Hey Gator, It's not a matter of cleaning out the garage , it's to many other toys. I gott'a take some pics of things around here and figure out how to post them or start a journal. I have an over size one car garage , it has a 11 foot ceiling in the garage and it has 2 cars and a motorcycle in it.
1 a 69 Chevelle SS396 , 2 a 66 Corvette roadster and a Harley, none of which I can move outside to build another project. In the driveway is a 06 Chevy 2500 HD 4x4 and a 08 Honda Accord and in the street is my old 57 pickup. Man i'm just flat out'a room , thank goodness my daughters moved out and took their cars with them.
I'm looking for a temporary place for the 4x4 build.
Gene

Hey , Zuris
If you see any 55 56 57 Chevy pickups with 4 wheel drive in Turlock get a phone number and let me know what you found.
Gene

Gene, it came out like I was saying clean the garage...but what I meant was make room so I can follow your lead on the 4x4 project.

DD, I bought the front axle today and the tranny, transfer case combo I spoke of earlier. I got the axle for $120 and the tranny, transfer for $300. Plus he threw in two saddle tanks, pressure plate, bell housing, clutch pedal, crossmember. I want to see if I can mount the tanks and get rid of the tank in the cab.

So Gene...where do I start? lol......sounds like I need a road trip to Northern Cal. for an education on 4x4.

anyone got any tips on boxing in a 57 frame? should i just do the rails? ive got sheets of 1/4" steel, time to put it to good use. just ordered my rear leaf kit from tci. im considering a mustang 2 ifs from them. anyone done buisness with these guys, use their parts? they are not that far from me so im gonna pick up (save some $ on delivery charges), anything i should check out or look for while im there? ill post pics soon in my journal.

J.Vale It looks like your cab and doors turned out good. For boxing a frame I think 1/4 inch is a little heavy, something like 1/8 inch about the same thickness of material the frame is made out of. I used boxing plates from No Limit Engineering in the front and the rear. The rear came with C's for notching the frame for axle clearance. I have never used TCI stuff but they look like good parts. My Mustang II frontend is from Fat Man , if I was doing it again I would do a 2nd generation Camaro clip. What spring kit did you get from TCI? No Limit is in San Bernadino , they also have videos on installing Camaro clips.
Gene

So here is the axle and tranny/tranfer case combo I bought. I test fit the axle and the spring perches line up, so no cutting and welding there. I spent about 40 minutes last night removing the old axle and then placing the new one under the springs. I need to get some 3" axle bolts and a new plate.

So does it matter which way the u bolts that hold the axle face...up or down. It appears that I will have to put the u bolts facing up and have a plate on the top of the springs. Can't say I've done this before so I need some advice.

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Looking for a 1958-59 Chevy fleetside bed!

And does anyone know if the fleetside bed can be used on original stepside pickup ?
Thanks
South Carolina

Gator , looks like your headed in the right direction. Your U bolts will go up from underneath and you will need the plates the U bolts go through on top of the springs from the same style pickup as the axle came from. Whats your steering box out of ? Remove the shock mounts from the frame where they are in front of the axle and move them to the rear behind the axle. Make a center line mark on the side of your frame rail that marks the center of your front axle housing , move the shock mounts to the rear the same distance from the center line that they were to the front.
Everything that you bolt on to the frame of your truck try and use grade 8 bolts , you can get them as you need them at Home Depot or Lowe's.
Keep the pics coming , Gene

Gene...I was waiting for you to chime in...since you have been down this road before. I was thinking of just making the plates myself out of 1/2" steel plate. It might be hard to find them...the axle is out of a 1977 Blazer. It is a corporate 10 bolt. Not the strongest I know but I won't be doing any major off roading, just in the snow a little and in the mud a little. Do you (or anyone) see any problem with making my own from plate steel?

The steering box is out of a 1977 1/2 ton truck. It is on the outside of the frame with another piece of steel inside the frame rails for some extra support.

The drivers side shock is already mounted on the rear side of the axle, as I had to move it when I installed the power steering. But the passenger side is still on the front side of the axle. Will I have to move it also?

Nothing but grade 8 bolts go on the truck. I bought a bolt bin years ago that was stocked with grade 8 hardware....got that, a 7 hp HD compressor, and a double stack of drawers full of misc parts, bolts, electrical stuff, etc, for $500 from a harvesting company going out of business. Sweet deal!

