The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts How many others are building hot rods

I am taking a 52 GMC 350 and placing the body on a one ton step van frame with a 4bt Cummins and a 4L80E and I am painting it cream white with orange fenders and a blue frame(GULF colors). I know this is mostly about restoration but I wanted to see what other guys are planning. I want mine to look like the truck in this video except with a GMC cab.

That's a cool vid, thanks for sharing. It makes me want to do the same with the 3800 I have out back.

Thanks for sharing that KB "Binder"! I really like that little rig!The '52 will be even cooler,since it's a "Jimmy"! Here's another "Binder,with a tandem set-up,using one-ton axles!! I'd like to see how he makes it work. I imagine a transfer case located just fore of the front axle,with the rear output-shaft drive located above the front axle travel then a short shaft,with a crazy angle,to the rear axle? Engine happens to be a "Powerstroke",which is widely used in Ferds,but actually engineered by Navistar,(I.H.C.),keeping it in the "Family".

I'm building a 1939 Chevy i ton COE truck on a 1980 P30 frame. Nice frame

my truck is V8 / auto trans / i ton rear-end 3.55 gears,
air bagged in the weeds... Tilt Cab.

The blue truck in my photos is a photoshop photo of my rusty truck when I first brought it home. That is exactly what my truck will look like when it's done.

I have seen the tandem truck video also and I would love to see how they did it. I like the blue photoshop picture and I really am leaning towards lowering and stuffing 22.5s machined to 22s under mine. I can not decide whether to build a pickup or leave it like the international. I have an old fire truck bed to cut up for a pickup bed if I want to. I might need to start a poll on that question.
Thanks
Brad

Ameritow Ruston, that's my plan for my firetruck too. Would like to find some adapters to put some super singles on the back and get some nice polished wheels. Waiting on my dual Fentons and working on Fuel injection setup. Jim

If you go cummins, look for a 12valve. You can grind the fuel plate and double the torque and hp and still be a daily driver.

Don't take this as anything but my personal opion, but I can't stand the 'hot rods' that look all the same with shiny this and parts ordered from Jegs that.

You know whats REALLY hard to do, and very, very unique? Factory Stock. Anyone can order 22inch spinners. Very, very few can research the proper type, size and color etc then go out and find the parts that made the trucks what they are.

50-60-70 years ago these trucks WERE daily drivers.

So if you want to impress me, do a proper 100 point restoration. Everything else can be found on page X of the Summit catalog.

I wouldn't call my truck a "hot rod" and it's not stock either. I like good useable plain and simple things. Adapting your truck to do it's job better or easier, easy to work on, and long lasting, are things I like.

Chrome, visors, lots of lights, lowered and so on do nothing for me. Look at that IH example, looks somewhat like a small semi truck but no bed and no hitch; In my mind I wonder what's the point if you can't use it for anything related to what trucks were built for and good at?

Grigg

Maybe he doesn't want to impress *anyone*. Maybe he's just trying to do what he wants with his own truck and looking for input from others who are like minded. I hope there's room for everyone in here.

Merry Christmas, everyone

John, if there wasn't room for everyone here I would have been tossed out long time ago

EDIt:
...and I deleted the rest of what I originally typed. I'll save it for the spoon!

John, Merry Christmas to you and the Boss

Opinions, well, you know what they say. I want my truck to be usable to me for what I want to do with it. I want it to be as affordable to drive as I can make it, as well as reliable as possible on My budget. Don't want a "100 point" museum piece that I'd be afraid to drive. Don't want a trailer queen either. I'm building my truck to impress me. You'll know I'm impressed by the grin on my face. Thanks. Jim.

The factory built hundreds of thousands of "Factory Stock" trucks. Therefore, by definition, there is nothing unique about "Factory Stock", it is exactly the opposite of "unique".

That being said, IMO it's all good. The older I get the more I like restored originals.

