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1950 Chevy 3600

Wolfe_Man

Don't Label Me!
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
242
Messages
183
Loc
Apple Valley CA.
This project was started end of 2017/beginning of 2018 when I was working with my buddy Ron before he retired and moved to Washington. I've been upfront and 100% honest with the ongoing situation and the owner was very understanding. We moved the vehicle to my house and it had been sitting for a little over a year while I built my shop. Now that the powers on it is time to finish it. Its going to get moved into new shop this weekend after I get my mill/lathe moved in.

What it is... 1950 Chevy 3600 flatbed pickup. Customer wants to leave it sort of ratty as he likes the weathered look (Plus I dont do paint work so out of my hair lol) and it will still get used as a truck on his ranch in AZ.

Planned work .. 5.3/OD trans swap, aftermarket EFI/ECM, power steering, power brakes, complete rewire, some cab corner rust repair, modern rear end swap, front disk brake conversion, new flatbed with rails and hoist and a host of other little stuff.

What was accomplished already in old shop.
5.3/4l60e swap from 235 straight 6/4 speed using generic cut/weld to fit speedway kit. Straight axle power rack and pinion conversion from Performance Online. Fitech LS EFI tall runner intake/ECM with transmission control (works with truck front accessories/water pump). Slightly massaged F-body headers from a wrecked F-body (read collector bent but at perfect angle to fit).


Still to do.. A shit load :|
Rewire using EZWire kit, EFI compatible fuel tank (maybe blazer tank between frame rails), Fix body mounts and cab corners, build new flatbed and side panels, Driveshaft, swap/mount SF14bolt rear end, All new brake plumbing, Power brake booster/master, tow hitch, USB power ports annnnd whatever else comes up.

I've already told customer majors first driving, steering, stopping, then we can go through his "wish" list.

On to the pics

5.3/4l60e from an 2003? 1500 with 92k miles on it.

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Beginning teardown and cleaning/painting of the 5.3

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Every "LS" motor I've worked on had broken exhaust bolts. The easiest way to remove them is weld a nut onto the broken bolt, let it cool and it will turn right out. Have done 40+ LS bolts this way and never a failure.

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Flux core, gas shielded, TIG, doesnt matter. I grab whatever whatever is closest at the time and go to town on it (In this case was a hobart handler 140 with fluxcore)

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The removed mess

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Motors pretty clean inside. Looks about right for a decently maintained 92k mile motor.

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Got the truck into the shop and started the teardown

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Once hood was removed started disconnecting everything so we could remove the front clip as one piece.

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And front clip pulled off.

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Front clip on ground

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FI parts came in so we worked on installing/fitting them and getting the motor sealed up.

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my brother (new partner) installing the fuel rails

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Fit and finish pretty good for a china import honestly.

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Ready to mockup in the truck (NOT......, those exhaust manifolds just laughed as we tried to fit down in the frame rails)

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A what I thought was a cool little shot of old VS new. 5.3 LS next to a 327 SBC (watch for build, 53 ford customline Gasser comming).

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On to stripping the old out of the truck

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Motor/trans mount kit and LS adapters from POL

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Testing initial fit of motor (Ron in background, he lost his leg in an industrial accident years ago)

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Well shit, steering box is in the way....

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sawzall to the rescue....(going to power rack and pinion) Dont worry, old trans mount will be removed properly, not left there chopped off half assed.

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And now she fits


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Beginning mockup of new trans cross member location

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And here is where I think I lost the photos so we will leave off until there is new pics or I found the lost ones.

Photos I cant find are.....
Power rack and pinion install, front accessories install, adapting LS PS pump to aftermarket rack and AN lines/hoses etc., Fbody headers, Front clip reinstall.. and god I forget what else.


So until then I leave you with.. Motor mounted


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So, after a long delay we have it moved into the shop and starting teardown again.

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Here you can kind of see the straight axle power rack and pinion conversion

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The previous owner/seller told current owner it had been rewired... I assume it was done by a muppet, but I already purchased a new harness as I knew what was there was going to be a mess. And I was correct...

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I pulled steering column to get some room. We also might be changing it out from OEM too but not 100% yet.

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Bring on the "new" awesome wiring job. Its bolted together so you know it wont go anywhere at least.

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I stripped the insides and kind of got bored with it so after pulling the fueltank I decided to make a filler neck patch panel.


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Scrounged in my cutoffs pile for a proper size/thickness piece of sheet.

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A little work on the planishing hammer and I had the proper radius needed for the patch


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I rough cut with a grinder/cutoff wheel and took it to my disk sander to true it up

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Time for some test fitting. Made some small adjustments and I'm happy with the fitment. Ill weld it in later, now its time for some beers.

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