Team Camaro Tech banner

Want to build a 55-57 Chevy Short bed PT truck for my wife. Options?

6K views 65 replies 11 participants last post by  KevinW 
#1 ·
To start off they are not cheap around here and cheap of $2000 will get you a swiss cheese shell and maybe a title.

Want to do a Roadstershop or Art Morrison Chassis:
Wilwood mechanical disc and coil overs all around
Triangulated 4-link
Mini tubbed
383 or LS based powerplant
6 speed trans
9" rear with 4:11's.

Do I find a decent restoration for $20k and hope for the best?
Knowing full on that I will tearing it completely down and most likely changing out the motor, trans and rear
Hoping that the body isn't a cave and pave special and might be lucky to save it???
Realizing I can sell the take offs for some extra cash to put back into the truck

Or buy a Chassis and a new aftermarket body?
Realizing it would be about 10K more, but everything would be brand new and no body issues
Know I still need a donor to get a title

Right now I have enough save to get either a truck or a chassis.

This will be something that will NOT be built to be sold - it will be build to be driven so my wife can enjoy the thrill of the car shows as much as I do along with all the great people that have the love of the sport.

Any and all opinions would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in Advance
 
See less See more
#4 ·
I was looking at that one yesterday lol. I would never buy sight unseen and to see that it was shot with high build primer seems to throw up a flag of hiding something.
 
#3 ·
Take a look at the frames from No Limit Engineering. I’m building a 50 Chevy pickup on one of their frames. Excellent quality and engineering. The price is better than Roadster Shop and Art Morrison. They are easy to deal with and have good customer service.

Don
 
#7 ·
Cameos are my favorite 55-57 Chevy pickups. Relatively rare they were the top of the line pickups.

Don
 

Attachments

#8 ·
Its funny how we all think similarly. I just cleaned up the junk around the 51 Chevy 3100 SB I want to build for my wife :) Frame was already set up with mustang II front end with R+P and a late 70s BOP disc rear. But body needs a bunch of welding. Now that it is uncovered, that is what I plan to start doing this winter!

Found this 51 locally for $3,000, most of the parts there. Have a 400 to go in, need to pick up a Tremec for it. Just need to kick the project into a higher gear! :D



 
#11 ·
What is really funny is she originally wanted that body style with the 5 window(which are super cool as well), I may have persuaded her to next gen models>:)
 
#16 ·
From what I have found over the last few weeks, that one seems a little hefty on the price for what it is. And not sure if it just be but I am always a little leary when I see a pretty exterior and then you pop the hood to see that rusted mess. My take is that the owner is not a car guy. Either that or I am just that OCD where everything needs to be on point!
 
#17 ·
I am assuming from the posts of vehicles that the general consensus is to buy a "completed" vehicle and go from there instead of building from scratch?
 
#18 ·
That would not be my approach. These trucks usually need cab corners and floor repairs and I’ve seen a lot of hack jobs. I like to find honest original paint trucks and go from there.

If you are going for a lowered truck you are also looking at raising the bed along with firewall and possibly tunnel mods. Add minitubs and you’re looking at a lot of mods to be doing on a painted truck.

Don
 
#24 ·
It all depends how much you want to work on it and how much Wife wants to drive now.
The first one offered is an excellent deal, and it runs & drives.

An easy EFI conversion is get an OBD 1 TBI from a GM 305 - manifold, dist, ECM & wiring, Knock sensor, add a Holley fuel pump with a return line as TBI needs only 13 PSIG, and O2 sensor, and its running.
 
#25 ·
Actually found an a truck about 2 hours away. Borrowing my buddies trailer and going this coming weekend to take a look. Unrestored all original with 6 cyl, 3 speed trans and clean title. Pics seem to show it is in respectable shape.(as they always do lol) Hoping by this time next weekend I'll be able to post some good news.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rgwiz and dhutton
#26 ·
Well here we go. From the ones I've seen around here and the prices, I think I did pretty decent. 1957 short bed stepside. Has a straight 6 from a 1957 chevy car - runs. Came with factory manual 3 speed on the column. Solid roller from Georgia. Frame is in perfect shape. Should have taken more pics. The floor is solid as well as the inner steps behind the doors as well as the doors themselves. Needs inner cab corners as expected and a little love. Since the rear fenders and inner fenders were already off, can;t believe how great of shape they are in. Even the bolt holes are still solid and round - I was amazed! The metal used back then was nothing like used by the time the Camaro rolled off the assy line a mere 10 years later. Time to get a plan together for this one. Wife is excited and wants to help!

