Stovebolt.com Forums Project Journals Project Journals My 1951 Chevy 3100 1/2 Ton Stepside Build

I wanted to begin using this thread to document my build. I picked up a 1951 Chevy 3100 1/2 ton in late August in various forms of disassembly and I aim to get her back on the road by Thanksgiving!

I'm located in Omaha, NE so I figured this was the best place to document this build.

Here is a link to photos along the way: 1951 Chevy Project Flickr Page

There is a short backstory on my acquisition of this pickup. I first starting working on older cars around 14 years old when I got a 1972 VW Super Beetle (of which I just finished restoring - frame off in August 2015). I also at about 16 years old got a 1964 C-10 Fleetside that I completed a partial restoration on. I then completed a 1974 VW Super Beetle and after selling both that and the '64 Chevy - took a ~10 year pause through college and starting my career from working on old cars (but I never lost that itch!).

I have always been a huge fan of Advanced Design and Task Force Chevy pickups. They just have that look I love. Upon finishing my pan-off restoration of my 1972 Super Beetle, I was already itching for another project (my wife was not however but she lets me pursue my 2nd love). I took my time and discretely started flipping thru Craigslist and Facebook ads of local projects for sale and was shocked at how readily available these pickups still are! Unfortunately, I had to weed thru lots of ads asking for what guys had invested in their unfinished project or projects that were just simply too far gone for me.

Then one day it happened. An ad showed up on Craigslist for a 1951 3100 that had no pictures and only a price - but the seller was responsive and very close in proximity! I grabbed a buddy and went to go see it one Thursday night. The pickup was all I wanted it to be. Solid and straight frame. decent body (although completely disassembled), a stock motor and transmission (that supposedly ran) and even a Mustang II clip included but not yet installed! I left knowing I'd buy the pickup and played the game with the seller. He needed it out of his storage shack to store another project, his son had lost interest in it and he just didn't have the time to deal with it. Lots of guys were making offers on parts and he just wanted it gone as a whole. I made a fair, yet lucrative offer and after about a 30 minute discussion, the car hauler was on it's way and I was the proud owner of a clean title 1951 Chevy 3100 1/3 ton. Let the games begin!

So far, I've completed the following:

• Installed the motor
• Installed the radiator
• Installed the transmission
• Pulled and cleaned the gas-tank
• Assembled the various bolt-on body panels
• Started the motor and tuned it to idle (first time since the mid-80's!)
• Began painting the motor

Items remaining before initial road test:

• Finish painting motor
• Replacement of motor gaskets
• Replacement of motor mounts
• Reinstall gas tank & sending unit
• Go thru brake system

Thanks in advance for everyone's thoughts and advice along the way! Looking forward to getting this old girl back on the road!

Kind of like putting a puzzle together!

Welcome to the Bolt! Are you going to put the Mustang front end under it or leave it stock?

Thanks for moving my thread to the right spot!

What a busy week it's been! I have got a lot of work done on the pickup and things are really starting to take shape!

I have worked to paint the block, valve cover, push-rod cover as well as replace the fuel pump and all relative gaskets for these items. I have also painted the starter and the generator. I'll be painting the other bolt on items (oil pan, water pump, harmonic balancer, distributor, oil filter and air cleaner while breather tube will be getting replaced) and replacing their gaskets in the coming days. Here are some pictures:

First shot of passenger side engine being painted
Second shot of passenger side engine/starter painted
Another shot of the passenger side painted
Drivers side engine/manifold painted

I also spent last night out in a farmers field picking thru about 5 cabs/partial AD trucks for parts. I scored big time, coming out with the following for peanuts!:

• Air Cleaner
• Door Glass (both sides)
• Front Hood Emblem and brackets
• Headliner Rod/Bow
• Visors
• Glove Box Door
• Speaker Grill Trim
• Lower metal door panels
• Windshield center trim (inner and outer)
• Throttle Cable
• Complete exhaust
• Wiper Arms

Here is a picture of the bounty!!!

My floor pans are being delivered this afternoon so this weekend will be a fun time of working on the motor items listed, cleaning up and installing the above as well as cutting out my old pans and hopefully putting the new ones in with tack welds for a test-fit!

Rich'sToys - I think I'm going to leave it stock with maybe a slight amount of lowering in the leaves to give the wheels the right look in the fenders. I have the Mustang II clip for sale HERE

A very busy weekend. Below is a summary with a handful of photos:

Got my front hood badge hung

Windshield center molding and wipers mounted

Side hood emblems mounted

Started doing a rough cut to remove rusted floor pans

Radio Delete plate, center speaker grill, glovebox door and throttle cable installed

Stock aircleaner refurbished and installed

Oil pan gasket replaced including painting the oil pan

Lastly, thanks to a comment from a member on the H.A.M.B. - I realized my plug wires were all mixed up so got those sorted and the engine purrs like a kitten now!

Until next time!

Disassembled and reassembled each brake on all 4 corners last night and besides needing some cleaning, everything appeared in good condition. The previous driver of this pickup took good care of things.

My question is: Can I fill the master cylinder (it's totally dry) and use a manual pump bleeder at each corner to force pull fluid thru each entire line and then commence with actual bleeding or am I forced to remove the Master Cylinder to bench bleed and then go on from there?

I have never bench-bled an original-style single-chamber 47-55 Chevrolet/GMC truck master cylinder.

I understand that many people have done this (and/or recommend doing this) when replacing an original style master cylinder.

My thoughts are along the lines of safety. If there's any doubt there's no doubt. Brakes are kind of fussy so I'd vote take it out and bench test it.

Beyond making the bleeding process faster, what other purpose does bench bleeding the MC serve?

Well today I pulled and rebuilt the MC and bench bled it. I need to replace the main brake line that runs under the trans but other than doing that and a full bleed, I think I'm ready for a test drive!!!