Projects Building a 57 Chevy Shop Truck

I would rather that 283 over this 307, even though bigger is supposed to be better there's just something about saying you have a 307 under the hood just doesn't sound so impressive..ha ha

 

some of those blocks punch out to 4" bore ok, then you'd have a 327. And if you find water, no great loss

 

If it runs ok I'm going to stick it in the t-bucket, that would tame that down for my son when he starts driving in 3 yrs. Then put that hopped up 355 in the truck, although it's really not built for towing, it would handle the cross ram just fine.

 

Lesson Learned ....

Nice looking build - looks like you are gonna be busy thru the Winter into Spring .....


Jim

 

So the dilemma of sourcing original parts or catalog ordering my missing door pieces. I spent a couple hrs on that auction site and looking through the Clasic Parts catalog, I found it interesting that the catalog gave you an option on some parts to be American made or overseas.

 

send me a list of stuff you need, I'll take a look.

 

I also measured out that bronco 9 inch I have, it's 2 inches narrower per side and the wheel mounting surface is 4 inches from the back and 7.5 inches to fender lip. That would put me using a 15x8 rim mostly, a 15x10 is just to close on tire sidewall both front and back.
I loosely put the bumper, headlight rings, filler panel and hood latch on, mostly for 2 reasons, looks a little better and also to keep track of parts.

 

Thanks Jim it'll be kinda long, just so you don't go bonkers...Ha ha

 

got most of it...

 

Nice truck. Dash is unmolested and rest of truck looks solid. I always liked the looks of the earlier round body ones more but we recently done a couple of TF trucks and I'm warming up to them. One is pretty much restored and one is rodded.

 

The late 50s trucks have some character...the AD trucks are just a blob

 

I took off the Washington plate and was going to put on my old personal Missouri plate from 1984 but while looking through my stack of plates I found a N.Y. 57.
As soon as I put it on the odometer rolled back to 5,000 miles, check out that 5,000 mile wear on those pedals !
Speaking of pedals, my buddy is trying to get me to buy his Super T10 for the truck. Funny thing is that most of my career was spent driving truck but I've never put a manual trans in anything. How hard would it be using the stock pedals, I'm really clueless how the pedal attaches to the fork.

 

Hmmmm....I have all that stuff, too.

Pictures of what is there, and then we can figure out what's missing? I could probably scan the assembly manual pictures, too, if that would help.

The transmission is mostly a bolt in if you have the bellhousing, the lower two holes in the truck bellhousing are not tapped, so you need to use bolts and nuts. A Super T10 takes a 26 tooth clutch disc and a TH400 size yoke.

And it needs a shifter that will clear the seat, if you have the original bench seat. And a long shift lever that goes forward a ways.

 

He's throwing in a bellhouseing, the clutch pedal isn't attached to anything, you can see in that one photo it's twisted 90 degrees. The stock brake pedal is hooked up so that part is still on the frame, I believe the clutch pedal ties into that.
I do still have the stock bench and did realize I need a bench seat shifter to clear that. I'm not 100% sold on it since I plan to tow with it, it does have a better 1st gear over the th400 that's in there.

 

But the 400 has a torque converter to turn it's first gear into a 5:1 ratio, when you are trying to get moving.

The clutch and brake pedals are completely separate on these trucks. There's a pivot hole for the clutch pedal, in a bracket that is riveted inside the frame rail, right behind the end of the crossmember.

 

This looks like its going to be awesome. Hurry up and get to work so I can see more pictures!

 

Building myself one to good luck

 

I'll have to crawl under there to see what's there, thanks for the image Jim.
DeuceV8 what's the front end arrangement to get low like that ?
pila38 I'm just gathering parts now but will get the doors functional for sure so they open and close at least.
I really need to get the Henry J back up and running and then there's some more garage remodeling I'm hooked on now..lol

 

You know what's funny shortly after my last post I was taking another oxycodone and taking this thing off for the night then it hits me. What in the hell am I thinking about this whole manual trans and pushing a clutch thing ?

 

Oh Man I had one of those for awhile. Doc said it was 50/50 while it does help stabilize the knee it also does the work of the muscles and they don't get rebuilt. Take your pick.

 

Welcome to my world!!

 

Doh!

 

cool LOOKS like your going to have more FUN just did one for a buddy body N paint nice year truck

 

I had SIDS drop my axle 3 inches and also put dropped springs also. The rear has posies 3 inch dropped springs.

 

Also know originally the Engines in these used the front and mid crossmembers to mount the engine at the front and at the bellhousing. The bellhousing has pads where it bolts to the mid crossmember. If you do an auto you'll have to rethink your engine mounting some. Using engine side mounts and a mount for the tranny comes to mind.


Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.

 

You have a full house now

 

It came with these tubular engine/trans mounts that I'll use.

 

Went and found an OLD pic--->
Yes mine, got it off of a farm, corn cobs still wedged between the cab and the box, 6 cyl 3 speed, this picture was taken just after it was SANDblasted-n- primed --just added wheels -n- tires-n- drove it....UP-Date --- it is still driving in arizona(can't believe it) sold it ALL fixed up-n- painted.
that's some 40 years ago( i'd gladly give him back his 2500bucks.)

.

 

So as my mind was wondering like it always does I thought of the perfect thing to do with that 307, remove the 0 and replace it with a 2 !
I'll find a 350 block and some 327 pistons, throw that 307 crank in the mix and viola a 327 will be born ! I figure that's about the best thing a fellow could do for a 307..lol

 

some guys just bore them out to 4"