This is my high school sweetheart being restored a second time due to carburetor backfire in 1998.
I originally did a frame up on my 1953 1/2ton back in 1988. While being stripped apart, I came across a 1950 5 window cab & decided to use it as I liked the driver side vent along with the wind windows. I also decided to convert it to a 4x4 using a 1966 1/2 ton closed knuckle front end shortened on the left side 3.5" to match the original spring width. I also added power steering.
I drove this truck alot for 10yrs before the fire struck the old girl.
I decided this last December to strip her down again & do a full blown frame up again.
The engine is a 350sbc with a 465 tranny & 211 rockwell transfer case. The rear diff is a 12 bolt 3.73 posi & the front is a dana 44 with 3.73 limited slip.
I'm going to up grade the front again with a newer dana 44 with open knuckles & disk brakes as I upgraded the brake system to power brakes.
The color of the truck is HUGGER ORANGE. I'm waiting for the cab to get done being painted as I have all the other parts back & ready to put together.
I bought a totally new bed with wood & stainless hardware from MAR-K products out of Oklahoma. I also bought new front & rear fenders.
As of this date there are a few things still on the shopping list (grille, bumpers, splash apron & glass). Every nut & bolt has been changed out & all the original parts have been bead blasted, primed & repainted.
I have posted pics on my Facebook page of the whole restoration - so email to get the link. I'm hoping to have her done by July so I can hit a few local car shows this late summer/fall & for some weekend cruising.
This truck has been in the family since the 1960's & I plan on handing it down to my daughters to keep it going.
Stopped by the body shop this morning to check on cab. They got it all painted but needed to buff it out. I'll be getting the cab on friday, so excited. I posted more pics on the web site for all to look at. I had left a camera with the body shop for them to take pictures during the process, that's the pics I posted. Later Slick
Well as of today I got the most of the interior done. Front windshields in also installed corner windows. Installed new gauges & electric windshield wiper motor. Hopfully this next week will finish the wiring & start the engine(fingers are crossed). Until next time.......
So here it is a week before Christmas & thought by now I'd have the truck done but other things in life became center stage over the summer & fall but I will soon be on track to finish the job. Will be posting some pics soon as I have a hole stack of them to post. Until then Merry Christmas!!!
A few months have past & I have not had much time to work on her. I was hoping to finish the truck by St.Patricks day car show in Heppner. I have had a chance to work on it this week & mounted the new tires & wheels, installed the wing window & stainless to the drivers door, worked on the brakes getting the blead out in doing so I noticed a leak between the tranny & transfer case so I'll have to reseal that. I have almost all the sheetmetal on the truck know except for the grille & hood. If the weather holds out next week I'll pull it out of the shop & take some pictures of her. I have done so much that I forgot to post alot of it on here as I was really pushing myself last year to get her done. So now it's spring & I'm puching myself again to get this truck & the 1948 1-ton done for summer so others can enjoy them as well..... Later for now, Rick
The last couple of days I got the hood put on re-checked everything under the truck to make sure I tightened & installed everything correctly. Removed transfer case, tore down, received all new seals in the mail. This weekend I'll install seals & reinstall transfer case & get the drivelines installed. Until nest time...
Yesturday, I replaced all the seals in the transfercase, remounted it to the transmission, connected both drivelines. Getting closer for a test drive.....
Well been a few months since I've been on here. I did take her for a test drive down the drive way & back. Still waiting on body shop to repaint hood as it's the wrong color. Grill still needs to put in but waiting on body shop to cut & puff the whole truck. I'm hoping in the next month or so she'll be all finished in time for St.Patricks parade & car show in Heppner. Until the next time, Keep the grind going....
Today finished putting the door glass in both doors. Rechecked all the nuts & bolts on the truck starting from the rear forward. Leveled out the cab & rear bumper. Blead the brakes, but still have some air in the system, more on that soon. Was going to take the truck last week to bodyshop but I might do it this week or next.
Ok, I finally added more photos. Heading to bodyshop today to drop the truck off to get hood repainted & buffed. Going to be a long few weeks. Hopefully will have the truck done by the end of April.
Hood all back together, today I'm going to start adjusting the hood & front end. Ordered a new floor mat for the inside, I have a new carpet but decided to go with the mat as I think it's a cleaner look.
Today I removed steering column to make sure that it's not the cheap CHINA repo, glad it's not. Also finished installing carpet & getting a few of the pedals reconnected, hopefully finish that all up tomorrow. Also bead blasted inner grille & dropped of to get powder coated.
I finally got it all done....Whew.....took it for a short drive the other evening. all good. Inspected it yesterday & noticed the left front caliper has a leak. I buffed it out yesterday getting ready for the 4th of July car show here in IONE. Been raining but will pull it out in the next few days to take some pics & get them posted.
great looking truck, it would look really good in Tx, long horn fans would for sure love it..........
Redryder pix My Hotrod A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard, or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to The 'United States of America', for an amount of "up to and including my life." I am fighting cancer and I am winning the fight | Pain is part of life; misery is an option.
Gonna pull the truck out of the shop storage this weekend & get her all polished up for the year. Hope to have another good year of showing the girl off....
Very nice truck. Scenery looks great too, looks like off 97 in Oregon somewhere.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
nice work.