New to forum, new to project - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

flat57 · 01-15-2005, 11:30 PM

Hi. Yesterday, my daughter and I bought a pretty clean 1957 3800 flat bed with inline 6 and manual transmission. I'm new to this truck, but not really new to fiddling with cars, but she is new to both, and I'm looking forward to working with her on getting it all fixed up for her to drive when she truns 16 in a year and a half. It looks like there's lots of good info in this forum, but I have a couple questions to start off with.

1. Is this pickup 6V or 12V? There's no battery in it, and I'm not sure. I want to get it started and see how it runs.
2. I read lots of magazines about car stuff (Hot Rod, Car Craft, CHP, Super Chevy, Corvette Fever -- I also own a 1973 corvette big block, etc.), what are some of people's favorite mags for reading about and working on trucks like this one?

I'm sure I'll have a few more questions as time goes on.

Some of our plans are: custom interior (bucket seats -- good for teen age girls who'll eventually be dating

), independant front suspension with disk brakes, power brakes and power steering, softer rear suspension (maybe with air bags for heavy loads), swap out the tired old 6 banger with a nice V8 and overdrive tranny (would love to do an LS1 if I can afford it), new wood for the flatbed, and other fun custom stuff as we have time and energy.

I look forward to participating in this forum.

John.

chevy283 · 01-16-2005, 01:23 PM

12v

Blue Beard · 01-16-2005, 03:18 PM

Welcome to the board from SW Washington State....

Lots of info and good people on this site....

Lots of helpful retailers as well

flat57 · 01-16-2005, 03:55 PM

12V. Thanks.

Blue Beard, where are you located? Vancouver?

I'm in Hillsboro (Aloha actually, but a lot of people don't know where that is).

Blue Beard · 01-16-2005, 04:27 PM

I'm out in Washougal....about 15 miles east

Just bought a new Monty Carlo in Newberg....been motorcycle riding through Aloha...

chevy55 · 01-16-2005, 11:41 PM

Welcome from Arizona

Lets see some pics

chevy283 · 01-17-2005, 12:51 PM

welcome from ok

DennyB · 01-17-2005, 01:45 PM

Welcome!

northerngmc · 01-17-2005, 02:05 PM

Yes it is 12V.

Magazines, well what do you plan to do with it?

Vintage Truck is great if you are going original, or would like to see some original style trucks, especially flat decks.

Classic Trucks and Custom Classic Trucks are similar and published by the same company. Both are examples of modern magazines that are as much about advertizing as showing tech articles and feature trucks. Classic Trucks is by now way only meant for stock trucks, in fact they rarely have much in it on stock trucks. They have had some great articles on upgrading brakes, steering, drivetrains, interiors. Custom Classic Trucks show a bit more of the wild side, such as chopping tops.

I subscribe to both Vintage Truck and Classic Trucks, and usually look at Custom Classic Trucks on the newstand to see if there is much in it worth buying.

I found another great source of information is to order a few of the catalogs from the different vendors. This will give you an idea of what is reproduced and what is not. Also some of the catalogs have a few tech articles with them.

flat57 · 01-17-2005, 09:57 PM

Thanks for the welcome. We're getting excited about the project.

At this point, we have not done a lot of planning (I just hauled the truck home today), but we don't intend to go the strictly stock route. She's already got her ideas about paint and interior, and I'm looking into IFS, disk brakes, rear axle, different engine (LS1?) and trans., etc.

I'll check out that list of magazines. I've already purchased a few of the ones you listed, and will likely subscribe to a couple.

Anyone subscribe to Auto Restorer magazine?

I'm going to try to post a few pictures soon.

flat57 · 01-19-2005, 01:26 AM

Here it is, minus the junkyard around it.

Like the spotlight?

cadman89 · 01-19-2005, 11:38 AM

Looks like you have a great truck to start with. Are you going to keep the Flat bed or replace it with a repro step side ?

Scott

flat57 · 01-19-2005, 12:41 PM

Our intent is to keep the flatbed. It's a long bed, and could actually be useful for hauling motorcycles, four wheelers, etc. We'll probably clean it up and remove extraneous steel that has been welded on and then put in new wood (or synthetic wood -- anyone tried that?).

01-15-2005, 11:30 PM	#1
flat57 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hillsboro Oregon Posts: 55	New to forum, new to project Hi. Yesterday, my daughter and I bought a pretty clean 1957 3800 flat bed with inline 6 and manual transmission. I'm new to this truck, but not really new to fiddling with cars, but she is new to both, and I'm looking forward to working with her on getting it all fixed up for her to drive when she truns 16 in a year and a half. It looks like there's lots of good info in this forum, but I have a couple questions to start off with. 1. Is this pickup 6V or 12V? There's no battery in it, and I'm not sure. I want to get it started and see how it runs. 2. I read lots of magazines about car stuff (Hot Rod, Car Craft, CHP, Super Chevy, Corvette Fever -- I also own a 1973 corvette big block, etc.), what are some of people's favorite mags for reading about and working on trucks like this one? I'm sure I'll have a few more questions as time goes on. Some of our plans are: custom interior (bucket seats -- good for teen age girls who'll eventually be dating ), independant front suspension with disk brakes, power brakes and power steering, softer rear suspension (maybe with air bags for heavy loads), swap out the tired old 6 banger with a nice V8 and overdrive tranny (would love to do an LS1 if I can afford it), new wood for the flatbed, and other fun custom stuff as we have time and energy. I look forward to participating in this forum. John. __________________ 1957 3800 flatbead

