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I Can't Drive 55'. My 1955 Chevy Truck Build

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by BlackLion, Nov 6, 2011.

  1. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    I don't think I should have tried the weld in radio patch. I am far too critical about the area I can see so easily. I have welded it in, ground it down, cut it out. Welded it in again, and going back out there to see if I can live with it. I'm not sure if working on an item you love is a good idea. Nothing is good enough.
     
  2. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    After seeing a few spots in the interior paint I wasn't happy with, I spent the entire day yesterday on it. First I welded another patch in the radio opening. 2nd one looked much better. Then I finish sanded everything again. This time rather that gloss black, I chose the dark gray auto primer. I'm gonna roll with this untill the whole truck gets painted. After that, I started putting the carpet in. After carpet, I opened the can of worms called a wiring kit. So... I'm probably reaching here, but I'd like to have it back on the ground and driving by Sat/Sun. I'll post pics in a bit.
     
  3. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Pics.
     

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  4. Hogdriver
    Joined: Mar 31, 2009
    Posts: 224

    Hogdriver
    Member
    from VA

    Hands down my favorite style of PU...my 55 chevy PU gets all the attention in my shop when people walk in and there are other cars around one would think would attract more interest.
     
  5. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Okay. It's Sunday morning and I don't have it on the ground yet, But I did finish the wiring. The new wiring harness from painless was great. It has everything I need and room for more. I'm torn on my gauges. My gas and oil gauge work, but I don't know about the amp gauge or how to wire it. I would like to omit the sunpro gauges I bought, but I'm not sure if I can trust the original ones yet. Carpet looks good, I got my heater installed and looking forward to see if it works. The fan blows, but I never knew about the heat. I am liking the flat gray/ gloss black combo. The wife actually decided on it, but I painted all my chrome gloss black and it turned out nice. The ash tray is the only interior piece that survived with pinstriping, so for nostalgia sake I might leave it a while. I started it last night after I realized about the nuetral safety switch option.( only after I ran a 2 ga ground to my starter thinking it was the problem. The original had a ground strap between it and the starter wall which I removed when I put the floorpans in.) And lastly I'm thinking while it's in the air, maybe I should remove the metal floor in the bed. I could run it with no floor while I put the wood kit together. Any Ideas ? Let me know what you think about how it's coming.
     

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  6. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Update:

    I have all the wiring sorted out and working. Brakes,turn signals and parking work. I'm still ironing out my heater dilemma. I will be putting a 195 thermostat in to see if that warm it up any. The current one is a 165 and it's just not blowing hot enough.

    After continuous failures with my braking system, I have to take a different direction. I can no longer leave it completely stock with the single pot m/c. I wanted it original, but after lots of thought, I have purchased a power disc brake conversion kit. I figured since it will be my daily, I needed to at least do this. I could have left the drums, but I got a deal on the kit.

    I hope to install those and the wiper motor I also got and drive it a while. I will be looking more intently at the body work and dropped axle kit now, but they made need to wait a bit. The beauty of this being a truck I intend to pass to my son is I'm in no terrible rush. I'll work on it at a steady but not crushing pace.

    Jimmy
     
  7. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Victory on the heater. I took the heater box apart to find the valve seized up. After some silicone lube and some elbow grease, I got it open fully. Put it back in and the thing started blowing hot almost instantly. Now to wait on those brake parts I ordered.
     
  8. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    I got my parts Brake parts in yesterday. Hope to have them on in the next week. I focused on weatherstripping the cab and doors while I waited. I also painted the inner door panels, matching the two tone them that the dash was taking on. Simple but I like it.
     

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  9. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Got the brakes on and working. Seems okay, but the pedal wont return all the way leaving the brake lights on if I'm not careful. Any ideas on this?

    I'm also having fits with it running rougher after it warms up. I can drive the first 15-20 miles and it's okay, but on the trip home, it will start to die at red lights and when I push the clutch. I'm thinking vacuum leak, but can't seem to pinpoint it.

    Lastly, I'm starting to second guess my wheels. Originally I went khaki to match the pinstriping, but I'll listen to suggestions. I think black will make them dissappear.
     
  10. apache matt
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 55

    apache matt
    Member

    I think the wheel color looks good. What kind of hubcaps are those. Good luck with the mechanical issues. ALSO DID YOU ADD THE RETURN SPRING BACK ON THE BRAKE PEDAL? I HAD TO DO THIS ON MY BRAKE KIT
     
  11. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville


    It has one return spring, but it may not be strong enough. The Hubcaps, I was tolde were off a 55 car I believe. They are the dogdishes with the lillte bowtie emblems around the center.
     
  12. Cool thread. I had a '56, a while ago. Hit 3 deer with it, all at once.(Long story)
    Nothing like a re-wire to motivate you on a project, huh?
     
  13. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville


    It keeps things moving for sure. I wasn't planning on doing any of the interior yet, but I figured it had to be done before the wiring...and the snowball started rolling.
     
  14. apache matt
    Joined: Feb 8, 2011
    Posts: 55

    apache matt
    Member

    I know all about that snowball rolling out of control. The 58 in my avatar is completly disasembled and it all started with a blown head gasket.
     
  15. 49F1Jeff
    Joined: Oct 24, 2011
    Posts: 184

    49F1Jeff
    Member
    from Oregon

    "Black Snowball". Sounds like a good name for my project too. :)
     
  16. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Took it on a 100 mile road trip today. Wanted to recreate the rough idle when it warmed up. It ran fine the entire time. I guess I should be happy but I'm still perplexed. To celebrate, I stopped at a muffler shop that I used on my first truck ever. Dualed out with 18" glasspaks. Sounds great, not too loud. The ride home was sweet.
     

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  17. BlackLion
    Joined: Aug 11, 2011
    Posts: 119

    BlackLion
    Member
    from Nashville

    Okay, so I've spent as much time tuning this carb as I have driving it. But I'm still stoked. I think I'm getting close. Yesterday I adjusted the float setting. It was low 2.25 inches from gasket to bottom of drop. I read somewhere that it should be 1.875 inches. Hopefully the next run will be smoother.
     

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