Salvation lies within:
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1948_51truck/index.htmhttp://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1954truck/index.htmlThe shop manual will give you directions on how to adjust the brakes. Step by step. The good news, is that you don't need a huge garage to do this in. I've done lots of work on my trucks in a single car garage, or space. You only need to get the truck up high enough to get the wheels off the ground. All you need, is a jack, and four jackstands. If you put the jack, and stands under the axle, you only need a couple of inches of head room above the truck.
