1953 Chevy Pickup "Wild Blue"
12-24-2008, 05:38 PM
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1953 Chevy Pickup "Wild Blue" Well, the Nova is on the backburner for the next year while we work on this 1953 Chevy pickup for my sister.
Here's how it looked when we picked it up:
We picked up this 1985 S-15 as a frame donor, stripped off the body and sold it.
Redneck engineering at its finest, with my Dad at the controls:
Bye-bye, 2.8L V6!!
The new LS1/T-56 sitting in front of the 53
Once swapped onto the new frame, this truck will have 4 wheel disk brakes, power steering, 80's suspension (with all new bushings) and an LS1 and 6 speed. Should be a pretty bad *** truck when it's all said and done. I'll keep yall updated.
Here's how it looked when we picked it up:
We picked up this 1985 S-15 as a frame donor, stripped off the body and sold it.
Redneck engineering at its finest, with my Dad at the controls:
Bye-bye, 2.8L V6!!
The new LS1/T-56 sitting in front of the 53
Once swapped onto the new frame, this truck will have 4 wheel disk brakes, power steering, 80's suspension (with all new bushings) and an LS1 and 6 speed. Should be a pretty bad *** truck when it's all said and done. I'll keep yall updated.
12-24-2008, 05:38 PM
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It's been cold, and a million other excuses have delayed me working on this over break. Finally got started moving stuff around yesterday and today. Our shop is small, so the Nova had to be relocated so we can have the S-10 frame and the 53 in the same shop. Until now, the S-10 frame has been sitting out at the farm. Now that everything is moved around, I'm going to start sandblasting the frame tomorrow, and as soon as it is cleaned up and painted, installation of the new front suspension will begin. While I'm sandblasting, we will also be pulling the 53 body off the old frame and preparing to mount the cab on the S-10 frame. Pictures of the move:
My dads eventual project, a 1950 Plymouth: (Picture taken through dirty farm truck window)
The Nova ready to leave the shop for the garage at the house.
The Nova and the S-10 frame in their new homes:
All the cars we had to move to get to the garage: 1994 Caprice with an 212,000 mile LT1, my GTP, and a 2000 Honda Oddessy with 210,000 miles on it. My family drives cars until the wheels fall off.
My dads eventual project, a 1950 Plymouth: (Picture taken through dirty farm truck window)
The Nova ready to leave the shop for the garage at the house.
The Nova and the S-10 frame in their new homes:
All the cars we had to move to get to the garage: 1994 Caprice with an 212,000 mile LT1, my GTP, and a 2000 Honda Oddessy with 210,000 miles on it. My family drives cars until the wheels fall off.
12-24-2008, 05:57 PM
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Sweet!
Subscribing. I have a 50 Chev and would like to do the same some day.
Is the S-15 a long box? Or do you plan to lengthen the frame?
So jealous of you Texas guys and your rust free cars/trucks...
Subscribing. I have a 50 Chev and would like to do the same some day.
Is the S-15 a long box? Or do you plan to lengthen the frame?
So jealous of you Texas guys and your rust free cars/trucks...
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12-24-2008, 09:42 PM
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Thanks for all the responses guys. We're planning on fabricating our own mounts...don't feel like forking over 900 bucks for something we feel we could do ourselves.
The S-15 was in great shape when we bought it. We actually sold the body to a guy in Wisconsin who wanted to replace his rotting shell, which helped recoup the price of the S-15. I'll try to take lots of pictures along the way and keep yall up to date.
The S-15 was in great shape when we bought it. We actually sold the body to a guy in Wisconsin who wanted to replace his rotting shell, which helped recoup the price of the S-15. I'll try to take lots of pictures along the way and keep yall up to date.
12-24-2008, 11:03 PM
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The Swap kit sold by A-D engineering comes with a few other things as well, but its mainly mounts for bed/cab and radiator supports. Its advertised for 1085 (I think) but they're having a sale right now for 900. I think we'll be okay making our own. 
12-25-2008, 03:55 PM
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we got to sandblasting today. And then ran out of sand. I didn't have as much left over from the Nova's sandblasting as I thought I did. So, we're done for today I guess. We'll go pick up more and start again tomorrow. Merry Christmas everyone!
12-25-2008, 05:07 PM
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Only "technique" as far as I'm concerned is making sure you choose the proper blasting media for your purposes. We went with a fairly mild abrasiveness. It's enough to strip of the surface rust, but not abrasive enough to pit the frame metal excessively. Just trying to get this thing clean so we can prep it properly for paint. While the truck is in Texas currently, it will have to endure Colorado winters for at least 2 years, so we couldn't leave the frame as it was and let it rust out from under the truck.
It was a great way to spend Christmas day. My dad and I were taking measurements and planning how we're going to strip the 53, while my sister (this will be her truck) was busy blasting the frame.
If only places that sold sand were open on Christmas day, we'd still be at it.
It was a great way to spend Christmas day. My dad and I were taking measurements and planning how we're going to strip the 53, while my sister (this will be her truck) was busy blasting the frame.
If only places that sold sand were open on Christmas day, we'd still be at it.
01-01-2009, 06:53 PM
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Work continues on the 53. This was over several days, I just didn't bother to upload pictures. So far, we have:
Removed front sheetmetal and core support.
Removed wiring, steering column, and misc junk connecting the cab to the frame.
Removed Doors and running boards.
Sandblasted and primered the front half of the frame. It will be painted black tomorrow.
Control arms still need to be blasted and new bushings put in. After paint, we will reassemble the front suspension with new disk brakes, then remove the rear end so the back half of the frame can be painted and rear suspension worked on. After that hopefully we can begin mocking up how the cab will sit on the S-10 frame so we can figure out where we're going to mount the motor and trans.
Pictures:
Front Sheet Metal removed:
Frame sandblasted:
Frame Primered:
Truck in pieces:
Removed front sheetmetal and core support.
Removed wiring, steering column, and misc junk connecting the cab to the frame.
Removed Doors and running boards.
Sandblasted and primered the front half of the frame. It will be painted black tomorrow.
Control arms still need to be blasted and new bushings put in. After paint, we will reassemble the front suspension with new disk brakes, then remove the rear end so the back half of the frame can be painted and rear suspension worked on. After that hopefully we can begin mocking up how the cab will sit on the S-10 frame so we can figure out where we're going to mount the motor and trans.
Pictures:
Front Sheet Metal removed:
Frame sandblasted:
Frame Primered:
Truck in pieces:
01-01-2009, 09:31 PM
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Very cool swap, but I think you should give your sister the 5.3 and put the LS1/T56 in your Nova. haha I am kind of partial to Nova's, but cool project none the less.
Your lucky you are able to make it a familey affair. No better way to spend familey time together in my opinion.
Later
Your lucky you are able to make it a familey affair. No better way to spend familey time together in my opinion.
Later
