Simple '49 Truck
 

So I poked around long enough and got so many great ideas I figured it was time to start a build thread. I picked up a ’49 Chevy ½ ton in Salam, OR the other week making my first steps into truck building. I also was able to hook up with Chizzler for some great pointers and will be working with Bruce at the Vintage Rod Barn to get her hauling a…

Current Vision:
Scott’s Hot Rod IFS and 4 bar setup – purchased last week
Ford 8.8 rear end, 3.73 posi and disk brakes – purchased last week
275x40R18 steelies - hopefully
LQ9 6.0L Truck Engine with 4L80e tranny
Power steering
Power brakes
No A/C or heat
12V upgrade
Little interior or body work

Started tear down a week or so ago.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Nice! Need much rust repair?

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Sid, it's not bad. Both inner side panels in the cab will need replaced but other than that I think it's good. We'll see once more stuff starts getting pulled apart.

Had a slow weekend with the truck because we headed to Nashville for my mom's surprise birthday and had a blast. I did however locate an LQ4/4L80 combo that will be getting pulled out of an 05 silverado this coming Friday.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Looks like a good starting point. Ambitious plan - how long do you plan on working on it to the point where you can drive it? I like the ideas of the LS swaps but always get scared away by the initial costs involved (I always hear about the 300-100 dollar combos, but can't say I have ever seen one around here).

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

I'm sure I'll be called crazy but I'm shooting for running and driving by Memorial Day Weekend. From the baselined schedule we're just a little off. Front and rear suspension shows up on 11-6 worst case and the engine should be available in plenty of time to beat the January date.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

I can honestly say that is the first time I've seen a MS Project Gantt chart in the build section...I Love IT!!!! To comment, not seeing how your sub-tasks roll up, I think you're a little ambitious with 11 days to complete Electrical, but at the same time a little conservative with 14 days for dissasembly. Either way what a great use of a project mgmt tool, and you'll have visibility to progress trends. Heck I spend enough time on this forum at work, I think i'll dump my project into Project.

Nice work!

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

My computer monitor is not wide enough to show the 14 years mine has been off the road....

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

That was the engineer/project manager in me that created that. You should see how many tabs are in the budget spreedsheet!

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

memorial day? what year :D
i'm with orrieg on my 8 yr build, my critical path kept riding off in to the sunset
don't be disappointed if memorial day comes and goes with your truck still in pieces
life gets in the way :D

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Minor updates, everything is disassembled except for the engine/tranny which will be coming out Saturday. The plan is to head to Bruce’s next weekend to get the frame blasted and begin the suspension install. I’m banking on the Scott’s boxes rolling in two weeks from now.

I ordered up a universal mustang tank and in-tank fuel pump from Tank Inc the other day. I still need to get a filter/regulator but want to see what the return setup is on the LS engine I’m looking at. The engine is supposed to be getting to town today or tomorrow. I also ordered a Champion radiator.

Next up I’ll be looking to order a frame mounted booster, master cylinder, and proportioning value. I’m thinking I’ll need the residual values as well. And then a floor mounted Lokar shifter.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Oh I forgot to ask and I haven’t done any research yet. I’ll be digging into that over the next few nights. I’m leaning toward a dual 7” booster and a 1” bore master. Going to be running an 11” disc/disc setup and don’t have any clue what the pedal ratio is going to be yet. Any thoughts?

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Nice truck you have there!
Nice schedule also ;-)

I've learned in the past, schedules are not my friend!

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

I never bothered trying to establish any kind of timeline. Way too many other priorities for both my time and money. I just try to set some motivational goals - getting the frame modified and chassis rolling, getting the body back on the frame, starting the engine, etc.
Pretty cool to see them all stock and pretty much unmolested (before the restoration). They were so simple and basic. Really nothing there that didn't need to be there.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Engine/trans made it in. Prety pumped about that.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Lol at the schedule. I hope you have plenty of float and if the schedule is cost-loaded plenty of cushion! Here's to many happy milestones and zero LD's!

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Love the LS package too. Enjoy the build!

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

I'm glad you guys are liking my schedule. I guess we'll see how well this goes.

More parts and pieces are starting to accumulate. The order to CPP for brake setup has been placed. Body/bed mounts showed up this week as well as the fuel regulator. Need to start looking at the wiring scenario.

Suspension will hopefully show up next week but I know the guys from Scott's are busy with SEMA.

Underside of the hood has been fully scrapped to remove the mastic liner someone had installed.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Had a quick question. Would you guys recommend changing out the door latches? I've seen talk on the forum of guys changing them out for safety. What's the general consensus? Thanks

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

If you have ever driven one of these trucks and had the door pop open turning a corner it will scare the p*** out of you. Even with seat belts. One of the best changes I've made is to install bear claw latches. So yes, for safety and piece of mind, I'd change the latches.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

door latches popping open are usually from 60 year old worn out latches
i've driven these trucks as dd's since 1973 lost a few people out the pass door with old latches
back then reman latches were not available we were stuck with finding junk yard parts
i replaced mine with new stock reman latches, 25,000 miles later and i've never had a door pop open

many here will recommend welding in other style latches
i find that most have never driven old trucks much and have incomplete builds

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

It's been a little slow but the Scott's boxes finally showed up yesterday.

I cleaned up all of the old gauges and will be replacing the oil pressure gauge with a 0-60 gauge but keeping the 0-30 face to tie in with the rest of the faces. Also looking to order Dakota Digital’s electrical to mechanical speedo converter.

The heater motor has been replaced and the heater cleaned up overall. Looking to do something inside of the engine bay to replace the old mechanical valve box inside of the cab but haven’t gotten too far on that.

Headlight buckets have been cleaned up, just need to order some new bulbs.

Searched around the forum quite a bit and liked the door latch solution 99 to Life came up using a deadbolt design and actuators. I’ll probably headed this route.

Cab and frame are apart and the frame is being blasted this week with suspension mock up to follow.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Made some more progress. I figured out late in the game the temperature gauge copper tubing was broken so I cut it out and soldered in a new one from AutoZone. Cost about $20.00 but the gauges should be complete now. I am going to change out the light sockets on them as soon as I find one that fits.

Also cleaned up a few rust spots and get the front suspension installed.

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Progress

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Very nice...looks really good!
What headers are you using?

Re: Simple '49 Truck
 

Looks great...Jim