Shop Truck Update, #5

So this past weekend I blocked up the frame of the '57 Ford to my desired ride height and threw the sheet metal on to see if I'd be happy with the height. Oh yeah, I'm happy now. I've blocked up the rear tires and then I'll pull the sheetmetal off and mark up all of the important locations currently, front cab mounts, axle center line, radiator supports locations and other various spots so that when I start mocking up the Camaro front clip, I'll know where everything needs to line-up. Talking to people it sounds like the front axle is just more of an eyeball adjustment. It seems when lowering these trucks, the front wheel will look as if it sits back in the wheel well because of the angled rear in the opening. So after all is said and done, I'll probably be stretching the wheelbase by 1-2". Good to know.

Let's see, I also picked up a 351w from a guy in Turlock. The motor ran when he pulled it, but it has been sitting for a couple of years. As long as I can get a year or two out of it, I'll be happy. After I get the truck on the road, I'll start collecting parts for its rebuild, but would rather not get hit by all of it at this time.

Shop Truck Update, #4

OK, I got the Camaro clip and cleaned it up yesterday. Looks be be in fairly good shape for have been sitting outside for the last couple of years. It's from a '77 Camaro and has disc brakes up front and a beefy looking anti-sway bar. I still need to talk to some people about installing it, I'm really looking for it to sit a certain way so we'll have to really figure out how it should be installed. More to come...

Shop Truck Update, #3

Talked to Tim last night, a guy I met last Fall at the Autumn Swap Meet, and nothing is in stone yet, but it looks like I may be doing a trade, my drop axle and springs for a Camaro clip. This is very exciting news since I didn't get the stance I wanted with the axle, the Camaro clip will give it to me, as well as independent front suspension, disc brakes and power steering. A few months ago I met a guy named Dennis and he had done the Camaro clip and loves it, his truck has the perfect stance and he says it drives like a new truck. The truck I posted yesterday, the '58 has a Camaro clip as well, with the perfect stance.

So I guess I'm hoping for the best, I should know more this afternoon.javascript:void(0)

Shop Truck Update

Well a busy weekend, I suppose. On Saturday the Turlock Swap Meet was around so I went down there to see if I could find a new motor for the Shop Truck. No luck, but one guy had a 351w short block (no heads) that needed to be rebuilt and he only wanted $750! Wow, I could build a motor for less then that. As we were leaving, Frank and I saw a '58 that had been redone. The guy did an excellent job on it, had a Camaro front clip so it sat nice and low. There are things I would do different, but it was nice all the same. One thing I really like about it was the tailgate. On these 57-60 trucks, the stock tail gate looks like an after-thought to Ford, just pasted on the back, but his guy trimmed it down slightly and stuffed it to give it a finished look. The stock tailgate always bothered me, and I always wondered what I would do to it, and I think I found my answer.

On Sunday I went back down and I pulled the motor from the truck, I'll see if I can sell the thing, which I should be able to do, ad that money to the new motor fund. That was about it for the Shop Truck. I did help Frank with a couple of things on his truck and he did get to start it. Sounds pretty good, mostly because it had not headers. He still has to fine tune the thing, but considering it's been down for over a year, it was music to his ears.