The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Hot roded or Stock?

What do you Guys/Gals think is the best way to rebuild a tired old stovebolt?

Stock

Depends which stovebolt you have and how you plan to use it. I like the old sixes. I would probably try to rebuild that for a little more power and fuel economy, and upgrade the brakes to match. Round off the rodstoration with an overdrive transmission and you have a truck that can go down the road at freeway speeds.

It all depends on your tastes.

IMO - If you have a complete, un-molested in the past 50-60 year pristine example, then I would recommend stock. If you have a less than complete, un-molested version, then I would recommend a Resto-Mod or Resto-Rod. If you have hundreds of hours free and lots of cash, then pure Chopped/sectioned/injected/blown/chromed/polished billet Hot-Rod.

Either way build what suites you, your finances, your abilities, and your personnality. The rest of us have our varying opinions and only agree on one thing - save the bolts and post pictures.

Scott

Nothing I love better than looking at an original, or restored to original condition/looks but those are getting very hard to come by. Both of my projects is/were almost basket cases. So, I don't call them "restorations".....I call them "Resurrections". The frame and cab are about the only thing left on my 37 that I "originally" started with!!
So, as someone mentioned, stand back, take a loooong look at what you HAVE and then decide what you WANT and go from there. I think for most of us it really depends on how deep our pockets are because...."satisfaction is cheap at any price"..if you can afford it.

both have their place. restored is always very cool. rodded can be. they are both fun and give variety to the "sport".

Just checking out who is here on the fourms. seems like a well rounded bunch so far.

to me it depends on what i start out with, i just cant see cutting up a clean original ride to build a rod.

Whatever trips your trigger friend.You dont have to butcher one to streetrod it.My 55 2nd still has a stock body,but it sits lower and has all kinds of V/8 power and rides like a dream.

As stated, personal choice, but I always favor the original side. Especially if the truck is original to start with.

I would never hot rod a low mileage pure stock survivor, but would sometimes modify the drive train, wheels and suspension a bit.

Bill

Stock or rodded as in would have been during its original time era

Ah go ahead and ROD IT !! As already stated you dont have to butcher it up to make cool streetrod... But it's real nice to have a V8,automatic trans w/overdrive,power brakes,power steering, A/C, along with a nice ride ! and dont forget bring it down closer to the ground....ROD IT !!

If you like it stock, keep it stock, if you like it improved, improve it! The only person you've got to please is you, so do it your way and to heck with the rest, unless they want to contribute to the cost of the project.

RODSTORATE IT!!

Upgrade the running gear and brakes for safety.

You can build a hipo I-6 or slap in a V-8 for more go..

Build it the way YOU want it,,, just dont give up.

I vote hot rod. Just don't cut it up.


See Below.

There was a good discussion on just this topic earlier this year. I can't seem to find it right now but I'm sure one of the veterans of this site can direct you. ROD or Resto was the name I think. It gave two opinions of just what your trying to figure out. Like the above comments, it really is up to you. Our truck was pretty much original with the exception of 12 volt system upgrade, big door mirrors and an antenna on the roof. It had a second paint job that now is so thin that the original patina is showing through. My wife and I kinda like the look of stock so we powder coated the original wheels (took off the chrome fatties) and slung some original size white side walls. We couldn't be happier. She turns heads and she's a blast to drive. (The truck, not my wife). Good luck on your decision. Let us know which way you go. Send pictures.

Keep the original look, add modern brakes, steering,electrical.

You say your wife's not a blast to drive?

If I had the time and money I'd hot rod them all. If you really want me to tell you what to do with yours I'll have to get back to you.

And besides that Hot Rods are just P.F.C !! (pretty fricken cool)

So, well... how do you really feel, Tabdoo?

Hot Rod em ??

well by now you should be really confused. LOL. I have owned and built many rods mild to wild and I now find myself appreciating the restored originals more then I ever did. It seems the originals are getting harder to find because of most being rodded. One good thing to think about if you are having a conscience problem, as usually was the case with me, if it wasn't for rodders, guy's restoring or collecting original parts would have a tougher time finding good used parts. Another good thing is selling those parts helps offset the cost buying expensive rod parts. It also kinda eases the pain a bit knowing your parts went to a good home. So please, if you do rod it...POST THE PARTS FOR SALE. Either way its still a Chevy truck and what could be better then that. Good luck and share the photos with us all.

IMO do what you want. It also depends on the truck you have. Example, if the previous owner dropped in a 350 engine w/ a 400 tranny, then it may make sense to go the hot rod route. But if it's still fundementally orginal, then bring her back by restoring.

