New Member and 56 3100 Project

[Amorget]

Hi, my wife picked up a project truck. I've spent hours reading this forum on the best ways to go forward with it and am pretty excited to get moving on the project. Brought it home today. Paid 700 for it, which from looking around seems to be at least a descent price. It has been sitting outside in WA, not running, for at least 13 years. It was last tagged in 99, but the owner said that he wasn't sure if that was true or not, or it was just tagged to keep from getting ticketed sitting on the side of the street. Owner said it had a V8 with a 4 speed in it, but it wasn't stock as he said the transmission tailhouse was sitting on a piece of angle iron with no rubber mount or anything. Engine and transmission are gone. He offered the enigne but said, at best, it was a core. We didn't need another core.

Picture:









It has some rust issues, but nothing that is too horrible. Cab corners are the worse part.

Couple artstic/fun shots:



This is my wife's dog


Couple questions, I was reading that these trucks had a torque tube style drivesaft/rear-end. The read end of this truck is a standard u-joint driveshaft setup. Was it replaced or did I misunderstand? If I misunderstood, what type of rear end does it have (assuming stock).

Second, I know that lots of places sell cab corners, is there one place that sells better ones then another or are they all the same stampings? I found them from LMC trucks, Ecklers and Tuckers, all withing ~$15 of each other, but it's hard to tell the quality when shopping on-line.

You guys have a great message board here, I spend most of my time on Thirdgen.org dealing with 82-92 F-bodies.

Thanks,
Douglas

[drivea55]

wow, you have one heck of a project there...

looks complete, once you start tearing it apart you will find more mysteries.

just looking at the few pics you posted looks like it is going to need a lot more than cab corners once you unveil it.

good find though and it is great that it is all there.

we all pic our treasures! so please just keep posting pics and asking questions and this will turn out to be a great build one day!

Glad to see another project begin!

Brian

[DransportGarage]

My wife did the same thing to me. The women must want to keep us out of the bars!

No torque tube, at least starting with '55 2nd series. It's a standard kind of leaf-sprung rear end, but different than the passenger cars. Maybe someone else can elaborate on this.

[1959 Apache 3600]

Welcome...
You have an awesome wife!
Great to see another truck getting saved. Loved the dog picture. Looks pretty much the same condition as mine. Haven't yet purchased patch panels-cab corners and such, so I'll be watching to see what the experts suggest to you.

[oldcouple]

Great looking dog house, and with the big window it can serve as a green house as well! I think you got a great deal, now the job of finding out. I am south of you, think you get a little more rain, maybe even some salt air up there. I believe the parts are all made by the same company, it depends on what is available from one source, I try to buy as much as possible at one time to save on shipping, or if I am going to Portland there are three places on the way to hit. Have fun.

[Kim57]

Welcome.
Looks like a good project.
If you can get a pic of the rear end guys on here will be able to help figure out what you have.
Kim

[_Ogre]

nice start to a project... exceptional price

no torque tube, stopped in 55.1.

patch panels: from what i can figure all the vendors sell the same patch panels
i deal mostly with lmc truck and brothers trucks, i find that they have the best shipping policy.
lots of vendors play the shipping game, sell the item $10 less and then charge $15 more shipping.

[mdstitt]

Some of the vendors, such as Brothers, sell a cab corner that they call a "tall" corner. This part is actually not much taller than the others, but it is stamped in the USA and is a superior part to the off shore pieces. It does cost more, but is worth it in my opinion.

[Maximus]

Yea, "your wife's dog". I've heard that before.... Hah just kidding
Sweet truck! Good buy! I wish I started out with a big window, I would t have gone 7 years into the build knowing it just wasn't good enough, only to buy a new cab later

Enjoy the build!! And say goodbye to your wallet

As for parts. I buy from classicparts.com. But I think their patch panels are from overseas, they are Counterpart brand. Some people have a problem with them but I haven't had a problem yet. Classicparts usually beats other prices I've seen.


Cool truck. Keep the pics coming
Posted via Mobile Device

[Amorget]

Thank you guys for all of your encouragement and comments!

Yes, that is really her dog. My dog isn't much bigger/meaner though, she's a sweet little rat terrier named Firebird. Yes, I am that obcessed.

Here are some new pics after doing some work/cleaning things up a little.

