The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Loco's '54 Chevy Build

So this build has been going on for a few years now but I am just now really getting the time to put into it. I figured a thread on here would be a good way to document my progress and if any of you get a kick out of seeing it then that's just an added bonus, and I hope you do.

Back story: The truck is technically a "barn find". We found it in a barn behind a house my girlfriends uncle was renting. Turns out the truck belonged to the landlord, it was her late fathers truck. I did a bunch of research on it and really nailed down what it was before contacting the owner. I wrote the owner a letter explaining who I was, my love for vehicles, and a little summary of what her truck was.

One day, between classes at Texas A&M, I got a call just before I walked into Subway. It was the owner, we talked for a sec, agreed on a price, and set a day to meet at the truck. The day I met her I found out that this whole situation was just a perfect storm. The tenet of the house (my girlfriends uncle) just passed away, the landlord had decided to sell the property now that it was vacant (she now lived out of state), her and her daughter had been discussing what to do with some of their contents of the property that had remained their since her father passed away, the 54 truck had some sentimental value and they were torn on what to do with it. Enter my letter. They told me that the owner read the letter, handed it to her daughter, she read it, and it ended with both of them in tears and the daughter saying "Mom, he loves that truck already just as much as your dad did, we have to sell it to him."

So now that all that is cleared up, here is the fun part: PICTURES

Here it the truck the way we found it and how had sat for about 30 years. This is where we start to see why I said it was "technically" a "barn find". Barn find usually suggest that the vehicle is near mint condition, just covered in dust. This truck was not near mint condition, but it was very complete, it just was a little rough because it was used as designed, as a farm truck. Notice the large damage on the rear fender.

http://i.imgur.com/Y9QjvsOl.jpg

Getting it in the sunlight for the first time in a long time.

http://i.imgur.com/o0DTtRYl.jpg

"On the road" again

http://i.imgur.com/xr8ZFYTl.jpg

Here she is in her new temporary home, ready for demo.

http://i.imgur.com/p7He9uKl.jpg

I had already decided this was going to be a ground up build, so it was time to start tearing it apart. This involved A LOT of bagging and tagging bolts, and TONS of pictures (still probably not enough). This is what I was left with

http://i.imgur.com/836hwIGl.jpg

and this

]http://i.imgur.com/bFmqbGvl.jpg

So this begins the REALLY fun stuff. Making it look like it should. What better place to start than the frame itself. Sandblasting

http://i.imgur.com/LJzJ01Yl.jpg

Some Epoxy Primer

http://i.imgur.com/rRFY4GOl.jpg

Throwing down some Enamel Top Coat

http://i.imgur.com/w7YEcfRl.jpg

Final Product

http://i.imgur.com/DSpXCzBl.jpg

Front axle was next. It got the same treatment, sandblast, primer, paint

[img]http://i.imgur.com/hHCTv2Cl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KYt57ypl.jpg

The front I-beam axle King Pins were worn out a bit. I reamed them 0.010 over and installed new king pins.

http://i.imgur.com/Nl2p2l2l.jpg

The front axle complete. The original Ball Bearing wheel bearing were reused. Stayed with the stock drum brakes instead of updated disks. I did however add automatic adjusters to the brakes.

http://i.imgur.com/FXuhrell.jpg

The rear axle was up next. Same sandblast, primer, paint treatment.

http://i.imgur.com/RhfjuqMl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/K14RG2Tl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Kud65Xpl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FX45a4tl.jpg

Didn't grab a pic of the rear axle with its black coat

Now that I have a house of my own with a 3 car garage (specifically for having a space to put this truck back together) I am moving the frame and axles to their new home (where hopefully the truck will be finished).
Transport

http://i.imgur.com/sg1vNeal.jpg

In its new home, ready for parts to go back together

http://i.imgur.com/JycRYChl.jpg

And now we are up to current time.

Nice work. Thanks for posting the photos.

What is the status of your drive train?
Do you still have the Hydra-Matic: engine, transmission, and rear end?
Will you be using that drive train?

