1949 Chevy 3600 into a daily driver

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by Coach529

Boss lady says no on red......and who am I to argue with her.

...................A VERY VERY smart man !!!

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Coach529

Boss lady says no on red......and who am I to argue with her.

We do not argue with "She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed". It's bad for the sex life. Hell, it's bad for ALL of life.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dan in Pasadena]

You know they sell knockoff pistons as shift knobs on eBay, right? My dad had the same one on all his trucks when I was growing up.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

You know they sell knockoff pistons as shift knobs on eBay, right? My dad had the same one on all his trucks when I was growing up.
Posted via Mobile Device

Had no idea.........makes no difference anyway. I wanna make my own.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Yeah, they're phonies. Chrome, they have ring grooves but no rings. But they're the right size for your hand.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Coach529]

Been busy in the wood shop....too busy and it is taking away from work on Henry.

Oh well......such is life I guess.

I did manage to complete my shift knob last night. It is a 200cc piston and it a bit big but feels really good.

Might try to find a 125 or 144 piston.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Looks good Coach. Did you take photos of HOW you did this? Was the wrist pin boss big enough as-is that you could just drill & tap it?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Looks good Coach. Did you take photos of HOW you did this? Was the wrist pin boss big enough as-is that you could just drill & tap it?
Posted via Mobile Device

How am I supposed to make millions selling these things if I give away all my secrets. . Just kidding of course.

The wrist pin was way to hard to drill. I used a chunk of a 5/8" bolt cut shorter than the wrist pin. I drilled and taped the bolt 3/8-fine and then drilled and taped 2 holes #8-32 and installed screws so the piston would not rock back and forth.

I used a nut to lock the piston into place once I got it where i wanted on the shifter.

Easy.......took about 1/2 hour. I can take some pictures tonight.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Coach529

How am I supposed to make millions selling these things if I give away all my secrets.

Well, 'ya know at $1 each you'd have to sell a couple million. I suggest you shoot for selling only one for a couple million!

Coach, Maybe this will help you some:

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Well, 'ya know at $1 each you'd have to sell a couple million. I suggest you shoot for selling only one for a couple million!

Coach, Maybe this will help you some:

Thanks for the pick....make sense now!!

[Coach529]

Got Henry on all fours and off the jack stands this week.





I love the stance.....but it may be too low.

I picked up some scabs rims and tires at the salvage yard. Way too wide rims, and too big of a tire. They rub pretty bad past 1/2 lock.



Took some measurements tonight off the wheel mounting surface.

5-3/8" from the wheel mounting surface to the tie rod ends
6-1/2" from the wheel mounting surface to the inside curl of the fender.

Hopefully my tires will not rub. Will be running 15" x 6", zero offset, 3-1/2" backspacing rims with 215/75-15 tires.

My shocks showed up too. The budget is tight........compromises had to be made. No Bilsteins. Midrange KYB's had to do!!

[NEWFISHER]

The KYBs are great shocks. You might want to save the leafs you pulled and watch the current pack after you drive it a week. If the start to flatten, put the others back in. Stance looks great, how about a full shot?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

The KYBs are great shocks. You might want to save the leafs you pulled and watch the current pack after you drive it a week. If the start to flatten, put the others back in. Stance looks great, how about a full shot?
Posted via Mobile Device

The back isn't done yet......hopefully picking up a rear end this weekend.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

The KYBs are great shocks. You might want to save the leafs you pulled and watch the current pack after you drive it a week. If the start to flatten, put the others back in. Stance looks great, how about a full shot?
Posted via Mobile Device

I love the stance.....as long as it doesn't rub. I guess I will know in a couple weeks when my Hurst's show up!!

[G&R's57GMC]

Here's a friends AD check out the wheels they match the running boards.

[NEWFISHER]

Very nice
Posted via Mobile Device

[focusedontheprize]

I really like the stance Coach. Haha when I first put the truck down on the ground after doing the swap, it sat a lot lower than I originally expected, but it grew on me.

