47-59 1950 3600/S-10-LS swap

[scott123]

I am just finishing, or at least trying to finish a 1972 K5 Blazer. There are a few odd and end things left to do but it is close. I also have a 1969 SWB 4WD truck that is waiting to be painted. And with all that said, I went out and got a 1950 3600.

The funniest part is that this body style never did anything for me. Simply not appealing. Then one day I was in our neighboring town and an older gentleman came bee-bopping down the boulevard on a '52 and for whatever reason, it caught my eye. I followed him for several miles and from there I simply had to have one.

And here we go.

I will post some of the stuff I bought, and sort of stock piled to have it when I am ready. From there I will start showing some work here and there.

Scott

[scott123]

This the 1950 3600 I drug home a few months ago. It has no motor and no transmission but has a clean VA title.

It has a front end out from under a AMC Pacer, around 1976 or so I am told, with a GM 10-bolt rear end.

The AMC Pacer looks like a pretty good install but from the transmission mount back, it leaves a lot to be desired. The inside looks like a mid 80's Camaro bucket seats with a center console and gear shift from a mid-80's Cutlass. The wiring harness looks like a split between the 1950 harness, the Camaro and Cutlass and maybe two extension cords.

One thing the person who did the work was not afraid of welding rods and had an endless supply of 1" angle. Everything is fabbed with 1" angle with a ton of rod added at every joint.

ASs I started to take it apart I found I had a 1950 3600 uni-body truck. The running boards are welded to the front and rear fenders. And they were welded as if it was structural support. The bed is welded together vs. being bolted together.

The floors are in pretty good shape and may have been replaced at some point. The cab is in really good shape with the exception of the cab corners. I have a lot of spray foam and a lot of filler and there may be a little of the cab corner buried between the two.

For what it is, and no more than I paid, I still got the warm fuzzies about starting the project. For me, the warm fuzzies are the most important.

Scott

[scott123]

I did some swapping and trading and ended up with this truck. The motor was knocking but the transmission shifted well. After junking the truck at $10.50/100 I don't have anything in the transmission.

[scott123]

My wife is in commercial real estate and one of their properties is rented/leased by a guy that parts/scraps cars. He buys them from auctions and the most of the parts are shipped to the middle east. This is a 2001 Tahoe with a 5.3 which will be my LS swap.

When the guy skipped on the rent I bought this from the property owner for $100. I sold the front diff and the transmission so I am sort of ahead on the budget. LOL

[scott123]

I bought this 1985 long bed S-10. I felt like I paid a bit much but it was what I needed, plus it was only a handful of miles from the house. It had a blown head gasket. A friend of mine had an even more ragged S-10 and wanted it to drive back and forth to work.

It won't have much impact on the build but it was a part of the process.

[scott123]

This wound up at one of the commercial properties my wife manages with a body that was taken apart/disassembled.

When I saw it posted I called, left a message and drove to the warehouse only to see the new owner loading up the entire lot.

I ended up buying the frame back from him a few weeks later when I was leaning toward going back with a stock type frame.

I thought something that old in really good shape would carry some value. For whatever reason, they do not. It is a 49 GMC with a helper spring package in the back. I have no need for it but I can't bring myself to scrap it.

[scott123]

This is the day I made my wife extremely happy by dragging up one more piece of crap. I purposely leave them in the front yard for a day or so just to hear her ask why I stopped there and why it has yet to be moved.

Sort of tempting fate. LOL

Scott

[joedoh]

perfect start! that square body s10 will save a lot of time in extra parts!!

[scott123]

It would have but I sold it to a buddy of mine. He then changed his mind after I had bought another. I need to get pics of the second one I bought.

I was in a LS swap conversation and the young guy on active duty wanted it for a project. I sold it to him for a few dollars less than I paid. We shook hands and I thanked him for his service. Maybe lost a dollar or two, but gave a leg up to a young man in the military.

Part of the warm fuzzies I guess.

