CB Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 Ok fellers, since I done got me a pet cat now, I's gonna take a li'l break from the scratchin' and let him take over dat department fer awhiles........ Scored me a sealed up AMT '50 Chevy pickup a couple months ago at the flea market. Got it fer $10 off'n some crazy lady who said she looks thru her brother's stash of models every now and again, and if'n she sees he has more than one of something, she takes one of 'em for to sell at the flea market ........ I hope she's alright! Here's the boxes I's startin' with Hoping to build up the '50 pu into a street rod similars to what I saw a lot of the time back in the good old days (1969-73) when I worked at an Amoco station. All Cragars or Astros-- or stock wheels. Gonna use Cragars & tires outa the '37 Chevy coupe, springs & axles outa the '57 Chevy custom stepside, as well as the engine outa the '57. Hoping for a slight rakish stance, and may open up the rear fenders depending on where the slicks line up and/or how they look back there. May also 'cut' them to make 'em cheaters. Had to use the old bias plies up front coz the severely dropped front axle off'n the '57 was draggin' on the bench with the low profilers. Even with the taller tires, dat axle be hangin mighty low. Got the springy thingees taped on temporarily so's I can get 'em in the right position once I get some body parts slapped on top the frame. Aint scratchbuildin', but still a lot of work. Smoothied out the hood, and looks like I might hafta use my favorite tool--- the torch!--- on it, as it's a little too wide at the back. Gonna be a challenge puttin' all the glass in this one Probly gonna leave the bed uncovered to represent the kind of rods I 'grew up' with-- nothing fancy, but clean, solid builds, with most of the money in mechanicals (mostly engine) and paint.......and Cragars, of course. Aint thinkin' of any kinda crazy paint, again in keeping with those 'good old' local rods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 This should be fun when Skwirly eats it! Seriously, I'm not a truck person but I love the lines on this '50. I like the idea of a period built one .. the way the kid next door would have done it back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Kron Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Cool!!! It's already showing signs of being a carefully considered and executed build. Probably gonna be very tasty indeed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vizio93 Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 hey that's gonna look sweet. My dad has a 1:1 53' GMC that he's fixing up. pretty much the same style. he's dropping a 454 in it and painting it torch red. can't wait to see how you build it so maybe my dad will get some idea's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted May 27, 2009 Author Share Posted May 27, 2009 Thanks guys. Few years ago, I saw in a 'Truck Trader', a '52 Chevy pu that some guy in Florida was selling. Wished I coulda bought it-- it had a dually rear end, a 4door cab, full length bed, Caddy engine in it, and it was in grey primer-- for 10grand!!! Shoulda been nicer to the ex, and maybe I could be drivin' it today.........but then I'd still be married to her ........oh well, maybe I'll build a model of it somedays, but fer now this here '50 will do. I am trying to carefully do a tasty build, but as fer SKWIRLY eating it....... Got them good ol' boys attached to the bed, and.......... ......did a preliminary mock up. Hmmmm....... gotta get that rear end down a good bit.... .......and I believe I see how. Have to see about mounting the springs on the outsides of the frame railis to line up with the mounting points on the axle. Considered dropping the bed down on the frame, but that might involve dropping the cab as well, and I would like to avoid that, just as if it were a 1:1 project. Oh well, onward......and downward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 looking nice let me know when shes all set and well race ill bring my 53 ford PU flathead (it should be done by then) (link is in my siggy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vizio93 Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 ohh yeah i like that stance. way to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 looking nice let me know when shes all set and well race ill bring my 53 ford PU flathead (it should be done by then) (link is in my siggy) Wow-- dat's some Ford you got goin' there Elco! Love the paint scheme! and tha's quite the flattie! Don't think I'll be racin' you....... working on getting the stance down........ got clothes in the laundymat, so just a quiclkie post fer now......mo' pix later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Wow-- dat's some Ford you got goin' there Elco! Love the paint scheme! and tha's quite the flattie! Don't think I'll be racin' you....... working on getting the stance down........ got clothes in the laundymat, so just a quiclkie post fer now......mo' pix later thanks, i really just followed the body lines on the paint it seems to flow just right that the flathead was my first try at a ford engine (other then my blown 572 focus) i like where your truck is going but maybe you went a little to mild on the stance now ill be keeping an eye on this build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Funny thing 'bout the stance on this here '50........depending on what angle I looks at it, or shoots it wit the camera, that rear end just seems way up there. I caint even imagine what it woulda looked like if'n I used the stock springy thingees . Oh well, I am trying to stay with me original idea of recreating a street roddy type ride that I used to see back in the early 70s, and not like when the air shocks first became popular. I remember putting gas in a 64 LeMans that had air shocks on the back and driver had 'em pumped up so high the gas filler tube was above my waist . So no high falutin' rear end on this here Chebby-- peeps might think there's a HUGE engine up front there . Andyhows, here's what I been up to: I wanted to bring the stock body & frame down as far as possible by making mods to the springs & yeah, did spring for a severely dropped front axle, but didn't want