I haven't been on here in a couple years because I sold all my hamb friendly vehicles. Money was getting tight at the time. Anyways I have been looking for a late 20's to early 30's style car or truck to build without much luck for about 2 years. Last Sunday I was casually browsing craigslist and found a 33 chevy 1 1/2 truck in a barn about 90 miles away. I called the owner and she said it was her dads truck and it had been in the barn since the late 60's. She said her father traded a guy for it and drove it in a building and left it there. I told her I would buy it and could pick it up Thursday. I took a vacation day, my first of the year, and picked it up today. It is in better shape than I expected. My plans are to buy a pickup bed and fenders and make a hotrod pickup out of it. I am still trying to decide what to do for a chassis. I would like to use the original front axle if I can get different spindles for it and just shorten the big truck frame since its only an inch taller by what I have read. Anyway here is a couple pics
That looks like a great project, it even comes with the crank Handel. Any chance of a pic of both licence plates? I'm interested to see the one under the rusty one. Its probably the original one?
Congrats - not being a "belly button" build will bring some challenges. like retaining the stock front axle and steering. but, after waiting 2 years for a project time is on your side.
That looks like a great start! I love Chevy trucks, too bad so many early ones fell apart due to he wood decomposing. That looks pretty solid. Congrats!
That's cool Jarred! Haven't seen you since I got rid of my Maverick for the Lincoln. Have to get together again sometime soon.
Jarred, You might want to look at the website for Sid's dropped axles ( sorry can't find the link right now, he's on the HAMB). He has info on various truck axles. Rather than trying to match some better/newer brakes to your spindles, you could look at getting a Chevy truck ('52-'54) axle and springs to fit your frame. I know this will fit a '29 Chevy passenger frame (both width and spring length). This will give you improved juice brakes w/ a six lug bolt pattern, or if you want to go 5 lug, the newer spindles would be an easier upgrade. Then you could get an open drive rear to match your front lugs. Cool project, BTW! Later, K6
I am still debating on the front axle, the stock one is roughly 50 inches kingpin to kingpin. I was looking on speedways site and I can buy a 48 inch kingpin to kingpin tube axle with a bow spring and radius rods with the 49-54 chevy disc brake spindles and steering parts for roughly $1300. I am starting to think that is the way to go. Anyways the 1st order of business will be replacing the cab wood with box tubing so I can safety remove the cab
Great truck there. Like Jarred said, you could contact Sids Dropped Axles in Oklahoma (405 416-3080) and they can likely set you up with all the things you need for a axle and front end. Even drop your existing axle. They have helped me numerous times. Keep us posted..............
That's a pretty cool find! I'm curious, does the title call it a '33? I thought they had rounder cabs and the grill sure looks 31-32. Tim
I'm not here to bash Speedway just for the heck of it, but with an early truck like yours, the more vintage or OEM type parts you can use, the cooler your project could turn out. Check out Sid's info.
There wouldn't be a Alabama title on it, they didn't start titling vehicles here until 1975. Looks like the yellow tag could be a 71 or 75.
chevy only did this for a couple of years....and they made so many trucks, that I don't think it was to use up old parts I never read anything over the last 4 decades on why they did this .
That's a solid looking project. the big frame could be used depending on the style of build. On my buick roadster build the frame looked like a truck chasis, and it turned out fine. Just shorten it up a bit if needed.
Damn, I'd house truck that thing. Big trucks like that are like a blank canvas waiting for something cool. I hate seeing them all get cut down to pickups.
Neat truck! My '34 started life as a 1-1/2 truck as well. I used the original frame rails from the front horns to just behind the cab. The rest I fabricated. Good luck with your project!
If you click on the link in my sig line it will take you to my build thread. The pics should all still be there though I haven't looked lately. I used a transverse spring arrangement as I started with only a bare frame and had none of the original components.
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