49 GMC Pickup - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 11:23 AM

Ive been wanting to build one of these trucks for a long time and finally got my opportunity. My Dad had a 51 3100 when I was a kid and its still in the family. It was going to be mine when I was old enough to drive, but things change and it now belongs to my oldest younger brother. I picked up my 49 this past April from a guy who was getting rid of projects. I got the cab and some various pieces for almost nothing. He has a 1983 Chevy C10 that he was working on and I had some parts that he wanted so needless to say no money exchanged hands. What I got was a gutted 49 cab (with title), doors, hood all of the trim pieces, all sitting on an 83 c10 chassis, 2 sets of wheels a 700r4 trans and some kind of ford rear that he said came out of a Lincoln with disk brakes.
Ive been following several of the guys on here and taking ideas from their builds. Ive started mine in the last couple weeks and will be posting my progress as often as possible. Pics will be up as soon as I can remember how to post them.

alaska gasser · 12-15-2013, 11:47 AM

Welcome from the snowy north (about 22" in 2 days) and congrats on getting your truck with a title.

That frame and suspension is probably too wide unless you are going to make a 4x4. Any pic's?

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 12:35 PM

Im gonna try this... these pics are of the truck before I picked it up in April.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 12:40 PM

Thanks Gasser... You can keep that mess... LOL I do not plan to use that frame, it was just free with the truck! I have an S10 frame for it. Photos coming soon!
Im working on uploading my progress thus far to photobucket so that I can share them. I plan to go out and get some work done today. I don't have the garage most of the guys on here have so I'm more or less working outside. Im in a carport that isnt closed in yet. Working on that too. Thankfully the temp is supposed to be 52 today!

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 12:44 PM

1992 S10 regular cab, short bed. Because it is a swb truck I am going to have to lengthen the frame 9 inches. I plan to work on that today. I bought the truck in July for $400 and sold most of the unneeded parts for $445 total. Plus what was left I piled up and took off to scrap. I kept the brake stuff, and e-brake pedal, cables. I had other projects going on that were more important than this build plus i was continuing to acquire more parts, hence the months since the acquisition of the s10 truck.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 12:47 PM

This is the frame stripped down. It already has 3 inch blocks in the rear, but stock spindles up front. Once I have everything on it im gonna see how it sits before I decide what to do up front. The frame sits fairly level like it is now.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 12:52 PM

These pics are the donor engine I am planning to use. It is a 1985 truck 350. Unfortunately it is a 2 bolt, but im not planning to build a hot engine! Ran great in the truck, but upon dis-assembly I found that the balancer bolt is broken off in the crank and there is a little bit of crank walk, so a new scat crank is in order. Might as well build a mild thumper for it... Hehehe.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 12:55 PM

Scored a nice set of OE rear fenders last week. Had to drive a few hours to get them ,but it was worth it. Guy has a set of running boards too, i just didnt have enough cash on me. Hes holding them for me.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 01:00 PM

Another major score!!! I have been looking for a set of wheels to fit my style and the project. Well I cant believe my luck. Just a half hour away from the guy with the fenders was another guy that had this set of wheels!
18" Cragar SS with brand new 235/40ZR18 tires! At least $1400-$1500 worth for $500!!!
I LOVE Craigslist.

I just had to put them on the frame!!!

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 01:04 PM

Just this past week I cut the S10 cab mounts off and the front frame horns. I havent cleaned up the cab mounts yet, but will do that soon. I love my plasma cutter! Made for really quick work getting the welded on mounts off. I used cut off wheel for the frame horns though.

msaintg · 12-15-2013, 01:08 PM

welcome to the site.
you don't really need to 'lengthen' the frame.... just move the rear suspension back the 9". I have seen where guys cut the last 10" off the frame and flip it around to move the rear shackle back.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msaintg

welcome to the site.
you don't really need to 'lengthen' the frame.... just move the rear suspension back the 9". I have seen where guys cut the last 10" off the frame and flip it around to move the rear shackle back.

The problem i see with this and the reason I will be stretching the frame is that the cab that is on it is sitting right up next to the fuel tank. I am not 100% sure im going to use the tank yet, but i most likely will and the cab is way too far forward to mount the front end up. I took a preliminary measurement and the front fender center line is approximately 9" off. I dont mind this work. I have the frame from the engine donor truck and also have a frame from a 68 Chevelle for fodder, so no expense incurred, just work!

