SA 56 3100 build

[Nev68]

Hi All,
I am a newby to this forum and to pickup trucks.
We have a 56 Chevy pickup
I am gradually converting the pickup from LH drive to RH drive. ( I know not everyone is in favour of conversions )
We can register LH drive cars / trucks here in South Australia but they must be as per factory (i.e. absolutely no modification at all!), as I want to modify our truck a bit we are converting to RH drive.
Plans are for EFI, Auto trans with O/D, A/Cond, aftermarket wheels. Nothing radical but the changes will make it ours.
Here's a few pix of our truck.



Dash & Steering converted


Jag front suspension fitted


Nev

[Geri]

Nice Truck Nev!

Did you buy it in this condition or did you restored it from the ground up?

Geri

[Nev68]

Hi Geri,
We bought it like that.
We have a '68 Camaro (see pic below) that we built from the ground up a few years ago and I am not ready to a full build again ( not yet anyway )

Body on the pickup is good and solid, paint is a 10 footer.
Main focus for the 56 is make a nice driver with a few modern conveniences like EFI and AC.

[Kim57]

Welcome.
Looks like a real nice truck.
Kim

[Daze57]

very nice

[_Ogre]

Looks good nev. How challenging is the rh conversion?
I've driven lh drive in rh country, it can get a little wild

[apache200]

Nice looking truck!! rh conversion looks sweet!! do you have any closer pics of your door panels with the bowties in them? are they covered or all metal? Thanks

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

Looks good nev. How challenging is the rh conversion?
I've driven lh drive in rh country, it can get a little wild

I think the converison would be considered one of the easier ones.
My good friend has helped with the dash as my welding skills aren't good enough
Steel dash is a bonus though as we don't have to worry about padded urethane etc.
I drive the Camaro quite often (still LH drive) and you do get used to it.
The passenger seat is another story though.

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by apache200

Nice looking truck!! rh conversion looks sweet!! do you have any closer pics of your door panels with the bowties in them? are they covered or all metal? Thanks

Thanks, the door panels are covered in vinyl

[Nev68]

Got most of the trans parts I ordered to rebuild the T700.
Now I have to sort a support so I can put the trans I the engine stand.

[_Ogre]

did the jag have rh steering?
that would make it an easy conversion
well easy as a jag suspension conversion

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

did the jag have rh steering?
that would make it an easy conversion
well easy as a jag suspension conversion

Yep, Aussie Jags are RH drive so we get all the good stuff by welding in the Jag IFS assembly.

[OrrieG]

For those that have one, the factory assembly manual has a section on the RH drive RPO that shows how it is accomplished.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

For those that have one, the factory assembly manual has a section on the RH drive RPO that shows how it is accomplished.

i looked and didn't find it. what section? not that i'd every need to work on one

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

i looked and didn't find it. what section? not that i'd every need to work on one

You need to look very carefully.
There aren't large /obvious images of LH drive trucks.
I found the pages but they weren't much help to me.

[Nev68]

Finally got around to fitting the lowered rear springs and fitting some hub caps.

Here's a before


....and after with caps

[Kim57]

Looks real nice.
Kim

[_Ogre]

shiney we like shiney

how is the front end fab coming out?

[meter swinger]

Looks awesome Nev68. Do you have any more pics of the jag ifs installed? I was curious if you notched the top of the frame rail to clear the upper rear control arm bushing? or notched the bottom of the frame rail and raised the entire jag unit?
Guess i need glasses.lol. Looked at the pic again, seems to be notched from the bottom. Neat idea.

[Nev68]

Thanks guys.
I hope it will be a little lower once we get the gas tank under the bed.

Unfortunately not much to report on the front end.
I've been busy on other stuff and since it is good weather here now we've also been out cruising in the Camaro.

[Nev68]

Been a while since I've updated but home renovations have had priority and unfortunately I've just lost my job (33 years with the same company!) so my main priority now is to get another job

Anyway still hasn't stopped me getting wood
Just sanding for a nice finish




Putting on some stain




Just fitting the outside boards for the moment to support the bed on the chassis while I run new fuel lines and add a filler pipe
I've gone for a satin finsh on the timber instead of high gloss as there will be the odd bale of hay and other bits and pieces thrown in the back (occasionally)

[Kim57]

Sorry for the job loss, good luck on the search.
Bed wood looks real nice.
Kim

[bubba1955]

Got a question on your Jag IFS conversion. Looks like you've done away with the original truck crossmember. Most Jag IFS swaps require a small notch in the top of the frame to clear the rear of the upper control arm. Did you pinch the frame narrower to clear?

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by bubba1955

Got a question on your Jag IFS conversion. Looks like you've done away with the original truck crossmember. Most Jag IFS swaps require a small notch in the top of the frame to clear the rear of the upper control arm. Did you pinch the frame narrower to clear?

No pinching of the rails, but we did have to play around with positioning to get clearance.

[Nev68]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Sorry for the job loss, good luck on the search.
Bed wood looks real nice.
Kim

Thanks Kim