Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

Well since my other trucks were built before I found this wonderful site I did not have build threads.. So today I am starting two...

I have been wanting an 47 to 54 truck for a while but kept buying 67 to 72's because of all the parts and knowledge I had.. Well it just so happened that I acquired a 98 S10 reg cab long bed.. It was my grandfathers truck, he passed in Feb and I ened up with it for FREE.. What a perfect opportunity to do a chassis swap... :lol: So I started the search for a 47 to 54... I wanted a clean truck with good original patina... Yes I am on the shop truck/Rat sytle band wagon right now.. Probably because I enjoy my 64 shop truck more than any other car/truck I have ever owned.. Its a cool old ride that you don't have to worry about rain or leaving it in a parking lot at the store..

Well my search turned up a 54 GMC... As soon as I had seen it I knew I had to have it... the truck sports an all original exterior right down to the lettering that is on the doors.. The GMC runs and drives great right now!! Almost ashame to rip it apart but I like technology and want to be able to roll down the highway 80 mph... The truck is super solid so when the shop truck thing dies off I have a good foundation for a show truck... Plans for now are to blow the S10 apart and start cleaning the frame... I am going to run drop spindles and bags in the front to start... Not sure about the rear yet but I am thinking a 3 link is soon to follow... I am leaving the 4.3 in the truck for now with the 4L60E... I will drive it like that for a while and build a small block with a tri power set up in the future.. Here are two pics of the GMC.. I want this to be done this summer.. Stay tuned for more..

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

Subscribing to this one,...

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Here are a few pics of the S10... The "Old Man" drove like he was in a demo derby the last few years of his life... He drove fast and hard.. No carbon issues with this one...

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This is a perfect candidate for a swap.... subscribed!

The patina on that truck is amazing, and perfect!

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Well I have to go pick up a race car chassis tomorrow at my powder coat guys place so I figured I would let him powder the wheels... I drove the 64 over to the garage where I am currently storing the 54 and pulled them off.. All I had was my cell phone to take pics with but I figured I would get a few side by side shots... Oh what a difference...I can not wait till the 54 sits like the 64... Back to the wheels.. The 54 has the factory 16" steelies.. I am going to run them at first.. I think it will look cool... As of now I am thinking powdering them an ivory or creamy white to match the lettering on the doors... What are your thoughts?? let me know..

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Ok so for some reason I can not upload pics tonight... I will try again in the am.... :buh:

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now its workin... Bring on the crapy cell phone pics!!:metal:

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I like the idea of matching the wheels to the lettering....I'd like to see some chrome rings or part caps on there though as I love a little bit of chrome...to go with the grille chrome...

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I plan on running the stock dog dish/hubcap... I just dismounted them this morning and realized the wheel is only 5.5" wide... thats cool for the front but I am going to call stockton wheel and see what they can offer for the rear...

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Yesterday was a fun day... I went up my parents shop and put the S10 on the life outside.. In about 2 hours it looked like this..... I threw it on the trailer and brought it to my house so I can finish gutting the cab and start cleaning and bagging the frame... I took it around the neighborhood with it looking like this... Lol... My nieghbors think there is something wrong with me!

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That's classic :lol:

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How do you plan to run the 6-lug stock wheels on the S10 chassis? Wheel adapters?
I have a buddy doing this same this to a '50 chevy. I just took him a 4x4 S10 rearend. The stock 2wd rearend is too narrow. (wheels will hit the bedsides) The 4x4 rearend is about 2" wider per side.

Cool Project!

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

Yep thats my plan... The fronts and rears need spaced when you do the chassis swap.. THe 4x4 rear is a perfect fit for one of these trucks but I figure I will just run adapters front and rear... I think the 16" steelies will look cool when the truck is dropped..

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Wow so April is the last I posted on here... Got caught up in life and haven't spent too much time on this project.. I did get the front of the chassis bagged, the frame painted , the motor and tranny cleaned up and wired.. I am waiting for the rear air ride set up and notch to show up so I can get that thrown on.. I also ended up with a set of torq thrusts with the gray centers with wide whites that I am going to run.. I will roll it outside the garage and get some pics this weekend.. Just about time to swap some tin... I looked at the AD and the EZ kit but think I am going to make my own mounts.. Stay tuned!!!

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

Subscribed

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Sweet cant wait to see her swapped..

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

nice project you got goin, so you baggin this one?

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

But of course!!! :lol: Bagged with dropped spindles up front and extensive metal works rear kit on its way...

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So here are a few pics... Frame painted,front bagged, wheels and tires on, motor and tranny mostly wired... The rear air ride kit is on its way to me and will be next weeks project.. I cut apart an old oil bath air cleaner and put a regular filter in it to use as my air cleaner... I have to weld a bigger inlet on it and it will be done..

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Nice progress. I like the idea of the air cleaner.

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subscribed

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looking good!

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Looks awesome. I would love to bag my 50 but just trying to get it one the road. Post pix of the swap, I am hoping to have mine done in a few weeks

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Rear air ride kit came yesterday.. Let the cutting and welding begin!!

