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how much is too much rust to restore

23K views 147 replies 15 participants last post by  Too Many Projects 
#1 ·
New to this site but I recently acquired a 55 Chevy truck 3100 from my grandfather. Just got it home today and finally getting it looked all over. The floor is gone, the firewall is splitting because the seams are rusted. The bed is in really good shape. The cab corners are caved in and rusted out. Basically the whole bottom of the cab is rusted out. Is this too much rust to cut out and try welding in new metal? Thoughts on trying to rebuild this truck.
 
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#3 ·
I haven't looked around just Seen this truck out at my grandfather's farm and he ended up giving it to me. Don't know much about them. It was buried in the ground up to the door bottom. The truck looked in decent shape. Wasn't until we got it dug out that I was able to open the doors and look in it. I don't mind doing the metal work, never restored an older vehicle so wasn't sure if it would be worth it. Like I said, the bed is good, but the cab bottom would have to be replaced. May try to find a cab that's in better shape and see what they run for
 
#5 ·
In my area, that truck would be considered a really solid start. The repair panels for that are cheap, floors are pretty easy and cheap to fabricate, door skins can be fixed without much issue even in creative ways. If you have a MIG welder it would be best. It has been well proven that these truck bodies fit on S truck frames well enough.. If you do want another cab. '48-'54 or '55 1st series will all work. I think there is a year break where they are a little different but they all have same body lines.

Truck in Ebay link is a 2nd series truck. Very different than the 1st series which is in question..
 
#7 ·
The truck really isn't bad, it's just the bottom of the cab being buried I guess. That's what I was worried about thenfloor, the body mounts, making sure the floor and everything tied in and was sturdy. The rails on the bottom seemed solid (rolled the cab on logs onto the trailer) and it held fine. Just wasn't sure about the seams and getting those mounts right again
 
#11 ·
Its a little incomplete for a restoration but by all means it's perfect for a Rod.
A body drop and chop is what I'd do, no nose, widen the fenders? The things you can do are unending. Theres nothing to worry about you cant really screw it up since its already gone. Mother nature has already done most of the work for you, get you sawzall out and and see what you can come with, its an empty canvas. Theres 4-5 members here off the top of my head that have already done these trucks so you'll have plenty of help if you get into a tight spot.
The main thing you have to ask yourself is do you like this kind of work and forming metal, you can make your own panels with a few basic tools. Some guys would rather spend the money on tools that make the panels instead of buying the panels. Go for it, its a blast. don't let lack of experience or money stop you. we know a few tricks that'll save you a ton of cash. BTW, I have a 54 I gotta get going on pretty soon. Its has a rebuilt 6 cyl and tranny that I wont be needing if you go the restoration route. I'll be hot rodding mine if I ever get my other stuff done.
 
#13 ·
I have an LS engine that I have built that's laying in the shop. I planned on putting that in there. I can get a 92 S-10 frame (extended cab short bed with 4.3 engine) for $300. My main thing is I didn't realize how bad the rust was until I got it half way off the ground. unloading the truck at my house all I could hear was crunching. Cab corners caved in and more rust fell out. I know the floor is the main structure of these vehicles and I'm just wondering if its too much for me. I was a sheetmetal worker for 5 and a half years, but the most fabricating ive done was ductwork, roof top unit frames, etc. Never messes with a vehicle with this must gone. So the floor is gone, the toe board is gone, the 'A' pillars that attach to the bottom "frame" bracket is rusted away on both sides....is it really fixable without draining the bank?
 
#12 ·
It's a first series 55 pickup, not very many around. The 54 is pretty much the same body.
Just depends on how much work, and money you want to put into it. Now if you plan to build it and sell it, you'll go broke. But, if it's a keeper, then I'd say go for it.
But, don't get burned out on it. If you can, devote 2 hours per day on it, no more, no less. Any more and your family will suffer, any less, and the project will suffer. It will surprise you at what you can get done in a week at 2hr/day. Also, if you do bodywork/restoration for a living, you may find that sometimes you'll come home like the gynecologist.
 