to get into dropping the body on the frame, etc, again, in keeping with the low buck neighborhood driveway build. Set the bed down on the bench upside down (just like in the driveway ) and got the frame down on the mounting points, then set the assembled rear axle & springs on the frame and brought it down to where them cheaters just touch the opening. It looked goodly all around, and may just 'drop' up into the fenders a bit more when I open them up a tad. Lookin' a li'l better under there, and since I'm tryin' to include a li'l more details than I ussually would with an OOBie......... I be tempted to just do a curbsider and run the wire axle thru holes drilled in the frame rails Here be what I be talkin' about-- this here view makes it look like the bed is actually tilting up in da back and yet in this view it aint so radical lookin' like . Sure is one big honker nose on it tho'! Caint imagines throwin' a chop on it. On me computer I drew some cut lines for opening up them big bubbly fenders so's we has a nice even gap around them cheaters....... .....and it might be lookin' like this here.... but now, as I look at it, might look better if'n I drop the front a little more and open up the front fenders a bit......aaarrrrgghh! I aint got the bucks fer all dat! Well, we'll get back to that issue later. I done checked to see if'n dat big engine outa the '57 custom stepside was gonna fit in there with the inner fenders & fireywall in place. Looks like I could put a couple of 'em in there! Them headers are right up against the inner fenders, so gonna be a hot compartments. I sees on me Fotki that I could get this here pic on a coffee mug. Hmmmmm......maybe when it's painted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 starting to look like something you know in several of the pictures it almost looks like the frame is slightly bend, right behind the cab almost like it dips there i think that is what makes it look so od, the tail end of the bed seems to want to lift Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 .....and it might be lookin' like this here.... but now, as I look at it, might look better if'n I drop the front a little more and open up the front fenders a bit......aaarrrrgghh! I aint got the bucks fer all dat! I like this idea, especially opening up the fenders more. And as for the cash, its a TRUCK for gosh sakes! Nice thick sheet metal wanting to melt away under the torch .. or hacksaw if you can't borrow a torch ... and that old Louisville Slugger to round it all back out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted May 30, 2009 Author Share Posted May 30, 2009 you know in several of the pictures it almost looks like the frame is slightly bend, right behind the cab almost like it dips there i think that is what makes it look so od, the tail end of the bed seems to want to lift Yeah, Eelco, I believe yer right 'bout that-- not only might it be bent, but a wee bit warped as well. Gonna hafta set it down on a good flatly surface & see 'bout applying some heat to it, straightens it out. I was messin' with the front axle/spring setup this afternoons and also went thru some of me stash, lookin fer some other tires, having made the decide to not use the slicks, but go with the same size tires all around. Found a set, can't remember what they came out of, but mocked them up after getting the front end down a bit more and I'm planning on going with this here stance: I figure when I get the frame straightened out a bit, and get the bed & cab mounted down securely, it's gonna sit a little lower than what we're seein' here. I's happy with how it's turnin' out, more like the 'driveway' build I originally thunk of. Being satisfried with those changes, I went ahead & attached the front leafs to the severely dropped front axle, clamped 'em, put everting in the box & hid it from the cat till next session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Kron Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Regarding the rear seeming too high. First I think you should straighten the frame - now that diymirage has spotted it, it might explain the odd gap between the cab and bed as well. But if you still feel like bringing the rear end down after that then it looks to me like the rear axle is mounted below the rear springs, in which case you could move the axle to on top of them. That would bbrng the rear down the diameter of the axle housing. Otherwsie so far it's looking funky cool delicious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted June 1, 2009 Author Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thanks guys for the obs on the frame. I layed it out on a piece of window, and it was rockin & rollin' so I done fired up the torch (me stubby li'l candle ) and wrastled it kinda straighter...... ....li'l uglier, but straighter. Then I stuck the body & bed on to see how she sats, and had to try & secures it a bit, so put a big gumband 'roundy bouts the cab & clamped the bed down.... ......thought about towing it over to 'Under Glass', but.....since it looked a little better, I deciderd to crawl underneath & tack the front end in place...... ......and realized afresh why I aint real keen on these here OOBies, I misses me teeny li'l bolts & nuts but I got over it and soldiered on. I could see way off, them Cragars SSs weren't gonna be fittin in them skinny tires with the backy plates too, so I had to start sanding..... ...and keep sanding .......and keep sanding, and %#$@$#^!! looky thar! I done sanded 2/5ths of the Cragar hub away . So now I gotta change me story.......and I still be doing a driveway build, but I got me a set of blemished Cragars SSss fer cheap (apologies to Cragar, my favorite custom wheel of all time-- I know they would not allow a 'blemished' wheel leave the place) oooohh......dat gonna show! 