1949-50 3100

[dwcsr]

1949-50 3100

I say its a 49-50 because the owner says its a 49 but everything under the cab says 50 up and the windows and door handles say pre 51. Not that it matters but its always nice to know that its not a franken truck when you start the project. This is a customer job so its going to go fairly fast but not monkey fast or Foose fast. I'm doing the chassis, engine and body metal work and the body finishing and paint work go to a painter I do work for. Then it comes back for assembly of the large items, Cab , bed , engine final setup.

This is a truck that has already been resto'd once and was really an on chassis paint job. The body looks good from the outside. I'm hoping that when its apart and blasted it still looks reasonably good. I didn't see a lot of paint blisters from this 8 year old paint so maybe its ok and I'll have to do minimal rust and metal work.

Its all original other than a 12v conversion so all the drive line and brakes are being replace with an S10 cross member weld in and four wheel Disc and a 5.3 connect and cruise package. I went with S10 and off the shelf pieces because its going to be a daily driver and want time and mileage proven parts on it.

So far the specs are:

Front end
Scott Danforth front cross member. Based on GM Metric A-arms and components. (GM Metric include the '78-'88 El Camino, Malibu, Cutlass, Monte Carlo, S-10, Camaro etc. These chassis are also used as the basis for many racing applications, so tubular upper and lower A-arms large brakes, etc. are available) He supplies the weldment you supply the A-arms and components.

Drive line
CPSLC94L65E CONNECT & CRUISE - LC9 5.3L & 4L65E PACKAGE
it's a stock 5.3 crate with the trans and controller and PCM with harness.

12 bolt 3:23 w/ disc kit . Spring suspension. No bags or air.

Boxed frame
AC unit
Under bed gas tank. TBD

I'll post pictures as I have them. Saturday I get it delivered to my shop and will take some "as is" pictures

[dwcsr]

Had the truck picked up today so here are some of the pictures as it is now

[dwcsr]

Inside the cab and side of truck. As it goes along I'll show what we found and how we fixed it. Looking at it closer today I see a lot of filler in places that should have been metal.

Monday we start disassembly tagging and bagging as we go. The trim looks good enough to get re-chromed. We'll see what we find on Monday after its get taken apart. The goal this week is taken apart survey what needs fixing and replacing then get it off to the blaster.

[wood1]

Looks pretty good in pictures, I'll be watching your progress. It does look to be '49 or '50 as you say.
And a nice Fulton visor!!
Why did they flip/flop the speedometer & gauge cluster??? (speedo should be on right side)
Thanks, look forward to more pics of build.

[dwcsr]

The truck looks good from 50 ft. but up close you see a lot of sanding waves and spots where bondo was gobbed on. It looks like the corners are all bondo.
But in general its in very good condition to start a frame off. When I first saw it I thought it was one of those Old Navy trucks but its much better than that. Sand Blasting will show where all the problems are hiding.

Not sure on the Speedo. I think they just may have forgotten what went where on the last resto. Outside of this board and Stovebolt I don't think any one else would have noticed that. I'm sure there will be more "I wonder they they did that?" questions as time goes on.

[dwcsr]

I just got a price on blasting the truck completely disassembled.

Picked up , blasted, primed and deliver back to me was $1350. I think that's a good price for what their doing and saves me a day in loading and travel.
The blaster is about 40 miles one way from me.

[dwcsr]

Getting a little further in the dismantling I found something I'v never see before. The customer paid about 15K to have the truck restored last time and it looked like a mild on chassis paint job. I've take apart 50 or 60 of these truck and seen some really odd things for repairs. You could tell the owners occupation by what was used to fix the truck. But I have never seen a resto where instead of sheet metal they used roofing tar paper and ply wood with gobs of actual tar to seal up the rot. The kick panel was painted and covered ply wood inside and the wheel house is tar paper. But with that said Its still a good starting point.

[Denee007]

Gee Dave, that's to the point of really nasty looking on the "patch" someone did! They really did use what they had laying around to get the job done! But I know you'll make it all better!; ).

Originally Posted by dwcsr

Getting a little further in the dismantling I found something I'v never see before. The customer paid about 15K to have the truck restored last time and it looked like a mild on chassis paint job. I've take apart 50 or 60 of these truck and seen some really odd things for repairs. You could tell the owners occupation by what was used to fix the truck. But I have never seen a resto where instead of sheet metal they used roofing tar paper and ply wood with gobs of actual tar to seal up the rot. The kick panel was painted and covered ply wood inside and the wheel house is tar paper. But with that said Its still a good starting point.

Posted via Mobile Device

[dwcsr]

The nasty patch job gets worse. i determined that the "bodyman" or woman was a roofer in a prior life. The floors. the foot panel, kick panels were made of 1/2 plywood, The wheel houses were flashing tin for chimneys that was heavily under coated. The owner doesn't know yet so i have to get hold of him. I don't think hes going to like getting bagged for 15K on that last resto. Everything that was rotted was cover on one side with plywood covered with carpeting, the other side was flashing with undercoating. It was a fantastic cover up job for sure.

