55 TF Stretched Cab/Fleetside/LSx/Trailblazer Frame

[ricott]

I have always loved the looks of the short wheelbase 55-57 chevy pickups, especially those that used a Fleetside bed from a 58/59. I have been following a number of builds on this Forum for the last 2 years and plan to incorporate many things I liked from their builds into mine. My 23 year old son and I built a 1966 GTO restomod for him (6.0 LS engine/T56 tranny/frame off ) over the last several years, and that car is a blast to drive. I am currently working on a 1958 Corvette restomod (ls1/T56/Corvette Correction frame) for me and the wifey (details of both builds are in my signature link), but I wanted a daily driver/weekend cruiser for me. I decided over a year ago to replace the S10 Pickup used as my “Home Depot / Auto Zone/ occasional commuter” parts chaser with a 55 Task Force, and have been collecting parts for this build since that time.

While the primary focus in 2014 will be working on the 58 corvette, I am off from Christmas until January 6, and wanted to use some of that time to begin actual work on the truck. I probably will work on this project through the month of February (easier to cut /weld in a cool/cold garage than to do fiberglass work), but the work (and pictures) will slow down after that as I go back to work on the 58 corvette.

I have acquired the following parts:

1955 Big Window truck body/frame (body is real rough –but the title is clean!!!)
1955 small window Cab and doors (good shape)
1958 Fleetside Bed (short wheelbase - rough)
1958 Fleetside Bed (long wheelbase - rough)
1959 Impala Dash
5.3 / 4L60e pullout from a low mileage suburban.
2003 Trailblazer ext frame (129 inch wheelbase) and related parts (truck was a low mileage rollover – has 3:73 limited slip)
Trailblazer oil pan/exhaust manifolds, and other parts to install V8

The plan is as follows:

1. Stretch the Task Force cab 6 inches through the doors and an additional 2 inches between the “B” pillar and the rear glass. (Thanks BOMP – in the 60-66 forum and Shadow1967).
2. Use the 2003 trailblazer Frame and the 5.3 / 4L60e pullout to achieve updated steering, brakes, suspension and drivetrain. (Thanks – Dug224)
3. Shorten the Trailblazer frame from 129 inches to 123 inches to accept the stretched cab.
4. Use the short wheel base Fleetside bed, and use the rough long wheelbase fleetside bed for repair metal and for custom parts.
5. Pancake the hood approximately 2 inches. (Thanks- Kabwe)
6. Install 1959 Dash (Thanks – Chuckdriver and Shadow1967)
7. Use 1955 Chevy front bumper (Thanks- Chevyrestoguy)
8. Use 58/59 chevy bumper for rear (Thanks – Shadow1967)
9. Use late 80s/early 90s pickup bed for bed floor and inner walls. (Thanks SGTUSMC)
10. Build custom tailgate. (Thanks – Yukon Ratrod)
11. Extend the Fleetside spears into the doors. (Thanks Drag’n 59 on the H.A.M.B.)

I would love to drive this truck, even if it looked to be in “Rat Rod” condition, in 18 months. I hope to have the project painted/finished by June 2017. I’ll post plenty of pictures of the build. I will leave you today with the pictures of the various parts assembled for this build.

I hope everyone enjoys the ride!!!

Ricky

[ricott]

Here are the pictures of the Truck, and some of the other spare parts from last summer.

[STOCKISH]

Love the plan, cant wait to see this coming together.

[Kim57]

Sounds real cool.
I love the stretched cabs.
Kim

[alaska gasser]

I'm subscribed. I am building a '48 pickup I stretched 10" behind the doors. The thread is in my signature. A few people asked if I was going to stretch it through the doors, but I didn't like how several of them looked that I saw stretched that way.

[Wybrow]

This sounds like it's going to be really cool when completed. Also sounds like you did your homework too!

On an unrelated note, it's crazy what people in different parts of North America consider "rough shape", up here in Southern Canada, both of those would be considered to be in pretty good shape.

[ricott]

Thanks for the comments guys. I am following each of your builds. I have debated long and hard about how to do this truck and seriously considered going the "extended cab" route. I hope to get to the salvage yard tomorrow to begin stripping the Trailblazer, but right now we are trying to finish reinstalling the engine in my second son's GTO.

As I said in another forum, the biggest automotive time eater this fall has been the GTO. While it was incredibly fast and quick, we never could get it to tune right for idle and off idle. The engine is an 6.0 LQ9 out of a burned 2006 Escalade. It had 18,000 miles on it when we pulled it. It would pop well before the redline, so we first pulled the heads and had a valve job done. Five valve springs were basically bad, and I attribute that to the fact that this was a "burned" motor. After we reassembled, the popping before the redline stopped, but it still wouldn't tune. We did a compression check and found the number four cylinder was about 60% of the others. We pulled the engine and rebuilt that one cylinder. Yesterday my oldest son helped me put the engine back in the car, and Eric will be home tonight. Should have it running tomorrow night.

Here is a picture of the GTO.



This one sums up the aggravation of pulling the engine:

[ChuckDriver]

Wow, you've really got it all planned out! Can't wait to watch it come together!!