'specually with the 'drum' painted black, or red, or.......just hafta not show this side, I guess. Well, anyhow, I got the rest of the Cragars thinned down safely and stuck 'em all on... ...and it's gettin' there. Now the bed looks like it's a'tiltin' the other way , but all them parts are gotta hafta be gettin all glued into position mucho betters. Already made dat change to me story that, heck, it's a 20+ year old truck fer cryin' out loudlys, and it gonna have some saggin' or warpin' goin' on with the frame Well, thar she sits.....as always, you can put Cragars on just 'bout anything & make it look good. Been thinkin' on paint, & purty much decided to try some Mopar Maroon. Me boss at the Amoco station I worked at had a '68 Charger in dat deep, dark, black cherryish maroon color, so........we shall see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 overall it looks much better but especially the driver side look ducky not sure if i like the cragars on there.... ..just kidding, those are awesome rims starting to come together now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted June 2, 2009 Author Share Posted June 2, 2009 overall it looks much better but especially the driver side look ducky not sure if i like the cragars on there.... ..just kidding, those are awesome rims starting to come together now T'anks dude. Always did like the Cragars. Yeah, it's coming together-- the pressures on. Any progresso on yer '53 with the mean flattie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted June 2, 2009 Share Posted June 2, 2009 T'anks dude. Always did like the Cragars. Yeah, it's coming together-- the pressures on. Any progresso on yer '53 with the mean flattie? pretty decent i hit a small snag on the tailgaite i was going with a stock one but the paint didnt work out on that so i got a smoothed out custom one and then....the paint didnt work out on that one but the rest is close to done still needs a lot of detailng though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted June 8, 2009 Author Share Posted June 8, 2009 Finally got some time to do some bodywork on the '50. Decided to sand the areas down where the cab & fender fillers are before sloppin' a buncha putty on 'em-- see how it looks first. Lots of mold marks what needed offed, so wound up spendin' a lot more time sanding than I thought. Covered up areas I didn't want sanded so's I could sand the areas needing sanded without worrying 'bout taking stock off them other areas. Using a cut down nail filing ememry board here on them fender filler inners Squirted some satin undercoating underneath Had some of this etching primer left so I figured I'd see what it'd look like It done did what it done did before when I got excited and started puttin' it on heavy So here's where we is now. Can't wait to be gluing the body & bed down-- can't get any good pix while holding the body down. Kinda like this here look with the greeny primer, but planning on trying a nail polish paintem up, go for a dark maroon, black cherry kinda color. Wish me lucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted June 8, 2009 Share Posted June 8, 2009 looking good bro you got the rake perfect now, the work on the frame paid off well make sure you put some clamps on there holding the bed to the frame i just gleud the bed on my ford and it was the only way to make it sit right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted June 11, 2009 Author Share Posted June 11, 2009 Been doing some puttying up and sanding and puttying up & sanding again on this here Chebby. Whiles waiting on the puttys to dry, figured I'd work on the powerplant a bit, and seeing them cool prewired distributors got me thinkin' I could do somthing similars....... so I drilled out the top of the disty already glued in palace, dropped a big gob of gel super dupers in and stuffed 9 #22 gauge RadShak speaker wires in there....... ...and then I dunked it in some orange juice Got a good coat of sanding primer on over top of the putty'd up etching primer. Looked goodly, so..... Used this here Ford color on me Chebby Since I plans on making the final coats some kinda black cherry color using nail polish, I figured this here platinummy silvery would be a good base color. I got it long time ago fer a 64 Mercurary, so it were handy. Gettin excited--and nervous-- 'bout squirtin' the nail bitin' final 'paint', hopin' I mixes up enuff and me airbrush works ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E St. Kruiser50 Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Lookin great John Are ya going to clear-coat the 'Platinum" before ya shoot the "nail-biten polish"?? Makes a huge difference in the final color/finish. dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted June 12, 2009 Author Share Posted June 12, 2009 Lookin great John Are ya going to clear-coat the 'Platinum" before ya shoot the "nail-biten polish"?? Makes a huge difference in the final color/finish. dave T'anks Dave. Didn't really think of that -- clear-coatin' before the nail biting....... , but I just looked at it--(it's hidden in a room me cat can't get into) -- and it aint as shiny as it weres when it was wet, so I's gotta make a trip to me LHS for some clear..........and maybe, probably, some other stuff too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CB Posted July 22, 2009 Author Share Posted July 22, 2009 beened slowly butt surely gettin' some done on this here Bowtie ... had abit of a setback 'bout a week ago when I done broked my left pinky-- kinda hard to do any gloopin' of them small parts with a big honkin' cast surrounding yer one hand ... bit I beened tryin and here's where we be at the moment Thrashed the interior togethers bone stocks 'ceptin fer a big floor shifter Had me good fun plumbin' this here small (?) blok outa some custom 57 Chevy stepsider, but when I added the genermanator & fan blades it wouldn't fit! ...so it's headin' curbside Sun came out the other day fer a spell, so's I took 'er out fer a li'l shoot. Noticed them Cragars aint showin' up real goodly in the photos, so.... ...I done slopped some diluted India ink on 'em.... ...and methinks they lookin' mucho beters now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diymirage Posted July 22, 2009 Share Posted July 22, 2009 you know, if you slap that engine in the bed there will be plenty of room for fans, atenemarators and what have you it will also give you a better weight distribution for pulling some wheelies love the ways those cragars look once inked you know...theres a ford waiting for this truck at the next trafic light Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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