The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 1956 - Chevrolet - 3800 - Long Bed

I am usually a reader, not journalist of my projects, but I have decided post this one.

1956 Chevrolet Truck 3800 - 1 ton long bed

I have wanted to restore a truck like this for 25 years, trying to find the right time, place, and opportunity.

I came across this almost 4 years ago and have slowly been working on it.

So, here are a few photos of me picking it up from the former Chevrolet Dealership; the same Chevrolet dealership the truck was sold new from in 1956.

The plan is to have a reconditioned truck that can be usable.

Congratulations!

Needless to say the neighbors were not happy with my new project. Threats, nasty works and put downs followed.

It took me a few months to dismantle it and get it into my garage.

I will be attempting to do this out of 17'x19' garage. The truck is about 18 feet long.

The original engine was replace with a 427 tall deck in the early 70s (shown in the photo).

Needless to say . . .

Have you left unsightly items outside in the past?

Needless to say, my neighbors trust/experience that my dismantlings get out of sight within a week or two. These friendly neighbors often come by and ask what I have recently obtained.

Nice truck! Love that 427! Congratulations!

Way cool truck. Not way cool neighbors.

I ton with a big block , Yeah you have my attention...

Nice truck project Paul!
Where in the Midwest are you?

Don

Most of it was dismantled in two weeks. My place is clean as the next. Some people just have no vision or understanding of another persons hobby.

I hit a road block and it took me a year to get to the next step.

I had the rolling frame dustless blasted primed and painted. It was not completely dismantle, a bit of a short cut, but it turned out great.

Many towns are enacting ordinances that prohibit you from working on a vehicle in the street in front of your house. Some are even extending it to no work in your driveway if it’s exposed to the street. Glad I own a 40 acre ranch zoned agricultural, so I can pretty much do what I want.
Great start to your project, remember as Achipmonk says “15 minutes a day” will get you to the finish line.

Welcome, Paul! Looking forward to following your progress!

As I mentioned in my last post, the project was on pause for another year. Here are photos of the next round, summer 2019.

I had all the bed parts, transmission, and many of the front end parts body parts dustless blasted, primed and some rust patch work complete.

During this time I continued to look for another cab or debated repairing the original.

With limited space (and not to have a basket case to move) I decided to reassemble the bed.

A while ago someone commented about the tow truck tractor tire front push bumper that was on it when I bought it. It was two regular bumpers welded together and the tractor tire bolted to it. Too rusty and bent to save the bumper(s) will be replaced, the grill guard will be reused and is shown the photo sandblasted and primed.

I would like to hear about your opinion on dustless blasting. I have been thinking about having that done. A lot of story's about the clean up and slurry left after blasting.

Not having done a full restoration before I was on the learning curve to about metal cleaning. I found a local dustless blasting company (hour and half away). Watch the dustless blasting video with the company with the bright green equipment for more details.

These are my thoughts on dustless blasting:

1. It is cheaper then chemical metal stripping, but not as complete.
2. The metal still has a texture (it has minor pitting) that you have to overcome with more primer than, none of mine parts came back warped.
3. Your parts will have some sand/glass medium in the cracks and corners so you have to clean/prep carefully
4. If the blaster did not do a good enough job you may have some fine tuning to do yourself

Quoting prices might not be good etiquette, but may be helpful to others considering it. I am sure prices vary and nobody gives me a deal. I think I paid $350 for the entire bed to be blasted. And $900 to have the entire rolling chassis blasted, epoxy primed and painted in chassis flat black paint.

TUTS 59 question leads in to my next part of the project. I had the cab, doors and hood acid dipped last summer. I struggled to find a replacement cab that did not need near as much work as mine. So I decided to get mine dipped and go into the deep end buying replacement sheet metal.

See the before and after photos.

Metal Cleaning/Acid Dipping:

1. It is more expense
2. It is 100% complete
3. Not many places that do it, I was lucky to have a local company (an hour and a half away) that has been doing for 20 plus years (a company near Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
4. There is no guessing about what you have left and where the rust was

Dipping the cab cost about $800, doors and hood were $125 or so each. It was cheaper just a few years ago. But, well worth the cost, it felt great to finally have a rust free truck.

