Thread: Starting on the 39 Chevy Truck

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Cape Cod Bob
She can cook but she lets me do a lot of it these days, she say’s I do a better job. I get proud and I’m not the wiser when she tells me how good it is.

Jarred Hodges

If I had tried doing it when I first got it, it wouldn’t be so much work today but if I can put it on an S10 or something smaller it would be kind of nice.

Flipper 1938

Your truck looks good, stance is really nice plus the wheels, if you have a build section on this site I wouldn’t mind getting some tips. At first I wanted to put a modern bed on it, and make it a street rod truck. I’m just trying to get it cleaned up for now and get the rotted bed off, they go fast sitting outside in are location.

Richard

Richard, employing the white cat is a good start. Cats scare the mice and rats off, so once the nests are cleaned out no worries about reinfestation!
I think it would be cool if it fit on the s10 frame. Lots of guys here seem to use them, and there are a lot of inexpensive s10's to be had. It would simplify a lot of stuff mechanically. She sure looks like a big truck though! Maybe a beefier frame from a 1500 or 2500 might be in order. Just a thought.

Originally Posted by ford2custom

Flipper 1938

Your truck looks good, stance is really nice plus the wheels, if you have a build section on this site I wouldn’t mind getting some tips. At first I wanted to put a modern bed on it, and make it a street rod truck. I’m just trying to get it cleaned up for now and get the rotted bed off, they go fast sitting outside in are location.

Richard

http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28959

Steve, the cats love that truck. I hope they are not too disappointed by me cleaning it out. I have a 76 Chevy 1/2 ton short wheel base truck in my collection. I wonder if it would work but other people seemed to think the S10would be better. As soon as I can get the bed off I'll have a better idea.

I forgot to mention that I have a 76 Nova 10 bolt rear end, Do you think it would work since the Camaro worked for you? I had one under my last 55 Checy.


Flipper 1938 Thanks for the link I will check it out.

My 4 year old grandson gave it a paint job over the weeken.
papa-josephpaint.JPG

Richard

I made a little progress today. I got the rotted bed off in pieces. I'm going to tackle the cab next I hope!!!!!!!



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Richard

That'll make a reeaall nice truck! I've got a neighbor with 3. It'll take all 3 to make one though. Yours looks to be in real good shape. Keep us updated.

Dave G

Thanks, if I could get mine to look half as good as yours I would be happy. I will try to stay with it. After all of these years of having the truck it's kind of getting exciting. That bed was a mess, and the back of the cab has two little spots that the rust has broken through.

Richard

Richard looking good. The little pin hole aren't too bad. I just filled them in with the mig welder(hard with thin metal), or backed them with another piece of steel, if the patch spot waould be covered bu interior trim(much easier) and then body filled them. I like the metal to metal badoy putty for stuff like that. It gets in there rock hard!
That drive shaft looks to be 20feet long! Big truck! Now that you started, just go with it, and do a little each day!

Thanks, I'm going to try to stay with it even though I have other projects I started before this one, and stopped. I think waiting for the Rat Rod scene to come along has helped me, as I won't have to chrome and polish so much. Primer will work if I can get it up and running.

Richard

I say either leave the finish as is or go all the way to straight and painted.....anything in between looks halfway done.

just my $.02

FYI....not messing up rusty parts is harder than it sounds. I had to do the frame swap without ever removing the front cap because I didn't think I could put it back the way it was without it looking tampered with (especially the grill). ......Yeah, I know that was a stupid concept.

What about the area's on the backside of the cab, is there anyway to keep it from getting worst and still look natural?

Another question: To take the cab off could I just cut the floor so I wouldn't have to take the trans shifter, e-brake, clutch out, just take the steering column out since I would be sitting it on another frame?

Richard

My guess is that the rust through is from the inside where debris got trapped.

Clean out the debris and maybe glue a sheetmetal patch over the holes (from the inside) should stop it from getting any worse and keep water out of the truck and you won't have any burnt paint from welding in a patch.

How's the truck coming?

falconvan, It started out doing pretty good but with winter coming fast I had to stop. It seems like every year no matter hard I try to be prepared I always end up out in the cold. With propane so high these days I'm trying to stop some of the heat loss in the garage. I will say I'm at least happy that we got the rotted bed off so it looks better, and I hope I can get the cab off the frame maybe before too long.

I wish I could be making progress like you, you’re really hitting your's fast and furious. Keep up the good job, thanks for asking.


Richard

Richard do you have room in the garage to work on the truck? Some of my friends who hace fairly big shop spaces have put wood stoves in there to heat them during winter work times. You can pick up an old wood stove for cheap or even build one using 55 gallon drums and a kit here at Lehman's.
http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/prod...iProductID=199
Now that you got some momentum would love to have some fellow truck builders to inspire me on!