01-16-2005, 03:18 PM	#3
Blue Beard Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Washington State Posts: 8,834	Welcome to the board from SW Washington State.... Lots of info and good people on this site.... Lots of helpful retailers as well __________________ 1970 Chev CST 2003 Harley Fatboy 1975 Chevrolet Step Van 1956 Chev Bel Air 1977 Blazer 2WD For Sale $3000.00 1978 Blazer 2WD For Sale $7000.00 1978 Silverado 2005 Monte Carlo

01-16-2005, 03:55 PM	#4
flat57 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hillsboro Oregon Posts: 55	12V. Thanks. Blue Beard, where are you located? Vancouver? I'm in Hillsboro (Aloha actually, but a lot of people don't know where that is). __________________ 1957 3800 flatbead

01-16-2005, 04:27 PM	#5
Blue Beard Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Washington State Posts: 8,834	I'm out in Washougal....about 15 miles east Just bought a new Monty Carlo in Newberg....been motorcycle riding through Aloha... __________________ 1970 Chev CST 2003 Harley Fatboy 1975 Chevrolet Step Van 1956 Chev Bel Air 1977 Blazer 2WD For Sale $3000.00 1978 Blazer 2WD For Sale $7000.00 1978 Silverado 2005 Monte Carlo

01-16-2005, 11:41 PM	#6
chevy55 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 105	Welcome from Arizona Lets see some pics __________________ 1955 Chevy Shortbed Stepside 2nd Series. http://community.webshots.com/user/chevy55truck

01-16-2005, 01:23 PM	#2
chevy283 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: wilson oklahoma Posts: 367	12v

01-17-2005, 12:51 PM	#7
chevy283 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: wilson oklahoma Posts: 367	welcome from ok

01-17-2005, 01:45 PM	#8
DennyB Led Sled! Discs R 4 ME! Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Toms River, NJ, USA (Transplanted Hoosier) Posts: 7,327	Welcome! __________________ "Never ride faster than your Angel can fly" I.M.O.M,W,J&C Patriot Guard Rider

01-17-2005, 02:05 PM	#9
northerngmc Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Whitehorse YK Canada Posts: 2,651	Yes it is 12V. Magazines, well what do you plan to do with it? Vintage Truck is great if you are going original, or would like to see some original style trucks, especially flat decks. Classic Trucks and Custom Classic Trucks are similar and published by the same company. Both are examples of modern magazines that are as much about advertizing as showing tech articles and feature trucks. Classic Trucks is by now way only meant for stock trucks, in fact they rarely have much in it on stock trucks. They have had some great articles on upgrading brakes, steering, drivetrains, interiors. Custom Classic Trucks show a bit more of the wild side, such as chopping tops. I subscribe to both Vintage Truck and Classic Trucks, and usually look at Custom Classic Trucks on the newstand to see if there is much in it worth buying. I found another great source of information is to order a few of the catalogs from the different vendors. This will give you an idea of what is reproduced and what is not. Also some of the catalogs have a few tech articles with them. __________________ Blaine 59 GMC 9314 a.k.a. Whoopee 68 C20 50th Anniversary a.k.a. The Rat http://www.flickr.com/photos/northerngmc/ http://www.members.tripod.com/P-wee/index_032.htm 1.61803 is one H of a lot better than 3.14159, no really it is!

01-17-2005, 09:57 PM	#10
flat57 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hillsboro Oregon Posts: 55	Thanks for the welcome. We're getting excited about the project. At this point, we have not done a lot of planning (I just hauled the truck home today), but we don't intend to go the strictly stock route. She's already got her ideas about paint and interior, and I'm looking into IFS, disk brakes, rear axle, different engine (LS1?) and trans., etc. I'll check out that list of magazines. I've already purchased a few of the ones you listed, and will likely subscribe to a couple. Anyone subscribe to Auto Restorer magazine? I'm going to try to post a few pictures soon. __________________ 1957 3800 flatbead

01-19-2005, 01:26 AM	#11
flat57 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hillsboro Oregon Posts: 55	Here it is, minus the junkyard around it. Like the spotlight? __________________ 1957 3800 flatbead

01-19-2005, 11:38 AM	#12
cadman89 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 265	Looks like you have a great truck to start with. Are you going to keep the Flat bed or replace it with a repro step side ? Scott __________________ 56 GMC 1922 Dodge Rat Roadster 89 Gray Allante 90 Red Allante Turkey Run Photographer http://www.turkeyrun.com/photo_gallery.html

01-19-2005, 12:41 PM	#13
flat57 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Hillsboro Oregon Posts: 55	Our intent is to keep the flatbed. It's a long bed, and could actually be useful for hauling motorcycles, four wheelers, etc. We'll probably clean it up and remove extraneous steel that has been welded on and then put in new wood (or synthetic wood -- anyone tried that?). __________________ 1957 3800 flatbead

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