47-59 Bought a 1950 3600 today

[scott123]

After a number of failed attempts I was finally had a day off that lined up with an available truck.

Great guy to deal with and the truck is in a little better condition than the pics showed in the ad.

Cab corners are shot but the floors can be patched vs. completely replaced. The rest of the body is OK.

The suspension is like that really ugly baby that only a mother could love. I am sure the fabricator was damn proud, but it left a bit to be desired.

The rear springs are attached to 1/2-inch angle iron that is welded to the outside of the chassis. One of the bolt holes missed the plate altogether. It is pretty rough in the suspension department.

The front I believe is a Mustang II/Maverick or some sort of Ford with a rack and pinion. I am not sure what it is, but it does have a Ford power steering pump.

The interior is Ford Escort bucket seats with what looks like an Oldsmobile center console/floor shifter.

It is not exactly a real peach, but I am happy as it was quite a bit cheaper than most I have looked at in the last few months.

Scott

[scott123]

I am taking some more pics tomorrow of the '50, plus all the parts trucks I have accumulated the last few weeks.

I am not sure it will qualify for a 'build thread' but I am hoping it will be at least close. LOL

In the morning I am going to pick up the 49 chassis that I posted for the guy that beat to the last truck.

I am going to park it beside the S-10 and weigh all my options between stock frame improvements and doing the S-10 swap.

It will be easier to figure things out with all the pieces to my puzzle sitting in the shop yard.

[mr48chev]

I'm down as not liking the nonsense of using an S-10 frame because a guy thinks all the cool guys have S-10 frames but when you have what may be a butchered 3/4 ton frame and might have a short box bed and running boards in your stash all bets are off, you do what you need to do.

Still sort it out and decide what approach will give you the best bang for your buck. There isn't a thing wrong with cutting off the old MII (original Ford) crossmember that was put on in a rather suspect manner and getting an aftermarket MII crossmember that uses the factory control arms and going that way. The MII factory crossmember can be a bit whimpy but the actual suspension is pretty stout. The upper ball joints are the same upper ball joints that are on a Lincoln Mark IV. Probably a lot stronger than the Volarie upper ball joints on most Tube Arms for MII.

One thing to remember and take seriously, Just about any S-10 long bed donor is going to have over 200K on it and the front end will need a complete rebuild that will take A arm bushings, ball joints and steering rod ends. That is one thing that all the guys who say it is the cheap way to go forget.

Best thing is that when you get it home and get it to the point you can take some good photos for show and tell, do the show and tell thing so folks can see what you have or you can more clearly see what you are up against.

[joedoh]

you finally got one! congrattys!

[scott123]

Yes. I agree. Thanks for the input.

I will start the picture taking/posting process today. Once I have enough pictures, I will make it into a semi-build thread.

The body is rough, not so much in rust, but the paint is peeling off in a lot of places. I see filler in a number of places as well. My son and I talked last night, and I think we are not going to worry about the body all that much. I will do the cab corners because they were a 'body-filler and spray foam' repair. There are a couple three red flags (like most 70-year-old trucks) that let's say 'an owner in the past did the best he could with what he h ad or what he was capable of doing'. I am happy with leaving it at that.

We won't make a final decision today, but we will start ironing a few details out.

My original plan was S-10 swap because the first two or three frames had seen their better days. Then the one I had my heart set on had a really nice frame already with 3" drop axle in the front and a really decent lowering job in the back.

The frame on this truck, the rear as an absolute, has to be replaced. I have nailed the gas on some suspect crap in my time but at some point, even I have to say, "this ain't real smart".

Regardless of how I move forward, as of yesterday I am in the game.

Now the fun/work begins.

Thanks for allowing me to bounce ideas of the group (that will continue as well).

Scott

Originally Posted by mr48chev

I'm down as not liking the nonsense of using an S-10 frame because a guy thinks all the cool guys have S-10 frames but when you have what may be a butchered 3/4 ton frame and might have a short box bed and running boards in your stash all bets are off, you do what you need to do.

Still sort it out and decide what approach will give you the best bang for your buck. There isn't a thing wrong with cutting off the old MII (original Ford) crossmember that was put on in a rather suspect manner and getting an aftermarket MII crossmember that uses the factory control arms and going that way. The MII factory crossmember can be a bit whimpy but the actual suspension is pretty stout. The upper ball joints are the same upper ball joints that are on a Lincoln Mark IV. Probably a lot stronger than the Volarie upper ball joints on most Tube Arms for MII.

One thing to remember and take seriously, Just about any S-10 long bed donor is going to have over 200K on it and the front end will need a complete rebuild that will take A arm bushings, ball joints and steering rod ends. That is one thing that all the guys who say it is the cheap way to go forget.

Best thing is that when you get it home and get it to the point you can take some good photos for show and tell, do the show and tell thing so folks can see what you have or you can more clearly see what you are up against.

[scott123]

Yes, after several swings and misses I won't say I hit a homer, but I may have hit one in the gap. With some hard work and elbow grease I might stretch that gap shop to at least a double, heck, maybe even a triple. LOL

Thanks for all your input and your build threads.

The best thing about today is, first, I woke up, and second, I actually have options to work out.

Scott

Originally Posted by joedoh

you finally got one! congrattys!

