Thread: My rusty/ratty 48 chevy truck build (w/ pics)

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Very cool..... I have a '51 and I am going to pick up a '48 on Sunday

I guess its time for an update and the most recent pics.

I wasn't real happy with previous seating attempts, so I built the seat.

I used sheetmetal to form the seat back and seat bottom..


There is a steel subframe under the seat bottom to help carry my fat ass.


The seat back and bottoms are contoured more like a modern seat and will be padded with a couple of inches of foam. (This is just the first layer. Bottom layers are gonna be dense, top layers something more cushy)


Doing the seat like this gains a bunch of interior space over the stock set-up. My seat back sheetmetal actually touches the back of the cab. I will sit 3-4 inches lower and about 5-6 inches farther back.

I padded the back with 2 inches of foam and the bottom with about six inches. Then covered it all in black vinyl (no sewing)

Here is the finished seat. Glad its vinyl.....rust dust comes from everywhere.



Here's my dad trying it out (while making motor noises)



Workin' on the flatbed now.


The front bumper is just mocked up for the pic.





Sitting next to a stocker with flat tires. This is the next project. Its gonna be painted.

I put some more time in on it this weekend. I got the gas tank mounted.

It is a 2005 S-10 blazer tank (plastic tank...no rust flakes to deal with). It don't look like all that hard of a job, but it sure ate up the time. The filler neck is hidden under the edge of the bed.







I also got the boards cut the go under the flatbed. I didn't like being able to see through the truck (under the flatbed)

I know you still have a lotta work left, but you have gotten a lot done. I really like those wheels. They look perfect for that truck.

Jack

Nice progress!
Are you going to use the stake bed holes ?I think it would look cool and also be usefull to have some cool lookin stakes for the sides to match the other wood on the side...........

Wow, you have so many "right" things going on with this truck. The flat bed really makes it look nice. I do like the wheels, however, if you were to age, or wheather them using paint, like to make them have spots of rust, that would throw this truck over the top. But thats just me, you know I like the rusty look.

Zach
Keep it up, the more pics the better, plus when you are done you can go back to the pics to remember how you did things!

Originally Posted by Last-Call

Wow, you have so many "right" things going on with this truck. The flat bed really makes it look nice. I do like the wheels, however, if you were to age, or wheather them using paint, like to make them have spots of rust, that would throw this truck over the top. But thats just me, you know I like the rusty look.

Zach
Keep it up, the more pics the better, plus when you are done you can go back to the pics to remember how you did things!

All the rust is real. No fake rust for me

I ran brake lines this weekend.

That sucked on a mostly assembled truck.

Lines go back to the firewall and then down.


The proportioning valve is tucked under the drivers side fenderwell.

I had to pull the headers to do the brake lines. I took pics while they were out.

They were built from used World Of Outlaws type sprint car header pieces with spread ports. We built adapters to bolt them to regular SBC heads.

Very cool truck and i enjoy your build with these pictures. I'm sort of new around here and just look at all the posts more than anything. I was just wondering(if you don't mind telling me), how much did you have to pay for these trucks? There are a few old trucks around my area that I am looking at, and was JW what kind of prices these do run for. Thanks in advance.

I paid $450 for the 48 flatbed I am building now. The S-10 that it is on was a $400 truck (running and driving).

The next in line was $800. It may also look rough in pictures, but it is virtually rust free structurally and has very minor damage.

I beat my dash into submission. Glovebox is gone and I fabbed a gauge panel.


I know the gauges aren't traditional.....but I have owned them for something like 18 years now and am going to use them.


My wood for the underbed area is attached


Tail lights are attached

Very nice. i love what youve done.

I love how those wheels look on that truck.