#14 ·
haha No I don't do bodywork for a living. I do have my own repair shop, mechanic. I have very little experience in bodywork. Welding is not a problem, cutting is not a problem, I don't mind the work, just beginning to think this cab may not be worth it? It is something that I have always wanted to do, and no, I would not sell it. My 10 year old son is in love with this truck, and actually my 9 year old daughter has already asked if she can have it when she turns 16 lol. So it is something I would keep.
 
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#15 ·
For a first time thru i would think hard about a budget. I would get a pen and paper and right down all the stuff that is missing and figure how much that will cost to replace. Then figure twice that for the stuff you missed and your time and labor on top of that. At that point im betting you can buy one in nice shape that runs and drive. Just needs a pint job and some minor rust fixed. Im not saying it cant be done if that was a flat back window hemi charger hell yeah its doable. But for a truck that can be replaced for what 5-10K in nice shape i would pass. get a nice one fix it up. Then once you have redone a nice one same year and everything then start on that truck with the son should be 14 and handy with the tools by then after helping with the first one.

I would not make any promises with that truck there is a good chance it will never see the road again. The amount of cash i see people spend projects like that is heart breaking. If you had a nice driver that needs paint and tires and new drive trains. Thats a year long project for a working guy to pull off. The truck you have is a life time of weekend hours. Your kids my love it but the wife will hate it in no time flat.

I dont want to sound harsh but have done some major projects and they never go as planned. Money just goes out the window. even grabbing parts from work and off old cars to make it all work there are so many little things that will cost money it will make your head spin. That kind of project after the body work is done will 10-50 dollar you to death. Every time you go to the parts store you will need at least 50 bucks worth of stuff and will be going often.

I love old cars but nice restored cars start as nice cars. Guys buy 57 chevys all the time to restore and never get anywhere with them. A nice start to a project is key to making it work for you and for any hopes of a budget.

This is a perfect example of where you want to start and end up.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/just-nice-looking-riviera-454170.html

the before pictures on page two.

I know i sound like a di** but really i got to say it. Seen so many people hurt themselves over the car they will never sell. I have had four of those cars all sold... Life happens. One of them went to the scrap yard in nice shape. Paint minor body work and motor, trans, rear can be a crap load of work by themselves. limit your self to that as a starter. At least then you can get in and see just what the last few parts cost. Painted projects still need a world of work before they go down the road. There is not enough there to start let alone finish. You think the floor is the issue but its not assume the floor is good and make a list of the other stuff it needs i dont even see one bolt or nut on that truck that can be reused.

A nice kit car or chevy II or other sought after car or truck will be a lot more money in the end and also be a lot easier to find parts for.

Antique & Collectible Autos :: 34 Ford

You can build these cheap.

Speedway has a mess of nice kits that will look amazing when done and you can know your dollar before you spend the first one.

Speedway 1934 Ford Club Cab Pickup Fiberglass Body Kit Car

for all the little parts that truck will need you can build a complete street rod that is worth 40K in the end.

A nice willys kit or a nice chevy steel body car is less work worth more when complete and will be more fun to drive.

I know im going to get flamed for this but you asked and i have to say no its not restorable. take those pics to any restoration shop and they will tell you to forget it. Unless they just want to bleed you dry for cash. They wont touch it. Any reputable shop will say sure we can do it but its not worth it. You only have 6 pieces of a truck not a truck. Hope this helps.



Appreciate it. I would love to see this truck on the road again but I'm not comfortable with replacing the floor. I've got a guy coming out this week to look at it. He's built several rat rods. If he thinks he can do the floor then I may go for it as just a ratrod. That may be the only life it sees. If he says it's too far gone then I'll scrap it. Well, I'll cut the dash out of it and hang it up in my shop but then I'll scrap it
 
#17 ·
Over the last year,or,so I've looked at a lot of these trucks,as I've been wanting either 1 of these bodystyle trucks,or,a 62/64 Impala Finding a better cab would give you a better start.Notice I said a better cab.Most will need some work,but,parts for these trucks are not really that high & if this is what you really want,other ppl's opinion doesn't matter much.The S-10 frame swap is a really good way to go with these trucks.It solves a lot of the problems,especially if your planning on putting some power to the drivetrain.
Good Luck.Hope it works out for ya.
 
