1Bad37: C5 Corvette Meets '37 Chevy...

[1Bad 37]

My name is Christian, and this is my ride... It’s a 1937 Chevrolet 1/2 ton truck, with a 2001 Corvette engine, or LS1, a T56 6 speed trans, and 3.46 rear end. The frame was custom made by myself with help from my father over the last two years to suit the full Corvette independent suspension and disk brakes all the way around. The truck is supported by a set of fully adjustable coil overs. The wheels are stock 2001 wheels 18x9.5+56 rear, 17x8.5+56 with 255s on rear so they don’t rub on the already 2inch wider rear fenders. The front end is narrowed 6 inches. The Corvette trans is under the bed connected to the motor by a torque tube. The torque tube was custom extended 6.5 inches. The trans being in the back was the reason I made the bed tilt, so people could see the amount of time and effort that went into the truck.The Corvette’s electronics are all there, slimmed down by myself on cold winter nights. (PITA) The Security systems are all there, I just wired it in such a way that everything that wants to talk, does.
First off some "picking it up pics!" This kid has NO IDEA what he just got himself into!!!

100_3673m by Der E30, on Flickr


100_3678m by Der E30, on Flickr

I remember being super excited the whole ride home! People were giving us thumbs up the whole way!

100_3682m by Der E30, on Flickr


These were two years ago in July ’11...

IMG_0560m by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_0562m by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_0630m by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_0570m by Der E30, on Flickr

That was the first time the frame had seen real daylight!

Fast forward to last summer...











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Annnnd some pics of under the hood and bed...
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IPhone doesn’t pick up light too well but I made due, the real camera was home that day...


IMG_1543m by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_1536m by Der E30, on Flickr


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Driver’s point of view when cruising...

IMG_1535m by Der E30, on Flickr


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Driving out of hell!

IMG_1535mm by Der E30, on Flickr


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A few with my great grandpappy’s truck he bought new...

IMG_1573m by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_1593mc by Der E30, on Flickr

And to the reason I'm starting a build thread today and not earlier is I was swamped with skool (and working on my DD's several issues) all winter and basically got nothing done all winter is that I'm almost done with skool for the summer and I will be actually making some progress!!! I'll upload some pics of the parts I picked up last wee. Shaved door kit and some glass related parts... Today I dropped off my glass to get tinted. Pics when its back! Gotta have SOMETHING done before the Arlington Show and SHine on the 14th!

[1Bad 37]

As she sits currently...

New things I got, besides the power window dealy.

Sound deadener I've been doing plus the mock up actuator spot.

[YBNORML]

Very nice! Must be a blast to drive.

[1Bad 37]

Bump from the dead!!! Still here and alive! Professors are doing their best to bury me in work still breathing!

Pics of taking it apart... Dang, didn't realize they were that dark...


Put some sound deadener stuff in over the summer, makes the doors not sound like tin!

Always ***** the way the mufflers could be seen from the side under the fenders...

I WILL FIX! :eek

Actually the second time the exhaust went under the knife, or should I say grinder!:rofl I angled the cans up so they can't be seen from the side, it looks 10x better...

Pull driveshafts

Diff comes out!

Time to start another pile of parts!
Like my shaft?:rofl:eyebrows

undo some more bolts and this heavy hunk of metal comes out!



I've always ***** the look of this solenoid on the side of the trans... AND it serves absolutely ZERO purpose. It's job is to MAKE you shift from 1st gear to 4th! Thanks Chevy!:dontknow:
Stupid thing out of there for a small mod! (it had no idea what was coming!:rofl

I kinda broke the connector last year stepping on it, But I never had it hooked up anyway since I want a 6 speed not a 4!
It met the (cough) reaper (cough) I mean grinder.
Made a weld on that little rod to keep the plunger thing from rattling out and jamming something up in the trans. Sand it up with the DA and done.


Finished install! Looks much cleaner! Looks much better to me and that's all that matters. I can shorten the wiring harness to get rid of the 1-4 solenoid wires and I have a 6 speed again!