[scott123]

One of the first things I have to figure out is loading the pictures correctly. it seems one time it works with ease and the next I can't get it to work. My skills are limited. LOL

This is the front suspension. The pic is not the best. An owner int he past cut a center section out of another car and welded it is place. It is some plating and 'add-ons' to make it work. The steering shaft turns freely, and it feels like it worked but the angle is a bit steep for me. I will try to get some better pics today.

I have not dove into as of yet but the previous owner said the brake drum and the hub/bearing were 'one-assembly'. He said he thought it was a Chrysler front end but could not find one that matched with a rack and pinion. The rack does not look like an add-on. It is factory to this clip/crossmember.

S

[Rickysnickers]

Don't worry about the photos, just post them. If they need to be flipped, I can do that for you. However, if you can make them bigger, that would be great. Here's a thread we put together to help post photos too, https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=818026 Congrats on the new project too.

[_Ogre]

congrats on your truck! you've been here for a while, what was/is the other truck?
you definitely have a little fabricobble going on there
sometime you gotta wonder what the original owner had in mind

[vintovka]

Congrats, but a heads up. Last cruiser meeting talk was its now way too expensive to attempt restorations and several may be listing baskets and incompletes on FB and CL soon if not already. Others are waiting to see what happens. Might work for some but the trend is not good. Glad I started and finished before all this #%^@^! happened as prolly wouldn't have started if right now.

[scott123]

1st became a member with my 69 SWB 4WD (US Army then Forestry truck). Then later I got a 72 K5 which is just about ready to come out of the paint shop. (been saying that for a month now, but so it goes).

Never was all that interested in these model trucks. We inherited a car/truck collections (high end model/die cast cars0. There was 53'ish model in there. Then we bought a 50'ish model wall clock with the wheels as a clock and thermometer. Then one pulled up beside me at a light and I won't say it was a bolt from the sky or message from up above, but I got bit.

Been hell bent on having one the last 6-8 months.

LOL

S

Originally Posted by _Ogre

congrats on your truck! you've been here for a while, what was/is the other truck?
you definitely have a little fabricobble going on there
sometime you gotta wonder what the original owner had in mind

[mr48chev]

I'll try a bit of a tutorial on loading photos.

Unless you have a fast computer and very fast internet it works best to select one photo at a time and up load it and then select the next photo for that post and upload it and then do the same with the rest up to the 5 total you can do.

My computer and or internet only let me upload one at a time and it is a pain but it just takes longer than selecting all of the photos for that post and uploading them at once. If you are getting a popup that says something about token that is the issue.

Photos need to be edited as to oreintation on the computer. I've never tried it on my phone when I am on here on the phone.

Ricky can edit your post I believe but I have been known to save, edit and repost folks photos when they didn't have the right orientation or when they were too dark. I just do it others can see what you are asking about easier.

I'm not positive on what front end you have but it isn't Mustang II. We will need more photos to be able to decode that.

[scott123]

I have a Mustang/Ford guy coming one day this week to check it out. By the pics and the description, it looks like it may be a Ford Grenada or Mercury Monarch, around 75-76.

It looks like they used angle iron to build a plate to fit the cross-member to the chassis on the inside rail and then a plate steel piece to attach the back.

Attachment 2219532


Thanks for the input.

Scott

[joedoh]

looks like amc pacer to me. i have only seen one but that shrouded spring pocket and lower arm bushing/adjuster bolt looks familiar.

[scott123]

Regardless which direction I choose to go I will be moving on from the current set up.

The front end is rough but I can see where they got a lot of miles out of it.

The back end I am surprised didn't give up long ago.

But so it goes.

I did not do as much as I planned today as the kitchen sink stopped up took precedence. LOL

Scott

[mr48chev]

That's an AMC Pacer front end. Those were the hot lick in the mid/late 80's for a year or two.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/37421805244...xoCgz8QAvD_BwE

The good, They were cheap and unbolted from the Pacer as a unit and they weren't hard to set up on something else. The spiindles unbolt from the upright and make nice trailer spindles for a home made axle.

The bad, they are wide, the alignement is adusted with the eccentric cams and the Pacers had a bad rep for not staying in alignment when they were new. Now, parts are almost non existant and you pay "rare parts" prices for them to boot.

I'd say that your first thought of cutting it out and replacing it with somethign else is the correct idea.

[scott123]

Thanks for the input.

If it were installed differently or I felt more comfortable with it I would pay the 'rare' parts price to save some time.

It is a bit sketchy. LOL

A

[mr48chev]

I bought one of those out of my friend's wrecking yard for 30.00 in the 80's. I decided that I didn't want to use it and sold it to another guy who put it under a 56 Ford he was going to use as a drag car and I think he pulled it out of that car.

[Tempest67]

congrats on the new truck.

from the looks of that front end, and the description of the rear suspension you provided, I would strongly suggest an S10 swap. (use the geometry that GM developed)

There is so much info/help from this website that you can get help anytime, if you are uncertain about the process. (a Joedoh kit would make it straight forward, and quick)

Here is my S10 swap, and driving it is a pleasure. (power steering, power brakes, tilt wheel, cheap parts...etc...)

[mr48chev]

With an S-10 swap you are still getting him into a situation where he starts with a worn out high mileage chassis. The long bed S-10 trucks around here were beat to death by original and later owners usually doing work in the fields as irrigators trucks until they couldn't be bandaided back together. The local migrant worker population still drive them as work trucks and the price stays up on decent ones. Plus you end up with a truck with far less resale value for what you spent on it than you would by keeping the original chassis and doing a proper suspension swap.