Pzary's 1955 3200 Task Force Shop Truck Build

[Pzary3233]

Well I figure I might as well start a build thread. I have been collecting a lot of information from here and the HAMB. The past few weeks I have actually started to get some work done on the old truck and here's what I've got going on!

It all started with cash burning a hole in my pocket and a Craigslist ad for a truck over in Tupelo,MS the ad made the truck sound like it was pretty close to being a driver. 55' Chevy fresh 283 and 3 speed, new brakes, new shocks, new fuel system etc. well we all know how the story goes.... It was some of those things but far from all of it! Brakes were non existent with a new master cyl, trans stuck in 1st gear, shocks were junk, ther was NO wiring in the truck. However the bones were good. It needs fende lower patches, step plate patches but otherwise very solid. No rust in the hard to fix places!

Here are some pics from the ad... Can't see much and I figured the worry that could happen was I came back with an empty trailer.





Well you get the idea... She wasn't terrible but wasn't worth anywhere near asking price. Needless to say I ended up dragging her home.

First order of business was swapping out that three speed. As luck would have it Super Chevy was the following weekend. Dragged the truck over to the muffler shop and got some exhaust work done. I cannot stand exhaus leaks!

Then I headed up to Super Chevy to try to find a new trans. Came across a Saginaw 4 speed for 100 bucks that looked to be a runner. I was trying for an M20 Muncie but people wanted 1200 for piles of junk! What's up with that?!?! Guy even threw in a Hurst Competition Plus Shifter!

Then a quick online order for the install it and a shift lever. Id isn't get a 55 Chevy bench seat shift lever I got the one for a Chevy truck. It works out much better and I feel like the shifter is where it should be. It barely touches the bench seat in 2nd and 4th but has yet to be an issue.

Grabbed all the parts and gory everything mocked up on the bench. I hate adjusting shifters in the vehicle.

Stabbed it in and went to put in the driveshaft... I forgot about the odd yoke the 3 speed transmissions use. Glad I had a spare th350 yoke. Then I had to play the u-joint game... I HATE trying to go to the parts store with an odd mix of parts. Finally get the right u joint and we are driving again. Bled the brakes and they sorta stop! But later failed totally. Those brakes were SHOT!

Fast forward a few weeks I am trying to get a game plan together on what to do to get this truck low without bagging it. I don't do bagged trucks. I like them I like riding in them but I don't want to own a bagged truck. I also had to decide between keeping the solid front axle and getting Sid to drop it or go with an IFS (NOT a Camaro clip or MII). More on this later....

Now I have rear axle ADD I have three different rear ends for this truck...

66 F100 9" that measures 61.5" wms to wms - Disc Brakes are not easy on this swap - Explorer brakes would work with swapping housing ends and custom axles. But then I am looking at another $700 in parts for this to work. I should have done my homework. Early f100 9" axles only had 2" brake offset instead of the standard 2.5" offset. Then comes the wheel bolt patter issue as well...

01 Explorer 8.8 that measures 60" wms to wms - These axles are awesome and work great for a lot of applications. 31 spline axles,posi units from the factory, and a hot rod friendly width. However custom axles and machining of the rotors was not something I liked. The other issue is that the rear discs are solid not vented.

78 Firebird 8.5 10 Bolt that measures 61" wms to wms - Disc brakes are a snap -LS1 camaro brakes bolt on without modifications. No brake issues or bolt pattern issues. Not to mention it is the right width. More on the disc conversion in a few weeks when we get to that point.

I chose the 2nd gen F Body axle for its ease of fitment with regards to brakes as well as trying to keep the whole thing GM. First plan of attack was to get all the brackets off the axle. Out comes the trusty plasma cutter!

I had the brackets off in seriously 10 minutes and ground smooth in another 10. Fastest I've ever been able to do it. I will NEVER be without a plasma cutter again!

Once the axle was ground smooth I tacked the spring perches on but come to find out TCI was a littl bit off in their measurement. So I had to redo that once it was hanging in the truck.

I had previously primed and painted the TCI rear spring brackets and bolted them on. Drilled out the requisite 3/8th inch holes and bolted them the rest of the way on. Hung the leafs from the front eye and slid the axle in. Everything bolted up nicely except for the spring perches were too narrow by half of the perch width... Ground off the rack welds and repositioned and tacked it again. Buttoned everything up and threw some wheels on it. It looks GREAT!


I'll have to shorten the driveshaft but the pinion angle looks good and everything looks as though it will be just right. I MAY end up with a little lowering block in the rear but we will see.

Over all the TCI rear spring kit was awesome and well worth the money.

Next I will be installing the rear discs on the 10 bolt and getting ready for the front suspension. In the mean time I am thinking about swapping cabs but im not quite sure yet...

PS pics in the am my phone doesn't seem to like posting them....