My 57 build (lots of pictures)

[dennis57]

I've been looking down at the dash and forgot about the rust I needed to fix above the windshield. So today I cut it out and guess what I found. I couldn't figure how it rusted up there and so high until I opened it up. Mouse hotel. Burning mouse nest STINKS. I'm glad it's not as bad or as fresh as Diesel's. I welded up 3 small spots that poked through on the outside and will replace the 2 strips across the inside.

[dennis57]

Ok, here are a few ideas I've been playing with for the bottom of the dash and console. What do you guys think?

My buddy suggested I use the top edge of the old dash on the bottom. I mocked up some of the leftovers I had and this is what I have come up with. I spray bombed to help with the visualization.
With the console coming out of the radius.


With the console meeting the dash below the radius. I am kind of leaning toward this one. I might twist the right side of the console up higher than the left so it tilts toward the driver.



The other idea is to cut and drop the bottom of the dash 3~4". Don't laugh at my crude MS paintbrush skills. The console would fit in kind of the same way to the bottom edge.

[dennis57]

Originally Posted by nickp51chevy

Your moving along pretty quick . From the looks of things you'll have it finished this year!

That would be nice.

[Roadkill58]

When you have some time read this article on TPI.

http://chevythunder.com/

If you have money to spare:

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...p?N=115+328385

I'm not advertising just offering options.

[dennis57]

Originally Posted by Roadkill58

When you have some time read this article on TPI.

http://chevythunder.com/

If you have money to spare:

http://store.summitracing.com/egnsea...p?N=115+328385

I'm not advertising just offering options.

Thanks for the links Roadkill58. The chevythunder link does have good information but doesn't actually come out and say if one year is any better to use than another. I've located a 85 Corvette that I am looking at picking up fairly cheap to get the complete engine, trans and suspension from. I know that's the first year for the TPI but should I hold out for a later model maybe a Gen III? I really like that injection unit Summit has but that Vette I can get is less than that by over a grand. Sure wish I had unlimited funds.

[Roadkill58]

Dennis57,

What you have should be fine, as long as the ECU is the same year, as the rest of the TPI stuff. The ECU from a 350 is programmed different than a 305 so you should be ok.
Any radical changes such as cam, throttle body size and you may need to have the ECU programmed for those changes.

I wish I could afford that setup from Summit!

With the corvette parts you will end up with a very nice truck.

[Kabwe]

Looking good, keep it up and you will be done in no time.

[JML55]

Really nice work, your lifting set up is good too.

[dennis57]

Originally Posted by JML55

Really nice work, your lifting set up is good too.

Thanks JML55. I need to rethink the lift so I can lift the cab and move it without help. If there's someone around to help it doesn't do too bad.

[GRIMSS]

Looks great, need you here to do that to my panel.

[dennis57]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

Looks great, need you here to do that to my panel.

Put me to work I'm unemployed...

[57ToyBox]

Originally Posted by GRIMSS

Looks great, need you here to do that to my panel.

We'll have to share him
I want him to fixing my steps and floor on my panel too.

Steps look great Dennis

[dennis57]

Well, the welder is broke and I didn’t feel like grinding so I bolted on the driver’s door to see if it still fit. It doesn’t look too bad I think the gaps will adjust out after I rebuild the hinges. I also had to stick the fender on just for fun. I love the looks of these trucks.

[Kim57]

Looks good.
These trucks are notorious for having terrible gaps from the factory. It takes a lot of work to get them all even.
Kim

[bensimmons_05]

Awesome progress!!! Thanks a bunch for the picture of your lifter. I hope my patch panels turn out half as good as yours!

[Daniel U]

Let me know if yo have any ?'s about the TPI. Some say the older (Mass Air Flow)MAF is better, others are fans of the newer SD(Speed Density) style. The older ones employ a 9th cold start injector that can go bad. It's easy to unplug it and burn a newer style PROM to make it run without it in cold start conditions. Let me know what ?'s yo have. I learned a bunch on www.thirdgen.org and have bought a few books as well. Dunno if you can learn by reading or if you're a hands on guy like me. I need to do something over and over for it to make sense.

[Daniel U]

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/tpi/

[dennis57]

Thanks for the info Daniel it will be helpful when I get further along.

Well with my welder out I finished grinding on the firewall and removed all of the lacquer primer I had put on earlier. So it's ready to start working it straight. I started cleaning up inside and found some more rust I need to fix.


More rust.


I should get the welder back tomorrow, the fan blew up. While I was waiting I gave into the wife's request to refinish the kitchen counter tops. lol no work on the truck this weekend or next week.

Before pictures

[dennis57]

Almost ready to go back to work on the truck. I just need to install the new sink tomorrow and seal the grout. Not really truck tech but I'll get back to it. Oh yeah, I got cookies

[Bigblue29]

Very nice work. Did you bake the cookies too?

[ChuckDriver]

Dennis,

Can you do me and a few others a big favor. My cab is actually a 58 and the PO put a 57 clip on it. That's why I bought it, cause I love the look of the 57.

Anyway, there is some discussion about the difference in the hood hindge bolt hole locations in the firewall of the 55-57 and 58-59.

Could you place a straight edge across the ledge of the firewall and measure from the bottom of it to the top and bottom hindge holes?

Bensimmons_05 is also working on a 58 with a 57 clip and has started a thread looking for this info.

Thanks, and get back to work on the truck!!

[dennis57]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Dennis,

Can you do me and a few others a big favor. My cab is actually a 58 and the PO put a 57 clip on it. That's why I bought it, cause I love the look of the 57.

Anyway, there is some discussion about the difference in the hood hindge bolt hole locations in the firewall of the 55-57 and 58-59.

Could you place a straight edge across the ledge of the firewall and measure from the bottom of it to the top and bottom hindge holes?

Bensimmons_05 is also working on a 58 with a 57 clip and has started a thread looking for this info.

Thanks, and get back to work on the truck!!

I'll get some measurements and post them later today.

[dennis57]

Some ideas are good and some just don't work out but you have to try. This one is still in work so I'm not sure it will work or not yet. First I need to say thanks to ChuckDriver who sent me the old dash out of his truck free of charge and to Kawbe for some guidance and advice. I liked Kawbe's dash I thought I wanted to tackle one in my truck too. I even located a 55 dash locally for a reasonable price. But after talking with Kawbe and looking at his post of the install I figured it was over my head so I went to plan B that was grafting in the left side of the factory dash to the right side. It sounds good in theory but in actually it is going to require a lot of work but I'm committed do making it work right so here is the first FAIL!

Ok, here I am with some parts taped to the dash trying to get a look at how this will work. I'm thinking COOL!! So far so good.


Cuts and fit are good.




Now the problem. I have it tacked in place and it's a bit low on the right side.


I'll go look at it tomorrow to see how to even it up. BTW I'm having a great time even if it doesn't work.

[57ToyBox]

I'm confused were to sit... Who's driving LOL
Top of the dash looks Cool

[GRIMSS]

Looking good. I'm keeping an eye on this as I was thinking of doing something kind of like it, but with a little twist.