For those of you not familiar with my latest Project, I'm taking the body of a 1950 Kansas Chevy Pickup and putting it on an SSR rolling chassis. Combining the Inspiration with the Reinterpretation.
The idea is to leave the Truck with a rusted patina, but use the SSR interior, for the contrast of old and new. The truck will be clear-coated, with all new glass and weatherstripping.
I've started this Thread to chronicle the Build, and will update it periodically.
A few acronyms for my SSR are:
_ Stovebolt Six Retired
_ Some Serious Retooling
_ Super Sport Retro
_ Salvage, Sort, Rebuild
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The winning name will be used in all the marketing material, and stainless steel laser-cut emblems made for the hood sides.
Here's a few shots of the donor SSR and Kansas Pickup:
In just under 40 hours I had the SSR body completely stripped, and a majority of the Parts sold in less than a week.
I Lifted the Pickup body over the chassis yesterday, and the alignment looks better than expected. I bought another SSR frame and body, and hope to cut out the firewall and cab floor and graft it into the Pickup, allowing for a quick bolt-up of all the SSR components including seats, console, waterfall, and dash. Unfortunately I didn't come up with that idea until after I sold the original SSR body! The existing 2004 frame was bent behind the passenger front wheel, so I opted to get another frame and swap over all the components.
Wheelbase is right on. The bed floor will have to be raised. The only issue so far is the front track being wider than the Pickup. I'll mount the cab before making any wheel decsions, but my first choice is to use the 7" x 17" Trailblazer spare tire wheels witht the big circle cutouts, for a millitary wheel look. At 7" wide that buys me some width. Otherwise I'll have custom steelies made.
Will post more pictures once I graft the firewall/floor.
Backside of wheel-to-wheel measure is a dead match in width with the 1950.
However, the fenders don't have a huge opening radius. We've done Chevy S-10 frame swaps and the tires scrape the fenders.
1-ton fenders do have bigger openings, and are 2" longer, but you need to change the entire nose, and I hate to lose the great patina'd hood and grille.
Love a good build thread like this. There is another build like this going on in AZ. Doing a SSR frame under a 54 panel truck. He parted a black 05 or 06 6 speed for his build.
My SSR: 05 Aqua Blur 1SB, Born on 10/20/04, Lighted WindsuppR, Chrome Wheels
Quote:
Originally Posted by sheldon young
For those of you not familiar with my latest Project, I'm taking the body of a 1950 Kansas Chevy Pickup and putting it on an SSR rolling chassis. Combining the Inspiration with the Reinterpretation.
The idea is to leave the Truck with a rusted patina, but use the SSR interior, for the contrast of old and new. The truck will be clear-coated, with all new glass and weatherstripping.
I've started this Thread to chronicle the Build, and will update it periodically.
A few acronyms for my SSR are:
_ Stovebolt Six Retired
_ Some Serious Retooling
_ Super Sport Retro
_ Salvage, Sort, Rebuild
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. The winning name will be used in all the marketing material, and stainless steel laser-cut emblems made for the hood sides.
Here's a few shots of the donor SSR and Kansas Pickup:
In just under 40 hours I had the SSR body completely stripped, and a majority of the Parts sold in less than a week.
I Lifted the Pickup body over the chassis yesterday, and the alignment looks better than expected. I bought another SSR frame and body, and hope to cut out the firewall and cab floor and graft it into the Pickup, allowing for a quick bolt-up of all the SSR components including seats, console, waterfall, and dash. Unfortunately I didn't come up with that idea until after I sold the original SSR body! The existing 2004 frame was bent behind the passenger front wheel, so I opted to get another frame and swap over all the components.
Wheelbase is right on. The bed floor will have to be raised. The only issue so far is the front track being wider than the Pickup. I'll mount the cab before making any wheel decsions, but my first choice is to use the 7" x 17" Trailblazer spare tire wheels witht the big circle cutouts, for a millitary wheel look. At 7" wide that buys me some width. Otherwise I'll have custom steelies made.
Will post more pictures once I graft the firewall/floor.
Thanks to everyone for the support!
I think you should call it 'Salvage, Sort, Rebuild' as I enjoy watching Dan Woods!
My SSR: "Kate" a Haughty Redhead, '06 Redline FPR 6 spd. #23333 Build Date 2/16/06
Quote:
Originally Posted by eric-mpd
Love a good build thread like this. There is another build like this going on in AZ. Doing a SSR frame under a 54 panel truck. He parted a black 05 or 06 6 speed for his build.
Thanks for posing and keep the pictures coming.
So Eric, I assume I have this VIN but would like to confirm which one if it has indeed been parted out.
Thanks for your previous assistance on this stuff.
Sheldon, I thought you had decided to sell this idea, not to procede but guess that has changed.
Are you going to keep "all" that patina? Might call it "Rustomod"
Jeez, great looking truck though!
Really admire what you are doing!
About the front wheels, and not sure it works with your fenders but I love the look of Wilddesertwolf's SSR - I think May 2012 ROM.
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"Such are the Vagaries of Life"
Ah, I'm Just Truckin' With Ya!
Yes I believe I believe I forwarded that one to you Cash.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cash
So Eric, I assume I have this VIN but would like to confirm which one if it has indeed been parted out.
Thanks for your previous assistance on this stuff.
