Project: "Earwig" '52 Dumptruck to cruiser

[TheGr8Doughboy]

Hello, and here's our first post/intro/and project thread all in one.

We got married 7-7-07 and her wedding present to me was rescuing a 1952 Chevy Dumptruck from Floyd County here in Southwest Virginia. I am a machinist by trade and still going to school full time to get my degree in Instrumentation and Automation. My wife just finished up her undergrad in Industrial Design at Virginia Tech and is persuing her Masters in Technology Education. We cut our teeth working on our '85 Toyota Landcruiser it's a Chevy 350 swap to a 700r4 (we rebuild in our apartment, that was an adventure) Lifted on 35's. We don't have a whole lot of cash flow or a whole lot of time... but, none the less we excited to get started.

I know... a little risky with an import on the first post... but it's a neat truck... figured I'd share...



Onto Project Earwig (she doesn't know I've named it yet... so that is subject to change as well )
Current plan:
Clean up and swap the cab onto a late '70s 2wd Chevy with a 292. With a clean utility flatbed, either wood or steel to give it a farmtruckish look... clean but no show truck...

Reasoning: better avaibility of parts, cost effectivness hoping to find a tired donor frame/drive train for under $1K this spring), we arn't looking for big block power and I think a 292 would make a neat street rod/driver <-- Subject to change

Where we found it:




Loading it up: the rear drums were locked up tight!


Hiding out at my buddy's place:

[TheGr8Doughboy]

The truck is covered in earwigs! (Which appearently I have a mild phobia of... who knew?) and rust. But the rust seems to be managable. The cowl roof and cab are solid enough to weld to. The hood is in excellent shape. and the fenders need a little touching up in the lower corners were the dirt etc has sat for years and years.

Goal: To get the cab, fenders and hood primered before it snows and to work on the doors over the winter.

Pictures from inside the cab




The front clip is now in the backyard, so I'm starting the grinding/sanding to get it ready for putty and primer


Oh yeah, no garage... just a basement... which we had trouble getting the truck's door's into.

Anyway, on the way over with the cab we're going to stop at another friends house and cut out everything from the cowl to the back of the floorpan and start from there with fresh metal.

Should be an adventure!

[jeffspower]

Welcome! If I understand correctly, your new bride got you the dump truck for a wedding present? That's great! Where can I find a woman like that?

[Jebb1978]

Cool project! It does appear to be an adventure indead! Good Luck and keep is posted.

[Igotachevyor2]

great project looks like you have your work to cut out ahead of you.

[entourageguy]

What these little guys.....

Brian ...

[dwcsr]

I think its a first .... more rust inside than outside. You degree will be put to the test. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Daniel U]

Looks like you found a winner on 777. Any woman who supports the restoration of vintage metal is a keeper IMO. Keep us posted. There's plenty of reproduction metal for you out there. It's amazing how little you need to actually build a truck. A clean title, vin, or serial plate in our case, and a cab. You can make or buy everything else after market.

[TheGr8Doughboy]

Made a little progress today. Started the body work.


Hood before I split it apart to clean it up


Everyone else seems to have some varation of this picture... maybe it's required? I haven't read the bylaws or gotten a secret handshake yet...


It was so nice I took everything out to the garage


Half a hood, after a little flap wheel action, man I need a sandbaster!


I did a little work on the right front fender, I've got the left front cleaned up except for small rusty section at the bottom. I learned an important lesson today. Appearently all bolts on this truck: require some strange nut driver to unscrew, all are case hardened and no matter how many drill bits you try they will not come off, are all way larger and more frequent than necessary.

These two spots on this fender will be tough



Here's all of the old steel waiting paitently in the basement. Progress is s-l-o-w but still going forward.

[earl87gta]

Thats going to be a cool poject looks like they have more then one were you found that one.

[TheGr8Doughboy]

Another newbie mistake... appearently I got some rust flake in my eye after grinding Monday. I was wearing glasses... no face sheild and with all of the dust I probably should have... anyway got an ER trip out of it and my second trip to an eye specialist next week... bummer...


Tech: They used a medical grade dremel on the lens of my eye to remove the "rust" that had built up since it took 4 days for my wife to drag me to the doctor.

I will get back to it next week... any tips on removing the steering wheel etc? I need to get that out so I can get the cab over here and get started before it gets too cold.

Does anyone want any of the drive train or frame?

[68 P.O.S.]

Man, sorry about the eye. Another lesson learned, right?! I don't know a lot about these trucks, but I've heard your eagle hood emblem is something you need to hold onto.

[earl87gta]

What did it have for a engine when you got it ?

[TheGr8Doughboy]

"98 horsepower" stright 6... it's 2-speed rear end full on dump truck...

Any guesses as to the weight of the empty cab? 4 guys and a case or beer heavy? or heavier? I need to get it to the house so I can come up with a new excuse as to why I'm not workin on it

[RANDY COX]

Gr8Doughboy,where at in Va are you located,Looks like you got a project there,I live about 15 miles from Va-Tech,I may have seen that Toyota before.I'm in Christiansburg.

[TheGr8Doughboy]

I recgonize that 'burban from the K-mart "cruise ins". Nice looking truck. We're over by Wades in C-burg.