'55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

This is my project, it is a '55 Chevy 3100 2nd series short bed stepside.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I have already posted some pics so I will try to pick up from where I left off.

The next project was the lower right door post. I removed all of the rusty metal, welded sheet metal on the inside of the post (not a whole lot of room in there) and coated the outside with cold bonding compound. Then I finished it off with body filler

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

More pics of door post repair.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I forgot to mention that I stripped the cab down so I could see what else I would find.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

More pics of stripping.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Still on strippiing and priming.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Looks great! I take it you don't plan to smooth the firewall by filling in all those holes. I didn't on mine, but I continue to use many of them. Are you shopping for a box? Or did you find one? :ito:

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Looking good. What are your plans for it?

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I got the whole cab primed except for the steps that are going to be replaced anyway.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Almost finished with the priming stage.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

When I started on the fenders, this is what I found. Amazing what the filler and a super thick layer of primer can hide.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

This is the drivers side fender. It had been hit at the rear of the fender and the cab also has a dent in it, but I am not going to do anything with that because it will be covered back up again.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Fenders temporarily bolted back on and primed.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

The hood was in pretty good shape.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

This is another thing that I found on both fenders. I will replace them with new ones.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

These are a few pics of the cab, fenders and hood.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

The next thing was to start on the rear inner and outer cab corners and steps. I had ordered these patch panels from Obsolete Chevrolet but while checking all of the other on line parts places, I ran across the technical section on Brothers web site that had a step-by-step installation of the cab corners. I printed these out and followed them.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Of course I didn’t have all of the exotic cutters and welders they used in the installation instructions. I used a 3” cut-off wheel on a 3/8” drill to cut the outer metal off and I had just bought a new mig welder but had never used one before. I also purchased a spot weld drill bit that they had suggested to drill out all of the spot welds. That was sweet.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Everything is out ready to put the new back in.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Now to put the new inner part back in.

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Now for the outer panel.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I also put the new step in along with the outer corner.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Now I am starting on the right side inner and outer cab corners and step.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Now I am going back with the L/H cab corners and step.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Drivers side cab corners and step done.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I have been toying around with the idea of setting a Camaro rear-end in this thing using all of its components, i.e., coil springs, lower control arms, stabilizer bar, torque arm, track bar and brace. I have been asking a lot of guys for tips and suggestions. I am still not sure which way I am going to go on this. Budget and all that stuff.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I had a ’92 Camaro and I had the original 305 replaced with a 350 and totaled it after only about 500 miles on it. I pulled the engine, transmission and rear end out to use in this truck. I also have a ’79 Chevy truck that I bought for a parts getter and I bought a ’76 Chevy truck for parts for the ’79. I pulled everything off of the ’76 for the ’79 and junked the rest. The ’76 truck had a 350 with auto Trans. I plan to try and build the ’76 350 the way I want but if that doesn’t work out. I always have the new 350 to fall back on.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I had to stop work on the truck for now because I have developed a roof leak in my garage that needs to be taken car of. Actually I need to replace the entire roof on my garage and shop. The garage is about 40 years old but I added the shop onto the back about 3 years ago and the roofs don’t line up so I have a leak where the shop roof joins the garage that needs to be fixed somehow.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Next thing was to start working on the frame. I built a dolly to set the body on and had to figure how I was going to get the body off of the frame by myself. I came up with this crank system that I bolted on the front corner or the garage. I then put one of my tie down straps up in the tree around the closest limb and ran the cable through a pulley that I attached to the cable. I then cut a 2 X 6 board just long enough to fit through the cab at the roof and hooked the cable around both sides of the board. Walla, I started cranking and the body started coming up. Amazing!! This is the true meaning of “Shade Tree Mechanic”

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Cab removed and on dolly.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I also used the same system to raise the frame up so I could pressure wash it top and bottom.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

After the body was removed, I started removing all of the unnecessary brackets from the frame.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I ordered a 4-link coil over rear suspension system. When it arrived, I just had to open the box and check it out. Pretty awesome. Just had to make sure that all of the parts were there and see how it would lay out.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

great use for the tree. Keep up the great work

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

This is how the rear suspension looked before I started.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

Very nice work.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

The first thing I had to do was to remove the original shock mount cross member and replace it with the new piece.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I then mounted the coil over shocks just to see how it was going to look.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

The next step was to remove the old rear end and springs.

Re: '55Chevylover's 55stepside build up
 

I had to remove the original spring mount brackets and trial fit the new 4-link brackets.