I like stock original trucks. I can't afford to paint mine and I like the wear on the paint. Besides I don't have to worry about washing/waxing or paint chips and scratches. However I will spend time and money making certain the mechanics, front end and brakes are tip top. I also fell that its only original once. My two cents.

I would prefer to restore it to original.I still like the old original's or restored ones. Like others have said though it is to your personal tastes. That is what makes this hobby so interesting.
Jim

I like that, especially the "do it well!" part.


Personally like original looks, with some modern stuff carefully and neatly tucked in there so as to not be obnoxious.
I also think diesel is the way to go...

Grigg

Well, the first thing is, you GOTTA DRIVE IT!
Now, how would you most enjoy doing that? Would you enjoy tooling around town, running errands in a stocker? Or are you going to drive it to work every day? Take family trips and vacations in it?

Stand back--literally; park the thing on the street and walk a good distance away from it--and just look at it for a while. Take a couple picstures of it, and stare at them.

Your vision will come to you, because you're a car guy...well, truck guy. You have the "AFTER" glasses my wife is always complaining about. She sees them the way they are when she looks at them, I see them the way they could be.

For me, I'm doing somethign in between for my '62 Suburban. It's lowered a little, and has stock wheels with '55 Chevy poverty caps. It'll be suede black bottom, white roof and "green house." It has a crate 350 dressed to look like a 350hp 327 with factory chrome valve covers, a 1960's Edelbrock C3B intake and Edelbrock 4bbl under an open element air cleaner with decal. Oil fill tube and ram's horn manifolds. I'm putting a 4spd manual OD trans in it.
Seats will be stock, with '57 Chevy 150 cloth inserts, and that same cloth mounted on custom-made inserts for the door panels and the interior quarter panels. I'll be doing a bunch of other stuff that will be custom, but looks like the factory could have done it.
Because that's the vision I saw, when I thought about driving the truck across the country, driving it daily to work, and running errands around town.

-Brad

It's your truck, do what pleases you. It's not anyone else's business what you do with your own possessions. I have built many hot rods over the years, and now I have restored my GMC. Both ways are a lot of fun. Just a thought, if you hot rod it, try to keep from chopping it up in case one day you decide to return it to stock.

i am the 2nd owner of a stock 305 V6 67 GMC it is my daily driver and beer chaser BUT I GET TICKED OFF when my brother sayes lets slam her to the ground put a big block in and turn her in to a rocket i tryed more than once i cant do it to her she has got me into more crap and then got me back out again than i can think of but like all the rest of the bolters say how much cash you got well say how fast you go me i will get thar when i get thar to me STOCK ROCKES TILL NEXT TIME 67 GMC

whichever way you decide go ahead and do it correctly. i cut corners on my 38 the first time so now need to redo correctly. i had planned to just get the 54 running and stopping but as i get into it i find i might as well do it right then i won't have to keep going back other than normal maintence. personally i like original but am not a stickler for absolutely correct detail. go with what pleases you it's your truck.

I think that if the truck is in good enough condition to be restored, than it should be restored. If it is hacked into or in too bad of a condition to be restored, than you should hot rod it. This is my opinion.

@ this rate this belongs in GREASY SPOON

I am a street rodder. Take a look at the mods to my 62. No way I could go the stock or even stock look route. It is yours so what ever you want . That is the coolest thing about bringing a old truck back to life. Any way you decide the process of rebuilding it is the best fun you can have.

A buddy once told me to start building a vehicle by making a plan and then make sure you follow the plan. It is easy to get lost once you start and many unfinished vehicles get sold as a result.
Decide how you intend to use the truck and let that guide you. Will it be a daily driver, weekend parts chaser, cruise in social magnet, or a Goodguys contender? Do you want power steering, disc brakes, air conditioning, freeway cruise speed, good mileage, comfort, reliability, uniqueness? Think about it and then look at all the sub-systems on the truck and come up with a plan that addresses changes or rebuilds to each system necessary to meet you goals.
No matter which way you go, try to put it on the road as soon as you can and then upgrade/repair in increments as you go. That way you learn what you like and don't like about how it drives through real world experience.

A guy can make a truck look completely stock from the outside, and give it all the comfort and conveniences of a newer truck pretty easily. I agree with most of the other posts, if it's low mileage and stock, keep it that way. I'd search the gazillion photos of trucks on this site and others, and see what you like from each, and make it yours.

I like stock, but upgrades like power brakes, power steering and comfy seats make it nice to drive. Just make sure it can be restored to original, i.e. don't cut up the dash for a new CD player!. Good luck! Michael

DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!
http://www.dealsonwheels.com/search/detail.aspx?id=000007-200708-000030

Nothing wrong w/that truck IF that is what you like...Joe

well its just my opinion..thank God I live in America where I can stop pastel purple