My long term 57 project
 

I recently found this forum and have enjoyed reading about your projects. So I thought I would share mine. I bought my 57 Big Window Short Bed in Jan 1993 in Oklahoma City. I was completing pilot training for the Air Force and ran across an ad for it in the auto trader. I drove it back to SC pulling a Jeep CJ-7 with its long block in the bed!

Well, I got stationed in Panama South America for 3 years before getting to Charleston, SC. It sat another 3 years before I got the time to get started on it!

The first thing I did was remove the front sheet metal to get to the 428? Caddy motor and trans. My uncle gave me a Camaro clip and I hauled it down to Lawrenceville, Ga to have Mike Chesser weld it in. From the trucks I've seen clipped he does the best job of making it look like a factory install.

Re: My long term 57 project
 

After getting it home I pulled the motor and trans from my Grandfathers 71 Impala. It was a good runing 350/300HP and 350 trans combo and my Mom gave it to me. My Dad and I made a trans crossmember after one I had seen in a Classis Trucks article. I think we went a little over board, but it sure is strong!

JJ

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I completly rebuilt the front suspension with all new components, poly bushings and powdercoated the A-Frames and springs and spindles.

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The engine was in and out a few times before I did a "Krylon" rebuild. I just planned to use it for fitment and to build around it, but I got carried away and fully dressed it out!

Re: My long term 57 project
 

Looks good. You also worked over the cab, any more pics of it.

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That is a sweet looking truck you are building. That guy really DOES know how to put a camaro clip in and make it look almost factory. That is the best camaro clip job I have ever seen!
You and I must have bought our trucks from the same person. My 56 cameo also has a 429 caddy motor that was installed by one of the previous owners.

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Welcome, very nice work.

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Thanks JML55, your work is very impressive!!

JJ

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GRMSS

I have done a lot of work on the cab, I'll put up more pics soon! Thanks, JJ

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I bought a mig to do the welding on the cab myself. I had never done any before but thought this would be a great way to learn! There were A LOT of holes to fill including a very large one from the PO who put the Caddy motor in it. They had just covered it using the famous license plate trick! So I cut a section form one that had been rolled. I cut a larger section from mine to make it easier to line up, using as many flat areas and straight cuts as I could. There's probably a 1000 tacks to hold it in place!!

JJ

Re: My long term 57 project
 

welcome >>>>nice work keep it up...:metal:

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I would love to see a technical write up on that camaro clip installation.

That really is the Best Job I've ever seen on a clip installation.

Is there any chance that we could see some more in depth photos of that front clip?

Maybe even a tutorial on how to install it like that?

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:welcome2:
Nice work JJ. Keep the pics coming, we love pics.
Kim

Re: My long term 57 project
 

Ezekiel, I didn't do the clip. It was done for me by Mike Chesser in GA. He did a great job making it look like it grew there. I can supply a few more pic's, but I can't take credit for it. I'm sure if you contact Mike he would love to do a story on it. He has a web site showing a lot of his work.

JJ

Thanks Kim, I'll get more out there!

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Here are a few pic's of the rear suspension. I want to run a wider tire and rim than stock and keep them tucked under the fenders. I saw an article in Classic Trucks a few years ago for a mono-leaf kit that I think fits the bill perfectly. It's been so long ago when I bought it that I don't remember who I bought it from. I do have nearly 10 years worth of magazines that I would have to look through to find the article. Maybe someone here will recognize it!
It was very easy to install and came with everything needed to put it in.

The rear is from a 69 chevy car and it's a 12 bolt. I've since had it shortened by Moser who also added a 373 gear with a Tru-Trac Posi. It also now has Ford big bearing axle ends and faxles.

I also put a big brake kit on it from Master Power brakes. And ran SS brake lines.

Here are the pic's!!

JJ

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Nice work...


Ken

Re: My long term 57 project
 

Is this Mike's webpage?

If so, I sent him an invitation to speak to his adoring fans :metal:

:canada:

Re: My long term 57 project
 

That's the one. Sorry for not posting the link myself!

JJ

Re: My long term 57 project
 

That looks good but why did you do the front and rear of the frame different colors

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OARNGESI, You've got a sharp eye! It is two different colors. I primed the entire frame using Rustolem that I brushed on, then I painted the rear half and re-installed the rear suspension. It was a few months before I got to the front and I didn't like to color on the rear, to light, so I went a shade darker on the front. I used duplicolor and Plastic Kote spray paint, because I plan to blow it all apart sandblast the frame and paint it one color with a quality epoxy paint or maybe powder coat!