Keep the info coming and I will keep working and taking pictures.
Everyone chime in if you have a thought on this or any ideas....I'm open for suggestions!

I looked at a picture in Classic Trucks and went with that. I think I can R&R the rotors in my sleep now. I have to take everything apart when I paint anyway. I got some brake fittings and a tee at Hose and Fittings (Parker Store) in West Sac today. Rode my motorcycle as it was a nice day for it.

I went to the swap meet in Turlock on Sunday. I bought two truck tilt wheels with keys. One chevy, and one GMC. I also bought two rear fenders for a stepside. I got 4 camaro 15" rims with new tires (cheap). I can use them on something. I didn't stay as long as I wanted. I forgot my camera, missed some picks of some nice trucks The next Turlock swap meet is November 29th at the Stanislaus County Fairgrounds.

Roadkill sounds like you made out at the swap meet! I wish there was one around here.

Does anyone know if the tri 5 trucks came with the spare mounted on the passenger side...you know mounted to the bed with the fender cut out for it. I know they were made for the drivers side...just not sure about the passenger side. I think I would like to mount a spare on each side of the truck. I think that would look cool and the truck on tall and skinny tires...like back in the day.

Let me know if anyone in California or Las Vegas area hears of a "spare tire fender" for sale cheap or any one have one to donate?

Well I started to post to Gator and You, titled it to Gator, sent the brake ? It all happened right before I dosed off. Anyway about your rotors, when I read this http://www.zeckhausen.com/how_to_pr...tall_rotors.htm I learned that the outside slots are not the deciding factor on installation, the internal vanes are. Just thought it was interesting. Sounds like you already know. Keep up the photos, looks great. olnolan

Hey Jmigatr, You going after the Napco look or the La. redneck look? As in two spare tire slots, twin stacks, 6" lift kit, quad shocks, cattle catcher bumpers, bull nuts on the hitch, monster mudders, bed full of beer cans(and cab),20 ft cb antenna, never washed, just blow the big chunks off at the local carwash to piss off the owner. Ha,this is gettin better and better. Twenty empty skoal cans on the dash, popeyes chickin boxes under the seat, Ha Ha!!!! Post photos!! olnolan

They were on the left and right fenders.

Hahahahahahahahaha.... never thought of it that way...but that was funny. Ya know I grew up in Louisiana....in Cut Off / Bourg area. The real reason for my change of heart is that I am buying land up in Alaska and need 4 wheel drive as the land is one mile off the road system. I am looking at putting a pto on my tranny to help me clear the land for the cabin and run a snow plow. (Bet no La redneck has that!) But the twin stacks....havent seen that since the little red wagon from Dodge. By the way I love Popeyes fried chicken! In reality I was looking for the ability to carry two spares and not have to use the bed or mount them under the truck. I am looking at putting a gas tank where the spare mounts under the truck.
Nolan you crack me up.....

Gator my brother lives in Alaska.His property is back off the highway.You will need a Rino with a snow plow just to get in and out of the drivway after it is put in.He has 6 wheel atv's because 4 wheel atv's just sink into to muck and leaves.When working on his property he carries a Ruger Blackhawk 44 on his hip.I asked him if that was for the bears.He said the bears just want to get away but a moose will hunt you down just to stomp you.He killed 3 in self defense the first year.He built his house himself and says there is no better place to live on earth. I can see the 55 now ....2 over wide tires with snow chains mounted on each fender,snow plow on the front kc lights,30.06 in the back window,Moose antlers above the broken windshield instead of a visor,One over sized mirror half torn off the passenger door,100 gallon fuel tank in the bed,a high lift jack, a chainsaw and a half dozen chains in a home made tool box with half a lid and whats left of a badly abused bumper hanging from the frame in the back and the only tail light that works has no lens,Wearing overalls and a Ted Nugent hat...... ohh wait thats just me all dressed up with no were to go I think olnolan has been peeking in the window of my truck All kidding aside man have you guys been busy.It is nice to be home again,just in time to get snowed on Cleary building corp delivered my building materials and are scheduled to be back to build it when the weather clears up next Monday.I will post pictures but it is snowing right now and I am not going outside till I have to leave for work.