Projects 1955 Chevy Truck Project -- PHOTOSGALORE

whats up dru, outstanding job on the thread. i just got a chance to check it out, my computers been fouled up!!! thanks to all my buds, bennie, dru, rog, bohanan, jesse, and everyone else who has just stop to show support...thanks guys!!!! I'll keep plug'n away, hope to see everyone at the show.. Hambers keep check'n us out, lots more to come.

 

there he is ladies and gentleman. rumor is vince is at the shop now boxing the rest of the frame and getting ready to start on the 4 link.

we are a little behind schedule but we left the last week open for any SNAFU's. with all the help and people that have been showing up this build should go quick.

stay tuned, more pics tonight and tuesday is the big work day.

 

You guys are killin it!!i really hope to see it at mass.definitly inspiring me to try and get some more done on mine.ive been sidetracked lately(damn dirtbikes)keep em comin !what fourlink are you using?did i miss that somewhere?just curious cause i think im gonna do it too.

 

Look forward to watching this project unfold guys..

 

looking for a update you guys are lagging .lol lol

 

Yeah Fernando you busted us....we been lagging but heres the update. I didnt want to post a bunch of pics of the same old thing. Vince has been grinding and prettying up the welds on that notch. Kinda more of the same as far as pictures go.

Tonight we should be hitting it hard again and hopefully have the 4 link in. The 4 link is a generic Speedway Kit. We have some boxing to do to get it all together so thats whats on the menu tonight.

In the meantime we have been cleanin up around the shop. Bennie has been hookin it up with some cuts.






Bennie finishes each cut the same way....it was good enough for Elvis, its good enough for us. Just make sure you say, " Thank you, thank you very much."






Seriously though, we havent been slackin off. We have another build going right now too on a 1923 Dodge Roadster we have been workin on.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=368179





SO....hopefully we will have some new pics for you guys in the next few days. Check out the other build in the meantime. Thanks for harassin us, we will stay on track I promise.



P.S. Any photoshoppers out there feel like helpin us out? Can you paint this truck that bright chrome yellow and throw some white walls on it with chrome wheels? Thanks.

 

You are killin me. I need pictures and updates. You got to remember, I'm old. I would like to have enough hair to actually get a hair cut.
Later,
Dick

 

Headed down to the shop, real progress photos tomorrow.

But, submitted for your consideration.....



does Vince look like he is headed to Paradise Rd in that picture?

 

hmmmm i thought that truck reminded me of a certain piss yellow coupe

 

Alright....its about 145am Friday morning and we just left the shop. It was a pretty good night and we got a few things done tonight. We started on the firewall plugging holes, nosed the hood, and pulled the engine apart and cleaned it up. Heres the pictures.


This is Vinces 305. It came out of his old 1968 Chevy picckup. It has an unknown spec cam and was reported to be a sweet little motor. Its gonna need a quick once over because its been sitting for about 3 years now. Drained the oil and it looked brand new so we tore into it.




This is what we like to see around the shop. This is 3 generations of Sapiens tearing into a hot rod motor. Vince has his back to the camera. The little guy in the red hat is Vinces son, Jake age 6. Bennie and Bennie Sr are on the back side of the motor.

Vinces dad (Bennie Sr) is one of the founding members of the Satans Chauffeurs. Growing up the family car was a 50 Merc. We gotta lotta love for the old guy but dont get him talking about hot rods...you'll have quite the conversation on your hands. He knows it, has done it, been there, seen it, and lived it.




The heads and under the intake looked brand new and clean. We wheeled it outside and washed it down to prep it for paint. The intake cleaned up good as new. Its a tried and true Edelbrock Preformer RPM and will have a 600cfm carb.


Little more cleaning and we sent Jake after it with and air gun to chase all the water off. Cheap labor....the kid works for Sonic slushies.

 

Dammit, I had the next one all done and deleted it. Its too late at night. I'll try to re-write it real fast.

 

Here is what you guys have been waiting for. Metal meltin and sparks flying. The firewall got some lovin' next.

This is what the firewall looked like before we got busy on it. It had holes in it for heater hoses, brackets, and who knows what else in the last 55 years. They gotta go now.



Here is the new firewall. A piece of 22ga steel from Orchard Supply Hardware. Vince nibbled a corner off and began cutting circles with the tin snips.



Nibble nibble nibble.



Once the filler pieces were rough cut with the snips they were finished on the bench grinder to get a better shape.



I lost count on how many of these got made tonight. Heres a few waiting to go in.

 

Come on Dru get on it man I wanna be FAMOUS lol...Good write up buddy I'll see you at the shop tomarrow after I take in the wounded welder!