Sheldon, I thought you had decided to sell this idea, not to procede but guess that has changed.
Are you going to keep "all" that patina? Might call it "Rustomod"
Jeez, great looking truck though!
Really admire what you are doing!
About the front wheels, and not sure it works with your fenders but I love the look of Wilddesertwolf's SSR - I think May 2012 ROM.
I am intersted in this build...want to do the same thing..but would be interested in paying you to do the build or have someone near Austin, Texas..where i live do the build.
And yes, the Build is back on. No initial interest in the Trucks, and mounting storage fees, prompted me to go ahead with the Build.
Now, of course, as word has spread there have been a lot of offers. Many over my initial asking price, but both Trucks have already been almost completely parted-out.
Here's a Pic of the initial fitment, (note; I have a rear wheel/tire on the front because the front wheel was too badly bent), and my HemiRod Build which prompted the name "FrankenRodz".
I AM STILL LOOKING FOR AN SSR CAB. I NEED THE FIREWALL AND FLOOR TO GRAFT TO THE 1950.
You should check out Rich Evans 1953 panel wagon conversion to a pickup. He used a 2006 SSR rolling chassis for the conversion. I saw it at SEMA this year. He did it with WYOTECH in Nova Scotia for a tv pilot. His website is www.huntingtonbodyworks.com
I pulled the Motor and hung the Cab over the chassis again so that I could get better measures, and plot where to graft the SSR Cab Floor so I can use stock mounts. Looks like the floor height will be the same as stock 1950, but with the 17" Trailblazer Spare Tire Wheels and 205/50/17s my ride height will be down there! Got the Belltech front/rear lowering kit today so that will help too. (I want to go as low as I can, but still maintain no Front Fender rubbing when I turn the wheels).
Speaking of which, Wheels just came in from Salvage Yard, and will go out for sandblasting, then I'll paint them and mount tires. Install the Belltech Kit, Adjustable Spohn Trailing Bars and Panhard Bar, front Stiffening Plate, and mid-frame Trailblazer Crossmember. Powerwashed the Frame and Cab before we got Snow Storm, and the Frame is so clean, I'll only have to touch it up with satin black paint.
Hopefully soon the SSR Firewall and Cab Floor should arrive and then the real fun will begin! Cut the Dash out of the 1950 (they're welded-in) today in anticipation. We held-up the SSR Dash Framework and it fits perfectly for width. The depth is tight, but I won't know for sure until I graft in the SSR firewall. If I do everything right, all assemblies should just bolt right back in.
I'll post more Pictures when I get the Frame Done, and Cab grafting.
Ordering the Cab Floor from GM didn't turn-out. After waiting forever, they shipped the BED FLOOR.
They claim it's a non-serviceable Part, but they do sell the Firewall.
Firewall returned, and I found another SSR rollover. Got the cab only, and here's a picture of it trimmed-down in front of my 1950 Chevy Cab with it's floor and firewall cut-out.
There's a lot of fitment issues I have to deal with, so I'm trimming the Donor SSR floor and firewall a little at a time. (It's incredible how heavy it still is!)
The Cab was oriented over the frame for front tire-to-fender-well positioning, and the SSR body mounts traced to the underside of the '50 pickup. That way all I had to do is pull a measure from the SSR floor mounting points for knowing where to cut both floors, to ensure proper fitment.
The Frame is out getting straightened. Rough measures showed it only off 3/4". Initial thoughts are the Passenger lower A-arm and front frame C-member took most of the blow, and both will be replaced.
I'll post an update when I get the Frame back, and all it's new Parts installed.
Wow!
Say, that first pic of the front of the truck, with the "patina" reminds me of the "
Tow Mater" tow truck in the "CARS" movie.
Hmmm, - another good build!
It was an exciting Day at the Shop yesterday.
The SSR Firewall and Floor were permanently welded to the 1950 Cab!
Attached are Photos of:
-The floor ready to be dollied-into place under the Cab.
-The Firewall with plywood and cardboard templates for the steel.
-The Firewall with steel welded.
-What the inside looks like.
It took 2-hours to make the templates, and another 8-hours for 2 of us to fab the metal and weld.
The top projection of the Firewall that houses the wiper motor and rack was removed, and the end result was just a slight bump-out from the original Cab Firewall.
The Dash fits great. With the trim on it's almost the exact same height. I'll have to fab extensions for the Defrost Ducts, and had to add 1" fillers to the sides of the Dash and Kick Panels, but all-in-all I'm pleasantly suprised at the fit.
There's more fussy work I'll have to contend with, but nothing radical. (The Center Console needs about 3/4" removed from the back, and I have to cut-out a portion of the Cab back to clear the Tranny Tunnel).
The Chassis came back last week, and looks great! I'll post pictures once I have everything painted, and all the new components installed.
Looks like 2-3 weeks before I permanently attach the Cab to Chassis.
My SSR: 05 6 sp. with 4.56 gears, ZR1 clutch, Edelbrock intake, Lunati cam, Crane rockers, C6 modified pan
That's some real nice metal fab and finish. Though not a huge fan of the patina look, that should be a sweet rod when completed and really be an outstanding cruiser!! A very cool project, all in all, that you should be quite proud of.
__________________
"Strive for perfection in everything. Take the best that exists and make it better. If it doesn't exist, create it. Accept nothing nearly right or good enough."
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