The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1956 Chevrolet 6100

Well after my original introduction to the site in 2009 it is finally time to crap or get off the pot and get to working on this thing for real. I have finally made the decision to do a budget "frame off" restoration. A lot of the sheet metal (all four cab corners, bottom of doors, fender eye brows, floor boards, etc) is too far gone to try and just update it, plus the rear suspension is held on with a chain. The patina on the paint is killer but I think it will look pretty sweet all cleaned up with fresh paint throughout. The way I am looking at it is I have seen some pretty good results that have started off way worse than my truck. I really want to keep the cab since it is a family truck, to me swapping cabs makes it a different truck.

Back in the fall of 2020 I did get the motor running, rebuilt the entire brake system, had all the drums turned, pads relined, and made sure the hydraulic pump worked. It has some pretty good bones and all the major systems still seem to work but will need cleaned up and most likely rebuilt.

I did buy a donor parts truck out of Nebraska, a pretty clean 1956 6400 that is missing the motor but has good front fenders (some dents but not missing metal due to rust), 6 one piece steel rims, good rear springs and under axle shackles (mine rusted to dust), plus other miscellaneous parts that I’m sure will come in handy, like steering parts and a spare set of brake drums and pads.

Currently I plan to get it all torn down to the fame and get that sandblasted and painted before snow flies. Then just start working on it one small piece at a time and putting it back together. The plan is to convert it from a dump truck (already torched off the dump bed) to a flat bed, however I am going to keep the hydraulic pump functional. On our small hobby farm a flat bed is more useful than a dump truck. I plan on keeping it all "original" as in putting it back together as it would have been back in the day. Rebuilding the 261 motor, with maybe a few upgrades, and the SM420 4 speed transmission with 2 speed rear end.

Anyways I keep this post updated with progress photos along the way, I know how you all like photos.

Hy DougH6100, it sounds like you have a good plan and have already gathered spare parts, Continued good luck with your project, a little every day if you can.

Well thanks to DougH6100, I have been working on changing my original 7.20:1 single speed differential to a two speed. Months ago when DougH posted about buying a Nebraska truck I inquired about if he knew what the rear end was, he bought a truck with me in mind with a two speed. I took one of my axle shafts to his place along with some measurements of the pig bolt pattern, first impression was that the two speed pig would fit in my single speed axle housing, and the shaft splines on both ends all match. With the help of my brother-in-law and DougH6100 we pulled the two speed and I brought it home. Last Friday I confirmed that it fits my axle housing. Today I cleaned the housing, chased the threaded bolt holes, made a gasket, and will wait for help to install it. It is an extremely close fit when installing and the slightest bit of misalignment makes it a tough job to fit it in. I will make some alignment studs this time to keep it going in straight. More trips to DougH6100's place will be needed in order to salvage the shift valve, knob/linkage, etc. With the new differential I'll have 6.40:1 on the high side, I think it's something around 8.72:1 on the low side, not that I needed anything lower but it will be fine. Thank you DougH6100!

Doug, Make sure you save your parts truck brake drums...all of the other brake parts can be found new or can be rebuilt, but the drums are made of unobtanium. Future generations will thank you.

Mike B

I'll do my best to make sure DougH doesn't scrap anything good.

When I changed the single speed 6.5 ratio in my GMC to a two speed, the new axles fit OK, however, some axle shafts are the same length and some are not same length, you guys lucked out.

Ed

I have lurked around here long enough to know what stuff is is made of unobtanium. I've got this whole think already planned and built in my head, just need to make it a reality now.

Disassembly seems like the easy part

The shaft length is the next concern. My original shafts are unequal length, the two speed shafts are equal length but different than mine.

Pulled the motor and trans out and removed all the vacuum and brake lines. Need to weld on a new plate at the back where someone hacked a trailer hitch on. The frame is surprisingly still pretty square based off a few quick measurements, especially at the cab mounts.

Time to start grinding off most of the rust in preparation for paint. I'm think of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator Platinum and Eastwood Chassis Black. Anyone used these products before? I would also use it on all the suspension and steering parts.

I've been using POR-15 for decades and like the product, it even works great on the bed wood. I'm sure Eastwood's system is good as well I just haven't tried it.

Mike B

I have also used only POR15, it's tough as nails when it's cured and bites into the rust with no issues. I retrieved the axle shafts and shift valve from DougH6100 on Saturday, still prepping to install the pig, building a jig to hold the 2 speed somewhat in place on the trolly jack.

When I installed my 2-speed I used two long concrete anchor bolts with the same thread as the axle bolts from Lowe's and cut the short ell off making them long centering studs. They work great for holding the gasket in place while lining things up with the pumpkin balanced on a floor jack. I think that rear used 1/2-13 bolts...

Mike B

The 1956 doner and my 1957 are both 15000 lb. with the same bolt pattern and banjo opening, I didn't have to grind anything but it is CLOSE. The bolts are 7/16 fine thread, I made 4 studs for alignment, made a new gasket, made a jig/mount to hold it on the jacks, hopefully it will go back in place with no crushed fingers. Did you use gasket sealer as well, it will be a slow process to fit together and silicone sealer might be too fast curing before the pig is home.

I've always been a fan of Permatex No.2 Form A Gasket on both sides of the gasket...I just spread it around the entire gasket surface with my finger. Any open bolt holes get thread sealer as well.