 

Damn you beat me to it quickdraw! I can't believe how well your pictures come out for a camera phone. I can't even take that nice of a picture with a real camera.

 

great build... but are you going to box the frame??

 

While Vince and the other guys were making the patch panels, Roger got started on prepping the firewall. A grinder made quick work of the 55 years of crap that had built up hiding behind a motor.




The smaller holes were filled without any panels. The heat was low and was moved around alot to keep warping and distortion to a minimum.



Vince jumped in the cab and used a little masking tape to hold the patch panels in place. They were all a pretty good fit and didnt have much of a gap to fill.



Heres one of the smaller ones all filled in.



Ahhh.....the pretty blue light.



Once the plugs were tacked in place they were...." adjusted " to get the fit just right. A few small taps also helped shape some of the pieces to the factory curves in the firewall.


Little more welding to finish up the few light leaks and pin holes.



Heres what we like....throwing sparks. Time to grind those welds down and get that smooth looks.


Heres a good visual example of why its necessary to wear those safety glasses. Look at the sparks flying right into Vinces face. Imagine one of those hot little bastards getting into that soft eyeball.



Vince and Roger both jumped on grinders,...one air and one electric and made quick work of the firewall. It smoothed out pretty nicely.






Here it is...the final product. Looks alot better than the holey piece that was there before. It will also be alot nicer going down the road....no hot air pouring in from the engine compartment.


Here it is one more time for comparision....

 

Ah.....you snuck one in on me bigtumtum. Yeah the frame is gonna get boxed tomorrow and the four link put in. Didnt get a chance to get by the steel dealer in town before they closed today. Those pics will be up tomorrow.

 

Thanks for the compliment bigtumtum as of right now I think we are going to box the frame. The front subframe was all boxed when it was installed and it will make it much easier to install the rear 4-link if the frame is boxed. We are planning to tie the boxing plates into the rear notches for added strength and a cleaner apperance as well. That's the plan at least lol....

 

Alright....this is how we finished the night out.

While the big boys were making sparks fly we gave Jake, age 6, a DA with some 180 and have him get busy on the hood.



After a little prep work we pulled the hood inside and started shaving some un necessary trim pieces. The factory thought it would look good to put a big chrome piece right on the front of that hood. We disagreed.



After pulling the trim piece off we prepped the holes for a little welding.




Here you go guys,....another gratuitous spark shot. Had to prep the back of the holes too.



Roger cleaned the holes out the rest of the way with a screwdriver and made sure all that paint was gone to ensure a nice, clean weld. Whoops, that picture didnt make it in.

Weld in a few small holes.





Not too much to clean up...just two little bumps.




Roger learned this trick at a hot rod shop where he worked in Chico, Ca. Using the side of this grinder keeps the heat all concentrated in one little spot and cuts right through the weld. You end up with alot less heat and therefore less chance of warping the panel.





There you have it gentleman (and ladies). Another few hours of work out of our little shop in the Central Valley. The hood is ready for a little more paint prep. The firewall will get a little mud to smooth it all out. Hopefully the cab and hood will be in primer by Saturday.

Stay tuned, four link update tomorrow (or is it today now?).

 

You Fellas are what a car club should be, too many lazy asses here in NY, I think I need to move to Cali. Great work fellas, teamwork rocks !

 

^ trust us fellas,....he aint no angel.

 

like that idea from no hood emblem (smooth)...

 

Thanks for the heads up on the thread! I dig the plans you've got goin' on, even though I'm not a huge fan of chrome yellow, I think it'll look pretty slick with the white walls and chrome reversed wheels. It's going to be badass sittin' that low. You guys are just hammerin' on that thing and making great progress. And like it's been said many times, it's awesome to see a bunch of guys working so well together and trusting each other to get the work done.
You guys have lit the fire to get me back on mine, and hopefully I can get the fire lit in that old six of mine in the next couple weeks. Contemplated air as well, but am going down the same path as BuzzNut, as low as I can with the straight axle.
Keep up the great work, and looking forward to more updates!
Ryan

 

Thanks for the update. You guys are getting with the program. Dru, I did the same thing to my firewall plus I took the seam where the upper firewall joins the lower one and cut it out (about 3 inches at a time) and welded and hammered it flat. A lot of work but it sure makes the firewall look slick.
I love the fact that you guys are working together on this project. That is the way we did it when I was a kid. I was born in 1941 so it's been a long time ago. Keep up the good work.
Later,
Dick

 

you guys rule.

 

This is a great thread. Great job guys. This kind of stuff inspires us all.

 

It looks like fun to build.

 

It's going to be a real nice truck

 

lookin sweet peeps