I haven't got a crew......

[AUSSIE54]

But I soon will.... well hopefully.

[LEEVON]

Crazy Aussies! I love it.

[Kim57]

Pretty wild.
Kim

[xpickup]

Hi Trent,

It is good that you are going to have a build thread. This should be really a neat truck. There are only a few crew cabs on here. I still love the size of that building.

Shannon

[ambryatim]

Nice work...Good engine choice too. I have an 03 Trailblazer with the 4.2L in it...and that is one reliable engine.

[duwem]

I'm still on the hunt for one of those enignes. I have 6.0L Lq9 I picked up, but something about the uniquenss of the 4.2 (not your run of the mill small block chevy) and also that the original engine was an inline keeps drawing me towards it.

[tooslo60]

That box would be awesome on a crew cab!!

[skip99]

Now, how freakin cool is that?!!

[yutrock]

just curious if you are going to split the back section to keep the lines of the taper correct?

[VA72C10]

Looking forward to this build!

[AUSSIE54]

G'day,

Thankyou all for having a look at my project and the comments that have arisen so far. There have been a couple of questions that I'll get to, but first I feel that I should share a little history on how I got to this point.

Nearly six years ago I had a hankering for an old truck. Didn't matter what sort of truck, just wanted an old one. So, in conversation with a couple of mates I soon learned of the whereabouts of not only one but three old chevy trucks that were all at the one place, and so it wasn't long before one of the lads and I found ourselves in the yard of a small farmlet just on the outskirts of town. Of the three trucks, one was drivable and not in too bad a shape, another was in a shed, nearly in pristine condition and the last was out side, not drivable and on first inspection was thought to be the worst of the three.

A deal was soon struck and for the sum of $400.00 and with no readily available means of trailering or towing, I found myself at 7:00pm on New Years Eve driving home a 6ton, unroadworthy and unregistered 1954 AD Truck and from there my love and passion began!



Some years went by and with a growing family it was decided early this year that it would be time to become a little more practical and start looking to the convenience of having a crew cab to cart the family and gear around in rather than having my caprice (great for hauling people but not a lot of gear) and my ute (great for the work gear, but alas room for only one other). So with a bit of a look around and the standard options of your nissans, rodeo's etc. not being all that appealing it was decided that if I could build my 54 into a crew cab for around the same dollars as what a reasonable secondhand later model crew cab could be had for, then I was to go forth and start work on acheiving my dream of not only getting a sweet old girl back on the road but also of hitting the key on something self created with just that little bit of unique charisma different to the norm.

It is here that I really must jump in and thank my sweetheart, for without her full backing and trust in my ability to see the project through, I doubt that this would not have got off the ground. Thank you Honey, you're one in a million!!

More parts were obviously needed, so it was back to old mates this year, where just in the nick of time I was able to purchase my second 54 for $120 (the one from out the back), before the owner was about to have a clearing sale. The pristine truck in the shed had gone a couple of years earlier.



A third truck cabin (a '53) was purchased a month or so ago netting a few good parts and what I feel will be neccessary for the completion of the body.



With a lot of research you can learn so much and there is a wealth of information and inspiration that can be found on here and armed with such knowledge it can really make you think and believe that anything is possible. Thanks to you all!!

Plans for the truck on a budget are the obvious crew cab conversion, shortened bed, standard (Australian) '54 front, low on a static drop
(maybe bags for later... gotta love the stance on Mylow53!! Congrats on your 100,000 Greg. You've been a huge inspiration), an '07 4.2l LL8 Vortec inline six with a modest little turbo slung off the side, Turbo350 trans with 2500 stall. A '74 series 2 Jaguar front end and a 4.11:1 Borgwarner Diff and leaf spring assembly from out of a 2006 Holden Crewman. Seats from a 2006 Holden Caprice front and rear, Dakota Digital VHX Gauges and a column shift. This will all run on a '54 4100 frame. It'll have cop tyres, cop shocks and it's the model before the catalyctic converter so it'll run good on regular gas! Hit it.

