I should start by saying this has been a dream for a while. I had a 1954 half ton 12 years ago and sold it when I got married and started our family. I had such wonderful memories of that truck from my college years. It had no turn signals or seat belts and more than once I found myself on the passenger side of the truck after taking a turn too fast.
At the time I had no garage, no funds and no time. Flash forward to now and I am ready for the challenge. The truck I found is actually the parts truck from all those years ago. I used the grill for my other truck, but besides that it is overall all there, but the rust is intense, but I have a garage, a grinder, a welder and the desire.
My truck has been off the road since 1975. For the past fifteen years it has been sitting at my parents house holding working as a storage unit for 6 in line 6 motors in its bed. With the help of a chainsaw, tractor and elbow grease we removed the motors, lifted the truck out of at least 12 inches of rut in the back and got it loaded on the trailer. Amazingly the wheels turned freely and three of the four tires were inflated. Two hours later it was a great feeling to see it coming home.
Since it has been home I have:
-gotten it started
-replaced the differential with a 85 3/4 ton van 3:55
-found an original 2 part driveshaft (missing)
-welded in a floor (rusted out completely from the seat back)
-installed a SM 420 4 speed out of a 73 truck (always have loved the granny gear)
-Rebuilt the front breaks
- Found a grill on Ebay and added it to the parts pile
-painted the interior and installed a seat from another truck (original)
My next steps are to finish the cowl areas and cab corner area, add the glass, shocks, find a fender for the front left and add a DIY paintjob. The plan is to use this truck as it was intended. It will not be a show truck, but to me it will be beautiful.
I have to thank my old neighbor Jim for putting the bug back in me. He is a Stovebolt member in Virginia that has been working on a 55 truck for a while. If it wasn't for seeing his truck going up and down the dirt lane in front of the house, I may not have saved my truck before nature took over completely.
