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    1. #1
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States

      1953 Chevy 3100 "Someday..."

      My Dad gave me this truck when I was 16yrs old. (I just turned 34) I DROVE it off the trailer, around the block and into the driveway ONE time. Then the tear down began. I had zero mechanical experience, and was funding the project by bagging groceries. Fastforward many years of houses, offroad toys, cheap n' easy mustangs and a list of other distractions... and i'm finally back to the truck. I've spent far more money in storage fee's for this bent, once rolled over farm truck than it can possibly be worth... but it doesn't matter. I love this thing.

      Wanting to start with a clean slate, I sent the chassis out to be sand blasted... It was during the teardown that I noticed the significant bend in frame... sweet...



      I managed to get some of the excess firewall holes buzzed up while I was waiting for my turn on the frame machine at the local ROP Body Shop class.




      The frame was z'd and bent over about an inch and a half. Not anymore. (now its just shy of 1/16 inch bent THE OTHER WAY... bah... close enough... its not going to the moon afterall...)





      So, during the course of this trucks storage, I have managed to collect up some parts. Inevitably, my tastes have changed some over the past 15 years and some of the stuff is not as bitchin to me as when I bought it. I understand the short comings of the MII stuff, but I already have a nice Heidts hub to hub with discs, new rack, drop spindles etc. I have been in contact with an autocross buddy that runs a MII (and smokes all of us most the time) I think with a few adjustments to make more available caster i'll be content with the front suspension. Plus, the packaging is so tidy, I can't bring myself to consider the homely stamped steel GM stuff, and with a pending addition to the family, i'm not in the position to buy a new hub to hub anway.

      The trans in the pic is a t3550 from my mustang. I was hoping the case was the same as a later tko-600 to allow me some mock up. Nope. No such luck. I'm in a saving pattern for a fresh tko-600.


      Motor is kinda an odd duck. This is a 472 cad. I'm not sure exactly what has me smitten with these... but I can't help it. I dig the idea of something different under the hood. This one is pretty "used" and is being treated to a "Rustoleum Rebuild" in the pic. I'll likely get a cam and some other little goodies before it fires.


      Totally hillbilly, but its entertaining to me to note that the motor was not only in an 1/8th mile drag car in the hands of the last owner, but has survived and won a demolition derby.


      So, after I button up the front suspension and set the ride height, its time to commit to a rear suspension. I had purchased a Competition Engineering brand magnum 4 link about 10 years ago. Now i'm not so sure its going to fit what i'm after. The truck will primarily be used as a grocery getter'... but it will see the drag strip every now and again, and if my Mustang is out of commission, it may see some autocross too.

      I haven't ruled out the 4 link, but only because itd be so easy to plug in at this point... but again, i've since learned the word "bind" since I purchased it. (I should just stop reading... )

      I'm leaning heaviest towards torque arm due to the ease of fabrication and durability, but i'm still in research mode. Words like "jacking" "roll-center" and "antisquat" are not totally foreign, but i've never had to design anything around them. I've see some quality threads on suspension design on this forum, but if you guys have some favorites that could be of help i'd love to see them!

      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup


    2. #2
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      So, this truck has leaned a little more towards "street/strip" than "pro-touring". That said, the goal is kinda multi-taskin' do it all go-fast toy. So ill keep posting unless the Moderators give a thumbs down.

      Budget and desire to do cook tires asap had me hoping to run the 472 without a rebuild. (at least while i saved for a proper built motor) I went to bolt up my MTS rear sump pan, and discovered some debris on the oil pickup that looks very much like piston ring. Bummer.


      I usually scoff at guys that post pics of "off the shelf" parts...but here i go doing it myself. TKO-600. "...the trans ive always wanted, and now I have it. I RULE!"


      Built some cool motormounts. Nobody made mounts for Cadillac motor with manual trans into chevy truck with MII. Weird?
      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      The mustangII stuff is all tacked in. Ive cheated the upper mounts back a touch and clearanced a bit to allow more caster. I autocross with a guy who whoops everyone on a regular basis with a similar set up. Frame rails are boxed, and im doing some tube lacing through the center of the chassis to stiffen everything up. Im trying to avoid needing a cage.


      I backhalved the rear for the 4 link stuff. A drag specific set up, but im hoping that with the links set parallel and a full width panhard the handling will be good enough for lots of street miles and the occasional autocross.
      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      ...
      Last edited by LERM; 07-04-2018 at 04:12 PM. Reason: Double Post

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Jan 2016
      Location
      Chino Valley, AZ
      Posts
      134
      Country Flag: United States
      looking good. i bet a crown vic front suspension would be sooooo much cooler
      84 Ford LTD Wagon
      05 Ford Excursion
      Instagram

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Jun 2017
      Location
      Edgewater Co.
      Posts
      150
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by frink84 View Post
      looking good. i bet a crown vic front suspension would be sooooo much cooler
      Probably too wide hub to hub for his app...

      "its not going to the moon afterall"
      One of my favorite phrases at work is "It's not the next space shuttle", this gets used when someone is putting too much effort into something... (industrial fabrication)

      I've got a car that I've owned for 20 years and driven for about a year 12 years ago before taking apart and I'm just now getting serious about putting it together...