To ambryatim and duwem:
Yeah, I also think this will be a sweet little power plant to push the old girl along and from what I've found on the internet I don't think it'll be too hard to make some nice power gains. I am lucky to have a mate who is really switched on in the computer tuning and turbo area and I'm sure he can't wait to have a fiddle with it.

yutrock:
I decided not to split the rear portion as I was happy with the width and have instead elected to, for want of other words, put the squeeze on the sills (I've fitted new longer ones pressed out of 2mm sheet) until my desired new length matched the width of the rear. I had fitted the new sills about a week and a bit ago and on last friday night I managed to swing a few hours in on it and have now got the rear and front portions finalised in their desired positons. I really couldn't believe how easily all of this was acheived (I am lucky to have the use of some really cool gear which obviously makes it easier), but all the same everything fell together as if it was just meant to happen.





Sorry about the quality of the pics.

Trently.

[VA72C10]

very cool story...and yes....the tools at your disposal definitely help

[AUSSIE54]

Thanks VA72C10

Here are few more shots of the two halves joining up.

[AUSSIE54]

And a few more

[AUSSIE54]

And the last couple







Also just received my new gauges today! A little early for them yet I know but they were a good deal and woo hoo they look sweet!!

[one wing angel]

Hi Trent, Thanks for posting up your build. I will be following along with much attention!. I have also managed to secure a couple of A.D. bodies and one complete truck and am planning to do pretty much the same build except for the drivetrain. Good luck and keep us posted...................

[solidaxel]

Welcome from So. Arizona !

That build brought back some memories when we were deciding how LONG to make our strech !!
The FUN has just begun.

[AUSSIE54]

Thank you Fella's,

One wing: Goodluck to you with your prospective build! There should be more of us doing this, but not too many or else we'll lose our uniqueness!!

Solidaxel: Yes indeed, isn't it fun to work out how long? As this is planned to be my daily runner I didn't want the truck to end up too long, but also want to keep the proportions looking right. I've kept the rear door to as much of a minium length as I could while trying not to lose too much comfort for the rear occupants. Quite a juggling act and I hope I've got it right!! I think that I've seen your pics on 806em55's build. I certainly have gained a lot of inspiration from there. I wonder how it's going?

[AUSSIE54]

Had a big night last night. While I did a bit of a refurbishment on a mate's boat trailer, my best mate Troy came over to breathe his magic over the roof of the crew. He is one seriously talented body man and his time, perserverance and patience for perfection will certainly make for a fantastic looking little cabin by the time he is finished. I didn't get enough photo's of his work on the run and the ones I do have certainly don't do justice of how neat it looks in the steel!

The trailer



Troy gathering his idea's


Making a start


New axles and gaurds on the trailer


New winch and brake master mounts

[AUSSIE54]

Trailer nearly done


Spider web of bracing




The current stage

[xpickup]

AUSSIE54, Both projects look great. The roof looks like it matched up great and you can never have too much bracing. Great job.

Shannon

[duwem]

Cool! Keep the picture coming this is a great build!

[AUSSIE54]

G'day Chaps,

Shannon, thanks for the praise. I was very jealous of my mate with his hands all over my truck while I had to work on the trailer! Every time I popped over from my job for a quick squiz he'd send me on my way in no uncertain terms! Don't know why!!, but you should have seen him sneer at me when I suggested a two inch chop while we're at it! No sense of humor some folk! Lol.

Spent a total of 19hrs (finished at two last night, back again early this morning) on the trailer over the last two days, plus my normal shift at work, so feeling a little weary. But we got there today, just like my team did in the AFL Grandfinal today!!

Duwem, Thankyou also for your support! It all helps to keep the dream alive.
During the week I bolted on the new secondhand alternator, AC Compressor and power steering pump onto the engine which had turned up last week. There's nothing quite like OEM parts for an exact fit and for saving a heap of time making custom brackets.
Also mate, I've sent you a PM that might interest you.

[AUSSIE54]

Also cleaned up the rear today that I had purchased off eBay. It went for cheap, and of course there is always a reason why! In this case and unbeknownst to me, one of the axle tubes had popped it's plug welds from the carrier slowing the axle and axle tube to move side to side. Obvious reason for selling but not disclosed to me.
Anyway, I've got an old jig that i'd made years ago for shorting diffs, that'll be getting placed in and then the re-welding done. I'm sure it'll be a lot stronger this time around!!

Will put up some progress shots up soon.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dinos63]

VERY COOL !!looks like you have all the wright tools too