My 53 Chevy

[spyderman1977]

Going next week to pick up this truck. Already paid for just have to go get it. I am not 100% certain which way I will go with it but its going to be redo with some modern suspension of some sort. I have been checking out the S-10 swap and that looks like that will probably be the way I go but won't really know till I get it home and go over it to see what I have.

Engine wise I will probably just go with a mild 305/TH350 combo since this truck is going to be for my father in law. He was an old school mechanic so I doubt I will go to new with any part of it.

Anyways here are a few pics. I will post plenty of pics along the way. I hope to spend the winter months taking it apart and gather up parts to really get going on it once the weather warms up some.

I am sure will ask questions along the way with some stuff but hopefully everything will go off without a hitch.

Paul

[T Hilde]

Looks like a good start. You can add power steering, disc brakes and keep the straight axle too.

[spyderman1977]

Well going this coming Wed. ( 23rd ) to pick up the truck and bring it home. Can't wait to get here and get started on it.

Paul

[nickp51chevy]

Nice start. When you get it home your going to need to post a bunch more pictures.

[ya it is a classic]

mind is i ask how much you got it for?

[spyderman1977]

Well got it home finally....There is a long story about getting it home that wont go into but I will say I learned a valuable lesson from it thats for sure.


I will take loads of pics along the way. Going to have to start out slow with the weather and money for the time being but it looks like once spring rolls around I will be able to go at it at a steady pace.

Actually started some dissassembly getting it loaded on the trailer. The right front leaf spring shackle broke while trying to drag the truck onto the trailer. Also found out just how shaky the previous welder ( not the person I got it from ) was. The rearend broke loose and caused the third member to roll into the mud causing more problems then I care to think about thus leading to the front shackle breakage.

Now I have to figure a way to get it off the trailer without damaging the trailer ( Borrowed trailer from father in law that I am fixing the truck for which he has no clue btw ). Guess I will have to tie the truck to a tree and gently drag the trailer out from under the truck.

Needless to say this project has turned into a handfull from the git go. Oh well it will give me something to talk about when I am done.

Hope to post pics tomorrow
Paul

[OrrieG]

A sheet of plywood and a couple of floor jacks might help, one under the rear end to rotate it back and one under the front frame. That is what I use to manuver mine around in the drive way when I need to flip it end for end. Sounds like some the the "adventures" I've had over the years.

[spyderman1977]

Once I get it off the trailer moving it around wont be such a problem. Just getting it off the trailer seems to be the problem.

Got it tied to a tree this morning but with all the rain and the frost, I only managed to get the truck moved about a foot. Then the wife came out and we had to get started on the Christmas thing for the granddaughter and inlaws.

As for the price....just over 3 bills for it.

Just a short summary on my day trying to get it home...

Rain.. Cold...More rain...soft red clay...broken front spring hanger..third member stuck pointing into red clay....3 hours to load it...tornado's before and while leaving town..flooded bridge I didnt see till it was too late...then nearly got stuck in washed out driveway. All with a borrowed trailer no less.

The bridge part was by far the worse because it was dark and at 45-50 mph there was no way of stopping in time. On top of that I had my 2 yo granddaughter with us so she could go for a ride. I really thought I was going to loose the Yukon ( tow vehicle ) and we would go through the guard rail and into a rather deep washout bellow.

Lesson learned...I won't do any of the above again. I will go get cars/trucks but its going to be under much better conditions then what I ended up in thats for sure.

Paul