#19 ·
The S-10 swap solves a lot of problems.Better modern frame.Allows you to use modern commonly available suspension & brake parts.Opens up the options for available wheels you can use.
From what I'm gathering,this isn't going to be a total restore back to original.There are already LS & Gen1 mounts,headers,exhaust available for these swaps.They really work well if you want a 4x4 in this body styles,as there weren't many ever produced & the 1's that were are aftermarket deals offered as special order through GM.
Again,it depends on what a person wants.It's not always about the return on investment.There are lots of options to get this truck built & on the road that won't cost a fortune.Especially if as he mentioned earlier,as a rat rod.
If you're concerns are building it to sell it & turn a huge profit,then,this wouldn't be a good deal.If it is to just build something that you want,& would enjoy for yourself,then go for it.Everybody is not into Hotrodding to turn a profit.If they were,the hobby would have vanished a long long time ago.
 
#20 ·
This is not something that I want to sell later. This would be something that I would pass down the generation. I want it done right, so it lasts, but I want certain things done to it so it is "modern". Yes the floor scares me. I've been doing ALOT of research on this and there's some guys out there that have completely chopped this truck up and built it all over again. So the more I'm actually reading, the less scared I'm getting. I've got a welder, I've got cutting tools, I have some body tools, no professional by any means, but the more I read the more I think I can do it. I'm taking the nose off of it this week and leaving just the shell of the cab. I'll start stripping it down and see what I have left to weld on. I have friends in the sheetmetal industry and can get 18 gauge metal all day long. Think I'm just going to go for it
 
#22 ·
I'll check that out. Thanks for that. I can get a donor extended cab shortbed 92 s10 for 300 bucks. Figured I'd get the frame, suspension, steering, wheels for now, and the body wiring atleast. Possibly the hvac stuff too. I'd like to have a/c and hest in the truck, especially since I want to be able to pass the truck down the line.
 
#24 ·
OK...Now that you have everything laid out for your demise & well being of your family,along with advise on any catastophes that may befall you,let's build a 55 1st series Chevy truck.LOL.


You may already be aware,but,there are lots of options for parts for these trucks as they are really popular & getting more so everyday.It's not everybody's cup of tea,but,these & other trucks as well are very popular & hold their prices as well as most cars do,except for the very rarest of them.
LMC Trucks carries most anything needed in the replacement parts dept,including floor pans,fenders,glass,etc www.lmctrucks.com
Brother's trucks also has about anything you'll need. www.brotherstrucks.com


Also lots of these bodies scattered around in different areas of the country,depending on where you are located.There were a few changes in the bodies over the years,but,most weren't that big of a deal.
 
#26 ·
Again, you are basing all of your knowledge & info on quik searches.Not the reality that is out there.Before this thread you had absolutely no knowledge or helpful info on these trucks & their market & value.Anyone who has even a very elementary knowledge of these trucks would have been aware of the S10 frame swap.It's one of the most popular upgrades.Again tho, since he is considering a frame swap & LS motor, what the truck left the factory as, means absolutely nothing g as far as value.He is not restoring the truck to original specs.He is building a Hot Rod, or, custom truck if it sounds better.
The truck i'm talking about was a plane old everyday 3100 1/2 ton truck that had been sitting in a field for several years.I don't have a link, but, it was featured on the TV show, Gas Monkey Garage.
You have to do more than google & search the net for a few minutes to get good reliable info to base an educated response to these things.This morning you knew absolutely nothing about these trucks.Now a few hours later, you're an expert on them, along with also being an estate planner,& financial advisor for the OP. Jack of all trades.Master of none.
 
#27 · (Edited)
Sure you have. (wink wink) LMAO at that.I guess that's why several companies make S10 swap kits for these trucks.Don't seem like they'd still be in business if it didn't fit, or, work, but, hey you're the expert here.A&D Engineering, Code 504, & EZ Chassis Swap are just 3 of the companies that make & sell the kits.
And low & behold if the expert doesn't just happen to have 1 of these in his possession just in time to back his claims & seem knowledgeable about something that he actually has no clue about.Talk about convenient???Even tho a delivery would hardly be a good comparison.
Yes, there are many variations of these trucks.Just like today's trucks.That's not a news flash to ppl who are familiar with these.Which you it appears are certainly not.
Evidently the OP is the person who wants to see it.Not so much me.I'm just offering advise in trying to help him decide.
 