Would you tell us more about the automatic adjusters used with the original brake assembly?

Please keep posting progress-photos.

It's nice to see someone else who is as crazy! Isn't sandblasting fun? It's a really good idea so you can see what condition everything is in. You came to the right place. Lots of people here to help with any questions you may have.

Drivetrain status:

It's been a few years since I did all that research but if I recall correctly...

the engine has a rebuild tag on it from what I believe to be a local shop that is no longer in business. Engine numbers suggest that it is original, however, the head is from a 1952 Canadian Chevy car. I was told these have larger intake valves so I thought maybe I would just run with it, but I do not like that the valve cover is the 2 center bolt design where the '54 should have the perimeter bolts.

The transmission is a SM420. I don't remember what research showed as to whether it is even possible that this is original. But I do know that I am going to keep it. I am restoring this truck not to factory but to what a farmer who used the truck everyday would have had it.

Rear axle is original and staying as is (maybe a re-gear?? not sure)


For the auto adjusters - it is classic GM parts interchangeability (is that even a word?). I followed THIS . Replacement shoes already have all the necessary modifications.

I can post pics if wanted.


Aaaahhhhh yes, sandblasting is a delight. But very worth it!

I've been lurking on here for a few years, asked a few questions, but have searched A LOT and you are correct, I have learned so much just from searching and reading on here.

I think the truck was originally built at the factory with a Hydra-Matic transmission.
Because of the riveted on ears on the frame, for the removable cross member to service the Hydra-Matic transmission.
If this is the same TRUCK at sometime in the life of the truck the drive train was changed.
It now has a 4 speed tranny.

As you can clearly see the toe board is arched.
No gas pedal on toe board, but is on tranny service panel.
And the push button start switch above headlight switch.
Only Hydra-Matic trucks came with these features.

The owner may not know he has a Hydra-Matic Cab and frame.

Indeed that is the same truck! Nice detective work.

And you're right, the owner did not even know that the cab or frames were different for Hydra-Matic trucks.

This kind of information is priceless. I love this place.

Your axle housing may be original.
The Hydra-Matic torque tube is shorter than manual tranny torque tube. They both have 3.90:1 ring & pinion.
More than likely when they changed drive train they swapped out the H-M torque tube with the longer manual tranny torque tube.

What does your transmission service panel look like?
When the 4 speed transmission was installed they had to
cut a hole in it for the stick shifter.

Also the steering column may have been changed.
The H-M has linkage on it. picture they may have just removed the linkage.
And in the engine compartment on steering column more linkage with a neutral safety switch picture circled.

I'm just going off of pictures and memory because all I have with me now is the frame and axles, everything else is 200 miles away.

There was no sign of any column mounted shifter or any shifter linkage in the engine bay. However there could be mounting holes that I don't remember.

Does this cross-member situation point to it being hydramatic? The cross-member under the U-joint bolts in but no drivetrain touches it. I do remember the one forward of it does have the riveted on ears with the center section bolted in.

Transmission cover hole looks to be "custom"

Both cross-members, the one under the U-joint and the one under the bell housing with the riveted on ears.
Where designed to be used with a Hydra-Matic trans.
H-M rear cross-member, transmission tail housing mount

Trucks that came equipped with manual shift transmissions, the crossmember under the bell housing,
is one continuous crossmember between the frame rails.
It is riveted to the frame rails and is non-removable when servicing the transmission.
1954 GMC HYDRAMATIC & MANUAL crossmember differences click pictures to enlarge.
GMC and Chevrolet crossmembers are virtually identical.

In 1954 trucks equipped with manual shift transmissions, the Cross-members under the U-joint was no longer needed.
In 1954 they changed something, can't remember what it was at the moment. Tclederman knows what it is.
Here is a stock setup for a 1954 Chevy 3100 w/4 speed.
1954 Chevrolet 3100 Factory Stock w/4 speed -photo album

Transmission cover was cut for stick.

Thanks, Mr.tclederman