'50 GMC Daily Driver

[Bonehead]

Showoff!

 

[dmw56]

Showoff!

He's making the rest of us look real bad! I guess we'll have to step it up a notch or two.

 

[50Ford]

WOW! I can wait to see this truck when its farther. Great job bob!

 

[bob w]

I priced Posies springs for my truck. Pretty sxpensive. So I checked Chassis Eng. and their's were around $500 also. About this time I slipped and fell getting in my S-10. While laying there, I noticed that the rear springs were almost the same length as the original springs. As luck would have it a guy put a pair of S-10 springs on Craigslist for $15. They are now on my truck.

 

[bob w]

The original springa are 1 3/4" wide and the S-10's are 2 1/2" so I had to make new perches. Here's the front.

 

[bob w]

The rear mounts got a bit complicated. In order to maintain alignment I needed to make an offset in the frame. I couldn't fine oem shackles so I made them.

 

[bob w]

Here's the view of the inside of the offset. You can see the rear crossmember too.

 

[bob w]

My friend Farmer Don gave me a hitch reciever. Since I want this truck to tow my Crosley to the dragstrip I wanted a good hitch. And, since I didn't intend to have a rear bumper, I simply made the reciever my rear crossmember. Don't worry, I ground all the rust off the areas where I welded. When I get the chassis done it will make a trip to the sandblaster. The transmission mount and motor mounts are done but not visible enough to photograph because the engine, transmission and cab are in place. Next installment I'll show what it took to salvage the box.

 

[bob w]

I forgot the throw this one in. The front spring mount looks a little funky from the outside. The inside view shows that it is actually pretty sturdy.

 

[earthman]

Wait Bob, you slipped when you were getting into your S10 and while you were down you noticed the S10 springs were just about what you needed for your project? I don't know whether to laugh or cry
But one thing i know is you are a real deal rat/hot rodder

 

[bob w]

I picked up a bed for the truck off of Craigslist for $125. Not sure if it was disassembled or if it had simply rusted apart. The angle strips were in tough shape so I replaced them with 2" by 2" angle iron. It is mounted 3/4" lower than the originals because I want to lay the floor on top of the angles instead of under as it originally was. You will notice a lot of metal with green paint on it. When my friends Terry & Lee (Tator on RRR) bought a car trailer they cut a bunch of metal off of it. Knowing what a scrounger I am, they saved it all for me.

 

[bob w]

The front panel was badly bowed from years of junk sliding in the bed and smashing into it. The crossbrace was rusted beyond repair. Most of the panel was cut away and a piece of 16ga. welded in. A chunk of 2" (green paint) channel iron was used for the crossbrace.

 

[bob w]

The panel below the tailgate was also badly twisted and dented. I made a simple replacement out of a piece of 2" by 4" rectangular tubing with 3/4" box tubing welded on the top. The bed floor lays in the step. The outriggers bolt to the frame rails at the back and the tailgate is directly above this cross piece. I squared the box up and welded it. It is poitioned on the truck frame and I am currently building mounting pieces out of rectangluar tubing instead of buying a kit with bolts and wooden blocks.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Now you are really making me want that 49. It was a driver when parked. Same guy has it that gave me the 59 Dodge COE, it I could just figure out how to get them both on one load.

 

[Gastrick]

As always, very nice fabrication Bob W.

 

[bob w]

Got the bed mounted and positioned the cab and drilled some mounting holes. I set the front sheetmetal roughly in place. Since the G Body clip I used is front steer, there are a number of interferences. The inner fender panels will need a small amount of cutting. The frame horns will have to be cut back. The main problem is the original radiator support and the steering box are trying to occupy the same space. I'm concerned the guy I got the cab from didn't get the replacement cowl patch panels installed square. The cab mounts underneath were not in the right place, so it makes me suspect that I will find other patch panels improperly located. I'll know more tomorrow.
The G Body rear end appears too narrow. I dragged a 70's Nova rear end in from my tarp warehouse and it measures about 2" wider. It will probably be used since it has a tall gear like the G Body rear end. Since I'm using a 350TH, I want a tall rear gear to keep the rpm's down on the highway. Looking for gas mileage you know.

 

[Bonehead]

Looks like you are making some great progress and fast too.

 

[onemintcaddy]

What are you going to do when the snow flyes ?? Better restock your tarp warehouse so you got somthing to do this winter. At this rate youl be done in no time. Look's Sweet Man !

 

[bob w]

The guy I got the cab from didn't get the cowl patch panels on straight. I had to cut them partially free to get the front tin to fit. I built a new support under the radiator support. It doesn't sit too low which is good because I intend to drive it all year. I'm happy with the how the wheel is centered in the wheelwell.
onemintcaddy, I've built enough cars to know that the early work makes major changes in the look of the project. But the little jobs take lots and lots of hours. This thing won't be done next summer even though I will work almost every day on it.

 

[bob w]

I intend to run without a front bumper so this is what it will look like. Might add a drag race push truck type board in the middle of the front.