<home>

May 9, 2006

I just bought  another 'truck'. And in acquiring it, my plan has refined a bit. I'm not  quite done buying raw material. I hope to buy at least one more in the  next few weeks. And it will provide the character for the one that I'm adding to the project list.

This is another  update. I've refined and changed the plan a little. Since I was not able  to work much during 2005 and 2006 isn't looking any better I'm spending my energies on planning.

A brief note about delays. I'm trying to build a shop in a county where the government  doesn't like new development. I'm more than a year since starting and haven't turned any dirt yet. Frustrating to say the least. At the same  time I've had some injuries and have made working outside problematic.  A shop will help with that.

The projects...  The Suburban has slid back further on the priority list. My next steps  with it are to fix the heater and align the front end, and see if I can make it a bit nicer to drive. I've bought some replacement sheet metal  for it and need to find some more. I'm thinking I'll wait to tackle that  project until I've got some more experience with welding sheet metal.

I have rethought the powertrain a bit also. Instead of a 350 I'm debating two other options.  I've been driving a 454 powered pickup a lot lately, and I really like  big block power. The other alternative is a Cadillac Northstar. Maybe something crazy like mounting the Suburban on the front drive Cadillac platform. Or maybe adapting the Northstar to an S-10 four wheel drive  frame with Astro all-wheel-drive to create an all-weather Suburban.

The Dually has clarified in my mind. I've recently added a '50 1-ton to my collection.  Its missing a lot of pieces, but none I can't replace from my collection. It will stay rough with patina but will be extended cab and behind that  cab will be the big utility box to carry tools. I'll create bedsides under  the box with standard fenders over the rear duals. This is a working truck  and will need a good powerplant. I'm thinking 454 but I'm now putting  more big blocks in trucks than I actually own, plus with gas at $3.00/gallon  I may need to rethink things. But that's all I'm doing these days, so its okay...

A possible COE has appeared in front of me. Actually two of them. I hope to close one of them in the next few weeks. My plan is to create a 4-door cab with  the 1-ton panel cargo compartment behind the 2nd set of doors. This makes  a long truck, but since the wheelbase of teh donor frame is 164 inches  that's okay. I'll also take the side windows from the parts Suburban to add light to the cargo compartment, and to support a third row of seats or living space.

The proposed running gear donor is still the '79 (I thought it was '78, but was wrong)  Chevrolet P30 chassis and associated stuff, all pulled out from under a motorhome. I've resisted Diesel power, but with fuel prices so high, and the number of big block powered trucks I'm working on, this one maybe  should be a Diesel. No hurry...

The Little Suede Truck is going to be a g-machine/pro-touring car. It is also at  the top of my project list.

It will have the '78 Monte Carlo underpinnings preserving the handling and structural integrity of the frame becomes a priority. I'm going to shorten the truck  to fit the wheelbase of the car. I've been spending a lot of time looking,  measuring and thinking and have an idea I like. I'm going to take the lower body panels from the rear of a panel truck and make a bed from it. I've seen this done on a stock wheelbase truck, but not on a shortened  truck. I think it will run the 454.

This web site is about my truck toys, not the life occurrences that might distract  me from these projects. Summer '04 ended up focused on moving my friend Gene and his family about 1,500 miles to resettle in Colorado. My '72 Chevy pickup made the 3,000+ mile round trip as part of a '55-'57 Chevy  convoy. Summer 2005 was lost to college prep and more exciting shop prep. By Summer 2006 I expected to be working in a nice three stall shop with a lift but life continues to get in the way. Permit issues have kept me  from starting the work, and other health issues have kept me in my recliner instead of out where the fun is. Its taking a few years to make these  things happen, but we're getting geared up for some excitement!

Anyone notice  I'm now building four projects? And I keep failing to mention my '52 6400.  The 6400 (2-ton) remains a light restoration project that will run in parades and such. So its not getting much play.

I'm having fun, I hope you are too!

Little Suede Truck

OldSub

Dually

COE  Sub

Parade Truck

Primary  Driver

Teri (probably Steve...)

Steve

Steve

Steve

Steve

Basic  Concept

G-machine/travel car for general use locally, and runs to a car show.  Must be comfortable for Teri to drive, since after all, this is her truck! Maybe run  in on the Hot Rod Power Tour or a similar event.

Light  truck, with some capability for pulling a trailer.  Also might get used for family trips of two hundred to six hundred miles.

Serious  truck, with capability for heavier use such as pulling a loaded trailer at freeway speed because it might get used for iron retrieval trips hundreds of miles. Will mount my big utility box to provide tool boxes and a service truck look.