[ricott]

Thanks ChuckDriver. I love the way you did the Impala dash in your truck, and it inspired me to find one for this truck. I plan to use a Vintage Air unit in the truck, glad to see you are currently doing this upgrade. I follow your build, and look forward to your thoughts once you have the unit installed.

I am headed out the door to the salvage yard (about 50 miles away) to begin the stripdown on the 2004 Trailblazer.

[alaska gasser]

ricott- That is a sweet GTO. Hope the motor works out this time.

As far as I know, the guy that bought my '59 Impala is only going to use a few of the gauges. That dash should be available and I can check if you want. The one down side is it can be expensive to ship out of here, but I know folks that drive or fly out at times and could take it to the lower 48 to a Greyhound station.

[fabguy]

sweet looking build, subscribed

[ricott]

Thanks Fabguy - I've enjoyed your builds.

Thanks Alaska Gasser for the compliment on the GTO. My son Eric (pictured) really loves driving the car and didn’t want to park it to fix the problem. He really didn’t want to pull the engine!

Thanks for your offer regarding the Impala dash. Like you, we have an old yard about 10 miles from the house tucked off the main path. The gentleman that runs it (almost 70) took over from his father-in-Law, and there are many 1955-1970 cars. Unlike the cars you posted, his have been heavily cannibalized, but he did have three Impala dashes! I paid him last winter for a complete dash, pulled the gages, but never got back to cut the dash out (winter ended and I don’t cut parts out in the warmer months from cars that have been sitting for years)! I plan to go to his yard at some point in the next month to get the dash (may buy a second one). I love your build, and look forward to seeing you and your daughter back at work on hers. Merry Christmas.

Ricky

[ricott]

The “official” start of this build began today. I took off from work and went to my friend’s salvage yard where I have the large sheet metal parts for this project stored. The first order of business was to get the Trailblazer EXT frame and related goodies that I will be using for this build. The Trailblazer was low mileage (32k from the insurance papers) that was a rollover. I purchased the frame, floorpan and related items last summer, but wanted to wait for winter to begin stripping it. I hate wasps, snakes and spiders, all of which could be in something like this in warmer months, but with a high of around 40F today, it was not be a problem!



He pulled the trailblazer down the hill and moved it near my 55 pickup. I spent the rest of the day stripping the trailblazer. I then cut the floorpan at 70 inches back from the firewall, cut the “A” and “B” pillars, then pushed the roof and unneeded back section of the Trailblazer frame away. Sorry I failed to get a good picture of the “stripped” Trailblazer.





I am using the Trailblazer frame for this build because of all the modern components. This frame was made to accept the newest GM V8, has great brakes, steering and a 3:73 posi rear end. My wife has an Envoy Denali, and it is a great vehicle. While the frame on the 55 pickup appears to be very solid, the effort to update it will be substantially more time consuming and expensive (for me) than going the Trailblazer frame route.

Everyone have a great Christmas, and I hope to be back with my next update by New Year’s Day. Stay tuned, more to come!!!

Ricky

[ricott]

Here is the Trailblazer stripped as far as I want prior to bringing it home.




Yesterday I headed back down to the salvage yard to pull the big window cab. It was cold (around 32), and trying to snow. I cut the cab at the windshield and through the floorboard.



The employees helped me load the rear part of the big window cab on my S10 to bring home. This part will be the rear "half" of the new stretched cab.



Shortly after we got this loaded, it began to snow, so that was it for the outside work. Here is the truck as I left it.



I am off the rest of the week, but Thursday and Friday are going to be really cold, so I don't know if I will get the other parts back home this week. I need to organize my garage so I can get the complete truck inside when I bring it home, so I may do that and drill spot welds from the roof of the big window cab.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! As always, more to come.

Ricky

[Kim57]

Nice work.
Kim

[ricott]

Well the cold weather sure has made it harder to get motivated. I got the GTO back together and out of the garage. Last Friday (1/3) I braved the cold and picked up the small window cab from the salvage yard where I had it stored.



Yesterday (Sat) I built a body cart to hold both cabs while I do the stretch.



I bolted the small window cab to the cart. My trusty watch cat is standing by!



Finally, I got both cabs in the garage and began measuring where the cut lines will go.



Next up will be to brace the small window cab and then make the cuts. With the cold, I'm thinking that will begin next weekend. As always, more to come.

Ricky

[Kim57]

Nice progress.
Kim

[ChuckDriver]

That's gonna be one cool truck!

[ricott]

Thanks guys for the encouragement. Even though I have a really good garage heater, I'm having trouble getting motivated to work on this project in the evenings when it is so cold. I am looking forward to the weekend and really itching to get these two cabs matched up!

[buggy5872]

Looks good so far

[JML55]

Cool build

[chev3600]

Your project is looking great. I love seeing a stretched cab come together, keep up the motivation.

[Rednek13x]

If it makes you feel any better about the temps, it was -30F this morning with a windchill of -45F... Hope that makes you feel better and get some more work done on the truck! going to be a good one!

[skymangs]

Looks like a great project, subscribed!

[Low Elco]

This is gonna be good! Happiness is a warm sawzall!