All my years here I have never had a pic attach sideways - not sure how to fix that so I apologize in advance
 

Attachments

#29 ·
The picture thing happens to me too, typically when I take photos with my iPhone. I seem to get around it by downloading the photos from email then saving them with a different name. It's kind of a pain but seems to work.
I did download the pics to my pc as I always do. And as always they were orientated correctly before I uploaded to TC. For some odd reason, all of these turned sideways:confused:

Wondering if anyone noticed the trim tag paint: Special. Tried to figure out on google but nothing came up
 
#30 ·
ahhp, SPECIAL paint...you gotta do this restoration by the book ! No freelancing !>:) lol

I'd imagine it's the same meaning as with our cars. Most likely a non-standard color. What's the trim code (tweaking my neck trying to read it !)?

Really looks good. Excellent find ! :thumbsup:
 
#32 ·
Thanks - trim = STD

Maybe it was some famous Chevy dealer's service truck ? Would be pretty cool to find some Dana Orange under there...:)

I like the small rear window much better. The big one's gotta be awfully hot in the summer months. Any thoughts on chopping the top ?
Once I get my Camaro back together from another oil leak issue(oil pressure sensor), I can the truck home and start playing. It is taking up residence at my parents house at the moment. Not sure on the chop - always wanted to but after hearing the horror stories about cutting the glass from experienced glass guys and blowing up 3 or 4 windshields..........dunno.
 
#34 ·
Just finished this 50 patina build on a No Limit Engineering frame with air ride, LQ4, 4L80E. Aired out and slammed in the pics.

Don
 

Attachments

#35 ·
Looks great Don as always. Talked to No Limit and will go with one of their chassis set-ups. Spent some time with me on the phone and answered every question I had with great detail. Thanks for the recommendation
 
  • Like
Reactions: dhutton
#36 ·
Did you get the IRS option? I am itching to build something with that option. :grin2:

Don
 
#39 ·
If I were going with a stock look sure. Gotta have those 275's up front and 345's out back with that stance of 4' off the ground:grin2:
 
#44 · (Edited)
Getting caught up on recordings and seen this one https://www.mecum.com/lots/KD1219-393823/1957-chevrolet-custom-pickup/ cross the block. The color really popped on stage. Was a little surprised the bidding didn't go higher, but guess the old s'cool small block held it back ?:eek:

EDIT; I see the top bid isn't listed unless you're signed in with Mecum. It was $38K. I know nothing about what it cost to build something like this, but would imagine it's much more than the top bid ?
 
#45 ·
For 38k that truck is a steal! Only thing I see holding it back would be the small block and automatic trans. Also can't tell from pics - could be a cave and pave special........

I am hoping to keep this build under 6 figures. Failed miserably with my Camaro in achieving that
 
#46 ·
Not sure what's up with Mecum as the link above doesn't work now. Seen another I wanted to bring to your attention :), but it doesn't show up in the search. Seems they removed some listings ?

Lot F208 (Kansas City, 2019), a 56 Jimmy, 4" chop, gorgeous candy apple red, humongous meats, lowered way down and a chrome 454....topped out 30K, reserve not met ! Amazing, it had a killer look to it. :bow:
 
#47 ·
Sounds awesome, but when you buy for 30K does't that mean you leave at 50K by the time you pay the fees at Mecum and your auctioneer?
 
#48 ·
I think generally on a 30K bid, the buyer pays 33 and the seller receives 27 ? Hopefully John will correct me if I'm wrong....

GMC doesn't seem to have as much appeal as Chevy from what I've noticed. The grille is about the only difference in appearance.

Bummer about Mecum deleting these listings so soon. :confused: Really don't catch the mechanical details (brakes, suspension, etc) watching them on TV. The chopped top really set this one apart though, IMO.
 
#51 ·
Funny how that ad say chevrolet in a bunch of places, but its a GMC :) Putting EFI in one of these is a challenge (to me) due to the gas tank and return/vent lines. Do you keep stock tank location and place pump under the floor or relocate the tank to the rear and have a bed filler and in tank pump?

I do not like either of those solutions and would like to find an EFI mid-chassis tank solution or a rear tank that I can put the filler in the fenders (in tank pump). I still have not found a pre-engineered solution for that, so either would require some total custom work :(
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top