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You're my hero and patina partner - love the trucks! Have you ever discussed your favorite bag - components? and some of the costs associated? Sometimes you can save a little here and there - but need to spend the dough wisely - premium parts aren't always the highest priced! (but we know they often are) - subscribed. :chevy:

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

Thanks for the compliments.. I am all over the board with air ride stuff.. My 68 has An ART Coolride kit,Big Red valves, 3/8 line, two 3 gallon tanks and 1 compressor. Also running drop spindles and blocks in the rear .. That was pretty much all there was when I bagged that truck.. Plus after a four year build when I decided to bag it 6 months after it was done I didn't want to cut anything...

The 64 has a Dropmember with ART control arms, KP notch with stock trailing arms. I am running manual valves in that truck.. I have a set of Big Red valves sitting but its hard to fix whats not broken. This truck also has two 3 gallon tanks and one compressor..

The 54 is going on the 97 S10 chassis.. Bags and drop spindels up front, Extensive metal works 2 link in the rear.. Couldn't beat the deal on the two link.. Not worth taking the time to build my own.. As I said this truck is pretty simple.. Keepin the 4.3 so I am not worried about the way it hooks up.. Just want it low.. I also have a set of Big Red valves for this truck as well..

The 67 is way on the back burner for now.. But I Z'd the frame 3 inches, cut an inch off of the front bag cups and run 2.5" drop spindles.. The rear is a KP notch and stock trailing arms.. Who knows what I will do with this truck for air management..

Any questions please hit me up!

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Thanks - sort of like computer gear - as soon as you settle on the next "best thing" something else better comes along. I'm just working static drops now and will collect the best of the bag-components over time. I'm trying to work out the static stuff, so when it comes to the bags it's just swapping the springs out and everything else has been done - sort of along the way. The rear is stock trailing, ECE super track, and a step notch for good measure.

Thanks again! - :chevy:

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thought I would post a few pics of what I did with the oil bath air cleaner to work with the 4.3... I cut the structure out of the inside so I basically had an empty can and lid.. I then took a 6" air cleaner assy and tacked the base plate to the bottom of the can. I did the same for the lid by tacking the air cleaner lid to the orignal lid.. All i have to do now is cut the original 2.5 inch neck off and weld a 3" neck on... I will weld a small bar across the neck with a nut to screw the stud to.. I am going to have it powder coated in a jet hot type of chrome like finish... Later today I will weld the notch in..

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Started welding the notch in tonight... Coming out pretty good so far... I also picked up the steel to make my cab mounts... I am going to take advantage of Jeff51's design.. (Thanks Jeff!!!) I decided to buy 4x4 square tube and cut the mounts out of it rather than bend flat steel or weld flat steel together... I thought it would be more cost effective... Sorry for the poor quality cell pics...

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

Ever get the itch to sell the '64?
I love the look of it!

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Thanks but I am going to hold on to it for a while... I have a few people in line for that truck if I decide to sell it.. Its my every day ride... I have a brand new 60k demo that sits in my driveway most of the time while I drive my 64... Alot of people just don't understand.. :lol:

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Keep me in mind,... if the other guys pass when you decide to sell.

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your on the list.... thanks for the interest..

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So I got a little more done... I had to brace the spring pockets where the arms bolt in because I had to cut away the rear of the bracket so the arm could travel closer to the frame.. I also got the notch mostly welded in and bolted the wheels on and set it back on the ground..I had to cut the gas tank cross member for the drive shaft and will weld it up to secure it.. When aired out it gets the lower frame rail 2.5" off the ground... Im thinking the running boards should be smashed on the ground when aired out... :metal:

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Not to get off topic here but here is another reason this project is not getting anywhere to quickly... Trying to get this done for my step dad in the next two months...(just in time for winter :dohh:) I can not wait to drive it... I miss owning something with alot of horsepower... 69 Charger, 528 Hemi, auto.. Pulling the 4 barrel intake and putting a crossram on it... I wanna bag it with 20" billet specialities cast finish Bonneville-G wheels! Not gonna happen though..

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That is SWEEEEEEEEEET. We'll forgive you for not working on the truck and working on a mopar just because it's got a big block hemi ;)

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Well I went on vacation in OBX last week but I am back and really have the bug to get this thing done.. I spent last night on the band saw cutting the 4x4 steel to make the cab mounts... Tonight I welded them together... Thanks again Jeffs51 for posting the drawings for the mounts... I decided to try the 4x4 square tube and think its the easiest way to go... its alot less cutting and welding IMO... and with one cut you have the main body of the mount and the steel for the foot..

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As I mentioned before in an eariler post I wanted to open up the air cleaner I converted for more air flow... Here is what I did...just need to powder coat it now... I also cut a piece of the top engine cover away and add a piece of mesh to try and tie it all together.. If your wondering the top engine cover is off of a BMW X5 V8... Not crazy about it but it works till I fab something new up..

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

I like the oil bath update. Yep I'm subscribed as well. Sweet work!!

Re: Project "Poison Ivy" 54 GMC
 

nice work.