Figured id post this up. Trying to finish up my late fathers 36 Chevy truck. We have had this truck from I think about 8-9 years now. Initially the plan was to leave it looking bone stock outside with just a different motor. So originally when my father and I started, we had redone the frame and all the suspension stock, put in a built 235 chevy inline 6, t-5 trans, and a 55-66 chevy truck rear end. At that stage the truck sat, we moved, and we never had much time to work on it cause we always worked on my cars. I worked on it from time to time but we never had enough get up and go to make any decent progress. Last year, I lost my father suddenly. That's when it got decided that all my shit needs to go on hold and its time now for me to finish it. Fast forward to now. I took the original front axle out and had it sent to sids dropped axles along with the steering arms to be dropped 3 inches. Picked it up at lonestar round up and just put it in. We had sorta mocked up a narrowed 80s chevy 3rd row van seat in it but we never finished mounting it let along finishing narrowing it(the minor details) so that's done now. We had put in a pedal setup that didn't work so I built a pedal setup using 41 chevy truck pedals. Also started making floor templates out of wood which will be transferred to fresh wood. Also started putting in the shifter that he wanted. The next step is now replacing the wood. Where I started in February Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Pedal setup. Uses 41 chevy truck pedals, chevelle master cylinder, custom crossmember that will be removeable and custom built linkage and modified adjustment rod. Hosted on Fotki Narrowed seat mounted. There are tabs on the sides and at the front that slide in through the wood inside the seat riser and gets bolted up Hosted on Fotki Floor templates in, trans tunnel roughed in, and shifter in place Hosted on Fotki Dash patched Hosted on Fotki And as it sits now with the dropped axle and blocks in place and 16 inch artillerys Hosted on Fotki
It looks like you are about done with the floors but if you want metal the 37 and 38 floors would fit,I used 36 and earlier wood floors in my 37 until I put a T-5 in it and found a metal floor. What year of bellhousing did you use,if you used a 38 to 46 truck bell 37 to 46 pedals should have bolted on it. I have one from a 41 on my 37 and then made a bracket to adapt a modern master cylinder but it looks like you have it figured out.
Hey. Yeah ima kinda set on the wood floor as I already have it thought out and the templates made so to say. My dad ended up using the later model bell housing 47-59 so we could easily bolt the t-5 on by just drilling open 2 holes and shortening the input shaft. It took a while to figure out how to adapt the pedals and such and make everything work in that tight a space but its in there now and seems to work.
My memory is starting to fade a little,I did have a 41 bellhousing on my truck but bought a 48 to 53 truck bellhousing from Jim Carters parts that was modified to accept the 37 to 46 pedals. It would have been cheaper to just buy a adapter for the T-5 and kept the 41 bellhousing,one thing nice about a 36 and earlier is the original motor is longer then a 235 and probably will not need a water pump adapter like us with 37 and newer have to deal with if using a 55 to 62 motor.
Well another update. I started replacing the wood today. My dad and I both tried finding a 37-38 cab since its the same but all the cabs we found needed more where then it was to just replace the wood in this one. Started today and got pretty far. I got it all roughed in, but I still have to recess the area for the hinges and final fit the dash brace. Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki Hosted on Fotki
My father and I originally put the wood in about 6 years ago but it didn't fit worth a dime. Even having it in there it needed to come back out to be reshaped and reworked so that the cowl sides would even remotely nail on. I think the only thing that halfway fit decent was the dash brace. I decided that it would just be simpler and stronger to replace it with steel.
I didn't know jim carter had a modified bell housing to accept the early pedals. If I would have known that I would have bought one. I don't know about the length of the motor as the 235 I have in it still needed a short water pump conversion to fit.
I did the same on my '34 though it sure was nice to have the wood as a pattern! Keep up the good work.
What is the gas tank? The frame looks similar to a 39-46 frame and the only tank I ever found that fit nice was a 70's Monza tank and they are real common right?
Here's some encouragement. Been in the family since 1954. Will be for sale soon, I'm sad to say. Love the Thickstun. I'm going to run one on my 55 2 door.
The brake linkage looks funky, I'd be concerned about side loading of the master cylinder with the offset plunger that you have shown. Any way to straighten out the line of force from the pedal to the cylinder?
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