Joel Brain wrote:
>
> Hi, I'm fifteen years old, I own a 53' gmc 1/2 ton. It's a five window.
> I have a bunch of questions about restoring it, so please answer as many as
> you can. I'm kinda of thinking of two different ways of doing the resto'
> (ya'lls lingo is wearin' off:) . The first way is my idea- strip the sheep
> metal and build it from the ground up with a mustang II front end- 700r4
> tranny, chev small block, f*rd 9 inch rear end (chevy 12 bolt?) -- get the
> picture right? The second way is my dads idea- do all the body work (I'm
> gonna do it myself!!) get it running really smooth ( it's got a 228 in it)
> and then paint it. Pretty much just make a reliable daily driver. After
> that I can decide wether I really want to strip it down and put all those
> goody's underneath. Is it better just to strip it now and do it right
> the first time or is this one of those 'father know's best' kind of things?
> Besides that, how does my drivetrain combination sound as a whole? any
> suggestions? I live forty miles out of the nearest big town so I'll be
> commuting quite regulary. Thus the overdrive tranny. Also has anybody
> had any background with Jim Pace Perfomance Parts? They offer a 300
> H.P.350 engine for 2000$. Is this a good deal? Are they very durable
> engine's? It sound's better than building my own engine, and that's
> about how many horsey's I want. Of course cost is an issue ( it always
> is, right?) . I'm a newbie ( like ya can't tell) and I need any/all the
> help I can get. Thank in advance, Tyler (Joel's son.)
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
Hi Tyler,
It's nice to see another young person choosing an old truck to build!
The hobby will never die as long as people like you keep it going.
Point your browser to my website. I built a '48 on a very tight budget,
under 5 grand US, but I went the street rod route as I plan to use the
truck as a daily driver. I had planned to just get it on the road with
the stock running gear first, but found it would cost almost the same
amount as rodding it because of all the worn out parts that needed
replacing.
I agree with Al & Judy on not buying a "built" engine, you can find
better deals than that. I bought a donor car for $200.00 and used as
much from it as possible. That is a great way to keep your costs down. I
used the engine (350), trans (T350), driveshaft, rear-end (10-bolt, 3:08
gears), master cylinder/pedal assembly, steering column (tilt) with
shifter, power door lock solenoids (for my shaved doors), fuse panel
(modified), most of the wiring, and other odds'n'ends. The single most
expensive piece was the front end. The MII crossmember wasn't too much,
but I rebuilt the entire front-end...ball joints, bushings, brakes, etc.
If you want it nce and low in the back, D*dg* Caravan rear springs are
a nice conversion. Good ride, and inexpensive at the wrecking yards.
One thing to remember...you don't have to buy all the latest whizzy and
expensive parts out of the rod magazines. With a little research and
ingenuity you can build your truck, and still have cruising money left
over. Hope this helps!
Alan Gingles
1948 Chevy 1314
http://www.nucleus.com/~agingles
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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