The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk '54 Restoration Questions (new member)

Hello All,

This is my first time posting here. Please excuse if any of my questions are stupid. Also please excuse if my post is long, and some of the questions have been asked before.

I'm not new to classic cars, but I am new to trucks. You can see the car I restored at http://www.1969fb.com

My father and I are working on restoring/modifying his '54 5-Window. Here are a few pics of his truck when we pulled it from the barn in South Texas. http://www.1969fb.com/pics/other/54Chevy/

We've got the truck totally torn down now, and have started to repair some of the few areas of rust on the cab and fenders. We are now at the point where we have to make a decision on what we want to do about the frame and drivetrain.

My father would like to have his truck looking origina, but with the following modifications: V8 engine, automatic transmission, 12-volt wiring, safe gas tank, more modern suspension with disc brakes up front, tilt steering column, and normal brake booster/master cylinder mounted in the engine bay.

We would like to do a good job, but at the same time, try to keep costs down and do most of the work ourselves.

Here is where our questions start.

1) What is the better choice for a frame/steering?

• Replace the front with a Mustang-II conversion kit, and replace the rear axle with a Chevy 8.5?
• Replace the front with a '69 Firebird/Camaro subframe that I already have, and replace the rear with a Chevy 8.5.
• Convert the truck to a S-10 frame. This would also give us the front/rear setup from S-10. I've talked to those guys at AD-Engineering about their S-10 conversion kit, but I was wondering how feasable it would be to do the work ourselves.

What are you guys ideas/suggestions on the best frame/suspension for the truck?

2) I am a Pontiac guy, and I've got 3 Pontiac 400 big blocks lying around that would be nice to use in my dad's truck. Has anyone here put a Pontiac intoa Chevy truck?

3) Does anyone have plans/diagrams/pictures of a custom floorpan setup that will allow clearance for a modern drivetrain (200R-4 tranny). The floors in our truck both need replacing, and I can't see paying good money to buy "original" stamped floorpans, when I will have to cut them as soon as I put them in.

I think I'll cut my post short at this point so as to not flood with more questions right now.

Thank you in advance for any help,
Thomas

Welcome to the 'bolt. A barn find....that sounds familiar. I can't help by answering your questions directly because I've not done what you're asking. Having said that I can help by guiding you to the search and tech tip functions at the top of the page. Spend some time there and I think most of your questions will be answered. There is an amazing amount of info there.

I like to keep trucks as trucks myself but if you are going to do one your way..........

1) I'd go with a new MII type kit that is made for your frame or the S-10 kit from AD-Engineering, which has high praise from users both on this board and others. I'd steer clear of cobbing in a used suspension. By the time you rebuild it you probably have as much in it as the new one and it won't look near as nice.

2)Heck yes use the Pontiac. Everyone and their mother use Chevy 350s and it is very boring at car shows.

3) I put a 2000-4R behind a 6 in my '54 GMC. I found a floor center from a hydramatic truck and cut the original floor as needed to clear the tranny. I also had to notch the rear crossmember where the original bellhousing mounted. Go to my 54 GMC page and click on "Transmission".

GMCs used pontiac engines.

Does anyone know if that means that a set of GMC engine mounts would fit a late 60's Pontaic 400 block? I'm gonna guess no, but I figured I would ask.

The problem with the BB Pontiac is the FIT, on my '53 the small
block is a tight fit as it is (had to move the stearing column &
refit it with a different / thinner shaft). The mounts will be different, besides there are a few shops (see Chevy Duty & Brothers) that make motor mounts (about $55) for
SB Chevy's that save a lot of hassle / work !
The Pontiac engines used were for the "2nd series" trucks on GMC's 1955+ etc. & that is a different eng. bay
...entirely !!! 2nd, I used a 400 Turbo tranny & had no real fit
problems with the floor other than an opening for the
Lokar shifter & again, CD & Brothers offer a tranny mount for
the 350 & 400 tranny's (about $45 + $15 for 2 pads) !
Hope this info helps, if you are going to modify that rather
rare 1954, do it right, don't cut corners (such as using the S10
sub frame etc...), you will be happier in the end with the results !

Cletis, in your website I saw a picture of a 1955 GMC pickup as well as your '54. My '54 has a bent up grille, do you happen to have an extra one? My e-mail address is [email protected]