#28 ·
Out of all the responses on the subject, you are the only person concerned with OP's finances, even after he plainly states that it wasn't any real concern for him & gave his reasoning behind the build itself.None of your advise, or, long responses have contained any useful/truthful info, or, advise on the subject at hand.He is asking about building a 55 chevy truck.Not asking for estate planning for his family, or, financial advise.I'm sure he would seek advise on those matters from somewhere besides a hot rod forum if needed.
 
#29 ·
Yea no need aarguing lol. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I've got some time, in no hurry, I'm going to keep doing research, look around, see what's out there, see if anyone local has built one, and I'll make a decision sometime soon. I've got a guy coming this week to look at it, and he's built several ratrods, so maybe he can give me a better idea on what it would take to get the structure secure again. Just wanted some opinions on this truck, if anyone started out with something this rough, and if it's really worth it. Thanks again for everyone's opinions.
 
#30 ·
Finding a better cab would give you a good jump start on the project, but, from what I've seen, they can be kinda rare & you're redone cab would likely be better than anything you'd find that has just been sitting around.At east you'll know what's there & not need to worry about alotta bondo/glass, etc hiding under a layer of paint/primer.
 
#31 ·
Meant to post earlier on this but got busy.The thread I was speaking of over at 67-72 chevy trucks is titled "S10 Swap how to". By a guy that goes by Skystang. It's 1 of the better & complete guides.You have to wade thru some posts from other members commenting,but,it is a detailed guide with lots of pictures,details,tips,& parts all the way down to specific radiator hose part #'s for particular setups.
 
#38 ·
I'm assuming you didn't get any sort of a title with the cab. Are you able to get the title for the S10 chassis along with the tags ?
How do you plan to title this and how is your state on titles ?
I've bought a couple basket cases without titles and will never do it again. MN is very difficult to deal with for getting a bonded title. They wanted me to bond a '67 GTO that was in about the same condition as your truck for $5,500, because that's what the Blue Book said it should be worth in poor condition. I had a bill of sale showing the $1,500 amount I paid, didn't matter to the gov'ment.
I don't recommend spending much money on this until you have a plan to title it. It may be easiest to get a state issued title, if an original isn't important.

Did you ever go look at the other cabs you mentioned earlier ? Yes, you can build a floor from nothing and have very little money in it, but if you are limited for time you can spend on it, a better cab makes sense from that standpoint.
 
#41 · (Edited)
If you have a shop,someone coming forward to claim the truck would be a dead issue,unless they pay you what you claim to be owed on the truck.If you are a licesened shop,you can collect on even storage fees at so much per day the amount of time you can say that it's been there,along with any work performed.They either have to pay you what you claim as invested,or,sign over the title for payment.
Get a mechanics lien & state that John Brown left the truck at your shop to be restored,but,never showed back up & you can't locate him to pay the bill.Kinda in that gray area between rite & wrong,but,it stops somebody from simply claiming a vehicle that hasn't been in their possession for 25 yrs,or,someone claiming a lien.
 
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#43 ·
Hcompton, nobody is talking about stealing anbody's hot rod.I'm talking about an abandoned vehicle that has sat abandoned & unclaimed for along time.Go ahead & drum some drama up.If a real legitimate owner, or, heir comes forward, you do the rite thing.I'm not even gonna respond to your childish remarks.I'm talking about somebody who will show up out of the woodwork thinking they're getting something for nothing, or, think they are gonna get by not paying a owed debt like wrecker fee or storing .Evidently if it has sat there unclaimed for yrs, somebody stored it. Like in the OP's case, a truck that has sat unclaimed for so long it has sunk into the ground & rotted away.You make it sound like i'm gonna take somebody's ride & keep it by lieing.
 
#44 ·
OK, so I called DMV, got a long 45 minute run around from them then was told to call the Circuit Courts and get a Declaratory Judgement. Called them, you have to have an attorney do that for you. Called the local law office and the attorney was not thrilled and said it could take forever. He said if there is a serial number to call DMV and have them run it and give me the previous vehicle owners information. Called DMV back and gave them the serial number.....nothing came up. So now they are in the process of digging up records and will call me when they find something. Pain in the ***!
 
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