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 01:13 PM

Heres the bad part! My cab is currently parked at my friends house in WV, where I purchased it. I have to go get it real soon!!! Fortunately my brother has a 52 cab that is basically a POS. He bought it for $125 because it had decent doors. So we plan to use it for mock up until I get my cab here. Most likely in early January.
We got the cab set on my frame and I like the way it sits!

mechanixman · 12-15-2013, 01:27 PM

It's looking great so far.
I can't wait to see how this turns out.

Billys68SS · 12-15-2013, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mechanixman

It's looking great so far.
I can't wait to see how this turns out.

Thanks mechanixman... Its definitely a lot of work. I have a pretty tight deadline i hope to adhere to on this. But we will see. It all depends on the weather and my ability to get the shop closed in so I can put heat out there. LOL. Plus the occasional helping hand. And of course there is the necessary funding requirement. Im hopeful though!

Billys68SS · 12-16-2013, 12:58 AM

I didnt end up getting much done today. My brother showed up with a bad wheel bearing on his car and asked me to help. So..... we spent the rest of the evening going to the parts stores to get his parts and then finding out when we pressed everything apart that his wheel bearing had cut a nice groove in the hub. So its still sitting in my way waiting on him to get yet another part. Unfortunately this one has to come from the dealer.
I was able to get a little grinding done before it go too bitter cold and I made the templates for my cab mounts.
This is a pic of the front end I am going to be using. This front end was from a truck that my Dad owned many years ago. It has been sitting for at least 25 years,

And these are my cab mount templates. Took ideas from a couple of the other builds ive watched on here.

missinfishin10 · 12-16-2013, 06:40 PM

Looks good!
I'll follow along!

av8tr33337 · 12-16-2013, 08:19 PM

Looks really good man. I have been wanting those exact wheels myself but I'm a long ways away from dropping any money on then. I agree with MsaintG on the frame thing. I know you have donors galore but I will post a link here to a guy named 62ChevyII.

http://www.killbillet.com/showthread...(step-by-step)

He has a nice step by step you might want to check out. It would so much more simple to flip the rear 10 inches of your frame around than it would be to cut the frame in half and try to get everything lined up and back together. Trust me, I had to shorten an extended cab short bed for my project and its very time consuming. Just food for thought.

Also If you make your mounts to where you are 3 1/2 inches off the frame and then add the s10 Cab mounting pads to the top you would clear your tank just fine. See my video here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=604588

Also you might want to ask an admin to move this thread to the "Projects and Builds" Sticky at the top of this page if its is going to be your actual build thread.

Subscribed, welcome to the forum.

Billys68SS · 12-16-2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by av8tr33337

Looks really good man. I have been wanting those exact wheels myself but I'm a long ways away from dropping any money on then. I agree with MsaintG on the frame thing. I know you have donors galore but I will post a link here to a guy named 62ChevyII.

http://www.killbillet.com/showthread...(step-by-step)

He has a nice step by step you might want to check out. It would so much more simple to flip the rear 10 inches of your frame around than it would be to cut the frame in half and try to get everything lined up and back together. Trust me, I had to shorten an extended cab short bed for my project and its very time consuming. Just food for thought.

Also If you make your mounts to where you are 3 1/2 inches off the frame and then add the s10 Cab mounting pads to the top you would clear your tank just fine. See my video here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=604588

Also you might want to ask an admin to move this thread to the "Projects and Builds" Sticky at the top of this page if its is going to be your actual build thread.

Subscribed, welcome to the forum.

Thanks Bart, I was hoping you would chime in. I have watched your videos several times.i knew that you had shortened your frame and I know there are lots of guys doing it. I'll watch the other you mentioned too. I'm sure it is a good idea, as I'm sure there are a lot of other ways to do this. I'm eager to get something done and I have thought about the direction a lot. I've had a lot of ideas in my mind since obtaining the cab back in March. I'm not going into any of it half cocked. I'm a planner and a perfectionist so whatever way I go about it it's gonna have to be up to snuff or I'll scrap the whole thing and start over. LOL

Billys68SS · 12-16-2013, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missinfishin10

Looks good!
I'll follow along!

Thanks!

Daze57 · 12-16-2013, 08:38 PM

very nice wheels - and a good lookin project

Billys68SS · 12-16-2013, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daze57

very nice wheels - and a good lookin project

Thanks!

tlorber · 12-16-2013, 08:49 PM

Great score on the wheels. I plan on something similar.
Do you know what you are doing for a rear axle yet?

Billys68SS · 12-16-2013, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tlorber

Great score on the wheels. I plan on something similar.
Do you know what you are doing for a rear axle yet?