Can't wait to see Henry with the new shoes on.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

I really like the stance Coach. Haha when I first put the truck down on the ground after doing the swap, it sat a lot lower than I originally expected, but it grew on me.

Can't wait to see Henry with the new shoes on.

I love it as long as it does not rub. I only have about 2" of front travel after I cut the bump stops. My gut is telling me I will have to add at least 1 of the springs back into the spring pack.

[Coach529]

I am overthinking this for sure.....but I will have to add those leaves back. Right now I am 7" to the bottom of the front bumper.

I will loose another 1-1/2" to 2" with my new Hurst Racing Whitewalls.

Low is good.......but I need to be practical!!

Thoughts....comments...concerns!!

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by Coach529

I am overthinking this for sure.....but I will have to add those leaves back. Right now I am 7" to the bottom of the front bumper.

I will loose another 1-1/2" to 2" with my new Hurst Racing Whitewalls.

Low is good.......but I need to be practical!!

Thoughts....comments...concerns!!

Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't your main concern be the axle as it is the lowest point?

How are you losing another 1 1/2 to 2" with the new wheels? You have that tall of a tire on it now?

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

Correct me if I am wrong, but wouldn't your main concern be the axle as it is the lowest point?

How are you losing another 1 1/2 to 2" with the new wheels? You have that tall of a tire on it now?

That is true......the axle height will still differ if I change the springs. The tires on it now are 28" and change. The Hancooks are supposed to be 26" and change.

Thinking i need more than 5" at the bumper and 2" of travel.

Plus I want the running boards to be very close to parallel with the ground. Little or no rake front to back. I do not think I can get the rear end that low without affecting bed floor height which is not an option..\

[NEWFISHER]

Comments: I originally pulled leafs and immediately put them back in. They are new packs, but just didn't feel right ( thought they would sag out) and I reinstalled them. The Burb is low enough to look good and high enough to clear everything.

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Comments: I originally pulled leafs and immediately put them back in. They are new packs, but just didn't feel right ( thought they would sag out) and I reinstalled them. The Burb is low enough to look good and high enough to clear everything.

Ultimately this thing has to be a driver= Meaning practical.

Even with my leaves back it's still going to be pretty awesome I think. The springs are 63 years old and sacked out anyway.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dan in Pasadena]

Have you researched having them re-arched? Then everything under there would be fresh. I always wonder; if they sag will it be evenly.

Coach & Newfisher: Care to comment subjectively for us guys that are on the fence about an I beam front axle vs. a switch to IFS? I KNOW IFS is "better" in most ways but I see early cars; street rods mostly and I think they're running (mostly) stock suspension. I beams, transverse springs, hairpins, etc. I wonder if in 20 years guys in this hobby will be cursing us who cut the front of our frame off for a Camaro clip!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Coach529]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Have you researched having them re-arched? Then everything under there would be fresh. I always wonder; if they sag will it be evenly.

Coach & Newfisher: Care to comment subjectively for us guys that are on the fence about an I beam front axle vs. a switch to IFS? I KNOW IFS is "better" in most ways but I see early cars; street rods mostly and I think they're running (mostly) stock suspension. I beams, transverse springs, hairpins, etc. I wonder if in 20 years guys in this hobby will be cursing us who cut the front of our frame off for a Camaro clip!
Posted via Mobile Device

I have not research having them rearched. I would probably just get a new set or scavenge some off a junked truck!!

Personally I am not a fan of clipping or even the whole S-10 chassis thing. I like the fact my truck is sitting on the stock chassis.

IFS vs. Solid axle. 50% of my decision was based on $$$$. A Fatman IFS system was double what I paid for my Sid's front set up. Plus then you have to deal with power steering, and if I had IFS I would want to be on bags. More $$$$. If I had the budget I probably would have went IFS, even though it would have been a moral struggle.

My Dad always wanted this thing restored original. Unfortunately he is not around for me to debate about it. I came up with the best compromise I could I on the matter. I think he would approve!!