Hi all - New guy here from southwestern Alberta. I am in the final stages of a nearly 15 year build on a 1956 Chev 1300 short wheel base, step side, big back window pickup.
I have been lurking on and off for a few years ever since meeting a bunch of members on the ferry coming back from Newfoundland. I had a good chat with a few of them and ever since thought about joining.
By way of setting this build up I am the second and fourth owner of this truck. I bought it off the original owner in the 1970's for $300, sold it running a few years later for $1300 and bought it back in pieces and boxes almost 35 years later for $2000. I always regretted selling it!!!
I started rebuilding it, as said, almost 15 years ago when I was still working so it was a bit here and a bit there as well buying parts when I could. I live fairly close to Montana so many of my parts came up from the U.S. About 6 years ago my wife and myself started spending portions of our winters in Arizona so I really started to bring back more parts.
It has a new 350 Ramjet engine, rebuilt and upgraded 700R4 transmission and rebuilt 3.41 posi-track Chev truck 12 bolt differential. The body of the truck is actually mounted on a shortened 1980 Chev C10 short wheel base frame. Knowing what I know now I would have found a straight 1956 frame but its too late to second guess that decision. It sits very well on the later frame and suspension parts are readily available so its all good.
Also as said I am in the final stages of building and had hoped on having it on the road last summer but I ran into a few issues that I am still working out.
My issues are mostly related to brakes. The first firewall mounted brake booster and master cylinder I purchased at the beginning of the build was not working properly by the time I finally got around to testing them - 15 years later. Of course Covid had hit so getting parts out of the U.S. was a bit more difficult! I finally bit the bullet and found a Corvette style booster and master in California and had them ship it. It was not as bad as I thought it would be but definitely more difficult. I am still having some trouble getting a nice hard pedal so may have to pick some of the smart brains on this forum.
I did much of the initial metal work myself that included new steps, cab corners and some other body repairs. When it came down to repairing the bottoms of the doors I had to look for some help as after welding the first one on it got away from me and looked terrible. I found an old school metal guy in Lethbridge, Alberta who fixed the doors and a couple of my other areas I had worked on. The metal work end up looking really good and then it went to a body shop in Coaldale, Alberta for paint.
I also installed an AAW wiring harness kit and Ron Frances Computer and engine controller wiring harness.
I got the truck back this spring from the body shop and began to reassemble it and get it running. It now starts and runs real well. It just doesn't stop yet!
It is going back to the body shop for wet sanding and to fix up a couple of scratches I put on and to fix a few other problem areas that the body shop agrees are deficient.
Looking forward to reading more posts in the forum and maybe getting to know a few members.
I have been lurking on and off for a few years ever since meeting a bunch of members on the ferry coming back from Newfoundland. I had a good chat with a few of them and ever since thought about joining.
By way of setting this build up I am the second and fourth owner of this truck. I bought it off the original owner in the 1970's for $300, sold it running a few years later for $1300 and bought it back in pieces and boxes almost 35 years later for $2000. I always regretted selling it!!!
I started rebuilding it, as said, almost 15 years ago when I was still working so it was a bit here and a bit there as well buying parts when I could. I live fairly close to Montana so many of my parts came up from the U.S. About 6 years ago my wife and myself started spending portions of our winters in Arizona so I really started to bring back more parts.
It has a new 350 Ramjet engine, rebuilt and upgraded 700R4 transmission and rebuilt 3.41 posi-track Chev truck 12 bolt differential. The body of the truck is actually mounted on a shortened 1980 Chev C10 short wheel base frame. Knowing what I know now I would have found a straight 1956 frame but its too late to second guess that decision. It sits very well on the later frame and suspension parts are readily available so its all good.
Also as said I am in the final stages of building and had hoped on having it on the road last summer but I ran into a few issues that I am still working out.
My issues are mostly related to brakes. The first firewall mounted brake booster and master cylinder I purchased at the beginning of the build was not working properly by the time I finally got around to testing them - 15 years later. Of course Covid had hit so getting parts out of the U.S. was a bit more difficult! I finally bit the bullet and found a Corvette style booster and master in California and had them ship it. It was not as bad as I thought it would be but definitely more difficult. I am still having some trouble getting a nice hard pedal so may have to pick some of the smart brains on this forum.
I did much of the initial metal work myself that included new steps, cab corners and some other body repairs. When it came down to repairing the bottoms of the doors I had to look for some help as after welding the first one on it got away from me and looked terrible. I found an old school metal guy in Lethbridge, Alberta who fixed the doors and a couple of my other areas I had worked on. The metal work end up looking really good and then it went to a body shop in Coaldale, Alberta for paint.
I also installed an AAW wiring harness kit and Ron Frances Computer and engine controller wiring harness.
I got the truck back this spring from the body shop and began to reassemble it and get it running. It now starts and runs real well. It just doesn't stop yet!
It is going back to the body shop for wet sanding and to fix up a couple of scratches I put on and to fix a few other problem areas that the body shop agrees are deficient.
Looking forward to reading more posts in the forum and maybe getting to know a few members.
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Lots of good info here