I now have all the replacement sheet metal and need to tackle the cab repair.

Wow!! The acid dip really left a clean surface. There is a place about 2 hours from me that does this, the price on their web page is about $1200.00 for cab and doors. I may investigate this further. Thanks for the info.

Here is an update:

1. Had the driveshaft rebuilt at a local driveshaft shop
2. Painted the glass frames and installed new door glass, the vent windows are next
3. Mock-up mounted my rear bumper (a reclaimed chestnut barn beam) after finishing the urethane
4. clean polished and mounted (temporarily) fender emblems
5. Started the sheet metal work

So many things to comment on!

First, your cab acid dip really turned out nice. I am in Kenosha, but I was not even aware that there were places doing this anymore. I had some parts done for my 1956 Country Squire in Union Grove 40 years ago, but they are long gone. I would really consider having my hood done for $125. Can you let me know where this is? Looking back, it would have been a good choice for us to do this. I have spent countless hours getting at the rust in our cab. I am very close to having it all addressed, but I could never get it as clean as yours turned out.

Next, and probably should have been first, great truck! I really like the long bed. Your rear bumper turned out fantastic. I just removed our windows this last week. I will be painting then. They put up a good fight getting them out.

As for neighbors, I am so very fortunate. I live in a subdivision. I built my home, and my brother and I were the first ones here, but all of my neighbors have been great. I just had one of them in the garage today. I know that air grinders make a lot of noise. I hope to have the vast majority of that done before open window season. They all have been following along, and very understanding. I keep the garage door shut to help keep the noise down. I guess it helps that they really like Kevin.

Thanks for posting and post more photos.

Steve

The metal cleaning was done by Restoration Specialists in Franklin, Wisconsin.

I will have to check my receipt for exact numbers, so don't accept my post as a quote.

I started the sheet metal work removing the firewall. I will be tracking my time. Although I have some welding experience and lots of other mechanical experience I have no sheet metal experience. I have invested in the proper tools. I have not had good experience with body shops in the recreational automotive world in the past and hear so many other local horror stories I decided to try it out.

Three hours to cut out and drill out 70 spot wells for the firewall demo and details remain.

The plan is to do the small repairs behind the wall and pillars, set the new firewall temporarily (the firewall does overlap the floor pan so it will be temporary), reinforce the cab with braces then build a home made stand for the cab to do the floor pan and other areas.

It has been awhile since I posted so figured I needed to update. Progress has been slow with other commitments and I bought another project (a running driving one) that has taken priority to get the short list of work done (almost there).


I have come to call this my Johnny Cash project - one piece a time.

1. I rebuilt the vent windows and found it very challenging. I threw away the LMC weatherstripping that was junk and bought Precision weatherstripping that was better quality and fit.
2. Almost complete demolition of the cab floor pan. I built a home made stand. Mocked up the firewall and floor pan fit on the frame with a jig to match to the frame mount points. I have about 18 hours in it so far.
3. Fit but did not install the wood bed floor. I am using marine grade plywood with 6 coats of poly urethane. The floor will be two pieces not seven. They do make 4'x10' sheets of plywood; lucky I bought it last year.
4. Started prepping and priming the cab, doors and hood. Even thought the parts were dipped I am spending a lot of time on prep.
5. Working on small parts like the door inner parts, reconditioning, priming painting.

I went to the Iola show last week and it was nice to be out and about at a good car show.

Thanks for tuning in.

We built a 1937 1.5T into a roll back hauler for a customers 1937 Business Coupe. Also used a 427 high deck but the BEST thing we did was to trash can the carburetor and go with the FiTech self tuning TBI fuel injection. Makes trips to Colorado and runs same 6000 ft as at sea level and DOESN'T leak.

All Stovebolters,

I am have to cancel this Project Journal thread due to health issues. The project will be looking for a new home.

Thanks to those that expressed interest in my project.

Thank you the members of this site who offered help and information; it has been a great resource.

Paul



Edit December 2023 -- Not wanting to loose any of this great journal, we moved it to the Tons o' Fun forum so it will be preserved. We're hoping the *new home* will appear so the story (or a new story) can continue.