55.2-59 Duramax Task Force Panel

[FinnDiesel]

Well, to start at the beginning . . . I was in NZ and Australia on a work term and came upon this 1958 GMC Panel 3800 for sale back home in BC to which I sent my daughter who was local to view and purchase.
It waited patiently in my shop for a full year before I returned.
It has a really nice 1955 Chevy front clip on it. The experienced here will see the longer '58 frame horns.

[FinnDiesel]

I was unsure of the single headlight and the Chev clip. So I placed a few ads in the local online sites looking to trade even or buy outright an actual GMC 1958 double headlight or even Chev double. No real prospects after a few months searching.
When I returned to BC, I quickly set upon tearing it apart and checking out the condition.

[FinnDiesel]

More photos

[6DoF]

i like where this is going

[FinnDiesel]

The patina on the hubcaps is beautiful.

[6DoF]

that truck is crazy clean, good find!

[FinnDiesel]

Originally Posted by 6DoF

that truck is crazy clean, good find!

Yes, the far northern parts of Canada, ie Yukon and Northwest Territories are salt free due to their extreme cold temps. The trucks up there and Alaska as well are mostly rust free.
This is an ex-mining truck with a PTO and had a drill rig installed on the front frame horns. U can see the custom hole in the front crossmember for the PTO shaft and the welds on the front horns which held the drill rig. There were long metal framed and Fir wood bench seats in the back on either side for carrying mining folks.

[FinnDiesel]

I thought long and hard about which direction to go - modified stock frame hotrod style or custom more modern chassis swap? I've read every Task Force and Advanced Design post on this forum to help form an opinion.
Just look how straight those frame rails are !

[FinnDiesel]

Then removed the oiled tar coated plywood floor from underneath - carefully 'cause its really heavy - to clean up the rockers and inner rears.

[FinnDiesel]

Plywood floor leaning up, a little rust in random locations - driver side rocker bottom 2 inches a bit rough, but with no aftermarket pieces available, bent some metal up on the brake. Its an easy match. Pass side really clean, but a few small holes in the step well - thats an inexpensive part, $80 CAD at KMS Tools.

[FinnDiesel]

More photos

[dsraven]

fisrtly, where the heck did you find a pretty rust free truck in BC?
secondly, nice work. have you decided on what to do with the frame yet? it may come down to what you wanna use for power as well, what the frame you choose can handle, what it will have for brakes, axle, etc.
there is a thread on here that shows a fella who put a '58 panel on top of a gmc envoy or chevy trailblazer frame (actually, a saab frame) and some of the body was used I think. there are a couple of other builds using the chevy trailblazer or gmc envoy as a donor as well. maybe it takes away some of the value of the finished unit, compared to an original frame, but if you modify the original frame then, for me, it is 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=823156
another on a trailblazer but not a panel truck
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=517183
if you google

55-59 chevy truck factory asembly manual

and pick the trifive site, the assembly manual is a free download. I suggest doing that and downloading to a thumb drive so you have access to where all the spot welds are, how things were assembled at the factory and, more importantly for you and a frame dilemma, it has frame dimensional drawings.

[FinnDiesel]

Originally Posted by dsraven

fisrtly, where the heck did you find a pretty rust free truck in BC?
secondly, nice work. have you decided on what to do with the frame yet? it may come down to what you wanna use for power as well, what the frame you choose can handle, what it will have for brakes, axle, etc.
there is a thread on here that shows a fella who put a '58 panel on top of a gmc envoy or chevy trailblazer frame (actually, a saab frame) and some of the body was used I think. there are a couple of other builds using the chevy trailblazer or gmc envoy as a donor as well. maybe it takes away some of the value of the finished unit, compared to an original frame, but if you modify the original frame then, for me, it is 6 of one and a half dozen of the other.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=823156
another on a trailblazer but not a panel truck
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=517183
if you google

55-59 chevy truck factory asembly manual

and pick the trifive site, the assembly manual is a free download. I suggest doing that and downloading to a thumb drive so you have access to where all the spot welds are, how things were assembled at the factory and, more importantly for you and a frame dilemma, it has frame dimensional drawings.

