1950 1ton Flatbed workhorse to S10 cruiser

[b.sharp]

Ok, I have been at this since before winter gathering parts, reading builds and trying to do my homework. I was originally going to fix this truck and use it as a hauler. After reading the builds of Chris aka (Skymangs) and Henry aka (99 to life) I decided I can do this frame swap and have a nice daily driver old truck.
This truck set within a mile from my house in a barn for the last 30+ years being used ever now and then. I found the truck ny accident and talked to the guy about selling it. He said he was thinking about it the first time we spoke. A year went by and I was on my way out of town with my family. I get to the end of my road at a stop sign look both ways and something catches my eye. The truck I had been trying to buy was sitting in the guys front yard. I look at my wife and said small detour. She said what now, I said the truck I have been trying to buy is sitting in the front yard. So, I drive up to the guys house and he is walking back to the barn to shut the doors. He had literally just pulled it out. I looked at him and said decided to sell it. He said, yep. I said how much, he shot my an unheard of low price. I looked at my wife and she said do you want to look at it. I said NO, I had already looked at it. She said what do you want to do, I said BUY IT!! I looked at the owner and said I'll take it, put it back in the barn and I'll be back Sunday night to pick it up and take it home. Attached are pics of it in the barn upon my trip back home.

[b.sharp]

After paying for the truck I drove it to the house with no brakes but the emergency brakes. I took it around back of the house and gave it it's first bath in who knows how long. Took it to the back of the driveway and just glared at it for weeks.

[b.sharp]

After much debate back and forth on what to do with the truck and trying to locate parts to fix the brakes, I ran across an s10 5speed a buddy had. I told him I had been reading some good articles on switching the truck over to an s10 frame. He then tells me if I want to buy the tranny he has the frame sitting out back he will give me for the swap. So, the project began. Take a truck that was fairly useless in it's current state for me and make it something I can use everyday. I kind of hated tearing this truck apart being the third owner and it having low miles on it but in my mind it's worth a lot more and more useable on the s10 frame. Here are pictures of the frame with some of the parts I had located.

[b.sharp]

I also learned that the frame I had was a short wheel base regular cab and was not the currect length. So, I did a little more research and discovered the correct length and how to fix the issue. I stretched my frame 10" with a 5"x2"x3/8" piece of tube steel. I also started making the adjustments to the frame that needed to be done for the swap. Ie cutting mounts off and the front frame horns. I also went to a local pull a part and wrestled an 01 old bravada for its rear axle, sway bar and shocks.

[oldman3]

I'll hang around for this build, good start...Jim

[b.sharp]

throughout the winter I gathered more bed parts and did more research on putting things together. After the spring swap meet and buying some things there, this is what I had. I had some extra 38 bed sides from a long bed truck. I had to shoten them and move the front stake pockets. You can see in the first picture that they are way out past the filler panel. In the second picture they are cut down with the stakepockets clamped in place.

This brings us to the current state of the truck with the exception of tacking on the front cab mounts last night and removal of the 235 engine last weekend which I have no pictures of yet.

Thanks to everyone on this board who have answered my questions and posted all there photos for reference. That is the only way I would tackle this swap. I'll keep everyone posted on progress. I hope to move the cab over soon to start laying the drive train out. Which will be the original 235, s10 T5 set up.

[b.sharp]

Thanks Jim,
This progress has been throught the winter on days that were nice enough to work outside. This beast will not fit in my 16'x21' garage and it is stuffed full of crap and another truck.

[ghettoluxury]

Project is looking good. Can you tell me what size the original dually wheels are on your 1 ton? Also do you know if they are split rims? I am thinking about running them on a project of my own but would like some info before trying to find a set.

Thanks,
Josh

[b.sharp]

Josh,
Yes they are a two piece wheel. They are 18" wheels and hard to find tires for. They can be restored and used, although there are not a lot of shops that will mess with them. These are not the "widow maker" wheels just have the locking rings to hold the tires on. Thanks for the compliment. I still have a long way to go and don't get a lot of time to mess with the truck.

[ghettoluxury]

Thanks for the info. There is a shop about 15 minutes away that services older semis with Dayton wheels, so lock rings are not a problem.

[b.sharp]

Got the cab sitting on the s10 frame today and tried getting everything lined back up. I think it's looking pretty good. Still a lot of work to do but it's coming along.

[T Hilde]

Looks good B

[Advanced Design]

Really like your build and that is one solid truck. Tagging along. Have fun!

[b.sharp]

Made a little more progress today? Only had a couple hours to work on the truck. Pulled the wheels out of the garage and put them on. Back of the cab needs to come down half an inch and the running boards/bed need some adjustment but everything is clamped together for mockup and to see where things are hitting at this point.

Thanks for all the comments guys. My build isn't as good as most but hopefully this thing will cruise good once together.