51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

whats goin on everyone. this is my 3100 5 window build that Im about to start on very soon so I wanted to get my thread started. first off a little back ground on how I ended up with the truck. my grandfather bought it off the original owners family for a 150 bucks. the original owner drove it until 56 the last year it was registered and he apparently had a heart attack and stopped driving it. then a tree fell on it then it wasn't touched again until my grandpa bought it probably 15 years ago. well since hes passed and me having the itch for custom trucks I bought it from my grandma for the same 150 bucks.
so my plans for it are to fix all the cancer on it cab corners, floor, cowl etc. and want to do full air ride and get the running bored flat on the ground as possible. either going to use an s10 front clip and mate it to the stock frame or do a m2 front end depending on the shape of the frame. body wise Im planning on widening the fenders some and getting the back of the rear fender lower to the ground as well. paint im wanting to go with red and black some how not really sure which way I want to go get. wheels will probably be smoothies with baby moons and wide whites.
also planning on doing a full ls swap and a 4l60 trans just for the drivability of it. I want a really clean reliable cruiser. thanks for tagging along and checking out my build im going to name Loretta Lynn

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Big Moss,

Kewl! Welcome to the post! I too am restoring my Grandfather's truck. Not much of old grand dad's truck left but the cab and hood. I went with the S10 frame, and I am installing an LS1 with a 4L60E transmission.

Anyway, good luck with the build. I'll be keeping tabs!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Welcome and good luck!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Thanks guys.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Welcome aboard and enjoy the build!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Welcome, Lots of good info here on the site. Your truck looks very similar to my 53 !

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

thanks guys here a few more pictures I have off my phone the trucks sitting on our property In east texas about 2.5 hours away from where I live in Houston.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

I hope you don't paint it. It's got a killer patina!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Great truck you have there. Worthy of getting back on the road!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

flysocal the plan is currently to leave it as is. im going to have to fix the roof and the cab corners and probably going to swap out the driver front side fender for one the a little more tarnished.
deantx thanks man yeah its going to be a long road but she will for sure see the road again with a new heart and an altitude adjustment

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Cool truck. I live south of houston. Hunt in east Texas.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

etraugott same here man I live in Pasadena and we hunt on our property where the truck is in elkhart

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Welcome!! Sounds cool. What is the reason for widening the fenders? Wider tires? Just curious. I took 2" off the bottom of my fenders to lower the fender. The back of the rear is 3/4" off the ground.
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Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

lower 50 yeah I saw on the bagged forum someone had 15x12 inch baby moons with white walls on and I thought the were sick and he had widened his fenders. so did you just gut the 2inches off and move the fender down on the bedside?

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

10/8/15
alright guys im making moves in the right direction. this weekend im going to buy this 89 s10 single cab long wheel base for 400 bucks. motors junk so gonna sell it for scrap. going to try and flip the cab, front end and bed. my roommate is gonna buy the re-end outta it for 150 for his bagged Dakota build so it put me at 250 for the purchase.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

That would be a cool look with the wide baby's. I cut 2" off the fenders and bent a lip onto them. My whole body is lower on the frame and my running boards are only about 2" below the cab.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

nice. yeah im not sure where I can get some 15x12s at but I think they would be sick with the 5.3 or possible 6.0 going in my truck. your build is sick btw lower50

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Got this 89 s10 picked up and moved to my shop already getting hits on the body that I just posted for sell. Paid 400 for it

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Made progress on breaking down the s10 getting parts ready to be sold. Tomorrow nihjy gonna try and get the core support pulled break booster and steering column.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Good luck. Stripping a vehicle is fun stuff. Cut, snip, yank.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

made some more progress on getting the s10 parted out my total in parts sold will be 350 after I sell the bed tonight to my friend hes going to make a wall mount out or it for his shop so im 50 buck up after paying 300 for the truck. and still have a lot of stuff to sell. also getting my 2500 fixed this week and got new tires so I should be getting the 51 moved down here In the next couple of weeks

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

nice score on the donor. shop looks comfy! the patina is nice. i'd keep it as long as possible, since it was your grandfathers.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

thanks 99 yeah the shops comfy for sure. got plenty of room in there. ill post some more pictures of the shop later. and yeah im not 100 % set on keeping the patina on it a part of me wants to and a part of me wants to paint it. and this truck wont ever be for sale its on of the last things I have to hold on to that my grandpa was involved with.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

could always get it on the road, leave the patina, enjoy it, document it. then blow it apart and paint. that way you get to share both worlds. I'd give both my nuts to have a truck that was my paps! your a lucky man

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

I hear ya about not parting with your grandpa's truck. I'm in the same boat. Mine was my grandpa's hay truck, and it was actually the first vehicle that I ever drove. It holds lots of memories. I figured that I would fix her up with all of the bells and whistles, and drive her till I'm done. Hopefully the kids will have the same desire to keep it in the family.