      You've got a good start going.

      Joe

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Jan 2016
      Location
      Chino Valley, AZ
      Posts
      134
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Motoracer838 View Post
      Probably too wide hub to hub for his app...
      inside joke between LERM, me, and a few buddies of ours...
      84 Ford LTD Wagon
      05 Ford Excursion
      Instagram

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Mar 2018
      Location
      la mesa, CA
      Posts
      237
      Dang man another winner. Glad to have come across this also. Following!
      Follow my Instagram
      And my build on here
      check out Opentracker Racing Products

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      My shop smells like burnt WD40 and hot metal. Progress stinks goooooood.


      If I still have a chassis rigidity problem its not from lack of trying. Its amazing how fast space disappears when trying to get chassis bracing to play nice with exhaust, suspension and the other necessities.


      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Jan 2016
      Location
      Chino Valley, AZ
      Posts
      134
      Country Flag: United States
      good lord that looks badass. is the exhaust going out the back?
      84 Ford LTD Wagon
      05 Ford Excursion
      Instagram

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Mar 2018
      Location
      la mesa, CA
      Posts
      237
      Quote Originally Posted by LERM View Post
      My shop smells like burnt WD40 and hot metal. Progress stinks goooooood.


      If I still have a chassis rigidity problem its not from lack of trying. Its amazing how fast space disappears when trying to get chassis bracing to play nice with exhaust, suspension and the other necessities.


      wow man that tube work is great. wish i had made my floors higher to get more exhaust room.
      Follow my Instagram
      And my build on here
      check out Opentracker Racing Products

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Ma.
      Posts
      5,567
      Country Flag: United States
      Sweet ! subscribed.
      Wayne
      Car FINALLY home !!!!!! lol
      Project FNQUIK https://www.pro-touring.com/showthre...ghlight=FNQUIK

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by frink84 View Post
      good lord that looks badass. is the exhaust going out the back?
      Yes. Thats the goal. The current plan is over the frame rail headers into electric cutouts, 3" tube, vbanded xpipe, and outlet behind the rear axle. Due to space constraints i think ill have to go under the axle, but not sure yet.
      Quote Originally Posted by Project Bike Truck View Post
      wow man that tube work is great. wish i had made my floors higher to get more exhaust room.
      The tube stuff was fun to do. Probably would have been better to just cage the truck, but i dont want this to look like a racetruck.

      Quote Originally Posted by Motown 454 View Post
      Sweet ! subscribed.
      thanks!
      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Mar 2018
      Location
      la mesa, CA
      Posts
      237
      Same reasons why I'm getting crazy on the frame in mine, don't want a cage. if I have to later I will.
      Follow my Instagram
      And my build on here
      check out Opentracker Racing Products

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      Slowly but slowly... but at least there is progress. Still need to build mounts for the panhard bar, but otherwise the rear suspension is all tacked in place. I even got the truss on the ford 9 fitted and tacked in place.





      The parts keep showing up. The list of needs to make it a roller is getting shorter. I am however somewhat stuck on the trans crossmember... but im 90... call it 87% sure that ive landed on a solution.

      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Jun 2017
      Location
      Edgewater Co.
      Posts
      150
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by LERM View Post
      My shop smells like burnt WD40 and hot metal. Progress stinks goooooood.
      "I love the smell of burnt WD40 in the morning"...

      Joe

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Sep 2015
      Location
      SW KS
      Posts
      162
      Country Flag: United States
      Excellent powertrain choice! I'm excited to see more of this build.

      Chris

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Sep 2011
      Location
      Southern Ontario
      Posts
      640
      Country Flag: Canada
      How do the arms lock onto the sway bar, set screws? They won't slip?

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Apr 2015
      Location
      SoCal
      Posts
      165
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by Motoracer838 View Post
      "I love the smell of burnt WD40 in the morning"...

      Joe
      Right!? Like perfume. Unfortunately my wife doesn't agree, and ive been unsuccessful in getting her to wear it on date night...

      Quote Originally Posted by cbpldc View Post
      Excellent powertrain choice! I'm excited to see more of this build.
      Chris
      Im smitten with this motor, but honestly if it weren't for the sentiment and the "something different" cool factor, it wouldn't make sense to me anymore. Its proven somewhat cost prohibitive to make anything more than 500hp.

      Quote Originally Posted by Peter Mc Mahon View Post
      How do the arms lock onto the sway bar, set screws? They won't slip?
      Theres a splined collar that gets welded to the bar itselft. The set screw just locates the arm laterally on the bar. Its actually an "anti-roll bar", and it'll only be attached to the axle for the drag strip.

      Got the gusset plates almost done and filled up a cart at Summit. All the guts for one hell of a ford 9 are enroute!


      CAM-T Autocross Fox Mustang
      LX mustang autocross on the "cheap"...
      1953 PickEmUp
      1953 Chev Pickemup

    20. #20
      Join Date
      Feb 2006
      Location
      Columbia Co. NY
      Posts
      282
      Loving the progress....
      67' Camaro- 385 SBC/Autogear M22/Wilwood

      My 57' Truck build:
      https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/126935-Caddy-powered-pick-em-up-57-Chevy-truck

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