'50 GMC Daily Driver

[bob w]

I drive a 2001 S-10. It has 150,000 miles on it and it makes me nervous with all the electronic stuff on it that I can't fix. For quite a while I've thought about building an old truck for a daily driver. It will nedd to get about 20 miles a gallon, ride decent and have good heat and defrosters for the 9 months of winter we have here.
I've been watching Craigslist and in the last week made 3 buys.

This pile 'o parts is all '50 GMC stuff. Tomorrow I pick up the 3 window cab and fenders. Burried in the pile is a short box, disassembled, that I got from another Craigslist seller.

 

[24dodge]

whats your plan for the new truck Bob? engine , trans , frame etc.

 

[bob w]

Today I went to the western suburbs and removed the front end and rear end from a short box 1/2 ton frame. Another craigslist item. It was raining and 40 degrees and I had no help. As you can see, the frame was wider than the trailer so I had to horse it onto the top rails of the trailer. Spent about 3 hours fooling around with it. It's a nice frame. I'm just going to hide the stuff in the trees til fall and keep looking for parts for the build. Any advice you guys can offer about building one of these will be appreciated.

 

[bob w]

24dodge, It will have a sbc, probably a 327 with Vortec heads and a quadrajet. A 350 turbo with a tall rear end gear. Much cheaper than a 700r4. Now debating about the front suspension. My friend has a friend that has subframed about 50 of these trucks. I've been getting advice from him by email. I did a thread a few weeks ago about building a sbc for gas mileage and got some good advice. If I don't make it pretty, I won't have to worry about my wife driving it.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Maybe you should use the S-10 frame. It works out real well on those bodies I guess.
I like those old stovebolt trucks but around here you sure wouldn't have to piece one together. I could take you to half a dozen that are whole. I find some real nice cabs on the farm trucks and they don't bring much at all.

 

[bob w]

Willowbilly3, Your point about good cabs out your way is well taken. I went to western Nebraska for my '35 International cab. Just didn't want to go that far again. I don't have a car hauler trailer so it would be a hassle for me. The cab I'm getting tomorrow has had corner and cowl patches installed and a whole new floor. The guy is a welder and he did a good job. I could do that work too but it is nice that it is already done. The pile of parts is all off the cab I'm getting, plus spares he bought. And, the title is in his name. A real benefit around here. Regarding the S-10 frame deal, I've looked at threads and it is a bit more work than people make it out to be. It is a good way to go I'm sure. My friend Terry insists that Mustang II is the best way to go. Lots of choices for this kind of truck. So far, I've spent less than a dollar a pound so it hasn't been too expensive.

 

[Gastrick]

Bob W, the tall gear is a good idea since you want decent mileage. We switched from a 3:50 to a 3:00 in my dad's big block 48 Pontiac last year and picked up a noticeable improvement in highway mpg. It also has a MII front suspension with coil overs and a nine inch Ford rear with coil overs. It's the best riding car that we have.

 

[24dodge]

If I could make a recommendation , I really like fatman MII frontends , they are really heavy duty and are nice quality , heres a link if you want to take a look.... http://www.fatmanfab.com/catalogpage.php?page=4

 

[bob w]

24dodge, Fatman has a great MII front end. I put one in my Anglia. He had the only one narrow enough for an Anglia. It works perfect. Only problem I had was the pinion off the rack and pinion steering comes out close to the center and ran right into my harmonic balancer. I had to move the engine back, move the firewall back, etc. It took 4 steering u-joints to get around the engine and back to the steering wheel. It was worth the work though, the car drives nice.

 

[bob w]

Zacho & I drove through horizontal snow to pick up the cab, fenders, a 350 4 bolt block and a 350th. The best part is the title, in the seller's name and current. There is nothing bolted to the cab, Completely bare.

 

[bob w]

All four corners have patch panels. Inside patch panels in the kick panel area too. All new floor. The front fenders are ok, but need work. Now, I have to put it away and not touch it til fall.

 

[24dodge]

very nice start!

 

[FlatBroke]

Very nice start...

Can I recommend cleaning out the garage and buying a propain heater....



Sorry, Couldn't resist..

 

[bob w]

FB, We're not supposed to need heat this time of year. Where's global warming when you really need it? The ceiling mounted gas furnace is on however. Have to get the '25 Dodge and Zacho's '38 GMC done, build a trailer and add horsepower to the Crosley before I can start on the Daily Truck. I'll keep collecting parts though and trying to sell a car to finance the Daily Truck.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Nice looking cab.
My 2 cents: I have had a few of those old trucks stock and when you have a tight one they are really a joy to drive. If I had one around here I would leave the chassis pretty much stock, except for the closed driveline. The brakes are adequate for small town living and the solid axle rid is just what old trucks are about, to me.If I still lived anywhere near a metro I would want better stoppers. Now the negs, if it is going to be a daily driver do you really want a 350? The price of gas now (let alone the $5-$6 it will be when you get it on the road) would be a major concern. And, I've never had a MII but I wouldn't put one under a truck, but then the price of an aftermatket one is about how much $$ I have into a whole car the way I build them.

 

[bob w]

Willowbilly3, Good advice. The 350 block was part of the deal. I won't use it in this project. I plan on a smaller sbc. I've driven a '55 Chev. truck with a 265 4 speed summer and winter years ago. I put a Camaro subframe in it and it was good to go. This one will most likely get a GM subframe. I have installed junkyard Mustang II's. And, even though my Anglia has a Fatman MII in it, this one will get all junkyard parts, rebuilt as needed though.

Bob

 

[Willowbilly3]

I like these trucks with a properly installed Camero stub. They are getting a little harder to find nowdays.

 

[bob w]

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.

 

[motomech]

I just have to add that it was 91 here today

that cab looks really good ill be watching this build

 

[lonebker]

send some of these nice truck to the east my 54 is chock full of rust lol

great looking truck take care and best of luck

matt