Another "I'm new to the fourms!" Thread... sorry ...

[Maximus]

Hello,
New to the fourms but Old to vintage vehicles, although im only 25 i've been working on old cars for 10 years...
anyways, 7 years ago I bought my 1955 2nd series after I got my first classic car on the road (1965 mustang)
In efforts to stop tearing my mustang apart (as it RAN) i bought the truck to occupy my wrenching needs.
Life happened, and time flew by, and on-and-off working on the truck has finally almost reached the road.

quick list of the build...
Donor vehicle: rusted out 1978 Formula Firebird
the firebird donated the 10-bolt drum brake rear end, 400 CI Pontiac Engine, BW Super T-10 4-speed and front subframe, and (temporaraly) Trans-Am Snowflake rims - dont be jealous of the snowflakes...

Under-floor brake booster
Griffin Radiator with 16" Electric fan (relay wiring from 'too cool')
Flipped rear leaf spring mounts
flipped axle
'69 mustang tank behind axle between frame rails (i'd say under bed but i dont have a bed floor right now heh...)
relocation of battery under cab
EZ Wiring harness

and of coarse with the subframe comes:
IFS
Front Disk Brakes
Power Steering
Heavy Duty Sway Bar


only modification steel wise is a 1957 hood

here is the monster in its multi-colored glory...


enjoy...
Jacob

[truckdude239]

welcome to the site truck looks like a great place to start!

[Kim57]

Welcome
Looks like a nice clean truck.
Kim

[GhostTown]

I'm jealous of the snowflakes..... seriously.

[Maximus]

I found some more pictures on my computer at work from 3 or 4 years ago when I put the 400 Trans-Am motor in the truck. You can at least get a shot of the subframe work...

[Kabwe]

Great looking project and keep the pics coming.

[Maximus]

I will, I have been digging through my old drives and discs trying to recover pictures i have taken over the last 7 years... if I can compile a timeline i will.
I am just happy that I was able to finally get the truck titled and registered this week...
going 7 years without getting a vehicle into my name is something I will never do again... but I got the truck when I was 17 and didn't know any better...
live and learn.

[dos0711]

Swap those heads and intake and wake that Poncho up!

[Maximus]

The intake is already gone... however I read that the cast iron intakes had pretty good flow, I just didn't want to spend all the time and energy plugging the unusual EGR ports on the iron intake, so the engine has a Performer Edelbrock manifold now, but I am gonna have to dump thousands into the body before i dump thousands into heads...
this engine has more torque than my truck will EVER need as it sits.. lol!

[dos0711]

Well, if you ever find any older Pontiac heads, it will wake it up...Welcome to the Forum!

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/pontiacdude428/HeadID.html

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Maximus

I was able to finally get the truck titled and registered this week...
going 7 years without getting a vehicle into my name is something I will never do again... but I got the truck when I was 17 and didn't know any better...
live and learn.

Oh do I know what you are talking about we are both in cali and it was a nightmare the hoops they had me jump through. I had to have a vehicle verifier come out and verify the vin because the truck was no longer in DMV system. After five years on non-registration I was told they take them out the system. Then I had to have the truck towed to a weight facility to have it weight because I did not have the pink. It feels great to finally have title after all the work I've done to the truck.

[Maximus]

Thanks for the tip on older heads!

and DMV... UGHHHH

to make a LONG story short, i ended up swapping cabs with a 1959.
called CHP anonymously and gave them my scenario (59 cab on 55 frame with 78 camaro subframe)
they said F. U.
i would have to register under 2010 special construction, basically as if it were a batmobile. not a HUGE deal, with exception to the 2010 (now 2011) smog standards...
long story short, i bought a whole other truck (a 1957 longbed) with a pink, and was going to do yet ANOTHER cab swap.
thank the heavens a friend (the man I originally bought the 1955 truck from) knew a vehicle verifier that knew that i didnt steal both trucks, etx...
he checked the box "Attached with rivits" and gave it the all clear, dmv done...

now im selling off my 1957 longbed...

DMV is outragous...

note: i have 3 photo copies and a scan copy of the vehicle verifier form with the vin attached by rivits cleared...

[Maximus]

lucky for me my truck weighed in at 3060 lbs, so my title is a little cheaper than if the bed floor was in heh... (i figure the 400 Pontiac helped counter the weight originally on the truck)
how much did your truck weigh?

[Kabwe]

My truck was not complete when I had it weighted its still not.lol It had no glass, no seats, gas tank, etc. It weight 2980 with just the sheetmetal, engine and trans, which was not a problem new pink says 3100. I used a mobile verifier and took my paper work to AAA because I don't like standing in the long lines and dealing with the mean employees at the DMV. Anyway I turn in all my paper work and they wrote the vin wrong. I got the new pink and one number was off, so I had to get the verifier to come out again. He was real cool about it because I gave him a tip the first time and also hooked him up with my friend who needed a car verified so he did it for free. I did give him a tip to cover his gas for coming out.lol

[Maximus]

it truly sucks having to jump through hoops to just get these trucks and any vehicle in California on the road...

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Maximus

it truly sucks having to jump through hoops to just get these trucks and any vehicle in California on the road...

Yeah but what a relief it is when you spent so much time and money working on them and the pink is no where to be found. My brothers and I use to buy cars all the time with just a bill of sale and there was never a problem. We use to just call the DMV have them run the vin to make sure it was not reported stolen and if it wasn't we would buy the car walk in the DMV and come out with paper work. Those days are over and I would never buy another car without a pink today. Its just too much a hassle.

Sorry to take your thread with these but the Cali DMV makes me crazy.