More parts for the pile!!!:rofl

Shaft is getting longer!:rofl1:

The rest are pretty much random pics of stuff! I may or may not be trying to polish this shiz up.:rofl It would look killer but it would be a major PITA so IDK yet...:rofl





Why tear it all down?
Well, 1st gear pops out and grinds pretty much every time I select 1st and use some throttle (apply torque). The weird part is that if I select 1st and hold the shifter in 1st (pushing on the gate) and slowly let out the clutch, it will make a loud clunk. After the cluck it will operate as it should, I can burn the tires or whatever, and shift into 2nd like normal...

Also, when engine braking like when rolling up to a stop sign, I can stick it in 1st and let the clutch out while rolling slow and it will still pop out and make all manner of grinding noise. Again, once I've clunked it into 1st, I can decelerate just fine...

All the other gears work normally, and the clutch works ok as well...

I asked on LS1tech and these pics are recycled from that thread...

1st gear




IMG_7439m by Der E30, on Flickr
1/2 fork, looks fine to me…

IMG_7435m by Der E30, on Flickr
3rd

3rd:4th slider by Der E30, on Flickr
3-4 slider from 3rd side… Most of the sliders look more or less like this, pretty good as far as I know...

3rd slider by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_7456m by Der E30, on Flickr


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IMG_7454m by Der E30, on Flickr
IMG_7453m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_7450m by Der E30, on Flickr
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The more I look at the teeth on 1st gear itself, the more I think that the circled area could be the issue, the teeth all look the same, almost rounded off right on the corner...

IMG_7446m by Der E30, on Flickr


IMG_7459 by Der E30, on Flickr

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IMG_7460m by Der E30, on Flickr

Gonna build basically a stage 2 trans with bronze fork pads and billet keys, new 1st gear slider, plus a short shifter and shifter cup along with some GM fluid. No new 1st gear for now, my wallet hurts enough for one day...

It throwing the lever out of 1st was the number 1 reason for second gear drifts and burnouts.. It is enormously pissing to have it pull that crap, especially when you've driven the stupid thing like 600 miles EVER

[Advanced Design]

Nice truck! So is the first gear causing the problem? Maybe bounce the issue off a good manual transmission expert. Would be a bummer to do all the work and have the same problem.

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Nice truck! So is the first gear causing the problem? Maybe bounce the issue off a good manual transmission expert. Would be a bummer to do all the work and have the same problem.

Just thought about it again, new 1st gear inbound. It's only money right? So now new 1st gear and new slider along with new bronze fork pads should fix it.

The whole thing is stupid because I don't think I've ever ground the gears in it

I'm also getting a cheap short shifter that I'm going to modify into a tall bent lever sorta like stock truck and alter the lever ratio even more so it is still a normal size pattern. Maybe I'll even put a stock 37 shift knob on top!

[old yelr]

Awesome truck! Subscribed.
How does it feel to drive?

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by old yelr

Awesome truck! Subscribed.
How does it feel to drive?

Feels pretty good to drive, always get lots of thumbs ups and break necks Had a guy at a show tell me that "someone stole your leaf springs," I told him I didn't have any. I don't really "like" driving it that much though... Mostly thinking about all the time and money ruins the drive, makes it so I can't park it anywhere I can't see it...

Actual driving, it drives awesome, EFI is freaking sweet how it runs perfectly. I idled through the GoodGuys show last summer without even touching the gas pedal. I love the way it feels so connected to the road with the Pfadt coilovers, my dad thinks its too stiff but I love it. Having no rubber in the steering linkage and heim ends for ball joints is awesome, very little slop!
Just need to cure some of that road noise...

I did a thing over my spring break.

Morimoto MiniD2s projectors, should throw light like a new BMW or Acura. My daily has a set up rather like it and I love it so I had to do it to this also

And yes the buckets are flat black... The actual mirror that does the light throwing is behind the eyeball looking lense.

