "to do" list. I hope wire brush and POR15 is on it
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[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

That's sexy. We need a close up of the painters tape "to do" list. I hope wire brush and POR15 is on it
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The punch list is secret!!

Ha......no KBS coatings is sitting on the shelf waiting!! After the notch and boxing!!

[Coach529]

Hoping for a solid mock up tomorrow and sitting on all 4 tires......if all goes well!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Coach529

Henry's old HO72 is out........heavy bugger.

....the "direct method of problem solving" huh? Just cut the U-bolts, the brake lines, etc? I'm surprised you didn't cut the universal joints too, ha ha!

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

....the "direct method of problem solving" huh? Just cut the U-bolts, the brake lines, etc? I'm surprised you didn't cut the universal joints too, ha ha!

15 minutes with a skinny wheel and that baby was out of the truck........time is money!! I did cut the nuts off the u joints.

[Coach529]

Today was an adventure that is for sure.

Out goal today was to get the rear end cut out of the donor and get it mocked up in Henry, and hopefully get it down on the ground for a peak. Lofty goal maybe......but achievable. so I thought!!

The donor:



18 degrees and a 20 mph wind means you work fast. Less than 45 minutes later the rear end was in the pickup, paid for and we were headed home!!. Good help is awesome!! The Scrap yard guys were generous today, $75.00 for the rear end and I can use the rims for mock up if I bring them back!!



When we got home the train came off the tracks. Somehow I had missed it before, but the stock 3600 shackles and mounts were shot.





No what?? We headed back to the scrap yard, pushed for time with a noon closing looming. Not sure what direction to go we looked around. There are two 3600 series trucks onsite....but both were in the same shape as mine.

Next option, find a usable truck and steal the leaves, mounts and shackles. We located a mid 80's S-10, and had the man flip it on it's side. Quick work with an impact and a torch, as well as $40 lighter in the wallet we were back on the road.



Once home I leveled the truck front to back and marked the centering pin of the existing spring pack. Then we stripped the old shackle mounts with a skinny wheel, a BFH and a punch. Some cussing, swinging and more cussing the frame is stripped!!





The S-10 spring packs are longer. Stock 3600 leaf packs were about 45" eye to eye. The S-10's are 52". This means the rear running board mount will have to be modified. No big deal, but another step.

Now the big question. Outboard springs or not?

The stock outboard leaf to leaf width of the 3600 was about 41-1/2 center to center.

The stock frame rails are 33" center to center.

Would it be possible to mount my new leaf packs under the frame or would that be too narrow?

[NEWFISHER]

3600 frames are 10 inches skinnier in the rear aren't they? If so, I would run them outboard for sure. More stable I would think. You will like the S10 leafs, I had them on an off road rig and they felt good on the road.
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[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

3600 frames are 10 inches skinnier in the rear aren't they? If so, I would run them outboard for sure. More stable I would think. You will like the S10 leafs, I had them on an off road rig and they felt good on the road.
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I pretty much decided to go that route after running it through my head repeatedly overnight.

I need to pick up some steel and fab some mounts!!

[NEWFISHER]

4x4 supply shops in your area will have laser cut chevy and ford pockets pre fabbed. Or look at sky-manufacturing.com he just down the street from me.
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[Coach529]

Busy day in the garage after Church and a nice long run to clear my head.

With the help of a couple friends and a little bit of treated lumber we were able to get the rear suspension on the drivers side somewhat mocked up.





The S-10 springs have more arc to begin with then my 3600 springs, but also settle a lot more under the weight of the truck. Understandable. Trying to figure out ride height has been a really tricky math problem. Guessing on how much the truck will sag with the bed weight....tire heights, etc etc!!

We did enough today to know what we need for a front mount, which will be 4" x 4" x 1/8" square tube. Should look just like the 4" x 4" wood block in the pictures. I will bolt it to the frame, box the tubing and do a final weld to the frame. Probably overkill........but I want it to be solid and last another 60+ years.

The rear mounts are the question mark that I do not want to make a call on until I get rims and tires all the way around and some weight above the axle.

[NEWFISHER]

You should notch the 4x and use it.

Over on the hamb they would call it traditional hehehe

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

You should notch the 4x and use it.

Over on the hamb they would call it traditional hehehe

My wife was quite confused when she came out to the garage to see me screwing a block of wood to the frame of the truck!!

[Tx Firefighter]

S10 springs and axle, worst case you mis-figure and have to run a lowering block. S10 stuff is so common you can practically buy lowering blocks and u bolts at Walmart for them.
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[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

S10 springs and axle, worst case you mis-figure and have to run a lowering block. S10 stuff is so common you can practically buy lowering blocks and u bolts at Walmart for them.
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True....lowering it is not a big issue. Raising it back up is the issue!!