But everything I currently own, that is older than about 10 years, is a Hot Rod.

http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/...Status%20Photos/GEDC1232_zpse66ae036.jpg

I have one that is really close to a totally restored truck and now I want a driver that gets great mileage and is fun to drive. At least that is the plan. My friends want me to build it into a rat rod but that is NOT my style. I want a somewhat original looking truck that is easy to drive and take care of and pull a trailer.
Thanks
Brad

You from Ruston, so am I but live in Mississippi now. Building my wife a 1936 chevy truck to drive; auto, air, power everything, with an LS motor. Allen 601-898-4718

Thanks,John! That's the SPIRIT!! Grigg,I really like your truck,and especially all of the GOOD you do for our benefit. I was thinking about building one of these "mini semi's",(tandem-axle),since the '70's,but just a pipe dream.(So Far-still thinking about that '55 L.C.F.). I want to add a "sleeper", a 5th-wheel,and the proper trailer-braking set-up. Contract as a "Hotshot". Then it would truly serve its purpose,and do it in style!!. Merry Christmas to ALL!!

The question as posed, is open to both 'yes' and 'no' replies. I said no. I can appreciate a custom truck, but never as highly as one put back to stock. As to the 'they made millions of them' yeah, back in the 50-60s. Now we are down to a few thousand if that.

I boil it all down to effort. It takes a TON of effort to get back to stock. It takes little to order bling from a catalog. I talked to a few people that had customized their trucks and it's usually little more than talking about what it cost, and what catalog they ordered from.

But listening to a guy talk about how he had to search high and low for years, and make trade after trade to get the X part (radio, knob, trim piece) is always a much better story.

Most of the stories about the rare parts for my truck (43 CCKW) usually start with 'I was talking to a guy in England/France/Netherlands...'

I don't dislike hot rods... but I will walk right past them to see a restored truck.

I'm glad that its a free country and we can all make our own choices...

You are both right - it just depends what you are referring to.

There obviously was nothing unique about factory stock coming off the assembly line. However, finding factory stock (original parts) 50+ year old trucks today would most likely be unique.

Attempting to simply restore/maintain one of these old trucks with factory style/spec parts is a challenge. These types of restored trucks are close to unique. This is what I usually try to do, but I break my own "rules" without concern about the opinions of others (and without preaching to others about what/why I do what I do with my trucks).

It is, however, enjoyable to pick-apart for-sale ads for old trucks that say things like "bone stock" "all original" "one of 300 hundred made" "last known original example".

Build a hot-rod, build a "restoration", build a "driver" - enjoy the build and enjoy the drive.

Pfarber, the way I see this thread, and I am not trying to attack you or criticize in any way, is this it was addressed to guys building hot rods. Not necessarily asking for opinions on them. I am not really that into hot rods or rat rods but I look at them for the vision the builder had or has for the project, the amount or degree of fabrication in it and also that it is one less piece of old iron not being crushed. Typically I wouldn't have participated in a thread like this because I am not building a hot rod. I would just read it and continue on or maybe even learn a thing or two.
We can debate for ever, terms like restored, survivor and all original to death. As has been said before, they are only original once. Change the battery and its not original any more. I can appreciate the 100 point resto jobs but I don't mind seeing a truck that has been "restored" or "re-done" with a nice paint job and maybe some modern upgrades. There has been a truck on Ebay for a while that claims to be 100% resoted and the person wants 60+ thousand for it. If you could afford to buy it or do a restoration like that then what do you do with it? put it in a museaum? strickly show and trailer? Dosnt seem like that would be much fun.
Take a truck like Buggys '57 LCF
http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/kamerer%20shane%201957.html
definitely not stock or a 100 point resto but you have to appreciate the time, engineering and fabrication he has in it and I think it is absolutely beautiful!
Then again, that just MY opinion....and we all have one. So I agree with Tim, build it the way you want and enjoy it!

The question as posed in the subject-title: "How many others are building hot rods"

I suspect the original poster was interested in hearing from hot-rodders?

Hey Marlow ... About *your* truck ... Dude ... I don't get it ...

Tim, in my rambling miss guided way, that is kind of the way I saw it.


John, I know, why, right? Why?