This also happened. It only took 8 or 10 hrs to put that stupid thing together, I think I took it apart about 10 times getting the shift linkage in there right... If I had another one to do I could probably do it in 2 hrs though.
Much shiny. Have probably 10 or 14 hrs into sanding that miserable thing then polishing. Sanding really sucks, its mostly the self repeating that sucks so bad, going from 80->220->320->600->1200 grit. I need to get some 1500 and 2k as 1.2k isn't enough. What a PITA though...

I have more pics of both things but I have homework due today that I didn't do yesterday because I was sanding and polishing the diff... I bolted the diff on right after that pic and it looked pathetic all dirty next to the polished trans, kind of irritating but I said whatever and started making that shiny too

Better updates maybe tomorrow if I remember the memory card on my way to school...

[old yelr]

I know what you mean about not wanting to park it anywhere you can't keep an eye on it. I have a 69 Chevelle convertible that I feel the same way about. I only drive it if that's all I'm planning on doing...just driving! I don't like to leave it anywhere I can't see it, but it has to be that way I guess.
I think you truck looks awesome!! I see salvaged Corvette rollers on ebay and I think to myself how amazing that would be under an ond truck and I think you're the first I've seen that has actually done it. Very cool Must feel like a rocket on rails.
Always loved the streamline era trucks, I have a 1940 Chevy 1/2 ton that I haven't really started working on and it will probably never get to where yours is but it will be great to drive around.
Your right about modern powertrains, EFI is sooo nice. Turn the key and go, no messing around with jets and metering rods etc etc.
Sanding and polishing is mind numbing but it looks great!!
Keep up the great work.
What are you running for seats? Do you have buckets or a bench?

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by old yelr

I know what you mean about not wanting to park it anywhere you can't keep an eye on it. I have a 69 Chevelle convertible that I feel the same way about. I only drive it if that's all I'm planning on doing...just driving! I don't like to leave it anywhere I can't see it, but it has to be that way I guess.
I think you truck looks awesome!! I see salvaged Corvette rollers on ebay and I think to myself how amazing that would be under an ond truck and I think you're the first I've seen that has actually done it. Very cool Must feel like a rocket on rails.
Always loved the streamline era trucks, I have a 1940 Chevy 1/2 ton that I haven't really started working on and it will probably never get to where yours is but it will be great to drive around.
Your right about modern powertrains, EFI is sooo nice. Turn the key and go, no messing around with jets and metering rods etc etc.
Sanding and polishing is mind numbing but it looks great!!
Keep up the great work.
What are you running for seats? Do you have buckets or a bench?

Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, I do park it here and there but not for very long... I think the biggest reason the Corvette rollers on ebay aren't done often is its a HUGE PITA. It would be much easier to do a Camaro/T/A LS swap, its much more "conventional," and thereby easier/cheaper. Getting this far hasn't been cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

And now I will blast with many unedited/blurry/crap on the lens and generally BS iPhone pics! Couldn't find the camera for the new ones and the "in progress" pics I almost always forget the camera and pull out the phone as its ALWAYS in my pocket pumping tunes into my earbuds...
Here's the sanding station! I spent too many hours sitting on that stupid yellow bucket!

Putting the mainshaft into the case on my official GM workstation!




This part is a pain to get right! THis is the actual shift gate/link where shifts happen. THe 5/6 and R forks are on their own linkage that is a pain to make interface with the 1/2/3/4's shift fork. You might pick up that I did the brass fork pads and Viper steel 3/4 fork...

At this point I forgot all about pics and was wrenching. If you ever rebuild one of these, to put the pressed on 5/6 gear back on the mainshaft, heat it up in your oven at 500 degrees and it will fall right on. If you ever take one of these apart you'll know which gear I mean, its a HUGE PITA to take off!!!
Trans back in and no leaks! I hate the smell of ATF in the morning

TO answer the question about the seating arrangement in this aircraft, the plain black seats are the ones I've been using. My dad and I reupholstered them several years ago, they're a stock style replacement. I'm gonna have to replace them though as they hurt my tailbone after about an hour of driving... I hurt pretty bad after driving to the Goodguys show last year, and that's ~1.5-2 hrs away... I'm leaning toward doing them in a chocolate brown color rather like a king ranch ford truck... Probably stitched somewhat like that BMW E30 seat leaning on the wall next to the truck seat. And no, that seat won't work, trust me, I tried to make it work... Its too wide and stuff...

