Projects Building a 57 Chevy Shop Truck

Stroked 283 sounds cooler than 307. Just say'n.

 

Almost anything sounds cooler than 307 !
From what I've been reading only the 71-72 blocks can go to a 4.0 bore, I guess they only offered the 2 (307 & 350)size engines for this block, so it was just a difference of bore when coming down the assembly line.

I did pick up a bottom window frame that I didn't know I was missing when I went to my buddy's to pick up the upper garnish molding. He also said that the door hinges are the same for left or right, not sure if thats true or not.
I know it's been about 25 years since I had one of these trucks and had it fresh in my mind but I'm surprised I didn't notice that missing bottom frame. Most of my others were complete trucks when bought, even the basket case 57 GMC, but lucky enough to also own a 59 at the same time for reference.
I'll be happy when I get these doors swinging and the guts in them even though down the road it'll come back apart for paint. I'll most likely also order some bolt sets instead of multiple trips to the hardware store trying to find all the bolts and screws, which there are none to match anything to anyway...Ha

 

The door hinges are the same, mostly...but the "stay" thing is supposed to be on the top of the hinge, and if you have the hinge on the other side of the truck, it's on the bottom (and the hinge pin is going in from the bottom, so it will fall out!)

 

Now that makes sense

 

Speaking sound. While in High School there was a shoe box Nova that ran a 307 with camel hump heads and a Manley Thunder Stick in the area of 510 lift with 300 duration (to long to remember exact specs) that ran super hard and sounded real good.

 

Seen this on the net and I know it's missing the fender badge, but it looks a little plain to me...hhmmm

 

^^^There you go^^^. Bore it to 4", and buy my NOS standard bore L79 pistons for cheap. They're tarnished from age (NOT corrosion), but not a thing wrong with them. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

Another pic to go with post #20 that I just ran into on FB.

 

Must resist the urge....Must resist the urge
Ha, ha I need a more sensible cruiser in this one, I've got the bare bones T roadster, I've got the 600hp bare bones gasser Henry J and the 800hp bare bones 41 Chevy p/u. I want something with heat and a radio and exhaust I can hear over..lol

 

I finally got the bolt sets so the doors are on and swinging, now to wait for the other screws to put all the latches in and also picked up a set of Cragars (15×6, 15x8) and front tires. These wheels and tires will give me a feel for it and the look matches the neglected look of the truck..lol Really I'm thinking of powdercoating them to see if I like it or not.

 

I did try a little with some double ot steel wool.

 

Nice wheels. Can't wait to see them powdercoated.

 

I'm also working a deal on these, the 15's will match a set of rears I already have, to give me a full set, the smaller 14's will be wall hangers or ???

 

I have a soft spot for those Tork thrusts. I would do the 14's on front, 15's on back with a pretty serious lowering all around. I have a 59' Apache I am building that I am putting on an old set of 15" ET III's that I picked up.

On the motors, I would go with your original plan - just check out the 307 and drop it into the T. Still should motivate it good, and your kid will be able to drive it. Then take the 350 from the T and drop it in the truck. Not a lot of money involved and you already have the parts.

 

Found a front/rear bumper and grill at the swap meet, also same guy had a 58/59 grill/headlight rings for the package deal.
It was all to nice to pass up, even though I wanted to do chrome. I also picked up some great looking M/T valve covers with Stellings breathers to go along side that M/T cross ram.

 

valve cover deal maker.....
truck parts look very nice

 

Funny the valve covers are cast 3276000 and the M/T seems to be slightly fatter on these than my other sets, I dig em and it was worth the couple weeks of haggling with K&S to get them at a realistic price. They had a 70-73 LT-1[?] engine on craigslist for $1200 needing rebuilt and offered the intake and these valve covers separately, you didn't know it was K&S until you called the number...lol

 

Cool project! I love that M/T crossram. Linkage is a real pain on those, I just put one on my 32 sedan. I've had 55-59 pickups on the brain lately.

I can't get this one out of my head

 

I'm friends with that guy on Facebook, little 2 lane blacktop style, he had to special order those rear daisies.
What kind of problems did you run into with the linkage ?

 

Little mockup of parts, this thing is going to look bitching under hood !

 

Still collecting parts but decided to swap out the rear end for the 9 inch so I can get that rear off the floor and also use up a couple wheels on the floor too.
When's the last time these wheels were removed ya think ?

 

Pretty clean under, it even had air shocks.
The 4 inch narrower 73 bronco 9 inch that will be going back in with the Posies super slide 3 inch lower springs.

 

The answer to the motor dilemma, I sold a 73 Corvette 454 short block to my buddy for $50 bucks, turns out to be one month prior to the build date of his car. He was so excited about it that he gave me this 355 short block out of his old Camaro, 4,000 miles on rebuild, balanced, 11-1 (with 64cc heads) forged internals, comp 268 cam.
The bad is that it sit uncovered in his garage for a few years, so it'll need to come apart for cleaning but he assured me everything will be top notch inside and wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't reuse the bearings it's that good.
I did some research on building a torque motor and found a recipe for 460 ft lbs and 430 hp with a small AFR head and a comp hydraulic roller, sounds like my plan.

 

Great progress! Looking good.

 

I'm still holding off on really working on it, that Henry J is still ahead of this one but I can't help myself. I just would like to see it sitting there with the lowered springs and the mags on it vs. how it looks with stock height and rusty chrome reverse wheels.

 

Springs came out relativity easy, considering things are 62 yrs old, I was pleasantly surprised by that.

 

It's all those grease fittings!

 

More new parts arrived today, the front/rear 3 inch lowered Posies springs

 

Damn, Hope your foot wasn't in that boot! How's the weather up there? the