some of you may remember my build of a 1950 GMC: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=259315 currently a new client dropped off his 48 project truck in hopes to pick it up as a driver. unfortunately some of the work has already been done and will need revisiting, however it is in my eyes a good start. the old cab and sheetmetal will sit atop a S-10/Blazer frame. plans are to mimic the same "look" as the 50 GMC, full air-ride suspension, 350 motor, auto trans, power disc brakes, power steering all the modern goodies, however retaining the look and feel of the old truck. follow along if you like for i will update as this project moves forward step by step. as arrived: new parts: 195/75-15 on 15x6.5 smoothies: stock s-10: dropped spindles, no springs (future airbags) still need to trim spring cup to drop 1 more inch: looking better: thanks, Yaril
..is that front crossmember thing something from a kit or did you make it? ...good luck on your project; I'll be watchin, I love those AD's...here's a shot of mine.
cool rusty1, i am going to be making wood bed rails (i want 2 rows though) for my 51 shop truck. mind telling me what size vertical and horizontal wood you used? the front crossmember is part of a "kit" owner had purchased to mount the body on the s-10, i cant tell if ill be using it or not yet. he said it was expensive.
The "kit" is from this place... http://www.e-zchassisswaps.com/index.htm $1600, shit you might as well use it. Rich
Can hardly wait to see more pics....i just finished one using stock frame w/ IFS and 4-link. I have a free donor S-10 and another 53 1/2 ton that i'd like to do this way to use as a "work" truck. Just something to drive to the hardware store, and maybe haul mulch and firewood around the farm. Please keep posting pics along the way! Barnes
Any updates Yaril? I just started on my 48 GMC and your other thread helped a lot! You have some great ideas and do excellent work.
...just got back to this thread;...my stakes for the rails are treated 2x4's cut to fit the stake pockets and the rails are made from a 6 inch wide deck board,but cut to about 4 inches wide; which are about 1 inch thick, also treated.
well the 4-link pan-hard bar and rear bag brackets had arrived (thanks DW welderseries.com) and they look great as always! so im also building another S-10 frame for another AD truck build, but thats just the frame by itself, so i get to do this job twice! think im not going to make this one lay running boards. im about 1-1/2" off the ground and content, even though i got some motivation in the background... till next time.
thanks! update!!! set the panhard bar at ride hight 0 degrees: metal to box frame for frame bag bracket and strength: looking good, only frame shock brackets left to fab: close up: sitting pretty: more to come...
Yaril nice work once again I still want to figure out a way to get my truck down to you to work on it!
thank you guys for the kind words! and for the great parts DW! bit more progress for today... shock tabs finished air tank mounted even got my SBC 283 with 350 trans in the truck for mock up purposes steering column will be next.
steering looks simple enough, going to order the 3/4 double D joint before i trim the column any more.
Thanks for taking us along on your build. It looks great and we can learn a lot by following how you are doing everything. Keep up the great job! SpeedAddict001
while i wait on the steering and brake parts, thought i would move forward inside the cab. stock dash: removed 2 knobs right of gauges and filled an additional hole: also worked on the trans hump, paper template: welded and seam sealed, also took care of a couple other floor issues:
your truck looks very tough! DUDE. finally some essential parts arrived. worked on the automatic shifting do-hickey. took apart the original 3 on the tree selector and welded it so that only 1 selector moves. cut the other one and rounded it out, you have to keep it cause is supports the shaft. with a universal shift rod kit and a little trimming we have the stock column / shifter now working an auto trans: steering is connected. using some 3/4 DD, a DD universal joint and a column bearing. in the pics it is only mocked up: inside the cabin it will all appear stock: including the accelerator pedal. a cheap spoon pedal and an angle bracket puts the spoon just behind the stock pedal, now the push style original pedal can pull the carb linkage: last thing will be the brake pedal. that is going to be in form of a CPP kit with booster on firewall. nothing crazy, just something that will work.
more work done on this rig... took for granted that the owner was using the correct S-10 frame only to find its the wrong length frame. so i had to take 3.5" out of it. decided to do it under the rear cab mount cause i could hide the cut from the side and the plate provided in the chassis kit can be welded to the frame making the new connection stronger, plus i box the inside of the frame at said location. i made 4 guides on the top and bottom inside the chassis. welded it to the one side after removing the 3.5" then slid the frame back into place using the guides. then weld the guides to the other frame half, followed my clamping the frame walls and welding those. then install the cab mount on the 2 bolt holes the did not change and weld it all the way around. i later moved the bed mounts back the same amount and welded those to the frame as well. bare frame getting final welds air compressor mounts (there will be 2) and rear of chassis required the same 3.5" only in length to support the rear of the bed flipped the frame upside down, to make welding much much easier trans cross-member tabs (looking at the bottom here) rear chassis boxing and chassis bag bracket (again looking at the bottom here) got the motor back from the machine shop! block is a 327, but its built as a 350 with just about all new internals. basically 0 mile motor now. cant wait to finish assembling the motor! the frame is currently getting sand-blasted and will receive some black paint shorty after.
That is looking good. It looks like I may be ordering more than a MII crossmember from Welders Series after seeing your installation of the 4 link on the rear end.
mr 48, DW makes top notch stuff! please take note that on this AD truck build i am using a S-10 chassis which is a few inches narrower at the rear than the stock AD frame, therefore i am able to hang the 4-link on the outside of the frame. check for clearance on your build. when using the stock AD frame i usually do a triangulated 4-link on the inside of the frame. good luck!
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