'56 Chevy Panel build (SLP)

[GRIMSS]

Well with the purchase of the suspension I’ve decided to go ahead and start a build thread. I’ll start from the beginning just to document it all on one page.
In high school I would drive buy this little old junk yard that was in a town of around 900. I kept eying this panel that was barely visible.

This was what it looked like from the street.



3rd year of college I decided to talk to the guy and ended up buying it for $50. Turned out to be a ’56 chevy ½ panel. Last time it was on the road from the plate was ’68.
It took 6hrs to get it out of the junk yard and to the farm only 8 miles away. More junk yard shots. It was full of engine parts he was storing. And it was covered in moss.





I used an old axle that my dad had lying around to transport it once out on the farm. Here are pics of it after I scraped most of the moss off.

[GRIMSS]

Then it sat in the old shed until for 14 years collecting dust.





While it didn’t look like much the panel body has zero rust through. The only rust though is in the typical truck areas, steps, toe board, firewall, and cowl.

[GRIMSS]

Over the last few years I’ve been collecting parts. Now I’m going to start on the first stage of the build, to get it rolling. Here is my rendering I did to inspire me. I look at this every day.



Plans
Suspension front- Scott’s Super Slam IFS, airbags, disc brakes, power rack.



Suspension rear- SD’s Super lift triangulated 4link



Wheels - dodge 20” steel spares, filled holes, and early chevy hub caps





Body- 2 tone paint, slight custom touches here and there but keeping it stock looking

Interior- Keep it simple and looking stock

Motor- ?? don’t know yet leaning toward and LS.

[GRIMSS]

May 1st after work.

I pulled the panel over to the shop to start. Since it was a late start that’s all I got done.



May 2nd

It started off good found 4 used 20’s for $25 on my way to the metal shop. Metal shop was closed, so no metal for the boxing plates. Next I just started to clean the panel out. After 41 years of sitting there was a ton of dirt. I knew that the wood was in decent shape but wow only one small spot that had a little rot.





Here’s more of the clean up.

[GRIMSS]

A few things I never noticed fire extinguisher bracket and flare bracket





Dash has the heater delete and radio delete plates.

[GRIMSS]

Little bit of the fun stuff.
20's” mounted to the s-10 rear.



Now it’s time for cutting up that nice wood floor. You truck guys have it easy, just yank the bed off and there you have it.







Just for fun I rolled the rear end up front to see what it was looking like. Still need lower profile tires and the rockers are still too high.





That’s it for a little while. Since it’s out on the farm 20 miles away, only get to work on the weekends.

[cajundragger]

sweeet.

using adapters in the back?

[57ToyBox]

Nice work Jared
You must be excited to finally get started on the panel. You sure got luck with that shell. Good start. I'll definitely be following closely every weekend
Luv your rendering of the finished product, that gonna be sweet

[GRIMSS]

Originally Posted by cajundragger

sweeet.

using adapters in the back?

For now I'm using adapters. Later on I will probably build a rear with out them.

Originally Posted by diesel

You must be excited to finally get started on the panel. You sure got luck with that shell.

Very excited about the start. Like I said been setting on this thing for 14 years plus the 5 years from when I first saw it. And yes deals like that are getting harder to come by.

[stan3018]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

For now I'm using adapters. Later on I will probably build a rear with out them.



Very excited about the start. Like I said been setting on this thing for 14 years plus the 5 years from when I first saw it. And yes deals like that are getting harder to come by.

keep it up man .....

[JML55]

Nice work, i like it with the 20" looks rely good. Keep the pictures coming.

[entourageguy]

Have you finished up a wheel and tried to balance it yet. I remember seeing a thread about you doing this with the wheels and wondered how it worked out?
Neat build......

[OLDIRON69]

subscribed..

[GRIMSS]

Originally Posted by entourageguy

Have you finished up a wheel and tried to balance it yet. I remember seeing a thread about you doing this with the wheels and wondered how it worked out?
Neat build......

Not yet. Still need to do a little grinding on the test wheel.

[cajundragger]

they will balance. You'd seriously have to bend the wheel for it to not balance.


you'd be freaked out if you saw how actually out of round and horribly off weighted 99% cast chrome wheels are.

[alden]

what are the wheels off of? looks like some great progress!

[GRIMSS]

Originally Posted by alden

what are the wheels off of? looks like some great progress!

Wheels are newer 20" dodge truck spare tires.

[CG]

Lotta nice ideas going together here. 56 panels are very cool.

[57ToyBox]

Any progress on the cab?? I have to ask... Why did you have to cut the floor out??
and which S10 rear axle did you p/u for your truck?

[GRIMSS]

Originally Posted by CG

Lotta nice ideas going together here. 56 panels are very cool.

Thanks, been thinking about this thing for a while now. With all the stuff going on today it's getting harder to come up with something different.

Originally Posted by Diesel

Any progress on the cab?? I have to ask... Why did you have to cut the floor out??
and which S10 rear axle did you p/u for your truck?

Nope, only working on it on the weekends. Just did some major cleaning and assessing the rust damage.

Cut the floors for my 4link. With the size of tires and how low I'm going it had to be done.

This is a 2wd S10 rearend. I did checking and since I had to run addapters it was going to work for me. I plan later to build a rearend that will do with out the addapters and be wider.

[alden]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

Wheels are newer 20" dodge truck spare tires.

good deal, thanks!

[pugs]

ck the width of a mustang or cougar they mite be what you need
the body looks real decent from what we see

[71'tahoe]

I love it!!

[GRIMSS]

Big fat zero done on the panel this weekend. Wife birthday, mothers day, and nephew's dedication used up my whole weekend. And found out that next weekend is loaded up also.

I did go out to the farm to check on it after some nasty storms rolled through the area the other night.

[OrrieG]

I understand my weekend was honey doos involving the cabinet making part of the shop. Next week end I'm traveling to my Mother's memorial service. But after that I get to finally prime and paint all the stuff I worked on this winter and get to finishing the body work. Did have a nice mothers day BBQ over at my kids.