I will try to find the plate I bought from you and will post a pic of the finished mounts I made Saturday.

I typically do not do anything in any kind of sensible order. I was looking for a hitch plate at the barn and had thrown some 4X4 hitches in the scrap pile. I forgot all about the hitch plate I was after as the rain storm blew up rather quickly.

Most everything I planned to do was outside so once 'trapped' in the shop I built the mounts.

I will try to post pics of the S-10 donor. Also I am trying to surgically remove the running boards without completely ruining them. Hopefully I can save both of them with the body saw.

Pics to follow.

Scott

[dsraven]

so you mean you sold the ls driveline or you sold the s10 stuff?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by scott123

Also I am trying to surgically remove the running boards without completely ruining them. Hopefully I can save both of them with the body saw.

i find the best way to remove the running boards when the square hardware is stuck, is to plunge cut with a cut off wheel in a battery powered grinder (a plug in will have to much torque and is much more dangerous) straight up from the bottom through the middle of the bolt, cutting the square nut in half. then you just split the nut with a screwdriver and the boards lift off, you can then take out the fastener (1/4-20 carriage bolt) and replace it easily.

[scott123]

i sold the 85 S-10 in the picture.

S

Originally Posted by dsraven

so you mean you sold the ls driveline or you sold the s10 stuff?

[scott123]

What few bolts/nuts were there came out just fine.

My running boards are welded to the fenders in the front and the back.

The bed has a few bolts here and there but it is welded together as well.

The rear fenders are sort of rough and I will more than likely replace them. One day next week I am going to make the cuts to free the front clip and the back fenders.

I am hoping to save the running boards by cutting the welds and the maybe grinding them back to shape.

Whoever did the work on this truck must have had issues with nuts and bolts and just used welding rods. LOL

S

Originally Posted by joedoh

i find the best way to remove the running boards when the square hardware is stuck, is to plunge cut with a cut off wheel in a battery powered grinder (a plug in will have to much torque and is much more dangerous) straight up from the bottom through the middle of the bolt, cutting the square nut in half. then you just split the nut with a screwdriver and the boards lift off, you can then take out the fastener (1/4-20 carriage bolt) and replace it easily.

[scott123]

I think except for a few minor odds and ends the Blazer is now a driver. I have been sporting it around most of the weekend. And since I am not the smartest guy around as soon as this one is a driver I can dive into the 1950 3600.

I am not a mechanic nor am I a body guy but me, this forum and YouTube got the Blazer put together.

I am going the same route with the 3600.

Scott

[scott123]

I sold the entire truck. A young kid in the military offered more than I paid for it. He showed up to pick it up with wife and two kids in tow. It was a two to make one deal for his daily driver.

I flashed back to being young, in the military and remembered the financial tough times I had way back when. I cut his offer nearly in half to what I paid for the truck.

Either I am sucker for the military service or that kid is one hell of a card player. Saw me coming. LOL

Scott

Originally Posted by dsraven

so you mean you sold the ls driveline or you sold the s10 stuff?

[scott123]

Rule of thumb.

Never paint a Chevrolet truck with Ford Tangier Orange paint.

The orange paint makes the fan relays quit, the water pump leak, the rear axle seal leak, and the fuel pump stop working.

But back to the 1950 project.

There was post in the past with Mr48 and Joedoh I think about the very high percentage of people not finishing projects, biting off more than they can chew, etc.

I can remember specifically saying that is not me.

And now it has been several months since I touched the 1950 project. Sometimes life just simply gets in the way.

Today I start back and try to get into the minority of the 'finished/driveable' projects club.

Scott

[oldman3]

Scott, don't let it get you down, just keep plugging away. Took me six years to do mine, and at times I would go 6 months and do every little, life does get in the way....Jim

[dsraven]

do one thing at a time if you start to feel overwhelmed with the amount of work left to do. if you get stuck on where to start post up some pics of what you have and we can get you started again with a small list of things to do first.

