Quote:
Originally Posted by mopar4life
Dug, Incredible documentation of your build! I just acquired a completely stock 1955 Cameo Carrier in unrestored condition. It runs and drives! I am going to do a frame swap very similar to yours. From what I have read on your journey, it might be a good idea to start with a SSR chassis? Thoughts? I am learning from your incredible photo documentation that alot of your fabrication woes could have been remedied by using a chassis that was one inch longer than stock (116") and had the LS motor and mounts, etc. already there? It looks like I should buy the WHOLE truck so I can rob all the lil "valuable" things that you spent SO much time laboring over. Even if I somewhat paid up to get one, it might be worth it in the long run? I am a professional bodyman and what you have done is simply amazing mister! If you need ANY body advise, please message me.... I have been in the trade for 20+ years and own 3 collision centers. AWESOME JOB! Jeff
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Jeff: First, the Cameo is a thing of beauty. Tell me you paid $900 for it and you will be forever our hero. Second, thanks for the compliments. You have no idea how undeserving I am of them. Third, I am a “learn as you go” hack that has enjoyed most every moment of this build.
I’ll try not to offer a personal opinion of what should be done with a stock running and driving 1955 Cameo. It won’t be easy! If I’m not careful and to keep others on this site from blowing a gasket, I might say something crazy like….. you should restore it and sell it for a zillion dollars and buy a piece of junk to use like I did….but I won’t.
By the way, this is a great build site. Whether we agree with what you or doing or not, you MUST have a build site to entertain us.
Anyway, I’ll address each point you make.
1. … it might be a good idea to start with a SSR chassis?
A: I am under the impression that the SSR chassis is the same as any Trailblazer, Envoy, etc… The suspension may be different such as you might find in a TB SS. If I could do it over and knew that I could have bought a wrecked low mile TB SS for $1,800, I would have gone in that direction. See my post #326. As you can see, this TBSS was hit hard. There are so many straight TB frames out there, I could have bought the TB SS and bought another lesser model and used the frame pieces as required to get it straight.
2. … alot of your fabrication woes could have been remedied by using a chassis that was one inch longer than stock (116") and had the LS motor and mounts, etc. already there?
A: Check out Ricott’s build. He bought a LWB and shortened it. The frames sections slide together. You can grind the welds and make it whatever length you want. I also think you can buy a SWB and lengthen it. In my short sightedness and lack of experience, I did not want to fool with opening the brake system and such.
3. …It looks like I should buy the WHOLE truck so I can rob all the lil "valuable" things that you spent SO much time laboring over.
A: Yes, but, in my case, I would have missed out on all this great excuses to buy new tools, all of the excessive learning and certainly the entertainment. You can also probably sell the good parts back to the wrecking yard and make a large percentage of your money back. I’d get on the COPART site and start looking for wrecked TB SS’s or SSR’s. They are out there. Not sure they ever put the 6.0 or 6.2 in the SSR’s.
4. Even if I somewhat paid up to get one, it might be worth it in the long run?
A: Most definitely. See response to #3.
5. …..If you need ANY body advise, please message me....
A: I may take you up on this!!! Although not that rusty, my body is pretty wavy. Like you may have determined, I plan on doing very little body work, painting the entire truck satin black and getting it on the road so I can build my last house. Once complete and I run out of other fun stuff to do, I’ll take it apart and give it a real paint job with real body work.
One more thing I may have done differently was to not put so much body rake on the frame. I think it may end up a bit too high in the back. Had I put the body on more level, the final stance would be more appealing to my eye. I am sure I missed something. Feel free to PM me with any and all questions.
Hope to see your build thread soon!! dug