Great Granddad's '47 3600

[pinecrest]

I am in severe need of motivation on this project! I have a lot of irons in the fire, as most of us do, but I GOTTA get back to this. I will post the major stages to date.... but it has been sitting idle for several months. I am having a shop built in the Spring, which will provide me a MUCH needed space for this project.

Here's what I've got. I started with the complete non-running truck in January, 2011. Pretty ratted out (literally). I picked up an s10. Snagged an 8.8 rear from a '95 explorer. Now for the part you may hate... sorry.... I had a F**d 302 from an old Mooshtang project. Completely rebuilt.... ready to go. So- that's what I'll be using.

My current sticking point is figuring out which transmission to use. I have an AOD that is needing a rebuild- just need to figure out if I'm going that direction or not.

Now for some pics.

I am NOT a body man. I "can" and "do" weld- I am not great at it, by any means. This is my first build, and I want to FINISH it, dagnabbit!!! haha. Thank you in advance for any encouragement. I LOVE reading on this site!!!

(That is my 3/4 ton Chevy sitting next to Great Granddad's)

[pinecrest]

Some more pictures- these are a couple from the first night I brought it home from my cousin's house. My uncle had bought it from Great-Grandad's estate.... drove it for some years... then parked it when it would no longer go- I believe around '77. It's been sitting outside for several years- maybe you could tell. My cousin moved it to his place, but never did anything to it. I feel pretty obligated to put it back together, since I've now blasted it apart.

[pinecrest]

Here's a pic from the second night I had it.... still in the honeymoon stage. Tore a bunch of it apart, cleaned out the mouse poop, etc.

[pinecrest]

Some good ole driveway sand-blasting of the s10 frame, rearend, and the rear id tag.

[pinecrest]

What happens when the hose pops off of the gun and blasts your arm with media. (I lived.... don't worry). And a painted "rolling" chassis. Since then, it has been occupying my wife's side of the garage with a sbf and aod resting in it- not mounted. And the rest of the truck was simply set together and tarped for this winter. That's where I'm at. And it has been driving me CRAZY!!! How do you keep going?

[duwem]

I wouldnt touch the paint, have someone work the dent out (maybe not even perfect) in the hood and leave it as is even down to the boards on top of the bed.

[pinecrest]

Thank u for the input!!!

For some time, I will leave the exterior as-is. I have pushed the dent out by hand... obviously, it didn't come out perfect, but its much better. I plan to finish the interior nicely, but leave the outside like it is (down to the side boards) for a few reasons. 1. For now, I like the look. 2. I'm nostalgic. 3. Money. 4. I'm not talented enough to do the body work, and if it can't be perfect, I'd rather have it wear its "original " skin.
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[53GMC]

I just read your thread and I just finished my great granddad's too. I lost motivation at times because it felt like the smallest things took forever but stay motivated because when its done you will really enjoy it! Mine's not perfect but i sure do love to drive it around town. I saw where you said you were not a body man - Mine is not perfect at all and I was not and I still am not a body man but i learned a lot by doing some body work to mine (despite all the small dings it still has haha) But it looks like you are off to an awesome start and keep up the awesome work! I will be following this story! Good Luck!!

[pinecrest]

Thank you. I enjoyed reading about your build. For a while I thought this was my grandpas pick up who was killed in a farming accident when my dad was a young boy. But I still think the truck is cool though. My dad remember s driving it around the farm.
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[pinecrest]

The transmission made it's way to my basement this afternoon, and is just getting started on its tear-down. Hope to wrap that up within a couple of days (fingers crossed).

[pinecrest]

I sat down and rebuilt this aod transmission. It was pretty well cooked. The clutches and steels for 2&3 were toast. Of course, the overdrive band was down to the metal. And a broken part that I had replace via ebay. I had ordered a TCI kit through summit. I thought it would have all I would need..... nope. Short an important gasket for the valve body and a spacer for the oil pump. Oh well.... this made me order the right parts, and spring for a valve body upgrade.

I've got it pretty much complete, now... just waiting on a few items to be delivered so I can button it up. Also waiting on delivery of a new torque converter and a few odds and ends so I can mate the tranny and engine. I want to get this thing MOVING!!!!

From sludgy to slick.

[pinecrest]

A pic of it mostly assembled. It's since been cleaned better and painted. It was totally worth carrying this to the basement, where I could be warm, the parts could be warm, and I could focus on being thorough, rather than rushing.

That's a bench I made from scaffold planks on saw horses. I laid down tar paper, cardboard and rags, cuz I knew I was gonna make a mess!!

So- just cuz pictures are more interesting........

[pinecrest]

I received a TCI 436000 Trans-Scat shift kit for my AOD yesterday, and need your advice, having never owned a vehicle with a shift kit. I hope to drive this truck pretty regularly- not daily, but at least weekly. Long story short, I am switching careers, and should no longer need my "commuter car." So I'll have my daily work truck and this ol thang.

I have 3 options- do I want:
Door Number 1..... Street/Strip: shifts feel positive and sharp- what TCI's Street Fighter has.
Door Number 2..... Heavy Duty: used for towing, camping, motor homes, police, etc. Feels firm but not harsh.
Door Number 3..... Street: a step above stock performance and shift feel.

I don't know what those really mean once you start driving them. I will be running a 2,000 stall converter. Any advice? I want this truck to be fun, but don't need to always be chirping the tires.

[pinecrest]

I was a little surprised this morning by my cab mounts..... I'm moving this body to an s10 frame. I didn't realize that some had 1 mount in the center of the back of the cab. No big deal, but I hadn't come across that before in my reading. Is that a model year thing?

The front and cab are just quickly set on there. Cab is resting on the frame rails- I did not get enough truck time today to set proper heights or build mounts yet. I would love for the truck to sit at about that height, but it will have to go up for drivetrain, etc.

[av8tr33337]

Looking good. I made the top of my cab mounts about 3 1/2 inches above the frame and plan to use the stock s10 pads as well.

[pinecrest]

We have had a large shop built at my place. Everything is sitting outside, awaiting a concrete floor. I couldn't help myself any longer, and I started working on my truck out in the driveway (MAN, I can't wait to work in my shop!!!!)

Sorry for the lack of pics (slap wrists now)- I've rebuilt my AOD and mated it to my engine, and roughly hung my engine where it will go- as of last night. Today, my amateur colors shined through!

Here's what a FULL day's worth of labor yielded this driveway hack: I placed (shimmed, blocked, wedged) my engine and transmission where I want them in the frame. Then played with cardboard scraps to create 1 engine mount. Cut 3/16" metal, drilled bolt holes, and tacked only part of this one mount into place. (remember, this is a F*** engine, and I'm using stock style mounts).

That's it!.... So, after a day, not quite 1/2 of my engine is mounted! argh. haha..... But I had a little fun, too. Pics coming soon, once I get something worthy.

[dmack91]

Unfortunately I suffer from the same problem of working on the project all day, only to find that I haven't really finished anything. My own form of ADD. Oh well, it is still fun to dink on things.