update on "rusty" the 54 chev truck

My son named it,I think it's a fitting name.
First of all,I want to thank Chopo for all of his help!I would never be this far without it!

 

Holy shit man, you weren't kidding! you do have a lot of work..ok, maybe what i said about buying a rusted one was a bit premature.
Well, look's like you have a hell of a grasp on it now. Look's good.
Where did you get the cowl panel's from?
I bought a pair from Chev's of the 40's and they were made by Dynacorn. Very heavy steel and fit real nice.
Good idea to put the crotch cooler back in too..
Keep it up!!!
I'll keep watching for updates.

Tony

 

Rusty .................... I dont get it ...........

See ya in Detroit

 

The only way you will see me in Detroit is if Plowboy has a cardboard cut-out of me.I kinda have alot of work to do.

 

The panels are fitting really well,but I forget what the place is called right now.Here is the inside of the crotch cooler.

 

Dude, when did you pic that up? You didn't get rid of your chevy did you? Loks like you have alot of work ahead of you. later shawn

 

Ok, now that's god damn funny and completely out of context...and i need help!!

on a serious note, did they originally have louver's or did you add fender louver's to it? look's cool.

 

Looking good dude, can't wait to see more progress!

 

Whoo, that is way more ambitious a project than I would have taken on. Keep us posted on the progress.

 

Nope,still have the 51.I just wanted an easy project for a change.hahaha

 

The louvers are about all that was left from the right side.I couldn't throw them away.

 

Nice truck but its not a '54 , '54 had one piece window

 

Wasn't dr. side crotch cooler gone by '50? I don't have it on my '51-makes me think this cab is 47-50?

Closer look at the doors seems to show push button handles with the wing windows which would be 52-55 I think??

Anyways, good progress so far. I admire taking on something so far gone in others' eyes.

 

I need to break down and rebuild my rusty POS too.

Keep up the good work.

 

It's a 54.Thank you.

 

i gotta ask , as common as these trucks are why not just find a better one?
plus unless you changed the windshield its a 54.

One piece curved windshield. New design "bull nose" grill. Completely redesigned bed. Top of bed sides are now flat, not angled as in previous years. Newly designed dash. New insert bearing 235 cu.in. engine introduced. Taillights are now round. Serial #'s, H 1/2 ton, J 3/4 ton, L 1 ton, etc...

 

Uh oh, the FNG whipped out the proof.

Unless someone put a 2 piece in a one piece hole and changed the curved windsheild opening on the cowl and the roof to the "V"d opening... it's not a 54.

Might be a 53, like mine, with the "V"d windshield. If the vin tag is still on the drivers front door jam pillar (between the hinges) you can go here http://stovebolt.com/techtips/vin/vinbuster.html to find out exactly when and where she was born.

Thanks to BigT for the link when my 53 got home. He asked for the vin when we were unloading it off the trailer. Before we were done he called me back with all the info.

 

There is an early and a late 54.This is an early one,as far as I know.
Why let a old truck die?This is a fun project!There will be 0 rust inside or out when it is done.I couldn't say that about a "solid" cab found in a barn.

 

Paperwork my friend.Come on,learn how to work.

 

Damn, if you wanted something like that with a 1 piece glass and a bit more steel, I'd make you a hell of a deal. If you've got room on your way to/from Autorama, stop by and pick up one of many 54s!! Some even have the elusive paperwork. See my pilo o parts in the fer sale section!!

 

I applaud the work to pull it back from a rusty grave, but have to say I've never heard the early and late '54 story before.

It may be titled as a '54, but I'm pretty sure all US and Canadian built '54 model trucks had the curved glass window. That curved glass was a pretty big thing the in the '54 marketing literature celebrating all the improvements.

What are the first four characters of the serial number on the cab?

 

fun fun fun

 

title might say 54' but the pic's don't : 54'-55' have i piece windshield and grille is redesigned completely from 47'-53' vin data pate would confirm year of manufacture. i have had a handful of trucks inspeced and here in washington state before 52' they went according to engine block numbers and have had many discussions that my 51' isn't a 59' just because the engine says it's a 59'

 

"Rusty" huh, well it's not quite as good of a name as "the flying ninja" but it does seem to fit. I have really got to stop by, I haven't seen that thing in forever.
CHAZ

It's probably a good thing you didn't get that blasted, there might not have been much left!

 

Looks like the frame and the cab are different years also. Starting in 1950 the chassis had tube shocks and not lever action shocks.

 

Also cab appears to be a 50 or earlier due to the vent in front of the drivers door which 51 and up didn't have, but doors look like 52-54. Anyways nice work you are doing there. When it's all done at least you will know all the hidden rust issues will be gone. Keep up the good work.

 

Just to see where you are, I ran mapquest. Got to be cool to live near a place called Shamoken Dam because that truck's gotta be Dam Shamokin' when you get it done.

Title, shmitle. As long as you can get it registered and driving, why the hell not? There are always leftover parts at the end of the model year so sometimes the trucks get titled one way or another. Throw a set of 54 fenders and grill on it and f with all of them by telling them the dies weren't ready in time so GM used a leftover cab! Then get 1 piece glass with push buttons. Oh and a bed with flat tops not angled but no ribbing on the inner rear fender area ('55-up) and play Johnny Cash's Cadillac song!

 

Doesn't matter what years the parts are. I think any AD truck is cool. I always have fun trying to figure out the different years. At least you will know how it is put together when you get it finished. Keep us posted on the progress.