Thanks for that - yes I have scoured over those threads spending countless hours scheming . . . you can see the 9-7X Aero in the driveway almost stalking the progress . . . and the security crew !

[dsraven]

here is a tahoe swap
https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...d.php?t=775165

[dsraven]

here is a 55 on a trailblazer ss frame and floor/firewall
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=782939

[dsraven]

would you make it a 58-59 if you could come up with the parts? not that I know of any for sure, but there is a guy in Calgary who seems to have a few of these old trucks laying around, and he sells stuff. the later models are just a little longer out front so a little more room for engines, rads, a/c, cooling fans etc. the fenders also lend themselves to being made a little wider. check this thread that has extensive customs done, including widening the front fenders to fit the wider stance.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...766016&page=11
the calgary guy is on kijiji selling trucks last time I looked in the classic cars section. check his other ads or simply message him.
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-classic-cars...ide/1651162320

[dsraven]

i'm sure you already know then, but the trailblazer frames are a lip together unit-front to rear, so they can be made shorter, or longer, as required.

[FinnDiesel]

Originally Posted by dsraven

i'm sure you already know then, but the trailblazer frames are a lip together unit-front to rear, so they can be made shorter, or longer, as required.

Yes - I've had the LS2 Aero up the lift a few times to assess with a tape measure - I'm starting to lean towards the 2003 Duramax 2500 chassis - its built the same way but shortening is always easier than lengthening. The tape measuring looks promising - and the truck will live up to the weight rating that way.
I own both potential donor trucks already - both are great, reliable daily use trucks. I really intend on daily working this truck when complete with building materials and towing.
While down unda waiting to get my hands on the project - i drew some inspiration. Actually its acrylic paint on canvas 20'x36"

[mongocanfly]

Wow...what a great find..!!!!

[dsraven]

maybe something in here with a frame drawing, dunno. they have updated the site and dropped some of the early years.

https://www.gmupfitter.com/light-dut...prior-to-2013/

[FinnDiesel]

[QUOTE=dsraven;9181379]maybe something in here with a frame drawing, dunno. they have updated the site and dropped some of the early years.

Thanks, that GMUpFitter site is a great service to all of us hot-rodder types.
These are what I was examining . . .
'03 Dually 3500 (1-Ton) has a 167" wheelbase.
'55-'59 3800 Series (1-Ton) has a 135" wheelbase.
There is a nice flat spot in the frame rails approx 48" long in front of the fuel tank just looking to be sectioned.

[FinnDiesel]

Hi-light of frame rails of '03 GMC Crew Cab Dually

[FinnDiesel]

Bellos Kustoms over on da UToob does an amazing job of shortening a Chev single cab dually for under a '50 GMC COE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-CohK2_Q0U

[duramax55]

hi finndiesel the biggest problem you will run into is the with of the stance. i put a 2005 dmax under a 55-2 chevy truck short box took 39 inches out of the frame. but had to do a lot of searching to find wheels that would tuck inside of fenders . I ended up getting after market dodge wheels with a +54 offset and they just fit inside the back fenders about 3/8 clearance. another problem is getting the rad (not oem) and air to air to fit in front had to move motor back 1 inch just to get enough room in the front. had to get a different air to air. had to put trans and ac condenser under the box with some fan setups. was not an easy build but can be done. you will also have to have a raised bed as the frame goes up in the back. hope this helps

[dsraven]

also, check the bbeep build on here. he put an AD panel on a trailblazer frame. anyway, I think he used fenders from a bigger truck for the extra width and tire diameter. I was wondering about the track width as well, especially if you aren't gonna lift it way up off the ground.
https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...=348244&page=8