Projects 6 years into a 6 month 1954 GMC project

Creative stuff here ya ol hippie cat. Great to see another old dude still lovin hot roddin. Great to get some asistance from some young pals, if I didn't have my younger bros helpin me I'd be through. Keep it up man, I am very impressed with your creative work. ~sololobo~

 

got one stop light installed not wired just stuffed a flash light in back to get an idea what it looks like. the Dodge rear lights mimic the Studebaker headlight rings.

The head light rings were a buck a piece at the swap meet. the tail lights were free. the mounting hardware was 11.49 and pushed the build cost up to $2003.14 talk about a money pit.
Cost $11.49

 

This is gonna be such a cool work truck!!

 

I have to agree and the sooner the better. I can't wait to get the interior done.

 

I can go all out now. with a $2500 budget and I can't think of any parts that I don't already have. I can throw the rest of the budget of doodaa's

 

Next up is the Drive shaft, the two piece shaft will have to be modified on both ends. I'm looking into a one piece shaft.
any pros or cons on the one piece open drive line??

 

One piece shafts are more prone to vibrate.
The two piece shafts are also more rigid and will need more rpm's to reach their point of natural oscillation
Hope it makes sense, I'm struggeling a bit with the language

 

I'm working with very little sense. and even less dollars and cents

 

talking to the upholster about my interior. I'm giving him artistic license to do anything he wants (for under $199) went with my grandson to look at paint chips for interior colors. bought everything needed. the colors are way different than my taste. but I can live with it.
the truck has alot of room for being chopped, channeled and sectioned. that extension really opens things up. I wanted light colors but didn't try to influence him (maybe I should have lol) he's real happy that he had something to say
Cost $155.50 New total 2158.64

 

Those taillights are awesome! The usage of the dodge bezels is brilliant! Damit why Didn't I think of that!


Sent from my iPhone using TJJ app

 

the STOP lights are bright. Brilliant might not be the right word. I just walk around digging thru piles and and bins looking for free stuff that fits.
I AM A WHOARDER
there I said it. but there is no cure and I'll never use all these parts that I gathered, you all will have to wait for a estate sale to get them

 

my goal at this point is to get the interior finished. I have glass all ready to go. what I'm using I believe is pretty much 50 state illegal. I got a stack of cut off glass from another glass shop. it's bronze reflective like the gold mirrored buildings in big cities.

I just had a little time today need to cut the inside door trim.
when chopping a top with leaniing A or C pillars you need to add to the length of the roof and doors. in my case on this door with a 4 inch chop needed 2 inch stretch. I used to take a one of the 4 inch cut offs from the chop and trim and fit the gap. years ago I figured out that instead of trimming to the right height then taking that cut off to fit the gap. i just take the same piece from the other side and it is all rady short on height and long on length. so I have three welds instead of four
photos
1. stock frames
2. one cut to height this two pieces the part missing I get from the other door
3. just 3 welds needed
4. reflective glass (like 1 way mirror)
COST ZERO

 

more odd stuff. switched the granny geared 4 speed to a (free) 57 chev 3 speed overdrive. built my OD shifter from more free parts.
th shifter worked bitchen but was just to 60's for my 50's truck. so I cut off the hurst shifter hat and bent the stub to give me more foot room for my gas pedal. then cut the shift lever off the truck 4 speed. it now reaches almost to the top of the windshield in 2nd gear, lays on the seat in 3rd. 27 inches between the two gears. perfect

 

getting things done and posting has really been a great motivational tool. this weekend is going to be my first two sesson in a long time.

 

D.I.Y. hot-rodding at its finest; stay on it, Jim! (You're getting the rest of us motivated,
too.)

 

Man this thing is pretty Neat-O. I want to see it done, subscribing!

 

its amazing how much gets done if you actually work on it today was a good daY. The beers were cold and everything went well. Didn't even stop to take pictures.

 

It you like this wait till I get to my 48 Ford "20 years on a 1 year project"

 

working to get the interior ready for paint. the window frames are in and fit well. also GMC steps on the rear bumper

 

I think it will save time and end up nicer if I pull the front clip and cab for the final time. there are holes in the fire wall that I was going to fill with Chewing gum (or something) but it's just coming out better than my original concept.
I hate going backwards but a guy has to do what a guy has to do. dammit!!!

 

just heading out to the shop. will up date new photos this evening. finished the rear bumper. just bought a 48 inch Brake to start bending fill panels and stuff. it's a shop tool and will not add to the cost of the truck.
did pull it's nose out of the shop for the first time in years

 

I need to pull the cab one more time (Dammit) just getting in a hurry seems to slow things down, you'd think one would learn that in the first 70 years.

 

You're not going to get anything done if you keep picking up strays and taking them to the drags. Thanks again, I had a blast! Call me this week if you need someone to get in the way.

 

Best thread title I've seen in awhile, probably because it applies to 2 or 3 of my projects. Keep up the good work.

 

Jim this is my newest project, was just sneaking in a quickie 6 month project ahead of a few long term projects and now that 6 years part is now sneaking real close to a 7

I just got a jolt last week. my 48 year old nephew that was a real do'er. died from a massive stroke. made me realize that even a young 70 year old that I am might not live for ever as I had planned.

 

how is it looking at 7+?

 

Damn another year???
well as excuses go, I'm running out of them. My big problem was room. I just moved to a smaller shop that has more room for my project. the old shop I had to stack all the parts back on the frame before I could get a customers car in the shop. the new shop is 2 cars deep so I can keep working on mine and get a customers car in.

Now my birthday is next sat. and I have a few friends coming over and don't want the truck apart. after that it will be a full on project till it gets on the road. NO MORE EXCUSES!!!

My new shop is a airplane hangar with a 35 foot electric door. 4 cars wide and 2 deep

 

Your thread name was what got me stared following your cool truck,I can relate to that,great looking new shop. keep up the good work.

 

this is funny it came back up again because today is my first day back to work in over two months. I look at it everyday and now see myself going down the road. I will start posting as I proceed