Yeah, I couldn't believe my dumb luck. I haven't given that part much thought. I've seen a lot of different tuff out there. For now it's gonna keep the s10 rear. But something with disc brakes would be awesome... Just don't want to get too far ahead. I've got enough to do right now without needing to spend much. I'm just going to leave that for one of my last parts.

Cape Codder · 12-18-2013, 01:51 PM

I think rear disc brakes are way over rated. The back of a pickup is pretty light unless you are using as a work truck. The parking brakes for disc rears are usually nothing but problems and thats why GM went back to drums on the light pickups. I would never even consider switching a rear just to gain discs. Just one man with 40 years or auto repairs opinion.

I will add that I love the project though.

12-15-2013, 11:23 AM	#1
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	49 GMC Pickup Ive been wanting to build one of these trucks for a long time and finally got my opportunity. My Dad had a 51 3100 when I was a kid and its still in the family. It was going to be mine when I was old enough to drive, but things change and it now belongs to my oldest younger brother. I picked up my 49 this past April from a guy who was getting rid of projects. I got the cab and some various pieces for almost nothing. He has a 1983 Chevy C10 that he was working on and I had some parts that he wanted so needless to say no money exchanged hands. What I got was a gutted 49 cab (with title), doors, hood all of the trim pieces, all sitting on an 83 c10 chassis, 2 sets of wheels a 700r4 trans and some kind of ford rear that he said came out of a Lincoln with disk brakes. Ive been following several of the guys on here and taking ideas from their builds. Ive started mine in the last couple weeks and will be posting my progress as often as possible. Pics will be up as soon as I can remember how to post them.

12-15-2013, 11:47 AM	#2
alaska gasser Registered User Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Ruidoso, NM Posts: 290	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Welcome from the snowy north (about 22" in 2 days) and congrats on getting your truck with a title. That frame and suspension is probably too wide unless you are going to make a 4x4. Any pic's? __________________ http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=592642 '48 Chev extended cab with attitude http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=592769 My daughter's '46 International PU

12-15-2013, 12:35 PM	#3
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Im gonna try this... these pics are of the truck before I picked it up in April.

12-15-2013, 12:40 PM	#4
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Thanks Gasser... You can keep that mess... LOL I do not plan to use that frame, it was just free with the truck! I have an S10 frame for it. Photos coming soon! Im working on uploading my progress thus far to photobucket so that I can share them. I plan to go out and get some work done today. I don't have the garage most of the guys on here have so I'm more or less working outside. Im in a carport that isnt closed in yet. Working on that too. Thankfully the temp is supposed to be 52 today!

12-15-2013, 12:44 PM	#5
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup 1992 S10 regular cab, short bed. Because it is a swb truck I am going to have to lengthen the frame 9 inches. I plan to work on that today. I bought the truck in July for $400 and sold most of the unneeded parts for $445 total. Plus what was left I piled up and took off to scrap. I kept the brake stuff, and e-brake pedal, cables. I had other projects going on that were more important than this build plus i was continuing to acquire more parts, hence the months since the acquisition of the s10 truck. Last edited by Billys68SS; 12-15-2013 at 01:09 PM.

12-15-2013, 12:47 PM	#6
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup This is the frame stripped down. It already has 3 inch blocks in the rear, but stock spindles up front. Once I have everything on it im gonna see how it sits before I decide what to do up front. The frame sits fairly level like it is now.

12-15-2013, 12:52 PM	#7
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup These pics are the donor engine I am planning to use. It is a 1985 truck 350. Unfortunately it is a 2 bolt, but im not planning to build a hot engine! Ran great in the truck, but upon dis-assembly I found that the balancer bolt is broken off in the crank and there is a little bit of crank walk, so a new scat crank is in order. Might as well build a mild thumper for it... Hehehe.

12-15-2013, 12:55 PM	#8
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Scored a nice set of OE rear fenders last week. Had to drive a few hours to get them ,but it was worth it. Guy has a set of running boards too, i just didnt have enough cash on me. Hes holding them for me.

12-15-2013, 01:00 PM	#9
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Another major score!!! I have been looking for a set of wheels to fit my style and the project. Well I cant believe my luck. Just a half hour away from the guy with the fenders was another guy that had this set of wheels! 18" Cragar SS with brand new 235/40ZR18 tires! At least $1400-$1500 worth for $500!!! I LOVE Craigslist. I just had to put them on the frame!!!

12-15-2013, 01:04 PM	#10
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Just this past week I cut the S10 cab mounts off and the front frame horns. I havent cleaned up the cab mounts yet, but will do that soon. I love my plasma cutter! Made for really quick work getting the welded on mounts off. I used cut off wheel for the frame horns though.

