My 1956 cameo project thread

[1956cameo]

blackdiesel, Good eye on the hood ornament. From what I can tell all of the sheetmetal on the truck is original to that truck except the passenger side front fender and the hood. I guess whoever replaced those pieces took the new sheetmetal off of a 55. The truck was originally red with white trim. If you chip off the silver paint you can see the red and white paint unerneath everywhere it is suppossed to be except for on those two pieces of sheetmetal.

Chuckdriver, there are a couple of companies that are reproducing cameo parts. The only bad thing about that is everyone is passing off their non original cameo trucks as originals. Most cameo experts can easily tell when one is not genuine, but the average person can not. It is a shame GM never put a specific serial number on the cameos.

[ChuckDriver]

If I ever do convert mine I would never pass it off as a true Cameo!

[Palf70Step]

Nice Cameo project. I definitely like the Caddy engine idea.

[1956cameo]

Chuck driver, that sounds good. I have no problem with people making their trucks cameo's. If I hadnt found a factory original I would have "made" one with another truck. I just don't like it when someone makes one then misleads people into thinking it is factory original when they go to sell it. I have seen a couple of "Cameo's" on ebay and autotrader that were definately NOT real cameos, but they were selling them as if they were. The sad thing is the ones on ebay were going for really good money, way more than they should have bee going for. That is what upsets me.

Palf70Step, Not sure who's idea it was but I figured since it is in there I might as well leave it alone until I start the restoration. Whenever I take the caddy engine out my father in law has already said he wants it for one of his projects.

[JohnC]

I agree with you on people scamming other people. I don't have a problem with people making clones of many types of cars. Like you though, I think they cross the line when they are telling people that it is a true car. It's just sad that there are people out there that consider themselves "car guys" and they can sleep at night doing this. Just makes me shake my head. Sorry for getting on my

[1956cameo]

John C, Selling clones as the real deal is shameless. Like you I can't believe people that call themselves car guys mislead people like this. Personally I believe that they aerent car guys. They are guys that see a way to make money, and since they know car people trust each other, then for that reason they call themselves car guys. REAL car guys don't do that!

[JohnC]

100%

[Jack60]

Here is my Cameo over 20 years ago...

She's been in my garage for 20 years, she's been sand blasted and half way apart for years. Need to start working on her again..
Your Cameo looks to be in better shape then mine..

[1956cameo]

Jack60, Good to see another Cameo owner on the board. I started this thread quite a while back when I was thinking of just getting her going enough to drive. I have since decided that I will acquire all the parts I can and start on a full blown factory correct restoration. Not sure when I do that if I will start it on this thread or just start an entirely new thread.

Right now I am trying to figure out what type of original transmission my truck had. Most transmission cross members are only about 3.5-4.5" wide, but mine is 6.5-7.5" wide. The only other trucks I have seen with the wider trans. cross member is Hydramatic trucks. I am still waiting to see if the 4spd manual trucks also have the the wide cross member. I do know the 6cyl and v8 trucks with 3 speed trucks have the small cross member.

I don't want to turn this into a WTB thread but if anyone in the Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or Houston area have rust free 55 or 56 front fenders or a passenger side door with no major dents or ruffles I am very interested. Just PM me if you think you might have what I need. Also looking for Hydramatic parts truck or complete Hydramatic system.

[Texasdeere]

I found some pictures by chance that may help you some. It is a hydramatic in a 1955 3100 mounted to a 235 though. It seems like something is different on the site now and I can't figure out how to post the pics?

[Jack60]

Well my Cameo will not be stock, it has a 10 bolt rear now and will be getting the 4 speed I took out of my 60 Vette, I have a 400 sbc I'm rebuilding for it.
All emblems will be off, needs cab corners, fenders fixed and floor. I have most of the sheet metal.
Just have to get started on her, giving her to my daughter after I'm gone, so I better get started...

[1956cameo]

Texasdeere, If you are able to post that picture it would definately help me. I not only want to compare against trucks with different transmissions but also between 6cyl trucks and v8 trucks.

Jack60, Sounds like yours will be more comfortable to drive than mine will be. I figured that since my Cameo was exactly the way I would have ordered it from the factory if I bought it new I would go original.