This is the trans as it sits currently, the diff cover is freshly polished, I could polish it for months but this is close enough I think...

What the shop situation looks like now...
THe diff as it sits about 10 mins ago NOT looking forward to polishing that. Thoughts on painting the center part gold and polishing both of the side covers??

[old yelr]

I see what you mean about the center part, there are some pretty deep channels to get into. Painting would cut down on time (and loss of sanity) but I guess it all depends on what you ultimately feel when you flip the bed up and see it. I think either way it would look good.
Was it a big deal to get the torque tube lengthened?

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by old yelr

I see what you mean about the center part, there are some pretty deep channels to get into. Painting would cut down on time (and loss of sanity) but I guess it all depends on what you ultimately feel when you flip the bed up and see it. I think either way it would look good.
Was it a big deal to get the torque tube lengthened?

I think I might paint it for now, I can always pull and polish it later, I have like 300 other things to do on it anyway... Uhhh, I don't really know how hard it was to lengthen the tq tube. I put it in a box and it came back that way Was pretty expensive , but it works perfectly. The shop that did it has gone out of business as far as I know...

Next important decision, gauges. Few options I'm looking at.

1. Stewart Warner "wings"?
2. I was thinking of having Dakota Digital do custom gauges in my original gauge rings, I emailed them and they said the gauges would end up in a layout similar to this. I'm starting to think that would be mistake though...


3. Then there's this... I'm starting to like this a lot...

THoughts????

[old yelr]

I'm not sure you would be happy with the second choice, they remind me of the late 80's early 90's GM digital clusters that were kind of cool at first but leave you wanting more. I like the SW gauges too because they look more period correct and have a nice style.
I've never used them but I really like the Dakota Digital VHX guages (third choice) because of all of the options you get with them. With the message center you get readouts like hour meter, 0-60 times, 1/4 mile timer/speed, high speed/RPM recall etc. Plus they have add on features that will display trans/oil temps, compass, inside/outside temp and more. It looks like it wouldn't take up alot of room behind the dash because you can mount the control box where its convenient and has just one cable running to the back of the cluster. Out of the three I'm sure this option would be the most expensive one but I think they offer a lifetime warranty.

[1Bad 37]

Yeah, I think I will do the VHX kit, it looks pretty sweet and more importantly, fits in the spot in the dash! THe SW wings wouldn't all fit on the dash behind the steering wheel which would be a pain. THe VHX would all fit behind the wheel for one clean install...

[Advanced Design]

Really nice work Christian! I used DD VHX in our 56 Chevy and have been very happy with them.

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Really nice work Christian! I used DD VHX in our 56 Chevy and have been very happy with them.

That's good to hear! I might order it next week or something... I'm gonna get closer to done this spring!

[68c10airstream]

Hi christian, been waiting for the pics. Very very nice fab work!!! Fantastic that you went outside of the box and did irs, and a tilt box besides. This will be a rolling showcase for your work!! A little late for trans repair thoughts but the condition you spoke of first where you hold the shifter in gear and then the clunk, then good to go is typical of mainshaft walking back and forth. Because gears are cut at an angle they end load the shaft. There will always be more force under acceleration one way than you could ever do decelerating the other way. Watch thrust washer clearance (if so equipped) between washer and the case as an example. Do't mean to make you worry, just thoughts i wanted to share. If i lived close would love to feel the handling firsthand! Keep the pics coming. Good luck, Brian F.

