'50 GMC Daily Driver

[Willowbilly3]

This cowl came with the cab I bought. We have a saying here, "If you can drop a basketball through the rust holes it's not worth saving". I saved the gauges and switches and a few brackets from this piece.

lol, in Alaska we used to say "if you can't lock a cat in"

 

[bob w]

Willowbilly3, I like your cat saying better. Never cared for basketball, I'm short!

 

[Todd]

Are you going to chop it? I have a donor roof for you.

 

[OldSub]

Be aware that frame is a Chevy. Your GMC radiator support will not mount in the correct location on that frame. While if you clip the frame you don't care where that mount is now, you won't want to use it to locate your final mount.

The primary difference between a Chevy and GMC frame is that front crossmembe.r

 

[bob w]

OldSub, Thanks for the information. The truck will most likely get a GM sub frame.
Todd, What do you need in trade for your roof?

 

[Todd]

Todd, What do you need in trade for your roof?

I'm open. I have the Hudson project and my son's willys on an S10 project and hope to do a T someday again. Let me know what you don't need that will fit in.

 

[bob w]

Todd, I'm looking through my stuff for some trade bait.
OldSub, I hauled the 3/4 ton GMC frame home today. Won't be using it for this project. But, I'll make a fixture locating the core support off the GMC frame so I get it in the right place after the sub frame is installed on the Chevy frame. I really appreciate the information. It would have driven me nuts(er?) trying to get the front tin lined up.

 

[OldSub]

I'll make a fixture locating the core support off the GMC frame so I get it in the right place

That seems a good approach. Did you compare the two and see the difference?

 

[bob w]

OldSub, Yes, I compared, and you can see the difference in the front crossmember. Looks like the GMC core support is farther forward than the Chevy. The GMC 6 might be longer than a Chevy 6.

 

[Willowbilly3]

lol, I put a 270 Jimmy into a 49 Chevy shortbed once, my gosh the hacking we had to do, I was really surprised how dis-similiar the 2 "similiar" vehicles were.
Bob, we have those old chevys and GMCs littering the landscape all over around here so if you need anything let me know. As soon as the mud dries up I am going to capture this one because it has the very rare 9 foot bed.

 

[bob w]

We had a half day of spring and now it's raining. The lakes up north are still frozen and the fishing opener is this Sunday. I got this piece from a friend. Someone had shortened it to install a Saab Sonnet body on it. My friend bought it and kept the body. I got what you see for $175. The front and rear will fit in the GMC just fine. I've been reviewing sub frame installations on the Web and I think I can do a decent job installing one. It's going to be hard to wait til fall to start on it. My friend wants the wheels back, which is fine with me.
The rear springs are pretty shot on the truck frame I bought so I'll probably buy 3" lowering springs from Posies, unless someone has a more cost effective suggestion. Thanks,
Bob

 

[Gastrick]

By the time you get ready to start on that project Bob W, it seems you'll have every possible part that you will need. It's sure hard to beat $175.oo for a complete suspension system.

 

[OldSub]

Is that a g-body frame? If so the front track width is about perfect, but the rear axle width is a little narrow. The biggest challenge is radiator/steering box clearance.

 

[bob w]

OldSub,
The rear measures 60" outside. I did buy a '73 Camaro rear end last week, which is a recommended rear end for this conversion.
The front track measures exactly the same as the I-beam front that was on the truck frame. I was hoping to use a new 26" wide Howe radiator that's been in the attic for years, but steering box interference will probably prevent it.

Gastrick,
A while back I started a thread about building a small block for good gas mileage. This is the project that will get that engine. I'm still working on the specs for the engine. I'm leaning toward a saginaw 4 speed with an overdrive unit from a 3 speed. A neighbor has a couple 3 speed OD trannys that I think I can get for a reasonable price.

 

[24dodge]

Bob , send me down about 10 lbs. of perch...........

 

[lonebker]

just to add to a note you mentioned earlier in the post. no its not as easy as just dropping the cab onto a s10 frame you can trust me on that one!! im still cutting and modifying cab and frame, havent even seen if front will work but im planning on going fenderless and hoodless so may not be too much work but radiator and grill ehhhhhhhhhh. but you should be set. ive heard of a few people going g body frames and worked out well with lil mods like the rear end which was said. best of luck.

matt

 

[bob w]

24dodge. Perch! you want. And you live in Florida surrounded by real fish. I can't tell you how many thousands of 4 inch long perch I've scaled and gutted for my sainted grandmother's fish soup, when I was a kid. I don't ever want to see another perch!

lonebker, I read a few S-10 installation articles on the H--B and even though the authors claimed the install was easy, it looked somewhat involved. My friend's friend has done several AD trucks and gave me the list of subframes and rear ends he prefers. Since I'm not looking to invent something, it makes good sense to go with what has worked well for others. I'm sure you will be successful with your project and look forward to seeing pics of it.

 

[lonebker]

hey bob thanks yeah if it was easy to do it wouldnt be any fun. im working on some mounting uhh problems but ahead we go. thanks.

take care

matt

 

[4orty9]

lol, I put a 270 Jimmy into a 49 Chevy shortbed once, my gosh the hacking we had to do, I was really surprised how dis-similiar the 2 "similiar" vehicles were.
Bob, we have those old chevys and GMCs littering the landscape all over around here so if you need anything let me know. As soon as the mud dries up I am going to capture this one because it has the very rare 9 foot bed.

I get so jealous of everyone up north that talks about all these piles on piles of old cars just hangin around town. would be nice, but ive seen one half *** 49 chevy in some random car lot that the owner wanted 10,000 for!

 

[bob w]

Yep, Willowbilly3 really is in one of the last remaining areas where old cars and trucks are to be found. In some places creek banks were lined with them for erosion control. And, the rust isnt as severe as in Minnesota. I got my '35 International truck cab in western Nebraska and it was pretty nice.