[Texasdeere]

I still can't figure out how to post pictures like I have done so many time before. No attachment link, paperclip symbol or manage attachments anything! "I must be losing it"

Anyway here is a link that will be up for a while that has some undercarriage shots of a hydramatic equipped 1955 truck. I have scoured the internet for pictures like this and there isn't much of anything at all.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by Texasdeere

I still can't figure out how to post pictures like I have done so many time before. No attachment link, paperclip symbol or manage attachments anything! "I must be losing it"

Anyway here is a link that will be up for a while that has some undercarriage shots of a hydramatic equipped 1955 truck. I have scoured the internet for pictures like this and there isn't much of anything at all.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT

They're updating the server. The "Manage Attachments" button is supposed to be available soon.
You should be able to use the "insert image" icon.
Kim

[1956cameo]

Thanks for the help Texasdeere. I have heard others saying that since the site was shut down for 3.5 hours yesterday they are having trouble with things like loading pics as well. I am leaving work right now but will check out that site when I get home. I really appreciate it.

[Texasdeere]

Thanks Kim57,

I haven't been around much lately but I figured something new was going on with the site.

[tremman78]

been awhile any updates? was this truck off 1462 in alvin?

[1956cameo]

tremman78, Since I started this thread I have bought a couple of other projects that have jumped in front of the Cameo. The only thing I have really done with it over the last 18 months was find out it was an original Hydramatic truck. Since then I have been on the hunt for Hydramatic parts. So far I have gotten a transmission, torque converter, and steering column shifter. I am still looking for all the linkage, transmission cross member, and a Hydramatic only starter. I have also bought some sheetmetal and interior parts for the restoration. Once I get all the hydramatic parts, build my shop, and finish my blazer project the Cameo will be built to top notch condition.

You have a good memory, this is the Cameo you remember seeing down in Alvin. How long had it been sitting in that car lot?

[1956cameo]

Here are some better pictures of her. The idea of making her look like a 70's custom went out the window when I saw how good she looked in the old whitewalls, making me want to just restore her. That and everytime I spent $30-50 on the Caddy motor another problem would pop up. The las issue was the water pump leaking. Since I already have about $250 in a motor that I know I am going to toss once the restoration starts I figured I would just leave her in storage until then.

Pic of her in the original style whitewalls. Also that is a picture of her "maiden voyage" I drove her out of the shed for the pics and then back into the shed. So I have driven her a total of 25 feet!



Pic of her with the mag wheels.



I already knew that she was originally red with white contrast due to the paint code but here are pics of original paint furthering the proof.

[1956cameo]

Here are some more pictures of the original paint showing in various places.




Here is how a Cameo technical expert (from the National Cameo Club) and I were able to determine that it was originally a Hydramatic truck. Only Hydramatic trucks had the wide brace connectors like you see here. Manual trucks (both 3 and 4 speed) didn't have this. There were also some other small clues but this was the biggest one.

[dicer]

I was under the impression that the crossmembers were all the same, no matter what the transmission. The flywheel housing / bellhousing is the rear mount point for al the various transmission types. It does not make sense the factory would want to complicate the frame assembly process. They appear to be the same in the factory assembly manual. If someone has a parts book it would be interesting to see if there is a difference. I don't think there is.

[tremman78]

i knew that was the truck. the only thing i didnt like was how they notched the frame for steering? if i remember right? he aquired 2 of them from a farmer in alvin. ill pm you so i dont tie up your thread.

[1956cameo]

Dicer, I looked at a factory repair manual but was never able to see a pic good enough to show a distinction. I haven't looked at a factory assembly manual. My parents have a 57' Hydramatic truck and it has the same side mounts for the transmission cross member. All the other trucks that I have seen with both manual 3 and 4 speeds had a narrower brace that riveted directly to the frame. I do know that my parents factory Hydramatic truck DOES have different trans member than the 20 or so other "Non Hydramatic" trucks that I have seen. The only other truck that I have seen with the same trans frame mounts is the Cameo pictured above. The tech expert was confident there was a difference in the transmission mounts, BUT was NOT 100% sure. I don't know either, however if anyone knows or has diffinitive proof one way or the other please comment. Until then I will take some pictures of the transmission cross member on my parents 57' Hydramatic and a factory manual truck. For some reason the factory wasn't worried about keeping things simple. The starter is even different for Hydramatic trucks versus manual trucks in this era!

Tremman78, Thats the same truck. The other one he had was a 55 in better shape. I got your PM I will try to call you one day after work.

[blue 72 gmc 4x4]

My 55' GMC Hydramatic has the same mount..or at least it did until someone torched it out....crappy pic but you can see whats left of it.

[1956cameo]

Blue72GMC4X4, Yeah. I thought I got lucky and bought a 58' GMC Hydramatic truck for the Hydramatic parts. Unfortunately all the parts are similiar to Chevy but not the same. However it did have the wide frame mount for the trans cross member. Unfortunately the cross member for the GMC was different than the Chevy though.