Orange shag carpet... people used a lot of drugs in the 60s and 70s, huh?


Hacked up dash for aftermarket radio install.


Driver side kick panel area


Passenger side kick panel area


Hacked up floor for previous shifter install


Left hand side cab corner




Right side cab corner


We are pretty excited about it, but there is a lot of work to be done. As I work on things compared to my cars, it obvious that GM learned a lot as far as keeping things from rusting. Some areas you just look at and wonder what were they thinking. If only they could of kept the amazing styling up while improving the vehicles GM for sure wouldn't of been in the position it is today.

[oldcouple]

I had red shag on the floor of my 57 in the 70s it was the cool thing back then, love the hack job on the radio, did it ever occur to those guys that you could just bolt it on under the dash? you can get a good deal on ebay for the repair panel, or just smooth it off.

[OrrieG]

Whoa, I had some orange shag on my truck floor too, little more redish. Standard issue for apartments in the 70's was the shag rug rake... Now you young ones know where the term "shaggin" come from.

[Amorget]

Originally Posted by oldcouple

I had red shag on the floor of my 57 in the 70s it was the cool thing back then, love the hack job on the radio, did it ever occur to those guys that you could just bolt it on under the dash? you can get a good deal on ebay for the repair panel, or just smooth it off.

Personally I want to install a ~10" touch screen in a molded in bezel, but my wife doesn't like that idea so I think we'll be getting a replacement panel for it despite the proper fitting radio costing ~400 bucks... I don't think this "arguement" will be solved anytime soon.

[Amorget]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Whoa, I had some orange shag on my truck floor too, little more redish. Standard issue for apartments in the 70's was the shag rug rake... Now you young ones know where the term "shaggin" come from.

Oh gosh... glad we wore gloves when removing it!!!

[DransportGarage]

Hey, that Pontiac radio will be worth something to somebody (even though it's AM only. The date stamp on it will tell you the year, but it's about a '68.

Bob

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Amorget

Oh gosh... glad we wore gloves when removing it!!!

That's funny.lol

Good luck with your project man keep us posted.

[oldcouple]

I hand made a billit face plate for my 10 dollar garage sale radio to cover the hole in the dash, the patch panels were not available at that time. You could go Hi Tech like this: http://youtu.be/xy6Mx9WQ8cY

[DransportGarage]

Nice video, and nice clean job on your buggy!

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by Amorget

Orange shag carpet... people used a lot of drugs in the 60s and 70s, huh?

that carpet is shagalicious. groovy.... maybe, i can't remember.

[Daze57]

3 things

A) welcome - you have a wealth of knowledge here & good guys with good advice.
B) Love the glove out of the cab corner .
C) that is one heck of a wild dog !!!!!!!!1

[Maximus]

You don't have to spend $400 for a radio that fits the stock opening, thats just the "Original reproduction" radio, the vendors carry a more modern radio with disc changer option for around $220, but I wanted a little more modern qualities so I just ordered a RetroSound Apache radio for almost $300. but it has a LCD screen that displays song titles and a wired hub for USB/SD card slots. When i get the radio ill post it up in my build thread, but it looks to be a very sweet unit.

[oldcouple]

Originally Posted by Maximus

You don't have to spend $400 for a radio that fits the stock opening, thats just the "Original reproduction" radio, the vendors carry a more modern radio with disc changer option for around $220, but I wanted a little more modern qualities so I just ordered a RetroSound Apache radio for almost $300. but it has a LCD screen that displays song titles and a wired hub for USB/SD card slots. When i get the radio ill post it up in my build thread, but it looks to be a very sweet unit.

The usb option is way cool, I put one in my driver, 1257 songs, never have to tune it, and you can do folders etc. or arrange them by artist, type abc.

[pvienneau]

Keep the pictures coming. That truck is nice.

[1959 Apache 3600]

Great truck... great posts in this thread.

[1959 Apache 3600]

Originally Posted by oldcouple

I hand made a billit face plate for my 10 dollar garage sale radio to cover the hole in the dash, the patch panels were not available at that time. You could go Hi Tech like this: http://youtu.be/xy6Mx9WQ8cY

Nice face plate!
I watched the video too. Where do you guys come up with this stuff? That's just crazy!