This thread is what I love best about this site. I dont own a Big bolt (yet) but have a "rodded" 49 suburban which brings me to happy happy happy. Others think I ruined it. That we can have a civil debate amongst the groups without the trash talk I see on some of my other frequent sites should make all stovebolters proud. If you don't know what I mean go over to HAMB and talk about chopping a Model A Ford and see the flaming that occurs. Merry Christmas Stovebolters.

I am building a '66 C60 on a '97 C6500 frame with a Duramax / Allison drivetrain. I have owned plenty of stock old trucks which are fun for puttering around town. I want a truck I can drive cross country at highway speeds.

I've built a few over the years. Kept my 65 c-10. It's a hot rod I think.

I don't take much of anything on the internet personally. Every site has its pecking order and you live with that until you get bored or banned.

I read the question to be open ended... you know, open for discussion. I voiced my opinion and my reasons. Of course of the 34,000 people here (of which less than 1% are active posters, 300 or so) at least a few will agree, a few will disagree, and other will not care. That's how the internet works.

Not to get to far off topic, but if you were to ask people why the do not post, being rebuked for their opinions is probably going to be in the top 3 answers. Debate (respectfully) but never exclude/pressure/browbeat otherwise any web site will devolve into a dozen or so active posters with little new material to contribute.

My opinion is do what you like. I like factory trucks. Arguably the hardest to accomplish.

Tell me that you bought a new crate motor full of chrome that was dyno'd for 500hp. Neato. Not much to say, moving along.
Tell me that you rebuilt the motor in your garage (a very rare occurrence these days) and we can talk tips and tricks, sources of hard to get parts, paint codes, factory/non-factory accessories etc etc... ie there is much more fun in it.

I can appreciate (somewhat) a hot rod, but generally not. I could spend all day looking and learning about a factory truck and what things were like in the 40's 50s.

There are different variety's of "hot rods" too.

Several mentions now of flipping through the catalog, buying parts, chrome, and so on and bolting it all together.
There's also scouring the junkyards and swap meets for good and suitable parts and components (any make and model) to build what you want. With that approach you're unlikely to end up with one that looks like it came out of the Speedway or Summit catalog.

I like looking at the second kind of hot rod better, looking and spotting all the parts from different applications that happen to work perfect for the new vehicle as built. Appropriate use of materials, not chrome everything, or diamond tread firewall... who walks on the firewall?

Grigg

My latest motor is a low budget ford build. Intake from a v8 explorer and bottom end off a 05 cobra. I've done both routes and all motors built in my fathers garage. I love storming the junkyards for parts.

While we're on the subject,my friend,Ron,WAS converting a '49 Studebaker 2-ton,into a 4X4. He swapped the front axle,and acquired a 300 Ford motor for it. He hacked the radiator support,as well as the front cross-member,to make room for the longer engine. When he had problems,trying to figure the motor mounts,and bell crank,he gave up. Luckily,he sold it to Billy W,(the guy with the '59 Viking bus),who's going with a 350/350 Auto. I'm glad it's going to someone,who'll bring the "Old Girl" back to "Life". And the drive-train will be Chevy!

That ford 300 is a good motor also. But are either the 300 or 350 enough motor for a 2 ton? Anyone ever hop up an old 6.2 diesel?

My 59 Apache is modified a wee bit,went with a late 70's Camaro subframe,so I now have independent suspension,disc brakes,power steering and power brakes,all for $150 and a bit of time and elbow grease.I put the $50 Camaro rear axle out back with highway friendly gears, fitted ontop of the original truck springs. Running the steel 15 inch Camaro wheels with some spider caps and some el cheapo skinny whites.
The truck rides great around the doors and out on the highway.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...cket-13217-1379539793994_zps84035bd7.jpg

hey, I like it!!

Looks good, doing anything with your '55 LCF wrecker?

Just get it driving and stopping to start with, then I'll start looking for a disc brake I beam front axle for it and a 14 bolt rear with some 3.73 gears.

Hollow65, The axles are from a '72 I.H.C. 1100,with 3:73 Dana's. They're going to be grafted to the stock 2-ton (shortened) frame. The 350,or (300) would suffice nicely in this set-up. Happy Holidays!