Anyway, congrats on the finding the S10 at such a good price, and it looks like you are making great progress on tearing it down. Can't wait to see you tear into Loretta.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

99 that's what my roommate had suggested just get it running as is and do whatever metal work needed done drive it for a while then tear it back down then paint it. ill probably go ahead and paint the interior frame and under the hood all slick for now. and yeah I for sure consider myself lucky even though he didn't use the truck he still bought it as a project he wanted to do so im honored to be able to have the chance to build it. im getting my 2500 out of the shop today after some front end work new tires and an alignment so all I gotta do now is get a trailer lined up and get to east tx to get the 51 picked up hopefully the weekend of the 7th ill be picking her up

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

nice, hope you get it back smoothly. Of course you could always paint engine bay, interior and frame (somin I luv seeing on a patina truck) then just add color later if need. plus, its always nice to test drive and fit bf paint, esp if its your first build. Nice to shake it all down and not have to worry about the paint.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

for sure on your 49 build did you end up running spacers on the front. im going to talk to bill at ekstensive metal works in Houston to see about getting some custom arms built but as of right now im just gonna be laying it out on the stocks with spacers and cups

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

I was almost gonna put some spacers on front, but decided not to. I'm using an s10 steel wheel so I don't know the offset. I used the speedway tubular arms 8" for uppers. used stock lowers. I didn't dehump the lowers or notch the rear frame. So that makes for the body mounting a little lower like around 3". gives you good bed depth. I did get poly bushings for the lowers. they were like $75.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

good morning guys I had a pretty busy weekend and don't have much left of my donor truck. this weekend I got the transmission, seat belts, cab, and wheels sold bringing my total to 840 on what ive parted out off the s10 which I got for 300. hopefully this week I can find buyers for the few things I have left.
heres a few picture of my shop also

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

that's awesome your making out on the s10. wish I had that shop! you could fit a lift in there tho!

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

I know it man I didn't think id sell this much off of it. and yes we want a lift in there bad

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

cool....im in...by the looks of some pics on here, you know what you're doing and this ride will be sweet too..

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

yeah a little bit weve got a lot of cool stuff in there just wasn't very motivated over the summer to get out and make any real progress. but now that its cooling off my roomates and I are in the shop at least 4 night a week

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

good morning guys well I had a busy weekend. I hauled a truck back to a friend of mine in east texas that we had been building that he lost all motivation on and he payed me to haul it so I figure while I was up there id pick up my 51 as well. so my uncle and I got it loaded with his front end loaded and got it home yesterday afternoon. haven't unloaded it yet because some how over the weekend I managed to lose a ramp. but I also sold some more parts of the donor s10 and out my total on parting that out to 900

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

congrats, sux about the ramp

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

yeah I found a brand new pair at the local trailer supply store for 150 so im going to pick those up at lunch today and then gonna try and get the truck unloaded today. before I bring it into the shop im gonna try and pressure wash all the dirt and varmint crap out of it. random question but whats the salability of an original frame suspension and motor and trans. since im not using any of that ill try and get it sold to someone who actually would need or want it.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

Let me just give you my piece of mind. When I started my 51' five years ago, I thought I'd never have a use for the frame. I couldn't be happier with keeping it and infact I wouldn't get rid of it for nothing. For you since it was your paps you're gonna want to keep it, maybe not now but someday, I guarantee that. but anyway, frame is 100 bucks, engine no one will want most likely ( I would though, got a collection of 1-6's). Someone might give you 250 for it all, just never know. Someday all these OG frames will be sought after and or worth something, so if you could keep it, go for it.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

defiantly I think later on the will be worth their weight in gold. ill post it for sale and if it doesn't go quick then ill just keep it for a later date. but if it does sell then Ill just be putting that money back into the build.

Re: 51 chevy 3100 5 window build
 

well you may end up keeping it and making 99 happy. I advertised both of my frames complete with engines and trans and axles for months at $100 obo and I didnt even get a single call.

happy thoughts dont fold like cash but they are still happy!