Ben Jammin's 1955 Chevy/GMC Project

[Bigblue29]

Nice bit of work you got going there! I look forward to seeing the rest of your build!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Looks like your doing a great job keep up the good work and shell be done in no time at all.

[57ToyBox]

Hey Ben !!!!
Any progress lately ???



I'm starting to get picture withdrawal. We need a fix LOL

[bensimmons_05]

Originally Posted by Diesel

Hey Ben !!!!
Any progress lately ???



I'm starting to get picture withdrawal. We need a fix LOL

I know I know, I have been dragging my feet lately. I tought my 100th post picture would hold you guys for a little while.

I've really just been working on the house I'm moving into in all my free time (wich is not very much) but In a couple weeks I should be moved in and BACK AT IT!

Ill be moving the truck over to the shop to get started on the frame and mock up. So then It might actually look like I'm working on a truck , instead of a bunch of old rusty parts.

[57ToyBox]

Bump

Well if we can't get any progress pix on the truck.
Hows the house coming along LOL

[bensimmons_05]

Well I think I can handle some bathroom pics.

Now this is no professional job, it is a budget build, kinda like my old truck.

I really wish I had some before pictures but oh well. IT WAS BAD!

I am very proud of the bowl sink setup. I used an exhaust pipe from autozone to make the faucet TALLER. I actually had some paint in my collection that matched the faucet pretty close too.

A couple deals I'm proud of : Linoleum floor - $5 Lowe's miscut with a slit in it that I cut out.

Stand for sink (actually sewing machine)- $10



I am not all of the way through but heres how she looks.

[dennis57]

Nicely done!

[OrrieG]

Looks good! I have a friend that had his sink trap break and he went out to the garage and got a universal radiator hose as a temporary fix. Stayed there until he sold the house.

[bensimmons_05]

If it works it WORKS!! It would not be my kind of project unless I utilize something that is not used for it's original purpose, somehow I always find interesting uses for things.

I appreciate the comments!

[57ToyBox]

Nice work on the vanity Looks good

[Kabwe]

looking good, I just had to do my kitchen for the wife. I gutted it completely. That was the fun part. Its together now and she is happy so I can have more truck time.lol Next is the bathroom, she's been hinting.lol

[bensimmons_05]

Thanks for the comments on the bathroom guys. I'm about to be done with most of the house and back to working on the truck.

But, right now, we find ourselves in a momentus occasion. Up until this point I have not been able to sum up my "Before" into one picture. Now, After a year, I actually have a before picture of my project.



I basically did this because I plan on moving the truck to the shop soon, so I cut the bed bolts off of the half of frame it was on and set it on the truck to take to the shop. Thus, for the first time, I ACTUALLY HAVE A WHOLE TRUCK!

[Bigblue29]

Very nice. Congrats! lol Its little victories that make us feel good.

[bensimmons_05]

The truck that I asked you guys about a while back for a hundred bucks. Well, I went ahead and got it.

The floor of this cab is GONE. So Im going to cut this cab up for patch panels where I need them.

[bensimmons_05]

I have also been thinking a great deal about which cab to use.

I have a chevy cab and a GMC cab.

when It gets down to the nitty gritty each cab needs all the same replacement panels. The ONLY difference would be that over the windsheild the GMC cab has a little rust through, and over the drivers door.

[bensimmons_05]

So after a lot of thought... I THINK I am going to go with the GMC cab even though it is worse up top. The other cab is not as bad, but will need patches on top also.

The main deciding factor was the GMC dash.. I want the big openeing for the camaro's gauges.



What do you guys think??

[Daniel U]

I think my decision would be more about wich panels are easier to repair. I would be intimidated by a roof/windshield, but understand the unique dash of a GMC.

[Bigblue29]

Originally Posted by Daniel U

I think my decision would be more about wich panels are easier to repair. I would be intimidated by a roof/windshield, but understand the unique dash of a GMC.

I agree with using the cab that is easier to repair, and the dash opening would certainly be different if you decided to use the chevy front sheet metal...

[CAL 58 GMC]

Originally Posted by Bigblue29

I agree with using the cab that is easier to repair, and the dash opening would certainly be different if you decided to use the chevy front sheet metal...

Well you know how I feel......another "Bow Tied Jimmy" how cool is that!!

[bensimmons_05]

When I get home today, I'll take as many detail pictures that I can. And I'll start a thread called "battle of the cabs" And you guys can cast your vote.

Obviously neither cab is great, the GMC is worse on top, and the chevy is worse on bottom. The good thing is though, that the truck I just had delievered had no rust above the windsheild on the inside. And only a very small spot on the outside.... So it may give me the panels I need.

Thank you guys for your input.

It's hard choosing between rusty crap #1 and rusty crap #2

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Why not just swap the gmc dash into the chevy cab that does not need the roof work?

[bensimmons_05]

WELL.... I am finally getting something accomplished. I got the truck moved over do my dad's shop so I can finally get to working on it. What I am going to do first is take off the front clip, put the front and rear axle in, drop in the motor, and fit the 55 front clip on. Im doing this to make sure there are no major problems with the motor mount that was in it and to see if the ride height will be ok...

The trailer I used could not have been an inch narrower or and inch shorter....

[Bigblue29]

Sounds like the fun part is about to start. I think you've got some serious nuts pulling that truck into to the trailer with out it being attached to a vehicle!

[bensimmons_05]

A good word for the whole process of getting the truck on and off would be...... "Rigged"

We had to raise the end of the trailer so the body would clear to get the truck on and off. When we loaded the truck it the trailer was hooked to the hauling truck when we pulled the front wheels onto it... Then we, extremely carefully unhooked the trailer and raised it way up so the body would clear.

When we unloaded it we unhooked it from the get-go. You can see we supported the back with blocks so both trailer tires were off the ground.

To say the least I saved the 40 bucks for a u-haul trailer!

And right now it is less about time that it is about money so I consider it a SUCCESS even though it took much more time and effort.

[Bigblue29]