The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 48 Chevy 4x4 Project

I have been reading this board for a while but never registered. I just wanted to get some of the expert opinions on my project.

Before you look at the pictures, yeah I know it's rough. But this was my Granddad's service truck that he bought somewhere around the early 50's.

I have wanted to build this truck for the past 20+ years but never did. It was going to be a 1/2 ton street rod but (1) it's kind of rough and (2) I have too many toys now and don't have the time to enjoy them.

I have an 86 Chevy that I use ALL the time around the farm (didn't put but 250 miles on it last year but used it almost every weekend moving trailer, going the dump, going to the Co-op...). I decided that I am going to build a replacement that instead of getting old, it just gets better.

I have an 82 Suburban 3/4 ton 4x4 drivetrain (4 inches shorter than a long wheel base truck of the same year model), 87 6.2L Diesel (that got about 23 mpg in the Suburban). I have done a lot of measuring and a lot of asking and it looks like it is going to work (If I can get a radiator big enough to cool it).

Here are some pictures. http://www.ericspears.com/48chevy.htm

Any comments or suggestions please send them my way. I don't want a show piece but rather something that I can drive, use as necessary and still turn some heads.

STP (Save The Patina)

Keep it going JeepCJ7. Looks like fun!

There are a few guys here with vintage 4x4's, I have a 55 with 58 NAPCO running gear I'm building. My project is pretty much a bolt on, yours on the other hand will take some serious modification. It will be an interesting truck if you can pull it off. I also second what Builder said, spray some dull clear over that patina, then it would look even better as a 4x4. Good luck, sorry I don't have much advice!

Keep at it a little paint goes a long way...your firewall looks good in red. I've seen a lot worse come back so yours can too.

Very ambitious project. I like it! Another member had a similar idea earlier this week. I modernized a 1957 3/4 a couple of years ago by putting a LWB 3/4 ton 1981 chevy 4x4 frame under it. I think it was a little easier than what you're attempting because Chevrolet widened the frames to 31.5" in 1955 and carried that through until 1987. Therefor, I was able to use the original body mount brackets off of the 57 frame and just fabricate vertical extensions to offset the dip in the Later frame. It also made fabricating core support mounts easier. The original frame of the 48 gets pretty narrow in the front. I said all of that to lead to some advice. I based all of my elevation measurements off of the bed. In other words, I positioned my bed where I wanted it, and pulled a series of straight line measurements to determine the difference in height of the frame to the various body mounts. That gets you close enough, and then you can use shims to fine tune it. the frame of the 48 is basically straight along the top of the frame rail, but the 82 frame will rise and fall, which is what allowed for the lower profile trucks of 1967-1987. I also had to shorten my frame by 8.5". I cut the frame with a sawzall, butt welded it back, and welded 3/8" diamond shaped gussetts on the inside and outside of the frame for added strength. I'll be glad to share any of my experiences with this type of conversion, just drop me a line. Sorry for the length.

That's for the comments. I'll tell you one thing, I am amazed at how many things are similar in 1947 and 1982. For example, I mounted the brake petal in the truck and was looking at mounting then master cylinder when I noticed that there is a small ridge in the 48 firewall. Not a big deal, but I was wondering how I was going to shim it and make it work (and look right) when I noticed that there was also a ridge (in almost the same place) on the Suburban. I didn't finish my final measurements but it looks like it will be fine (probably within an 1/16").

That's a very smart idea to get the bed where you want it but I took this project on with an attitude that the engine, transmission, exhaust, etc... was already in place and functioning properly. I was also trying to limit the amount of custom work that I would have to do the the steering and linkages (I hope the automatic transmission shifter works which will keep me from having to add a floor shifter).

Has anyone had good experiences with any particular brand of radiator? My original plan was to put the radiator in the bed like we do with our off road rigs but I really want to consider a dump bed (mainly for show but would also be kind of handy). If so it would have to have a nice size area for cooling, automatic transmission cooler and the oil cooler for the diesel engine. I realize that I could add those coolers but, as you know, The "Air Space" in that small grille area is somewhat limited.

I have actually got the cab set up on the frame and it looks pretty mean! I will try to get some pictures and keep you updated.

thanks again,
Eric

Oh, this is a little off topic but I think you will like it.

I have had some people asking about what was wrong with the original chassis or what I was going to do with it.

The first car (on the website below) was my Granddad's actually racecar that he raced in the 60's. We found it in an old racecar junkyard and was able to find enough original parts to bring it back.

BUT, if you scroll all the way to the bottom of the pictures you will see an unfinished car. When they first started racing in the 50's they would build the racecars on a shortened 3/4 pickup chassis. That gave them the 4.56 gears, heavy duty rears, heavy duty front hubs. They ran some Chevy engine but mainly 302 GMC 6 cylinder from the 470 series truck (which is where the number came from).

Check out www.Hohenwaldspeedway.com then click on 470 restoration. The one with the 48 Chassis is a the bottom

Sorry this is a little off topic but I hope you enjoy seeing more uses for a Classic Chevy pickup!

Ok, so it's been 4 months since I posted but Summer was a little busy to say the least.

I have the cab on the truck and have actually had it running (no steering hooked up so just running). But it's starting with the factory 82 steering column (tilt wheel, turn signals work, hazard lights work, even the horn is getting voltage out at the firewall so it will work too.

I was worried about several things. One of them being, will the wheel wells line up? They were off about 1/2 inch so I moved it forward. By doing this, now even the factory 82 column shift linkage for the transmission is lining up. Pretty neat how everything is falling in place.

Once I heard it run, I have pulled the Suburban radiator out (that thing is huge) and I have started mounted the front clip to see where the radiator is going to be. Looks like the factory location is going to work fine (after I modify a bracket on the frame).

So here is my question. What do I need to look at for a replacement for the radiator? It's a 6.2 liter diesel but only a 150hp engine. I don't want to spend a lot more than I have to but I ABSOLUTELY don't want to overheat and then end up buying another radiator later when I should have bought the right one in the first place.

I will need a built in transmission cooler and will probably run an external one too and I will also have an external oil cooler for the diesel engine.


Oh yeah, I have some pictures but don't have the cable to upload them so I will try to do that tomorrow.