54 Chevy Truck 1st build

[banditsbadrides]

This will be my first try at a Rat Rod. I found a rusty old 54 Chevy truck and paid scrape price for it $375, its a stack bodied dually, but not sure it thats how it started, has longer bed style running boards and the bed part is all wood, no metal framing like my stock 1950. Plans are to use as much of a 77 Lemans I have for parts. I've been into Pontiacs as since dad took us to the drive in, in his 69 Grand Prix to watch Smokey and the Bandit. I have complete Pontiac drive line to use, 400 engine, turbo 400 trans, and 10 bolt GM rear. I want to kind of back half the truck, like a prostreeter, only use the section of the Lemans frame, so it has a 4 link coil spring GM factory setup. I'll document everything with pics as I go. I'm currently stripping the Lemans down to the frame, so thats not really interesting to see, the trucks next.

 

[skull]

truck

sounds cool.

Later

 

[millaway31]

sounds like it'll be fun when finished. keep us posted

 

[Todd]

It's all interesting to see. Post them pictures.

 

[42chevy]

Pontiac 400 sounds like a great engine. Ready for pictures.

 

[banditsbadrides]

I may have posted pic in another section, but here's the truck as it sits, I have to fix my trailer brakes before I pick it up

here's the donor for hopefully , frame parts, steering column, all wiring, most anything I can use less the sheetmetal, which I have already sold a bunch of parts off the car, so everything I need is now free to me. I may be going for a under 3K build.

 

[rustybeercan]

Beautiful truck, keep us posted on your progress! [dr

Beercan

 

[Todd]

Shoot, I'd do that Pontiac as a project too. I had a '73 LeMans in high school, sure miss it.

 

[banditsbadrides]

Shoot, I'd do that Pontiac as a project too. I had a '73 LeMans in high school, sure miss it.

The quarters are full of bondo, and the inner wheel wells are gone, you can look out the trunk to the ground (on the parts car).
I have a 73 GTO that I've been working on and a 77 Can Am, but right now the truck has become my priority.

 

[banditsbadrides]

Small update, I found a 1995 Dadge Dakota for my frame donor, should be alot easier than trying to use the Pontiac frame section I had panned on. Plus its already been lowered, this will save some money and make the build go a little faster. Also has rack & pinion steering, can the power part of the rack be closed off??

 

[skull]

steer funny

can the power part of the rack be closed off??

ya, but it won't steer correctly

Later

 

[banditsbadrides]

Small update, I found a 1995 Dadge Dakota for my frame donor, should be alot easier than trying to use the Pontiac frame section I had panned on. Plus its already been lowered, this will save some money and make the build go a little faster. Also has rack & pinion steering, can the power part of the rack be closed off??
Here's a pic, I paid $375 for the donor truck

 

[banditsbadrides]

can the power part of the rack be closed off??

ya, but it won't steer correctly

Later

The guy I got it from has it bypassed now because of a leak.
What would I need to do to fix it??

 

[skull]

seals

new seals/rebuild/replace is the only thing l can think of.

any one else have an idea?

with steering, suspension and brakes l make sure it's really safe.

Later

 

[banditsbadrides]

I'm not running a the dodge engine, I'll be using a GM engine, so may have to figure something out, maybe there's a no power rack setup available. Not a big deal at this point, I just want to get the donor torn down and the Chevy cab on to begin the fabrication.

 

[Todd]

There is a guy on here that has done the dakota already. He is kind of a dink
here you go, http://www.ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15537&highlight=AD+kota

 

[banditsbadrides]

There is a guy on here that has done the dakota already. He is kind of a dink
here you go, http://www.ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15537&highlight=AD+kota

Thanks, that will help. Why did you stop? Looks like its been a month?
I'm currently stripping the Dakota and selling what I don't need. Going to pick up my 1950 today, but that will be another build later

 

[Todd]

Didn't really stop. The honey do list and work slows me down some more than I would like. Somethings are not complete enough yet to post.