12-15-2013, 01:08 PM	#11
msaintg Registered User Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Gilbert, Arizona Posts: 454	Re: 49 GMC Pickup welcome to the site. you don't really need to 'lengthen' the frame.... just move the rear suspension back the 9". I have seen where guys cut the last 10" off the frame and flip it around to move the rear shackle back. __________________ Mike http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=526387

12-15-2013, 01:13 PM	#13
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Heres the bad part! My cab is currently parked at my friends house in WV, where I purchased it. I have to go get it real soon!!! Fortunately my brother has a 52 cab that is basically a POS. He bought it for $125 because it had decent doors. So we plan to use it for mock up until I get my cab here. Most likely in early January. We got the cab set on my frame and I like the way it sits!

12-15-2013, 01:27 PM	#14
mechanixman Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Mt. Prospect, ILL Posts: 820	Re: 49 GMC Pickup It's looking great so far. I can't wait to see how this turns out. __________________ -Nick Projects: 1952 Chevy 1 ton = The Build page

12-16-2013, 12:58 AM	#16
Billys68SS Registered User Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Clover, SC Posts: 188	Re: 49 GMC Pickup I didnt end up getting much done today. My brother showed up with a bad wheel bearing on his car and asked me to help. So..... we spent the rest of the evening going to the parts stores to get his parts and then finding out when we pressed everything apart that his wheel bearing had cut a nice groove in the hub. So its still sitting in my way waiting on him to get yet another part. Unfortunately this one has to come from the dealer. I was able to get a little grinding done before it go too bitter cold and I made the templates for my cab mounts. This is a pic of the front end I am going to be using. This front end was from a truck that my Dad owned many years ago. It has been sitting for at least 25 years, And these are my cab mount templates. Took ideas from a couple of the other builds ive watched on here. __________________ 1949 GMC PU http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=608120 1966 C10 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...06#post6601806 1966 C10 SB Custom Cab, Fleetside, BBW. 1968 Chevelle SS 396 1937 Chevrolet Coupe

12-16-2013, 06:40 PM	#17
missinfishin10 Amazed Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dahlonega Georgia Posts: 486	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Looks good! I'll follow along! __________________ 71 LWB Fleetside 1950 3100 Original Project!



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12-16-2013, 08:19 PM	#18
av8tr33337 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Derby Kansas Posts: 564	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Looks really good man. I have been wanting those exact wheels myself but I'm a long ways away from dropping any money on then. I agree with MsaintG on the frame thing. I know you have donors galore but I will post a link here to a guy named 62ChevyII. http://www.killbillet.com/showthread...(step-by-step) He has a nice step by step you might want to check out. It would so much more simple to flip the rear 10 inches of your frame around than it would be to cut the frame in half and try to get everything lined up and back together. Trust me, I had to shorten an extended cab short bed for my project and its very time consuming. Just food for thought. Also If you make your mounts to where you are 3 1/2 inches off the frame and then add the s10 Cab mounting pads to the top you would clear your tank just fine. See my video here: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=604588 Also you might want to ask an admin to move this thread to the "Projects and Builds" Sticky at the top of this page if its is going to be your actual build thread. Subscribed, welcome to the forum. __________________ av8tr33337 AKA Bartman Email av8tr33337@yahoo.com Bartman's Ad-S10 Chassis Swap http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=415418 My First Youtube Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6hSt...eature=channel More Pics of the 51 Project http://s668.photobucket.com/albums/v...hassis%20Swap/ 1951 3100 Pickup Last edited by av8tr33337; 12-16-2013 at 08:28 PM.

12-16-2013, 08:38 PM	#21
Daze57 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Las Vegas - Nev. aka Sin City Posts: 1,835	Re: 49 GMC Pickup very nice wheels - and a good lookin project

12-16-2013, 08:49 PM	#23
tlorber Registered User Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 236	Re: 49 GMC Pickup Great score on the wheels. I plan on something similar. Do you know what you are doing for a rear axle yet?

12-18-2013, 01:51 PM	#25
Cape Codder Registered User Join Date: May 2013 Location: Centerville,Ma. Posts: 1,223	Re: 49 GMC Pickup I think rear disc brakes are way over rated. The back of a pickup is pretty light unless you are using as a work truck. The parking brakes for disc rears are usually nothing but problems and thats why GM went back to drums on the light pickups. I would never even consider switching a rear just to gain discs. Just one man with 40 years or auto repairs opinion. I will add that I love the project though.

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