Just bought this 1951 Chevy 5 window and need lots of info

[Yearn4Classics]

PICTURES TOWARDS THE BOTTOM

Hey guys, I just purchased this cherry 1951 Chevy 5 window project this week. It was sitting in the back of a ladies house for 25 years and was a grocery getter prior to that. I'm not too familiar with these year trucks and the pluses and minuses of certain items for this truck. I have a couple questions about getting the truck to where it deserves to be and need your guy's help and opinions to make my decisions. PLEASE!!!

What is the largest wheel I can fit in these wheel wells without cutting and series tire (front and back)? I am building a full custom boxed chassis for this truck and its going to be bagged.

What is the original chassis worth? Also what is the original drive train worth? I live in CA.

Would you guys keep the original firewall (its perfect) or weld an after market firewall? I'm putting a radical small block in it.

Where is the VIN located on the chassis? The VIN tag on the cab is MIA.
Have any pictures of cool custom 48 to 54 Chevy trucks so I can get ideas?

Whats a good web site for rear roll pans and firewalls?

Would like to put custom hood hinges. any pics of any as a suggestion?

Keep or remove the wing windows? If to remove the wing windows, how do I go about doing it?

Deep dish wheels or shallow dish wheels?

Planning on hidding the brake booster. Which one should I get? One that puts the booster and mastr cylinder at a 90 under the dash or one that places it under the floorboards? Whats brand?

I'm planning on welding up the cowl vent, the passenger's side cab vent, shaving the hood emblems and welding the hood into a one piece, shaving the tail lights and relocating them into the roll pan.

[Yearn4Classics]

Tried to add pictures but didnt work for some reason.

[72BlckButy]

Check out the FAQ section on how to post pics... can't wait to see them!

[drummin89]

wow sounds like you are going to be a really nice truck when your finished. Any timeline?

the original chassis and drivetrain may not be worth much to you, but it could definitly be to someone else. Depending on the condition of either, they both could add a little extra cash to your truck fund for sure. If its the original motor which would be a 216ci babbit motor and in need of a rebuild it may be just worth the money in scrap. Some people can't even give them away. Not to say someone doing an original restoration may be in need of a motor from a '51 truck. Now if some time along the trucks life, the original motor was pulled and replaced with a later inline 6, then im may be worth more than a boat anchor, ie the 235ci, 292 and so on late inline 6's are more sot after and could bring you a few hundred dollars depending on condition. So run a serial number check on the motor before scrapping. You could also make a few more bucks by selling all the exterior engine parts as well. Other drivetrain parts like the torque tube rear, transmission, solid front axle, brake parts and suspension parts could bring you some extra cash. Ive also seen a few Wanted To Buy's for frames so its all about timing. A good place to advertise parts for sale is at the swap meet section on www.stovebolt.com as well as on this site. (you may have more luck selling the original stuff on the stovebolt as there are more people on there seeking original parts then on here, or at least thats the way I see it)

As far as the firewall, its your choice. You can weld up and smooth out the original fire wall or use a aftermarket firewall. The aftermarket is alot smoother and they usually have a larger indent to fit whatever motor you desirer. A small block will fit fine using the original firewall so its all up to you.

From what ive been told, the only place the vin is located is on that Vin tag on the driver door jamb. Replacement tags are available from a few vendors and all you have to do is stamp the # thats on your title. But before you do anything is verify that the number on your title is not a engine number and is in fact a truck serial number. Some states used the serial number stamped on the ledge behind the distributor on the inline 6, some stated didn't, so check before you do anything, because if your title does have the engine # you will need to have your title changed so it is not the engine number. If you don't you will run into problems later down the road

Wing windows, its all personal taste. Though some like them, some don't, I don't and am in the near process of converting my doors to use full pane glass. You have a couple choices when it comes to getting rid of the wing windows.
1. you could modifiy the door inners to use full pane glass, by removing all the wind window pieces and getting full pane glass window channel and welding/bolting in the new runners or
2. get a set of doors from earlier year trucks that don't have the wing windows and swap out the doors <- this is the easiest and quickest way, even more if you can find someone that has full pane glass doors and wants wing windows.

As far as brake boosters, try classic performance products they manufacture most of the brake/steering/suspension kits you see advertised in/on vender sites and catalogs. You can buy directly from them if you wish. They might have the 90 degree brake booster/master cylinder kit, but im not 100% sure.