[69CST-V]

I'm in. Looks like you may have enough supplies to fix your roof next time it leaks. LOL

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by 69CST-V

I'm in. Looks like you may have enough supplies to fix your roof next time it leaks. LOL

I think so.....Just need to pull the nails out of the tries and I'm good to go.

[dwcsr]

This was the before and after on this wheel house. We looked under it when we first saw it and it was so well covered up with undercoating it looked ok. but as you can see its anything but ok.

[dwcsr]

It is striped down engine out, cab loose, bed off and apart, ready to go to the blaster. Nothing real crazy under the truck, looked like it was all stock and had a rebuilt 216 in it.

[dwcsr]

The owner came to look at the truck today before it goes off to the blaster and he was under the impression that it had been a frame off restoration that he paid 16K for 8 years ago. He was very surprised that the frame looked like it did and all the rot through in the cab. I had to tell him it wasn't a frame off or even a bed off restoration. Not a happy camper....

[dwcsr]

The truck has been picked up by the blaster so we have 7 - 10 days before it comes back. This gives us time to make a cab dolly. The basic design is spec is casters, tilt in at least 2 directions, 4 if its not to difficult or to unstable to do and have it not weight as much as the truck. I have an old frame that I'll use for the cab mount and just have to come up with the tilt part. More details as it fleshes out.

[dwcsr]

We have the Cab Dolly almost completed. I decided to make it lift side ways rather than end to end that way the whole side is within reach at one time.
We made the hinges out of 3/4 black pipe with some removable pins so you can lift one side or the other. The casters are 8" swivels. The saw in the picture is a Milwaukee 14" Dry Saw it cuts very smooth and very quickly leaving nice square ends and very little burr. It cut the 2x4 x.120 like nothing.

We first made the base on casters and then made up the hinges. Simple design and not much in cost.

We have the up right locks to make and paint it up

Here are the pictures

[dwcsr]

More pics

[Denee007]

I see you put your new saw to good use! You are quite the fabricator!
Posted via Mobile Device

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by Denee007

I see you put your new saw to good use! You are quite the fabricator!
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks but that saw will make you look good no matter what your skill level if you know how to use a tape measure.

[dwcsr]

Last picture on the Cab Dolly. I decided to use a 3/4 inch black pipe as the up right brace. It locks into the running board bracket and a hole on the lower dolly frame. I may make one for the front as well if it flexes to much with a cab on it. Last item is a pair floor locks so it doesn't roll all over when working on the cab

[xpickup]

dwcsr, nice work. I like your cart. When my metal chop saw dies it is getting replaced with one of those dry cut saws. They make nice bur free or hardly a bur and non smelly cuts. And no abrasive dust everywhere.

Shannon

[rgunlock]

Cool idea on the hinges. Interested to see what you will do for the floor locks. After building mine, I wish I'd used at least 2 casters that have the built in locks because it does roll all over on me. I'll have to swap them out when I get the cab back off the dolly, or come up with a plan "b", or let you figure it out and copy from you

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

The owner came to look at the truck today before it goes off to the blaster and he was under the impression that it had been a frame off restoration that he paid 16K for 8 years ago. He was very surprised that the frame looked like it did and all the rot through in the cab. I had to tell him it wasn't a frame off or even a bed off restoration. Not a happy camper....

Man I know he was steaming, but you will get it together for him.

[dwcsr]

I appreciate the compliments guys,

xpickup
That saw is great , The only issue is that if you have the blade partway down when you slide metal in the clamp and it hits the blade it will chip the carbide and start knocking teeth off oe chipping them with every cut. I need to get this blade repaired and have a spare. But other than that I don't know how I ever did it with an abrasive blade. Like you say sparks everywhere, dirt flying and stink plus a mediocre cut.

rgunlock
The hinges idea came from when I was a jeweler and we made all our hinges from tube and pin. As long as you have room for a tight pivot they work nicely. Just remember you weld the top of one and the bottom of the other, not the top of each, or the top and bottom of each,,,done that more than once and wondered why the jewelry box wouldn't open. The floor locks I bought online. Foot operated, one for each end. I'll show a picture when I get them in and on.

Kabwe
From what I hear the guy was upset but sees we are really doing a frame off and has seen what has to be done. I'm told he's excited about us doing it for him so that's a good thing.

[dwcsr]

Got some news from the blaster today, none of it good. From what he said the patch job we thought was roofing tar and undercoating was actually Rhino lining and hes having a heck of a time getting it off without warping the panels. Its everywhere, frame, fenders, Wheel houses, under the cab. The right door was half bondo, the bed sides had holes in them from rust and rot through that was bondo'd up. I am so glad I didn't try to do that job in house, what a mess that must be making at his shop, of course he did adjust his blasting price accordingly, we are at $1800 now and I think I'm glad to pay it from what I hear. I'll post pictures Wednesday of what it looks like blasted clean.