Heavy  truck with major pasenger capacity and the capability for heavier  use even pulling a big loaded trailer. COE 4-door cab based on 1-ton panel body and Suburban side glass.

2-ton  truck as stock as is practical and mostly used for carrying big stuff around local and then in parades the way a Parade Truck should be.

Basic  Look

Original,  lowered with stock bumpers.  Standard door handles and such. Suede  paint. Could get a smooth bed, but that's under consideration.

Classic  body built today.  Implies modern bumpers, smoothed doors, smoked glass, low as the driveway will allow.  Hidden gas cap.  Leave the  gutters because we live in a rain forest.

Original 50 plus years of patina, NW rusted body held together with tape  and bailing wire. But its an extended cab model and works hard...

Serious  custom with major body modifications to meld COE, panel and sub. A model few have ever seen or more accurately won't see till I build it...

Farm truck.

Engine

Chevy  454? Maybe with 427 badges. Or maybe a mild small block.

 Cadillac Northstar

454  Chevy

Diesel?

235  or maybe the GMC 270

Transmission

Automatic.   Turbo 350*.  Lokar classic type floor shift.

Automatic  (700R4) or maybe a T-5.

Automatic  (Turbo 475 from motorhome).

Allison?

SM 420 granny gear 4-speed

Front  Suspension

g-body Subframe

S-10 pickup stuff or Cadillac Stuff.

3/4-ton  pickup IFS with dually adapters

P30  IFS

Stock

Rear Suspension

g-body Subframe

S-10 pickup stuff.

Dana 70 or Chev 14 bolt

P30  rear

Stock

Brakes

Disk/Drum  or Disk/Disk

Disk/Drum

Disk/Drum

Disk/Drum

Stock  Drum/Drum

Wheels/Tires

The  big slots I've been hanging onto for 20 some years...

Classic  look: beauty rings, red paint and Chevy hub caps.

Era  correct 1-ton dually wheels (modified) if I can score a set.

 22.5 Alcoa?

 Stock or 22.5 Alcoa

Steering

Power  with tilt wheel and original steering wheel.

Power  with Tilt and modern fat wheel. Or maybe classic wheel.

Power  with Tilt and some wheel.

Power  with Tilt and some wheel.

Stock

Electrical

12v  with alternator sized for the need

12v  with Alternator sized for the need.  Multiple stereos, power seats,  windows, door locks…  Needs a big alternator and battery.

12v  with Alternator sized for the need.

12v  with Alternator sized for the need.

12v  generator

Comforts

Air  conditioning, heater and defroster.

Air  conditioning, heater and defroster, power windows, door locks, power mirrors.  Cruise control.  Rear heater/defrost.

Seats, heater and defrost.

Seats, heater and defrost. And industrial strength air.

Seats, heater and defrost.

Seating  and Interior

Heated,  power, leather seat from a Cadillac Sedan Deville.

Four leather buckets (power!).  Posh with everything upholstered and  power everything.

Yes.

Seating  for six or eight with a fold-out bed and storage.

Stock

Sound

AM/FM  Stereo with CD Player

At least an AM radio…  Full stereo system with Cassette/CD, and should  have separate front and rear audio.

At least an AM radio… 

At least an AM radio…  DVD and Computer.

Stock

Glass

Stock  clear glass

Tinted glass in front, mini-van type windows on sides and back.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Dash Board

As stock as possible

Modern instruments in stock look dash panel.

Stock. Maybe just stock look...

Stock. Maybe just stock look...

Stock.

Controls

Updated  stock type, maybe some column mounted.

Modern,  column mounted.  Heater controls with the three dial approach.

Whatever

Whatever

Stock

Bumpers

Stock

Wrap around with modern look.

Big  truck bumper from the 4400

Good question

 Stock Front

Exterior Lights

Stock  look with modern turn signals and side markers

Halogen  and LED.

Halogen  and LED and side, top and rear marker lights.

Halogen  and LED and side, top and rear marker lights.

Stock

Time Frame

Summer 2007

Driver now, customization begins later...

2007 or 2008?

Future

Yeah

Donor  Car?

’78  Chevy Monte Carlo.  Its mostly gone except for the parts I kept...

I  need an S-10 or the Cadillac donor or both.

'50  1-ton and the '51 4400

'79  Chevy P30 Motorhome, '51 COE, '51 1-ton Panel, '52 Suburban

'51  4400 and any other spare parts

Last updated: December 31, 2006

 <home> <projects and progress> <current  plan> <specifications>  <frequently asked questions>  <sell/trade/need>

Copyright  2002, 2007 Steven C. Hanberg -- All RIghts Reserved