A few sites
http://www.brotherstrucks.com/
http://www.classicparts.com/index.htm
http://www.lmctruck.com/ <--- also has a few pages in their catalog that may tell you weather your title has the engine # or a regular vin/serial number on it. http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=11

http://www.stovebolt.com/links/parts.html
go down a little ways and you will see a list of vendors for 47 and up trucks

[Yearn4Classics]

Originally Posted by 72BlckButy

Check out the FAQ section on how to post pics... can't wait to see them!

Let see if this worked....

[Yearn4Classics]

Im having a real hard time uploading my pictures for some unknown reason

[drummin89]

what site are you using?

Ive been using www.photobucket.com for a couple years and have had no problem. Give it a try.

[pgf545]

Yearn4classics, I am in the process of building a 52 with my dad and we have done some of the things that you are thinking about for your truck. I did a *****in Products firewall and front floor kit also a 90 degree booster and master cylinder. Check out my build thread under my signature, I have several pictures and have more if you can't find what you like or I can take some special pictures for you. I don't get a lot of time to work on it so this is a long drawn out process. But I keep plugging along and one day it will be done.

Good luck and if I can help you let me know.

Bernie

[hammerdog57]

HEY DRUMIN89 - What venders are selling id plates to match titles?

[Atomsplitter]

The replacement ID plates can be had on e-bay or your local vintage truck parts guy (at least my local guy sells them).

Delete the wing windows? If your customizing your truck as much as you said you'll also be replacing the old latches with door poppers or at least bear claw latches. Just buy a pair of good old doors with one piece windows because the old latches won't work anyway.

[Yearn4Classics]

Originally Posted by hammerdog57

HEY DRUMIN89 - What venders are selling id plates to match titles?

Looks like I have the same question. I bought the truck with no title, just a bill of sale.

[Yearn4Classics]

OK, looks ike I finally did it. It actually took me all day to get results.


By yearn4classics, shot with EX-V7 at 2008-06-03

By yearn4classics, shot with EX-V7 at 2008-06-03

By yearn4classics, shot with EX-V7 at 2008-06-03

By yearn4classics, shot with EX-V7 at 2008-06-03

By yearn4classics, shot with EX-V7 at 2008-06-03

[Yearn4Classics]

Does anyone know what size in the larges wheel I can fit in the front wheel wells with out cutting??? I need to know ASAP so my buddy can start building my boxed chassis.

[drummin89]

Originally Posted by hammerdog57

HEY DRUMIN89 - What venders are selling id plates to match titles?

There are quite a few vendors that sell them for the AD trucks like classic parts, not sure about the task force though. http://www.stovebolt.com/links/parts.html check out the links and see what you can find.

Originally Posted by Yearn4Classics

Looks like I have the same question. I bought the truck with no title, just a bill of sale.

you have different problem then just not having the plate on the door jamb. For this i would just go talk to a title/tag person or even better the DMV, every state is different in how they go about solving this problem, so its best to go directly to them. Show them the bill of sale and see what they can do. Does your bill of sale have a vin/serial number on it? I have not had to deal with this, so before I tell you something that isn't correct, Im going to stop here. Someone else may chime in that has dealt with this before but still the best people to talk to is the people at the DMV

Another thought is to find someone with a parts truck (any AD truck 47 through 53) that has a valid title and plate and buy the title and plate and put the plate on your truck. This is probably the easiest way to go and could possibly cost you less then having to pay the DMV to issue a new vin and title (depending on how much a person would want for a title and plate). Could be faster too as getting a new vin and title issued takes many many many months, ive even heard up to a year or more, were as getting a title changed over only takes a few minutes at a title/tag place and up to a few month for the new title to arrive in the mail.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by Yearn4Classics

Looks like I have the same question. I bought the truck with no title, just a bill of sale.

you might want to try this guy classic car title. Not sure if it will work in your state. But, I've used him and got a title to a 70 Camaro I had here in Virginia. He lives in Alabama which is a non-title state for cars older than 1975. For $150, you fill out a form, send it to him, then he sends you some notorized papers back that says you bought the car from him in Alabama. I took his papers to our Va DMV and got a title no problem. I talked to him on the phone once. Seems like a good guy, just some Joe doing this out of his home I think. Call him and ask if he knows for sure it will work in your state.

[Yearn4Classics]

I called and contacted a Joe who told me that it was a $150 to get a title and $125 to get a stainless steel VIN tag. If I cant find a VIN tag in a junk yard, that Im going with this guy to gt a VIN tag. Thanks for the tip.