I have wanted one of these for sometime and have had my eye on one in this guys driveway for about 5 years. Its a 49 1/2 ton shortbed. I finally decided to stop out front being the owner was in the front yard. $400 with a clear title. Its ruff but complete. Turns out his grandfather was the original owner. So I am the second owner. I believe you can get just about all the sheetmetal for it?? Who has truck parts? Gotta put some wheels on it to get it rolling. The tires are all broke off the bead and dry rotted. Are they standard chev bolt circle 5 on 4-3/4"?
No pics yet! You know what rust looks like.

I have a 51 chev 3100 jigsaw puzzle :) It has been converted to standard 5 lug gm. IIS and 82 TA rear. Pretty sure the original 5 lugs were standard bolt pattern too.

go here to do some reading www.stovebolt.com :D

As I remember the truck were 5X5 (like Big Chevys/Olds/Caddy or C10 Chevies from mid 70's-early 90's), but if you need a quick front swap to 4 3/4 just grab the drums etc off a similar vintage passenger car... I'd have to measure to be sure... There are TONS of the old trucks around here still...they just don't wear out!

My son has a 53 Chevy sitting on an 82 S-10 chassis with a 350 and TH350. It was rough when he got it a couple of years ago, but we worked for 6 months on stripping every bit of the 5 layers of paint from the body, removed and filled the hood center molding, primed it, put in a custom bow tie 3rd brake light in the tailgate and some minor engine work. My son has been going to school in Italy for the last few months, so it is my job to take the truck out for a weekly or bi-weekly cruise. When he gets back in a few weeks we are goiung to continue the body work and get ready for paint. It has been a great learning experience for both of us. If I didnt have the 69, I would definately get a 49-54 truck.

Bobhttp://www.valleydentalsupply.com/bobf/truck2.jpg

I have my grandpa's 50 that he bought new sitting next to my driveway. It is a lawn ornament and will not ever be moved. The frame and lower body was rusted in the 70's. At one point the interior had a possum/skunk nest built of twigs up to the windows. I mow around it and keep the berry vines cut back.

Hey 69vert, what did it take to mount that truck on the S-10 frame? I have a 53 3/4 ton Chevy that I would like to restore and I'm just gathering info for now.

Thanks for your help.

Who has truck parts? ... Are they standard chev bolt circle 5 on 4-3/4"?
No idea, but it sounds like a good deal and a fun project. I'm looking forward to seeing some pictures of before and eventually the after. Good luck and have fun!

I have a '55, 2nd series Chevy with the big back window. It sits on a late 70's chassis and suspension. I changed the rear over to a 4-link and put air bags on all 4 corners. I dropped in an LT1 and a 4L60E. I added Vintage Air A/C and the interior is hand built, except for the seats. The seat are late 70's Chevy truck seats, but they've been cut down. I just got it finished about a month ago.

Here's a link to some pictures:http://community.webshots.com/photo/245228836/477113550AEPegr

Couldnt get that link to work Tokala but it sounds nice!
69vert, Thats exactly the look I am after. I have seen several camaro or monte carlo subframes installed under them with s-10 rears installed. Was the s-10 frame used a long bed, or short. If you get a minute have a look under there. Was the frame extended anywhere? I'm sure I will have weld new frame mounts for sure. Was the complete front and rear s-10 suspension used as well?
Thanks to all for the replies!

Couldnt get that link to work Tokala but it sounds nice!


I fixed the link. The pictures are from Slamfest 2005 in Tampa. It was the first show that I took it to and I won best of show for full-sized truck. Truckin magazine did a photo shoot as well as a freelance guy that sells mostly to Street Trucks. I'll have to check out the magazines in a couple of months.

Very nice Tokala! Nice Camaro too!

I also love the old Trucks ..Hot Rod Stye...
http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=66221

Very nice Tokala! Nice Camaro too!

Thank you. I'm sure that I'll be itching to start something new within a year.:D Hopefully, my timing works with money and when the survivor Z/28 I found goes up for sale. If not, maybe a big car like an old Impala or Cadillac.

It looks like you're in for fun!! Acouple of years ago I bought a '55 2nd series Chev Napco original 4X4. It's been a blast! Haven't been able to do eveything I'd like ($ & Time), but I've found parts are available and not too badly priced. Here's a link to a place I've found with good prices & service:

http://www.americanclassic.com/

Another place with some helpful info is:

htttp://www.classictruckshop.com

Have fun!

yep i have a 50 chevy pickup .it has a 400 small block with a 700 r-4.it is a prostreet, has chambered exhust. been subframed with a 69 camaro & has 4 wheel disk brakes with hate to say it but, it has a 9-inch ford rearend looks awesome but really looks & sounds better than it runs. thanks to my very good wife who lets me buy what i want without a hassle. but she drives it as much as me.

I have a 67 Chevy short-wide truck that is in current build. It will be my new shop truck. I am going to paint the truck semi-gloss black with lime green flames. The big block 462 si already built and it will be around 500 HP with a TH400 behind that. I can't wait to cruise this bad boy! :cool:

This is my third mid sixties truck to build. I previously built a 66 and a 68 Ford truck. This one will be the best: its a Chevy with a big block! :thumbsup:

I believe you can get just about all the sheetmetal for it?? Who has truck parts?
...