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by 68c10airstream

Hi christian, been waiting for the pics. Very very nice fab work!!! Fantastic that you went outside of the box and did irs, and a tilt box besides. This will be a rolling showcase for your work!! A little late for trans repair thoughts but the condition you spoke of first where you hold the shifter in gear and then the clunk, then good to go is typical of mainshaft walking back and forth. Because gears are cut at an angle they end load the shaft. There will always be more force under acceleration one way than you could ever do decelerating the other way. Watch thrust washer clearance (if so equipped) between washer and the case as an example. Do't mean to make you worry, just thoughts i wanted to share. If i lived close would love to feel the handling firsthand! Keep the pics coming. Good luck, Brian F.

Thanks for the kind words!

This is interesting! I've talked to at least a dozen people about this and you've been the first to say about anything like that!Well, I took it apart once, so I can take it apart again if this business of falling out of gear continues and really watch the shimming of the trans. Nothing felt loose or anything though...

[68c10airstream]

The shimming was just an example. Looking at your trans the end tapered roller bearings would be suspect and any selective shims to adjust end play if this is the case on this trans. Sloppiness anywhere, shift fork pads, slider hub, the areas you highlighted, etc it all adds up. In my younger days as a subaru mechanic, i fixed many manual trans's with exactly your complaints and needed all the parts you mentioned and more because of mainshaft walking. Fixed a few t-10 4 speeds with shims because of mainshaft causing 4th gear pop out iirc. Did you narrow up the front end track width? if so what rack did you use?

[1Bad 37]

Interesting, If it continues doing that I'll be ordering a shim kit I suppose!

Yes, the front is narrowed, if I remember correctly it is 7 inch total narrower, or 3.5 inches on each side. We basically narrowed it the amount that a mustang 2 would bolt in and be the correct width where the tie rod ends pivot on the inside, (inside the boots). The rack is a Flaming River mustang 2 power rack.

The rear is stock vette width, that's why camber is needed to get inside the fenders even though the fenders are 2 inch wider. A corvette is wider than it seems!

[1Bad 37]

I kinda forgot about taking pics, so this is the beginning. You didn't miss much, I spent probably an hour thinking about making this cut and welds

I cut out the entire stock gauge mounting area as one piece. That seemed the most logical and straightforward solution.

New toy that came the other day





View from the driver's seat. The protective plastic is still on the gauges, that's why they look weird.
Then I put some body filler on...

[Advanced Design]

Looks good!

[1Bad 37]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Looks good!

Thank you!

Didn't get the camera out in the shop till after I'd pulled the nose and spilled the entire contents of the rad on the ground minus 1 gallon...:shifty: THe petcock valve dumps on the frame so it goes everywhere and is a flipping mess, need to fix that...
IMG_7822m by Der E30, on Flickr

IMG_7825m by Der E30, on Flickr

Suspension shot! Love the heim ends on the steering. Makes it super direct!
IMG_7828m by Der E30, on Flickr
Snaking the steering around the manifold was a pain...
IMG_7835m by Der E30, on Flickr
Pulling the cab with handy dandy hoist.
IMG_7839m by Der E30, on Flickr
IMG_7842m by Der E30, on Flickr
No cab now!IMG_7843m by Der E30, on Flickr
Dat LSIMG_7844 by Der E30, on Flickr
IMG_7846m by Der E30, on Flickr
IMG_7849m by Der E30, on Flickr
IMG_7850m by Der E30, on FlickrIMG_7845m by Der E30, on Flickr

[1Bad 37]

So I bought a thing and cut a big hole to fit it... But first, this is what I started with.

New toy that doesn't fit that well under the dash with that big bump in the firewall. I'll move it down to fix this small problem, this will also look better with the engine there also...


Mark a line with chalk-welder's pen thing

Made some noise!

Idea of where I'm going with this!


Didn't have a piece of steel big enough to patch the hole, so this is the end for today...

Until another day! Or tonight...

[solidaxel]

How do you find all the time to build your project?
I do like your choice on the D D, VHX we went with D D also on the 46 made the dash fit a 40 Ford cluster
After seeing your project we thought we wanted to build a 37 but decided to move on and finish the 46
You are doing one he11 of a job