'55Chevylover's 55stepside build up

['55Chevylover]

I have been toying around with the idea of setting a Camaro rear-end in this thing using all of its components, i.e., coil springs, lower control arms, stabilizer bar, torque arm, track bar and brace. I have been asking a lot of guys for tips and suggestions. I am still not sure which way I am going to go on this. Budget and all that stuff.

['55Chevylover]

I had a ’92 Camaro and I had the original 305 replaced with a 350 and totaled it after only about 500 miles on it. I pulled the engine, transmission and rear end out to use in this truck. I also have a ’79 Chevy truck that I bought for a parts getter and I bought a ’76 Chevy truck for parts for the ’79. I pulled everything off of the ’76 for the ’79 and junked the rest. The ’76 truck had a 350 with auto Trans. I plan to try and build the ’76 350 the way I want but if that doesn’t work out. I always have the new 350 to fall back on.

['55Chevylover]

I had to stop work on the truck for now because I have developed a roof leak in my garage that needs to be taken car of. Actually I need to replace the entire roof on my garage and shop. The garage is about 40 years old but I added the shop onto the back about 3 years ago and the roofs don’t line up so I have a leak where the shop roof joins the garage that needs to be fixed somehow.

['55Chevylover]

Next thing was to start working on the frame. I built a dolly to set the body on and had to figure how I was going to get the body off of the frame by myself. I came up with this crank system that I bolted on the front corner or the garage. I then put one of my tie down straps up in the tree around the closest limb and ran the cable through a pulley that I attached to the cable. I then cut a 2 X 6 board just long enough to fit through the cab at the roof and hooked the cable around both sides of the board. Walla, I started cranking and the body started coming up. Amazing!! This is the true meaning of “Shade Tree Mechanic”

['55Chevylover]

Cab removed and on dolly.

['55Chevylover]

I also used the same system to raise the frame up so I could pressure wash it top and bottom.

['55Chevylover]

After the body was removed, I started removing all of the unnecessary brackets from the frame.

['55Chevylover]

I ordered a 4-link coil over rear suspension system. When it arrived, I just had to open the box and check it out. Pretty awesome. Just had to make sure that all of the parts were there and see how it would lay out.

[ClassicDreamer]

great use for the tree. Keep up the great work

['55Chevylover]

This is how the rear suspension looked before I started.

[JML55]

Very nice work.

['55Chevylover]

The first thing I had to do was to remove the original shock mount cross member and replace it with the new piece.

['55Chevylover]

I then mounted the coil over shocks just to see how it was going to look.

['55Chevylover]

The next step was to remove the old rear end and springs.

['55Chevylover]

I had to remove the original spring mount brackets and trial fit the new 4-link brackets.

['55Chevylover]

Now that it is out, I don’t think this is the original rear end for this truck. It is a 12 bolt and looks nothing like the pictures in the ’55 Truck Manual.

['55Chevylover]

Originally Posted by poncho_villa

Looks great! I take it you don't plan to smooth the firewall by filling in all those holes. I didn't on mine, but I continue to use many of them. Are you shopping for a box? Or did you find one?

I looked for one but decided just to fill the unecessary ones. I have pics of that and I will post them later on in my buildup.

['55Chevylover]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Looking good. What are your plans for it?

I have a photo of one that I saw on another web site. I am trying for that look on mine. I will have a 383 crate motor with 425 hp, 700R4 trans, a 9" Ford rear end and a 4-link coil over rear suspension. I plan on painting it Corvette yellow with tan pleather interior.

[1985-GMC]

Nice project I love that body style.

[Kim57]

Looks like a great project. Keep the pics coming.
Kim

[OrrieG]

Love the shade tree lift! When I was a kid we had a big willow that we used to pull engines, etc. It also served as good place to hide out of the sun and drink beer in the summer when the leaves would extend to the ground. About 10 years ago the County bought the property. I cut off a piece of the limb and have it on my story wall in the shop. I've also used the maple in my front yard to pull out the radiator support and frame on a car my daughter used to t-bone another. Big chain and a couple of yanks, beat the hood back in shape with a 4# hammer and it closed just fine.

['55Chevylover]

This whole project starated in '98 when I first bought the truck. I had too much 'STUFF' in my garage to get the truck in so I had to build a small shop on the back of my garage to put the 'STUFF'. I really didn't start on the truck until 2001. Also during that time, I started remodeling the inside of my house, which is the house I grew up in. So, the pics I have posted so far are from back in 2001. I am bringing this up to date and will continue to post photos of what has been done to the truck so far. Been a lot of time and MONEY spent on this so far. I originally started out with a budget in mind and have blown that completely out of the water. Now I am on a "do as I get the money schedule". This project is going to take quite a few more years before I can get it roadworthy.

['55Chevylover]

I just tacked the axle brackets on so I could see what it would look like. I like it.
I took measurements I don’t know how many time to get the yoke angle as close to the right degree as possible. I even got the little wife to come out and look at it also. When I tacked the brackets back on and remounted the rear end, the yoke was wayyyyyy off. I had grind the tacks off and start over again. I finally got the angle set at around 3 – 3 ½ degrees and reinstalled the rear end and it worked out beautiful. I had a PROFESSIONAL welder come by and finish welding the brackets on for me.

[CAL 58 GMC]

Nice job so far!

['55Chevylover]

After I got the brackets welded on, I stripped the rear end to get it ready for paint. Then I primed it. I did not clean and prime the backing plates since I am converting to disc brakes.