Project BPR 53'

[thesledhead]

My buddy asked me who I would use to build a truck and my answer was "me" LOL. So here we go...... He brought me over a 1953 Chevy that at first glance looked good so we where going to just basically clean the truck up and paint it. Well after tearing into the truck and putting it on the lift things got ugly fast, the frame was a hacked together arc welded wrecked Camaro sub frame a 10 bolt pos and a sloppy 200r4 trans. The up side was the truck did have a decent body and a 327 with 202 heads. We started by tearing the truck down and sending the engine to a machine shop, next I found a nice stock frame that we are in the process of putting a mustang 2 front end under and a TCI 4 link kit in.

[thesledhead]

more pics of the frame work.

[dwcsr]

I think it looks good, But rotate the pictures most of us don't lay down to look at this forum.

[_Ogre]

the body looks good, nice choice to find a stock frame and start over.
''me'' has got me into trouble before too

pay no attention to dwcsr, i can lay down any where.
it's getting up that gets me

[focusedontheprize]

..Mopar man. We are already friends.

Nice setup too. Haha.
Posted via Mobile Device

[thesledhead]

Originally Posted by dwcsr

I think it looks good, But rotate the pictures most of us don't lay down to look at this forum.

U dont have to lay down, just flip the monitor on its side.

Originally Posted by _Ogre

the body looks good, nice choice to find a stock frame and start over.
''me'' has got me into trouble before too

pay no attention to dwcsr, i can lay down any where.
it's getting up that gets me

Thanks, ah its nice to see a smartass on the board...... right outa the gate LOL

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

..Mopar man. We are already friends.

Nice setup too. Haha.
Posted via Mobile Device

Ah yes.. variety is the spice of life



Got a little more done this weekend. Boxed the rest of the frame, mocked up the 4 link one more time, mounted our new gas tank and painted the engine. Now after a weeks worth of grinding we should be ready for some frame paint.

[xpickup]

Thesledhead, looks great what you have done. Motor looks great and I like the fast system. It is something what so people do when the butcher up these frames. The truck I am working on was butchered too. I went with another frame. Keep up the great work.



Shannon
Posted via Mobile Device

[thesledhead]

Originally Posted by xpickup

Thesledhead, looks great what you have done. Motor looks great and I like the fast system. It is something what so people do when the butcher up these frames. The truck I am working on was butchered too. I went with another frame. Keep up the great work.



Shannon
Posted via Mobile Device

thanks. I looked at your build's and holy smokes this is nothing compared to what you do, that vet build is insane.

the brown truck dropped off the valve covers but thats about if for recent progress

[oldman3]

Just found this build, doing a great job, looking forward to more....Jim

[chevyboy73]

sweet frame and engine! i would advise against the chrome radiator neck, as me and my dad have always had problems with them leaking.

[thesledhead]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Just found this build, doing a great job, looking forward to more....Jim

thanks.

Originally Posted by chevyboy73

sweet frame and engine! i would advise against the chrome radiator neck, as me and my dad have always had problems with them leaking.

I hear ya there the cheap Chinese ones seem to rot from the inside fast.




No pics but I did make some progress this weekend, I re assembled the suspension one more time for mockup and tore it all apart to grind some more. I hope to paint it this weekend and start putting it all together.


The brown truck left us a transmission Friday, its a built 700r4 with all the goodies.

[oldman3]

Nice...Jim

[thesledhead]

The frame is painted and now we begin putting everything back together



more progress to follow...

[oldman3]

Frame looks good...Jim

[47 Fasttoys]

Looks like a good start. Just curious, why choose an electric water pump? I don't have any experience with them but have only seen them used on drag cars. I like the idea of fully boxing the frame, are you thinking a little bit of horsepower in this thing? Maybe some drag racing?
Rob

[thesledhead]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Frame looks good...Jim

thanks

Originally Posted by 47 Fasttoys

Looks like a good start. Just curious, why choose an electric water pump? I don't have any experience with them but have only seen them used on drag cars. I like the idea of fully boxing the frame, are you thinking a little bit of horsepower in this thing? Maybe some drag racing?
Rob

well the electric water pump is just for looks in all reality and the frame is only boxed in two places where we removed the original cross members. The motor dyno'd at 400 hp and I didn't recommend the boxing at all but my buddy wanted it so we rolled with that, it cant hurt I guess.

[thesledhead]

Well Its been a while since Ive posted. I had some a hole hit me in a stolen vehicle running from the cops but Im healed up now and back to work. We now have a complete rolling chassis, and have since decided to go with a belt driven water pump and serpentine belt kit. The body is also coming along as you can see

[STOCKISH]

Man, that looks great so far! Nice work buddy.

[Flames97]

Wow, your build looks really good.

[54 CHEVY LR]

Looks very good. Did you fab your firewall?

[thesledhead]

Thanks guy's. 54 CHEVY LR, we just traced the outline on a piece of paper and took it to my buddy with a plasma table then after we tacked it in place we put some sand-able 3m panel bond around the edge. It was super easy and I think it came out great.

Well it doesn't look like a lot of progress but the body is in primer and ready for a ton of wet sanding I got the serpentine kit in and installed the brake lines are all done and the lokar snifter is in.

[Coach529]

Awesome build so far. Looking forward to more updates!!

[Coach529]

What are you shooting for for ride height?

[thesledhead]

Originally Posted by Coach529

What are you shooting for for ride height?

well its a 4-6 drop but we still have not nailed down what tires we are going to run yet.

[alaska gasser]

Glad to hear you've healed up and just wanted to say the truck is looking good.

It's a little hard to tell from the picture and feel free to tell me I'm all wet, but are the upper A frame T bolts in upside down?