Welcome to the 'truck crowd' :thumbsup:
I've owned a 1/2 dozen or so early (1949, 1952, 1955, 1956 & 1957) Chevy trucks over the years. Don't presently have one ( the 'oldest' is a 1977 Chevy 4X4... ) but, getting a 1950's model is one of the "next" projects on my list right now.
Yep, they are repopping more and more parts every year - just like for our favorite car...
There is even a full cab supposed to come on the market (like the 50's F-100 one available) in the next year or so.
I buy most my parts from either;
www.LMCtruck.com they will send a catalog right out and their ordering/shipping is as good or better than any I've found so far - they seem to stock everything in their catalog, which we all know doesn't seem to happen with some suppliers...
I've also placed a couple orders with one supplier you may already use - www.classicindustries.com - Classic is now starting to stock a line of parts for the earlier (1947 ~ 72) Chevy trucks. They are also getting into the later (1973>) models and plan to have an expanded catalog this year.
Last, but not least, is one of my oldest 'go to' places - www.brotherstrucks.com - 'Brothers' has been into the older "Chebies" for years! I believe they are probably the oldest supplier for the 'Truck Rod' crowd. I've done quite a bit of business with them over the years and they've always been good to deal with. The shipping for stuff out this way has been a issue from time to time - but, they may be closer to you.

Hope some of this helps;
John

ps:
"...You know what rust looks like..."

Why yes, I do... been almost a full year now of trying to get it all out of my son's F-100... :sad:
Some of the repopped panels fit worse than anything I've ever had to fit to any Camaro/Firebird...

Dan,
When my son got the truck the S-10 conversion had already been done. I believe it was a short bed chassis. I am not thrilled with the way it was done( half assed in my opinion). If I were to do it I would graft a Mustang II front end on the S-10 chassis. Much better fit for the V-8. I can post a link to some of the other pics I have later showing the car stripped down. There is also a website where the guy is documenting the conversion of a 53 suburban on a S-10 chassis.

Bob

A good supplier for sheet metal is Mar-K. I purchased all new steel panels for the bed and was very satisfied with their quality and service.

Here is the link for the S-10 conversion

http://www.commerce.usask.ca/staff/hipkin/burb/frameswap.html

Here is picture of the front of the truck without fenders. The Mustang II or the camaro subframe would be much better.
http://www.valleydentalsupply.com/bobf/truck03.jpg

www.chevytalk.com has some great forums for trucks.

Bob

My father in law has a '53 Chevy pickup. Great looking truck.

LV has one awesome '48

http://www.sandlinmotorsports.com/1948_street_rod_truck.htm

Yep, had (but sold, arg!) one of what I think has to be baddest looking trucks, a 1949 1/2 ton Studebaker. It had a 383 Magnum out of a 69 Plymouth Roadrunner, pushbutton 727 auto and a (factory) Studebaker rear-end with 4:88 gears, tangerine orange with krinkle black highlights.. Man was it a stoplight to stoplight killer! I'm looking for another one for a project, someday I'll do it again.

Yep, had (but sold, arg!) one of what I think has to be baddest looking trucks, a 1949 1/2 ton Studebaker. It had a 383 Magnum out of a 69 Plymouth Roadrunner, pushbutton 727 auto and a (factory) Studebaker rear-end with 4:88 gears, tangerine orange with krinkle black highlights.. Man was it a stoplight to stoplight killer! I'm looking for another one for a project, someday I'll do it again.

Bob, I love your son's '53...

and B-Boy, Can you post a pic? Man, I always wanted a Stude Pick up.

When I was in CA a few years ago, I couldn't get over all of the neat old trucks roaming around. They were lowered with nice wheels, and that was it! These neat old trucks that had original/faded/scratched/surface rusted/dented paint jobs driving around with 17 inchers and a killer stance! I thought it was the coolest thing and it has made me want one even more than I ever did before. There was this one '64 Chev that had all this crap in the back too. I tried to catch up to it, but he was in a faster lane. I'll never forget it though. The dichotomy between the wheels and the rest of it really made an impression on me.

JD

I just picked up a '51 3/4 ton Chevy a few weeks ago. It will need a lot of work, but I only want it to be a driver.

http://mypeoplepc.com/members/thecopseys//sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/truck.jpg

Bret;
I think I see some paint under that rust - that may 'buff out'... :)
Wow - a long bed. You don't see to many of those being 'rodded', mostly just restored. I recently saw one long bed 50's that was done up real nice - BB, tubed, cab was extended @ 6"~ foot or so - it really looked nice :thumbsup:

'sixd8';
btw - I forgot to mention, you may want to get a subscription request off to "Classic Trucks" ASAP - www.classictrucks.com - they have one of the best formats and some great articles on these classic trucks.

Jeff;
Yes - Steve does have one great looking truck :thumbsup:
Seems I remember it from somewhere... :) - http://www.classictrucksweb.com/features/0204ct_goodguys/index.html - article has some great features/facts info.
I've seen it in person and watched it win several awards at shows - it deserved every one of them - a very nicely executed vehicle.


John

What you'll have forgot to say is that if it is a 1/2 ton it will have 6 hole wheels, if it is a 3/4 ton it will have 8 hole wheels. So the 5x4 3/4 bolt pattern won't fit.

Hope this helps,
Jerry

I got a 66 Chevy C-10 pickup that's been in my family since new and just had it painted few years back.Got some modern 15x8 rims and suspension is pretty much orignal and interior with couple of goodies...:)


http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a395/camaro_71rs/My%20first%20digital%20pics/2005_1023Coolness0004.jpg

I have been getting interested in the 50's Chevy trucks lately! I would love a '53 with a sbc and posi :beers: They have alot of grille/trim in the front... I hear they put the gas tanks right behind the seats, so you always know how much gas you have: "loud sloshing"=full, mild sloshing=getting low! ;)

Dano