Newbie here is NorCal

[ptc]

Hi Guys,

Embarking on a '55-'56 build possibly a '57 right after that one is finished. Found the site here and have been overwhelmed with the talent and all the trucks out there being worked on! Fantastic to see!

I went thru the whole "Cal 58" build and wow what a nice piece...

Looks like a lot of you guys have been-there-done-that with these trucks so I hope to gather a bunch of knowledge to help see this truck of mine come together, sometimes it just take a whole neighborhood to get these things done!

Ill start a new build thread with my info, just wanted to introduce myself and say Hi!

paulc

[crossfire84]

[ptc]

Ok Im totally new here at the chevy truck forums, but have been around a few others doing lots of things in my 50+ years.... My passion has always been cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, and anything else that can make noise and go fast. I started on 2 wheels at 7 years old and never looked back. Had my car license and a 1969 Mustang MACH 1 project at 16 years old... and through the years many other projects...

Completed a Sanger flat bottom river racer a couple years ago and then just recently a totally custom Victory V-twin bike.





So... I needed a tow vehicle for my custom boat and have always liked the Gen 2 trucks by Chevy and GMC for whatever reason. Thats what brings me to this point in my life and to this site!

I came across a project that was half built by somebody down in SOCal area, Im told in or near CLOVIS, CA. So maybe somebody may know of whoever started this project by its obvious HUGGER ORANGE color scheme????? Let me know if you do.

It was sold as a completed roller, chassis, body and everything all done except drive train. I picked up just the chassis from a guy in Yuba City that decided not to go this route with the truck. I figured I could make it work into a Pro-Touring design (which is what I really want) but have since decided to complete it as a Pro-Street version, I mean its more than half way there already.



Some Specs (as-is):
'56 frame - channeled and boxed completed
Chris Alston Eliminator II rear clip - 1.25" 4-Link with Coil overs
'71 Z28 Camaro front clip complete
Sag 800 power steering 2 3/4 turn ratio
11" rotors, Big calipers, rebuilt A-arms with poly bushes
Shortened Ford 9" rear housing, Strange S-Series 3rd member, 3:73 Gears spooled
17 gallon fuel cell
Weld Wheels 15x15 rear w/ M/T tires
Weld Wheels 15x8 front with Goodyear

Whats going to happen to it:
All the front suspension is gone
New QA1 tube a-arms upper, lower
New QA1 coil overs front
Refurb the Gen 2 Camaro Spindles to fit:
Frame mount Hydroboost master cyl with Wilwood remotes
Wilwood manual prop valve at driver seat with F/R gauges
Wilwoood 13" brake rotors w/ 6 piston caliper front
Refurd rear housing to fit:
Wilwood 13" brake rotors w/ 4 piston calipers rear
Install pan hard bar at rear
Install 1.5" Lever style sway bar front

Drive train is still being considered.... but its gonna be a brute!

lots more to come guys

[mdpaulson1]

Hi Paul
welcome to the forum. Post photos of the whole process, we want to see! I'm in the bay area and my truck spent its first 15 years in Sacramento as a farm truck.
Mark

[63 & 64 Bowties]

ptc, I merged the posts from the post you put in the Pre-47 area by mistake.
Welcome to the forum.

[Kim57]

Welcome.
Nice to see another pro-street truck being built.
Kim

[ptc]

Thanks I'll get a project thread going with my work so far... not much other than getting the frame better prepped for the way I want things.

Looks like the first guy got way ahead of himself before all the paint and all went onto it....

Looking forward to great ideas from you guys!

[RockinKees]

Hello from Holland!

Looking forward to your Pro Street project.
Add lots of pics!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Welcome!

Staying with the Hugger orange scheme or ditching that for something else? Will the interior be stark/purpose built or do you think you'll trim it out as a more or less daily driver type?

[Advanced Design]

Welcome! My first car was a 1969 Mach 1 too. Looking forward to the build.

[ptc]

Dan thanks for asking, yes I think the hugger orange will stay on the frame only. It's a decent job and I have a can of paint for touch up. So once it's all complete I will respray it. It's gonna be a smooth body, no emblems, handles, trim etc. The plan for paint right now is basic industrial white base coat with some nice pinstriping to break it up. I have a local kid here that does amazing pin work.

The reason for the basic white is so whoever ends up with this truck it will be easy to trim out to their own preference. Everything goes with white!

Interior will be cross bred with daily essential needs and some race stuff and controls in a comfort kinda scheme.

It's a blank pallette at this point....

[pvienneau]

Welcome from Massachusetts.

[G&R's57GMC]

Welcome

Sounds like a great project.

One suggestion if you're going to change the pan hard bar why not go with a Watts linkage instead ?
The advantage is it will keep the rear axle centered no mater what road or body lean condition is encountered when cornering. Plus the 9" housing makes mounting the pivot easy.

Have fun with your build

[ptc]

Thanks G&R, love talking suspension stuff, my preference has always been road racing to any other form.

While many 'suspension companies' believe they have found another new way of doing things with their technology.... the watts design is really nothing "NEW" at all.... and has way more moving parts to maintain and service. But it looks pretty cool!

Did you know that the "Watts Linkage" was originally designed for steam locomotives as part of the drive wheels from the steam piston? My grandfather used to build scale locomotives out of die cast metal back in the 30-40s. I learned the watts 'technology' from him.

Along the way somebody thought it was a unique way to keep a solid rear axle from twisting side to side which a panhard bar does so simply with only 2 attachment points.

[Joe Pass]

I'm partial to orange...Just sayin

[G&R's57GMC]

ptc , Although the watts linkage has a few more parts than a panhard bar it offers a better cornering ability especially over irregular surfaces.

I drove a Chrysler Le Beron K car and a PT Cruiser over the same road and through the same corner with a bump in the apex at speed many times.
The K car had a panhard bar and it would steer the rear wheels in the bump causing the car to change direction slightly.
The PT with the Watts linkage was unaffected and tracked exactly and it would carry more speed though the corner.

If your serious about road racing the Watts linkage is the way to go.

[G&R's57GMC]

BTW ptc if you decide to stick with the panhard bar be sure it sits level at ride height and is as long as possible.

Perhaps the axle mount as close as possible to the wheel bearing and the chassis mount projected outboard of the opposite frame rail.

But if your going for the widest tires with tubs then the Watts linkage is the way to go. Of course the bars want to be level at ride height. The pivot point has to be at the axle center lines.

[ptc]

Well this truck isnt being built to be doing much turning other than around town and such. It's main "play-time" use will be on the straight line dragstrip.

As for space for anything in the rear, it is going to be extremely limited as you can see by the width of the rear frame with the fat tires and shortened rear case. The rear suspension geometry will be figured into the drag use of the truck mostly. In addition to the panhard bar there will be a sway bar in the rear and one on the front. Both will be lever type and adjustable with rod ends.

Im also going to put in some extent of a roll cage that will be possibly 6 or 8 point to 'leverage' the front and rear all together. The frame should be pretty stout!

My next truck build will be a serious road racer build.... The little Porsche in the other pic was my last serious road racer build and track car.... a little different than a Chrylser K car or PT cruiser....