[scott123]

I need to change the title as the LS route has been scrapped. I had a 69 SWB 4WD and a friend of mine just had to have it. It had a 383 that I had a fair amount of money tied up in and it was driving the price up on the deal. Short story long I have the 383 that needs nothing vs. a LS motor that needs to be built. I doubt I could ever sell the 383 for what I have in it or maybe not even get close so it is going in the 1950.

It took just about a year to gather parts, get things together and today it made it into the building to come off the chassis. The front end was rather nicely done with a AMC Pacer front end the back end leaves a lot to be desired.

So starting tomorrow morning.........

[scott123]

I pulled the bed off yesterday. I will get some pics. It was close to a 1/2 day for two people to remove the bed. I have to give a shout out to either the previous owner or the person who put this truck together. I deeply apologize for all the hurtful things I said yesterday. LOL

This person built what has to be one of the only uni-body 1950 model 3600 trucks on the planet.

When I first bought it I noticed the running boards were welded to both the front and back fenders. I am not sure why because they are still bolted to their supports. As I started to look for bolts to take apart/unbolt remove the bed there were none. Maybe the only bolts left are holding the fenders to the side panels.

The filler panels are welded to the running boards as well as to the side rails and to the rear fenders. The best part is that it was not just tack welds. They filled what would be normal gaps with weld.

But so it goes. As the day went on, I was just hoping to find at least one place where a bolt and nut was used.

Then there is the rear frame and the rear end install. I have done some stuff and seen some stuff, and even rode in that stuff.....but this stuff I doubt anyone would take the chance. Pics to follow.

A part of the journey I suppose.

Scott

[scott123]

The end of the running board was welded to the fender. It took what felt like forever to cut thru the weld and save the running board. And this is the spring hanger in the back. I like the idea of whatever is lying around can be used but this might be a stretch.

Scott

[scott123]

I am not sure if there should be a Hall of Fame for "that guy" or maybe a Hall of Fame for people "like me who seem to buy from that guy". Just not sure.

This 1950 has some rather unique challenges. The previous builder did not own a drill nor any bolts and nuts. Straight welding rods on everything. The truck is a uni-body as the running boards were welded to the fenders front and back.

I'm getting ready to pull the cab off and noticed a shiny scratch on the edge of the floor board. Upon further review the patch panel on the passenger side floor board is aluminum flashing for roofing type work. It was glued in with gasket sealer/Perma-Tex.

I like creative but this truck has stretched creative out a little bit. LOL

Scott

[dsraven]

that just shows the previous owner was running a tight budget.
seen lots of stuff like that over the years. good thing he wasn't a roofer or you may have found tar and straw. a boat guy wouldda used fiberglass, a wood guy wouldda built a new floor outta wood. maybe your guy was a evestrough guy, is there a downspout under the truck? haha
keep pluggin away and soon you will see exactly what you have to work with. the good thing is most common rust spots have patch panels made, it's just money, right?

[scott123]

Yep. Just money. LOL

I am actually surprised that the cab is in really good shape all things considered. The aluminum flashing on covered a small bad area just where the floor turns up to the firewall on the passenger side. The worst part on either floor pan is that they welded the body bolt to the floor pan. I am not sure why other than maybe it was a one man job and the weld took the place of the second guy holding a wrench. LOL

The driver's side is in really good shape. Maybe no repairs.

I pulled the gas tank and it is practically brand new. There is a spot under the gas tank strap/bracket.

Both cab corners are shot. They are back filled with spray foam so there will some clean up and see what that area is like.

The front fenders are fair except for the part I hacked up getting the running board cut off.

No more than I paid I am pretty happy with it.

Pics to follow.

Scott

[scott123]

The frame that came out from under the truck had a '76 AMC Pacer front end welded in with a rack and pinion.

The back clip is a real hack job. The 10 bolt may be OK but that is about it.

The green frame is a 49 GMC with a helper spring type set up, maybe the towing package for the day.

More pics to come.

Scott