JJ

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Trying to upload more pic's, but they want re-size? Haven't had this problem before, is this an issue with the site?

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I thought it automatically resized them when you use the "manage attachments" link. If not most editing programs have a resize feature with an "internet" option that sizes them for web pages.

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Nice job!!

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Great job on the truck so far, too bad it had to sit for 3 years, imagine what would have been done, it looks like you have the same brackets and pulleys on your engine as i do, from Bills hot rod company, nice stuff.

Re: My long term 57 project
 

Thanks nuke1!

Yes the three years it sat did slow down the process but i'ts been worth it. I really enjoy working on it when I get the time between work and family.

The pulley's actually came from Summit and the brackets are from Alan Grove. The brackets fit perfect!! I need to get going of the AC and I'll be ordering the brackets from him as well.

I've been trying to add more pic's but they want resize for me and I have no idea how to do it myself.

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Here is a good site to post pics to and it will let your resize them.

http://photobucket.com/




.

Re: My long term 57 project
 

If you have windows xp, go to microsoft and download image resizer, it works great, that is what i do

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You can also re-size using MS Paint, it will be in your start menu under "Accessories". Once you have the pic pulled up in there you can go to "Image" and then "Stretch/Skew" to re-size. You can also check it to see if it small enough by clicking on "Attributes" which is also in the "Image" heading.

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Here's a try at posting using the MS Paint to resize.

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The Van column was shortened by Mike Chesser when he installed the camaro clip. I reworked it by cutting the shaft and having my Dad machine it for the a DD coupler. I also put two bends in the shift arm to get the Kugel linkage arond the stock brake pedal. It all works great. The mount on the engine side of the firewall is from Juliano's. I welded a tab on the inside to sandwich it all together.

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There was very little rust in this truck when I bought it. The only spot was the cab corners and it's very small, just a few pencil eraser size holes in the outer panel. I saw an article were they removed the entire inner panel completly, so that's what I did. I made a pattern of the floor area and installed a panel to cover the hole, eliminating the cavity that always held water and dirt! All of the seams were sealed with sealer and painted with eastwood paint and dynamat on the inside and undercoating on the bottom. As far as the swiss cheese holes on the outer panel they were filled with JB Weld and smooth over. I didn't want cut out the corner until I'm ready for paint so its a temp repair, but it's hardly noticable.

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I like the idea of getting rid of the inner cab corner panel. Do you remember where the original article was?

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No, sorry I don't. It was either in Truckin or Clsaaic Truck several years ago. But if you take your time you can do it. It's a lot of work to get it out with out removing the outer corner!!! I may still have the pattern that I used to make the filler panel.

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The Brothers truck parts web site has a series of tech articles - in the article on replacing cab corners they left off the inner corners

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Yep! That's the one I got the idea from. Here's the link:http://www.brotherstrucks.com/techar...20INSTALLATION

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Thanks. Exactly what I needed.

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I wanted to get the gas tank out of the cab for safety reasons and to eliminate the smell . So I got a universal tank from Tanks and had it powder coated chrome. It comes with the straps, pickup-up tube, cap and a nice trim ring to fit into the bed wood. I did have to fab the upper pieces running across the top of the tank between to frame crossmembers. This gives the straps something to pull up against and insured that the bed cross sills would stiil work without any mods.


http://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm

Re: My long term 57 project
 

nice tank i like how the filler hole is in the back mine is more forward. how many gallons does it hold?
GT

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I believe is 15 gallons.

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Here are e few pics of the exhaust. I bought some 2 1/2 in. mandrel bends from JC Whitney and Flowmaster Super 40's from summit. Using the bends and straight pipes I layed out the system tucked as close to the frame as I could get it. I also wanted to get the mufflers out from under the cab for heat and noise. This is my first try at making my own and I must say it wasn't that hard. Once I figured were everything should be I just started cutting and welding. I did tack it togehter first just to be sure I liked how it looked. My plan is to run it out the back, but I think I'll have to go under the rearend. The pipes I painted with a high temp silver and the mufflers I just touched up the existing black.