New Beginner Guide

[zumbahlenm]

Hey all, I am a new member and chose this thread for help to get started.

I am new to rebuilding vehicles and would love to have a project. I am interested in buying a 1950 Chevy 3600 to restore. I am not sure how much its worth and what it will take to restore.

Is there any guides or info to check what is good on the vehicle?
What about the engine. Is there any info to see if it will start or rebuild it.
Also I have been reading some threads about changing to a differ motor. What does it take to do that?
Checking chasis?
What about suspension changing to something new.

Any help would be awesome for me as a beginner

[OrrieG]

Welcome to the forum. Most of your questions can be answered by doing a search and looking at other similar build threads, as you said you are doing.

What is your vision for the build? Stock; resto-mod with updated engine, transmission, rearend; plus new suspension to drop it, etc.? Friday night cruiser, or long road trip flyer?

What kind of shape is the truck in now? Was it running, no engine, together, basket case???

Did it come with a clear title that matchs the truck engine number or assigned VIN?

Just for reference stovebolts.com is more stock truck orientated and inliners.org will show you how to hot rod your six.

Post some pics so we can get an idea what you are dealing with....

[tinyjaime]

I am a beginner too with a 56 Chevy 3100. Going on year #2. Here is some food for thought. As OrrieG said what do you want to do with it? Daily driver, weekend cruiser, hot rod, towing, show, work etc.

What is your budget? That's a big. I have done a frame off restoration including powder coating the frame, rebuilt the motor and have almost all replacement parts and the chassis completed and have 16k including buying the truck and I still have to do electrical, bodywork and paint.

Will you have the space to work on it? In my 2 car garage I have the chassis in one bay , a 5x10 trailer the cab and bed in the other bay, Plus I have my work benches so I can still tinker.

Here is my plan. I wanted to keep it somewhat original except for a few up grades. I added a dual brake master cylinder with power booster for safety. I kept the straight axle but changed the tie rod ends to the new style. The motor was locked up and I really liked the stomp starter so I decided to rebuild the 235 engine but I installed dual Carter Weber 2 barrel carbs on a Fenton intake and added a Fenton split manifold exhaust so I could put dual exhaust. Bored out .030, I changed out the components in the head to the no lead type. I installed a stock 261 camshaft. I changed the 4spd. transmission out for a T-5non WC tranny from a S-10 so I could get highway speed with a lower RPM.

I wanted the 235 because after research I thought it was a cool thing plus at the car shows almost all the trucks had Small Block Chevys or LS type motor and some with Big Blocks. I only saw a couple of 6's and I wanted to have something different. Now I am not going to hot rod it but want it to look really nice.

My advice is make a list of what you want to do. Research what you want to up grade and write down the cost to purchase parts and labor to have it done, go from there. Any project will always be time and money. SBC are cheaper to rebuild and up grade than a stovebolt motor.

The other thing to consider with the space is will you have the tools?

If your buying it to flip it and it needs a lot of work and its your first project probably will lose money if you restore it right. I am doing mine for me and will pass it down to my daughter one day. Just my .02 Cents. good luck with what you do.

Last advice, when posting a question give all the info you can such as motor size, year, body style, and what specific you are doing and what you want done. Again as OrrieG stated stovebolt.com and inliners.com(if you keep the six cylinder) are great places too.

[zumbahlenm]

Thanks
OrrieG
Id like to keep it stock with a new engine, trany. I dont want to drop it with suspension. Id like to keep it riding higher up.

This would be more of a cruiser around town no long hauls no towing.

The truck seems to be in decent condition. There is some bad rusting going on by the floor but the body looks ok. There is a engine in it but I didnt get a chance to see if it starts. Id like to update the engine but I would be interested in seeing if I can get the original engine started.

I havent got the chance to see if the owner has the title. I havent bought it yet.

Tinyjaime
I would have a 2 car garage space to work on it.

I have alot of tools just not a welder.

Im not trying to buy and flip, id like to keep it.

Thanks for that info. Do you have a thread of your build. You mentioned alot of upgrades that im not familiar with and would like to learn more.

[zumbahlenm]

pics

[mr48chev]

Not a bad looking start on a truck project.

A clear title is a very important thing with these trucks and to me a lot more important than the truck being complete. The vin on the title should match either the number stamped in the pad near the distributor on the engine block or the number stamped in the plate on the driver's door post. Some states used the engine block number while others used the door post number and i have never seen a list of who used what. If they used the engine block number do not let that block get away from you until you have squared the title away if you swap engines. I'd keep it stashed in the shed and then let the block go with the truck if it were me.

Buy the copy of the factory service manual for that year truck off Ebay or off amazon no matter if you plan to keep it stone stock or change a few things. That answers a lot of questions Just by opening the book and reading the proper section.

If you keep the stock running gear I'd stay with a six if I changed engines just for eeringthe simplicity of it. V8's are a lot of fun but a lot of headaches to get squared away with the stock steering.

[tinyjaime]

That's a cool looking truck. I bought the Factory Service Manual and the Factory Build Manual and it helps out a lot. Here is the photos of my progress here my 1956

As far as the up grades just ask away. I have asked many questions in forums and when I started I did not even know what a stovebolt was. This was my first engine build ever.

Yes before dumping money into get the title in your name.

[zumbahlenm]

ok cool
I feel like so many of these old trucks dont have titles whether its been lost or misplaced or the owner has been long past away.
What do people do if there are no titles?

[zumbahlenm]

what is a good hot rod site. Id like to look at how people hot rod their chevys too

[tinyjaime]

Originally Posted by zumbahlenm

ok cool
I feel like so many of these old trucks dont have titles whether its been lost or misplaced or the owner has been long past away.
What do people do if there are no titles?

It depends on the state. You would have to go to the local DMV and ask. In my state if no title and the original owner is not available its very difficuilt. There are abandonment rules but I would not want to dump money into something that I could not title or someone else could claim. Who knows it could have been stolen, parked and forgotten about.

[OrrieG]

yeah nothing worse than dumping 5 or 10K into a truck then nephew Jim shows up with the sheriff and a note and title from Grandpa giving him "your" truck.

This would be a good place to start, title FAQ for your Florida.
http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/FAQtitle.html

[Russell Ashley]

Welcome to the forum. Here's what one of the other forum members did with his 3600. I hope he doesn't mind me referring you to his build thread. You might want to refer back to this one for tips and inspiration.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=554051