Mike B

The Permatex #2 is what I am going to use, the original gasket was a metal laminated type and was really glued on, had to use heat to soften it and separate the unit. I'll just apply a little of the #2 to the threads. Hope to have the new pig installed today, Friday.

Successful day yesterday, 2 speed pig went in easily with 4 alignment studs, equal length axle shafts from the doner truck are perfect fit. Waiting on a new pinion seal and repair sleeve in the mail. Disassembled the vacuum shift valve, cleaned it up, Looks good inside, should work well.

I'm using the Rust Encapsulator Black on my '58's frame and such. Seems to work good for now, though I'm basically at the same stage as you.

The things people do to their vehicles...

Over the past few days after work and between rain drops I go the homemade trailer hitch cut off and replaced with some new 1/4" thick steel plates. It won't be replaced anytime soon. Her days of towing a trailer are over. The frame has had 4" cut off the back, I think this was to accommodate the tilting of the dump box.

One more power wash, then onto removal of both axles and suspension parts. I'm anxious to get some paint on this frame.

Looking good!

Got the frame cleaned up, primed and painted over the long weekend, so satisfying...

Did end up going with the Eastwood system. Rust Encapsulator Platinum with two coats of Extreme Chassis Black Gloss.

Wow!, if I knew you were going to have all that fun I wouldn't have gone to the lake get-a-way for the weekend, we could of had a sandblasting/wirewheeling/painting marathon. Looks like you worked way too hard. Did you spray any of the coatings or all brush?

I brushed the primer coat and sprayed the two top coats. Picked up a cheap Harbor Freight spray gun, worked like a charm.

I have not been brave enough to spray POR15, it is really sticky and the overspray would be an issue. Also, I don't want to use a good gun for POR15.

A cheapo HF gun would be the way to go. You wouldn't have much to loose if it hardened up in the gun.

But your concern about overspray is definitely valid.

Doug, that frame looks pretty nice. Interesting hoist arrangement, too.

I see that you've been bitten by the caption carryover issue. All your photos have the same caption from one of your previous photos. You can fix that by entering a single space as a caption on your next photo which will carry over as a blank caption on your subsequent photos, or be sure that you put a caption on every photo.

My rear looks the same. Where do you get the brake parts. 1948 6100 2ton tow truck.

For the parts that are available I called Geoffrey Rosenberg (508) 788-9409 Alretta Truck Parts, Inc. Kind of an odd duck but he knows brakes. Also got all new bearings and seals from him as well

Put him on my list. Thanks.

Loads of wire wheeling, sand blasting, scraping, degreasing, priming and painting over the last few weeks.

Tore down and painted all the leaf springs. Had to have two new top spring for the rear fabricated. The eye was to worn out for the new bushings. New spring pins and shackles for front and rear.

Got all the steering parts cleaned up and painted as well as all the brake backing plates and suspension parts. New tie rod ends and drag link. The new drag link is substantially heaver than the stock one.

Decided to go with silver for the brake drums, hubs and hub caps to break up all the black. Fellow bolter 78buckshot had silver hub caps on his 57 LCF that looked pretty sharp, I just took it a step further.

Once I get the front axle back from the shop installing the king pins I can finally start putting things back together.

Looking great, I wish I had the enthusiasm to do it with my truck, for now it's fun to drive.

Finally got both of the axles put back onto the truck. Had a local shop replace the king pins with new parts from Rare Parts, didn't take any pictures of that whole process

Decided to swap the rear diff assembly over to a "cleaner" axle housing. The original housing from my truck was pretty pitted and really corroded at the leaf spring mounting points. I didn't dissemble the read diff completely just cleaned it up best I could. Did replace the pinion seal.

The two speed vacuum shifter was a real mess. Tore that down and replaced the rubber gland with a new one from Rebuilders Enterprises, again no pics of the rebuilt interiors

Next I'll get the brakes and lines put back on, as well as some of the vacuum lines.

Looking like a truck again.

You're making great progress, with each piece being cleaned and painted separately, it should last a long time. I commend you for taking care of your grandfather's truck.

Great job, the silver brake drums will stand out nicely against the black frame. Keep up the good work

'Rebuilders Enterprises' thank you for that bit of info regarding where to get the rubber diaphragm for the two speed axle. Mine is currently good but I'd sure like to keep a spare on board, because I've had one fail on the road! Nothing like being stuck in neutral in some neighborhood and the rig will roll if you let off the brakes!

It's a bit late now but perhaps others may benefit: I have used open-gear-grease between spring leaves. It dries hard. There are two benefits: it reduces wear on the spring leaves and it improves the ride noticeably. There is still more than enough friction in the spring pack so you don't have to add shocks, though I did on my 1-ton. That helped even more.

That answers the question I always had of why old school buses never seem to have rear shocks. My '65 C60 bus doesn't, however my Dad's 1965 C60 that was a flatbed truck, did have them. Same drivetrain, axle, etc. and I think his might have been a little shorter wheelbase.

What is ‘open-gear-grease’?

Ed

It’s a heavy body waxy grease that will stick in place. Used on exposed (or open) gears, hence the “open-gear” name.
Example

It's been a minute since I provided an update, however it has been a busy summer.

Finished the brake system with new hardware all around, when avaible. Had the front cylinders sleaved at White Post.

Cleaned and painted the PTO pump for the hoist.

Cleaned out the steering box and got that painted up.

Cleaned and painted all of the vacuum lines.

Next up was the transmission while the motor was at the machine shop. Nothing major here just took it all apart and gave it a good cleaning.