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July 26, 2007 Things are picking up. I've been distracted by other projects for a couple years, but things are getting completed and my truck projects are coming back to the top of the list and I'm enjoying having time to work on them. My new shop is essentially complete. See it at www.MaxwellGarage.com. The shop project both distracted and the lack of a shop slowed things down. Its completion is a double win. Since my truck projects are intertwined somewhat, often relying on the same parts cars or trucks, and requiring some things to move before others can be accessed, I've sorted through an order of precedence for the projects. I wanted to think through my resources and make sure I don't have things being used before they are available... Based on my initial thinking the projects proceed in the following order:
Projects 6 and 7 may not wait to be last... They are both minor projects that have project utility and therefore may happen when they would be most useful. Otherwise I think things are in the order in which I'll start them. 2005 and 2006 haven't been good for my projects. 2007 has been a lot better but still slow. The only issues I see slowing me down are time and money, and though both remain real limitations neither should be any more of an issue than they have ever been. When I last updated the plans I had decide to push the Suburban back, but do some derivability work on it. I've updated some of that a little. Updating the ideas.... My next steps with the Suburban are to fix the heater and align the front end, and see if I can make it a bit nicer to drive. Describing the projects in order this is what they look like. Utility Trailer This project is under way in the new shop right now. I've removed the bed from the donor truck, and plan to work on the frame right away. The axle is in the shop and the frame is outside still. Possible completion in the next couple months. Little Suede Truck The Little Suede Truck is going to be a g-machine/pro-touring car. It remains at the top of my project list. My current plan is to use the '54 Chevy cab but swap on the back panel from a '54 GMC 5-window. It will have the '78 Monte Carlo underpinnings. While at one time I though I'd build a custom box I've since rejected that idea, mostly because this is my wife's truck, and she wants a standard bed. I expect to run a 350/350 combo in this one. Other options have been on my list, but that is the quickest and most practical. I may change it at some later date. Dually The Dually changed dramatically recently. I bought a '54 GMC 5-window 1-ton Dually and it is now the basis of this project. I had originally thought this one would be an extended cab, but probably won't bother. Its a lot of work, and not really necessary at this time. Too many others have done it and I'm not as interested now that I've seen lots of others. Behind the cab will be the big utility box to carry tools. I'll create bedsides under the box with standard fenders over the rear duals. The '54 GMC has a running 248 backed by a Hydromatic. It may need to stay stock. At least I'm going to try to use it stock instead of rushing into the Cadillac 500 or Chevy 454 as originally planned. COE Suburban Cargo I recently bought cheap a very rusty COE with much of the cab missing. It has the cowl, doors, fenders, hood and grill, all the COE specific stuff, and should get perfect for an ambitious custom project. My plan is to create a 4-door cab with Suburban type windows and the 1-ton panel cargo compartment behind the 2nd set of doors. This makes a long truck, but since the wheelbase of the motor home donor frame is 164 inches that's okay. The proposed running gear donor is still the '79 (I thought it was '78, but was wrong) Chevrolet P30 chassis. Cadillac 500 and Turbo 400 are my current power train thoughts and this engine transmission currently sit in the back corner of my shop. Suburban I've been thinking Cadillac Northstar as the power plant but also thought I had a line on one real cheap. I've considered something crazy like mounting the Suburban on the front drive Cadillac platform but more likely I'll adapt the Northstar to an S-10 four wheel drive frame with Astro all-wheel-drive to create an all-weather Suburban. The Northstar turned out to be just a 4.9 so that's out. Further planning can wait. I'm planning to repair the rust while mostly preserving the original look. The interior will be updated, perhaps in serious modern SUV fashion, but since that will cost a lot of money, we'll wait and see where it really ends up. Parade Truck I have two big Chevrolet trucks, a '51 4100 that is really rusty, a '52 6400 that was nice until my neighbor dropped a tree on it. I've also got a '53 GMC 450 cab, hood, fenders and grill. The idea is to build a drivable truck that looks original enough to call a classic, but can be safely driven in parades and in other public displays. I'm not sure which of these will become a driver, but one will... This is an updated table of specifics on the trucks. |
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Last updated: July 26, 2007
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Copyright 2002, 2007 Steven C. Hanberg -- All RIghts Reserved