[Coach529]

Spent a couple hours in the garage tonight getting the rear suspension squared away.

Decided to add some tubing to the outside of the frame and use the stock S-10 mounts. I could not find any external spring mounts locally and am not willing to wait. $10 in tubing and some 45 degree cuts and we are business.

I bolted the tubing to the frame using 1/2" bolts and will also weld it completely once done. I am also going to box the end of the tubing.Overkill probably......







I have tomorrow off of work.....so I am hoping to get this stuff finished and get the rear end prepped for install.

Got the word today that my Hurst Whitewalls shipped, and my Cragars will be here on Thursday!!

[Coach529]

Sneak peak of today's effort......




....now back to work!!

[Kabwe]

Nice job buddy. Keep up the good work.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

Nice job buddy. Keep up the good work.

Thanks!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Damn, I'm on my work computer an I can't see the photos. They actually expect me to work! lol.

[Coach529]

Huge day and a half for Henry. Pretty pumped on what got done and how it all turned out.

Started out the day hauling some scrap metal in and picking up some 4" wide x 3/16" flat strap to make notches.



Working with some pretty primitive tools at home. 4-1/2" grinder and a skinny wheel used to score the flat strap and then bent to 45 degrees in the vice.



I made the notch 4" wide. Probably did not need to be that wide.......but this is my first one so I claim ignorance.

Bent.



Welded.



Next I lowered the truck into close to ride height and figured out where to place the notch. I had the center of the rear diff marked on the frame, so I centered it on that.

Frame is 4" tall, so I made sure with the notch it was never narrower than 2". I marked it and cut it with a skinny wheel.





I had thought about a pipe notch, which I am told is stronger. I strayed away from it because I did not have the ability to cut the frame in a circular pattern beside a big hole saw which did not sound fun.

Notch done.





After the notch was done the leaf springs were bolted up and the rear end was fastened into place. After I got everything buttoned up I quickly attached the temporary Blazer rims and dropped it onto the ground to check out ride height. Looks great. The temp rear wheels are about 1-1/2" shorter than what I will be running. I also need to come up with a permanent solution for the rear spring mounts. That will all come into play for final ride height.

Right now it is sitting with about the perfect amount of rake, in my opinion anyway. About 2-1/2" from front of running board to back of running board.



Problem #1. The driveshaft is about 1" too long. I will have to shorten it. I spoke with a couple local guys and sounds pretty easy.

Problem #2. The stock S-10 springs are very soft. I do not have any shocks mounted, but I can stand on the center of the frame and bounce and almost bottom the frame on the rear end. I weight about 175lbs. Not sure exactly what to do. Overload "helper" springs crossed my mind. Looks like they can be had for about $70.00, or just bite the bullet and install some helper bags which would come in handy for leveling the truck if I haul a load anyway.

Any advice??

The long awaited money shot. I had to roll it outside to get a decent shot of the stance. Still not a great photo....

[Katrina/10]

man, that is nice and low!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Not sure if I've missed a post but is that stance going to let you turn without the front tires rubbing the wheel wells?

Oh and PS: If you plan to carry occasional loads or tow I think the adjustability of bags or air shocks is what you want. Aren't there SOME stock vehicles that had factory bags you could find cheaply at a junk yard and adapt? My gitlfriend's old Mercedes S55 had height adjustability. Cadillacs? Lexus?
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[focusedontheprize]

Congrats Coach. Truck is looking real good.

[NEWFISHER]

Looking good. I would get a set of rear lift bags from a 3/4 or 1 ton truck at the wrecking yard. Firestones or Airlift and adapt the brackets for your purpose. Parts stores sell the 1/4 line and use new brass ferules.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Not sure if I've missed a post but is that stance going to let you turn without the front tires rubbing the wheel wells?

Oh and PS: If you plan to carry occasional loads or tow I think the adjustability of bags or air shocks is what you want. Aren't there SOME stock vehicles that had factory bags you could find cheaply at a junk yard and adapt? My gitlfriend's old Mercedes S55 had height adjustability. Cadillacs? Lexus?
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The front wheel you see is a 9" rim (unknown offset) and a 235/75-15 tire and it hits after 1/2 travel. I will be running a 6" rim with 3.5" offset and a 215/75-15 and am praying it will not rub.



Yea some sort of air over leaf would be great. For now I could add air from a compressor, but eventually add an onboard compressor.

Bags can be bought cheap and mounts would be easy to make.

http://www.truckshop.com/product.php?productid=19531