My 49 build "Mater"

[Toytaco]

Hey everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster. I've been doing a lot of research and learning a lot from this board while i prepared to buy my first build project and here it is! Going to leave the patina, s-10 frame, bagged, ls1. Had to travel down near austin to pick this up, but it was way worth it! so much was still with the truck in cluding the seat, a title, and an arvin heater!

Gonna be a slow and steady build, but im anxious to get working on this thing! Anyways, here's pics of when i picked it up, and when i got it unloaded and into the garage!

[pgf545]

Good luck and if you need anything just post your questions. I got lots of help through our project. There are lots of really helpful people on here.

Bernie

[skymangs]

Welcome to the board. Nice looking project.

[flatbed51]

Welcome Toytaco, You are just down the road from me. I live in southern Oklahoma just across the red river. I grew up in McKinney.

[Luther Grimace]

Looking forward to the s10 frame build! I'd say she has perfect patina.
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[Toytaco]

Had a chance to work on it some yesterday. Got the front end off.







This is becoming fairly common


Also took some PB blaster to the air vents to see if they would open. Success!

[flatbed51]

If you are going to use an s10 frame, what do you plan to to do with original frame ?

[Toytaco]

I have a coworker who's dad happens to have a 49 cab with no frame. As soon as i can get the cab and bed off he's gonna come get it. I figured i was gonna have to give this away. lol

[Toytaco]

Took the Arvin heater out and took it apart to see if it was salvageable. Other than the fan motor being shot this thing is in pretty good shape. The heater core is in awesome shape. Ill have a radiator shop test it and clean it soon.

Pics!

[Toytaco]

Had a chance to work on it recently. Got the interior out! Took a couple pics, but none with the dash dissassembled. I have no idea when they stopped using this truck, but maybe the battery could help with a timeline. Also, found some goodies under the seat!





Also, ebay goodies! snagged this for 20 bucks!

[Toytaco]

Also, does anyone know where i can find information on the history of the truck? I tried googling the vin and cant come up with anything.

[swizzlestick]

not sure how to get owner or service history but here is a page so you can decode vin # http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/VIN.htm

[Toytaco]

Haven't been able to do much this past week, but did manage to get the rear fenders off the bed and get the bed fully unbolted from the frame. Had to do alot of cutting with the angle grinder due to the "custom" bumper someone has made for this truck that wraps all the way around to the fenders and goes up to the top of the bed. Thing was solid. just the 4 cab bolts and the cab is ready to come off! Going to try and build a cab dolly friday and then get the cab and bed off.

[Russell Ashley]

I think I'd have to clean that battery up and put it on a shelf in my garage to look at, for old times sake. When I was a kid back in the 40's and 50's Western Auto was where my Dad went for most everything auto related. Wizard batteries and I think the tires were Davis brand.

The truck is coming along well. As usual, keep the pics coming.

[Toytaco]

Lot's of progress today! Had a buddy come over and build a cab dolly while i took the last couple bolts out to get the cab off. Got the cab on the dolly, bed off the frame, and bed floor out. Frame was sold and off to join another project. I don't have an S-10 yet, so ill start repairing a couple rust holes on the bottom of the firewall and floorboard of the cab that i noticed when the cab came off.

Pics!

[Toytaco]

So i found a deal on an sonoma on craigslist. Just got off work, and me and a buddy are off to Ada oklahoma to go fetch a 1990 gmc sonoma single cab longbed for 500 bucks! No title, but it runs and drives! Pics to come!

[G&R's57GMC]

This will help get the body on the S-10 chassis Pronto http://www.e-zchassisswaps.com and the stock steering column can be reused with this lower bearing conversion from http://www.classicparts.com/1947-59-.../#.UU-DKr_XdMJ

[G&R's57GMC]

BTW if your going with a small block Chevy or 4.3L v-6 Speedway has a Water pump riser that solves the common problem of the fan being mounted too low on the radiator to be effective. It Raises the pump and mechanical fan 5" higher in the engine compartment.

It provides mounting surfaces for an A/C compressor and alternator.

Riser housing comes with brackets and hardware.

Water pump not included it uses a I6 W.P. They have that also.

Cool build, I'll be following it.

[Toytaco]

Thanks for the suggestions G&R's57GMC. I've already gotten rid of the stock column, and am using the column out of the s10 i picked up last night. I will also be installing an LS1, so ill be running an electric fan.

[Toytaco]

Need some input. I've been going back and forth on wether to keep the cab lights or not. Initially i took them off and decided no cab lights. As i was working on the cab the other night, i noticed a good amount of pitting where the lights used to be. In order to fix it i would have to do bodywork, ruining the patina. So now im considering putting the cab lights back on. Thoughts?

[cAlvis165]

Personally I love cab lights. I would stick with period correct lights, though. Throwing some generic-auto-parts-store lights don't quite cut it in my opinion. You can find good styles (and sometimes even vintage NOS) on ebay. Keep up the good work!

[coralhead]

Originally Posted by Toytaco

Need some input. I've been going back and forth on wether to keep the cab lights or not. Initially i took them off and decided no cab lights. As i was working on the cab the other night, i noticed a good amount of pitting where the lights used to be. In order to fix it i would have to do bodywork, ruining the patina. So now im considering putting the cab lights back on. Thoughts?

It can't be pitted anymore than the drivers side hood.

[Toytaco]

Originally Posted by coralhead

It can't be pitted anymore than the drivers side hood.

Lol true that, which is why I won't be using that hood. It's too far gone.

[Toytaco]

Originally Posted by cAlvis165

Personally I love cab lights. I would stick with period correct lights, though. Throwing some generic-auto-parts-store lights don't quite cut it in my opinion. You can find good styles (and sometimes even vintage NOS) on ebay. Keep up the good work!

I plan on using period correct ones. As far as I know, the ones that were on it were period correct, but 3 of the 5 were busted up. Anyone got some laying a

[Toytaco]

UPDATE! Got the truck, and man what an adventure that was. Had to drive 3 hours from Dallas to 25 miles north of Ada, oklahoma to get it. When i arrived, saw it had no windows in the doors, no dash lights, and the radio didnt work, but i kind of expected that. And i was driving it home. Awesome. So i put on a jacket and some earbuds and drove it all the way back while my buddy followed me, ocassionally shining my iphone light on the dash to see how fast i was going . It made it tho! 4.3 runs strong. Got home, posted a part out ad on craigslist, and started ripping it apart. Not bad for 500 bucks, right?

And now, PICS!






Got the whole front end off last night, and the engine almost all the way out. It's hung up on the starter, so im about to go finish that up and start knocking out the cab.