Steve's 50 re-re-rebuild

[50 Chevy LS3]

Since we are all about pictures, I'm going to try to post some as I make progress. Found some old Kodak instamatic photos from 1975.

February 1975, just brought it home. I was thrilled- Mom and Dad, not so much. Next photo's are about a year later, I think. Painted by Dad, in his garage. I was a 15 year old "bondo artist", but it still looked good in the high school parking lot.

I don't know- I hope I got these pictures on here so you can see them, Can't seem to get them BIG like you all do.

 

[ol' chebby]

very nice!

 

[Zig]

Too cool~ I was 15 in '75 also. I had just bought (much to my dad's shock) a 1950 Chevy 3 window with a very obvious "knock" in the engine. It was his money, and it was the first car buying trip he couldn't attend. I'll never forget~ "Son, you know what to look for. Now don't buy this if it isn't good." COME ON! LOOK AT THE ROUNDNESS OF THIS THING!
Thanks for the pictures!

 

[ccharr]

Thanks for posting those great photos.

 

[Kens 50 PU]

Kodak 126 Instamatic!

I love it! With the magic cube that had 4 flashes before you had to replace it! Thanks for the memories Steve! Nice truck pics!

 

[coralhead]

I remember the first truck I had my pop look at for me in 1978. It was a chevy stepside around 1973. It was rusted all to heck but I was looking past that. My pop was a mechanic most of his life and just shook his head. He then found me a 1970 chevy 1/2 ton long bed with 250 cu in and three on the tree. Passanger side bed side had been creased but it was not a rust bucket. Man I wish I still had that truck now. Pop too

 

[vwnate1]

Instamatic Memories

THANX ! .

The first Instamatics had a flat strip of bulbs , the rotating cube came later .

I was using 1920's Box and Folding cameras back then , they took great photos thanks to the good lenses .

I think your truck looked nice .

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Thanks, guys. Ken, your right about the rotating flash cube. When I would go to get the camera, 3 out of 4 bulbs were used up every time. Nate, I think Grandma had one with strip lights. Some things are better now, but alot of things are not, at least to me.
Zig, for some reason, I thought you were alot younger. Anyway, your story about buying your truck by yourself is funny to me because, thats exactly what I did.
I wanted a old Chevy truck and started looking when I was probably 13. By that time, I was driving alot by myself (Dads 67 C 10). I had an uncle who worked at a very large used car lot in Terre Haute, Indiana. He and I were both on the hunt, and I originally wanted a pre-48 truck, so as to be in the street "rod" vs. "machine" crowd. Uncle Bill would come over and tell about this truck or that truck and I'd talk Dad into a "go look" trip. I remember Bill finding a real nice 36 Chevy 1/2 ton- but it was over my budget. He also spotted a 46 pickup sitting on the back row of another buy here-pay here lot in Terre Haute. I talked (whined) to Dad till off we went one Sat. morn. There it was, back row, with the following words written on the windshield- $375.00 CASH- RUNS. Man, I WANTED THAT TRUCK, but Dad knew I only had about $300. He would never loan money to me or my brother, but said "save your money" and maybe it will still be here. It was gone the next week. So, the hunt contined untill I spotted this one at a radiator shop for sale. Pretty rough AD in 1975, but, the price was right- $175.00. Bought it by myself, drove it home and I think, took these pictures the next day.

 

[Zig]

Zig, for some reason, I thought you were alot younger.

Yeah~ I get that a lot.

The thing is, I wanted an old vehicle too. My dad and I looked at SOO many, but every one had this, that, or the other thing wrong with it~ It got to the point that I thought my dad was just stringin' me along, until that one day when he actually trusted my judgement, and let me go check this truck out on my own.
SOLD!!!
I started work pumping gas and changing tires at 16 to pay him back. Of course the engine was toast (enough). The "knock" was the connecting rod slamming down on the crank, since one of the nuts that was supposed to keep it around the crank simply came loose.
My dad ordered a rebuilt block from Sears, so now I had more $$$ to pay back. No problem.
I had it over half payed back when he told me one night he was going to put it up for sale so he could buy a new vehicle. And he did.
Later, he surprised me with a new, used F@#D!!! A 4DOOR, 6 CYLIDER AUTOMATIC! It, by the way, had been entered in a 4-H parade by the seller's daughter and had all sorts of "stuff" painted ALL OVER IT.
Now, mind you, I was 16 at the time, and THIS was MY car!
I'll never forget driving downtown KC in that and looking at happy motorists along side me just laughing their asses off at "my ride".
Yes, a real character builder it was~ Sadly, w-a-y to long into the future, it finally found MACO.
The damage was done. Interestingly, not long after that, the transmission went out!
My dad had it fixed, but that only lasted a couple of weeks...
A tow truck came and hauled it off for good.
I will never forget my first love, and my current GMC is every bit the truck I had and then some. Never to part again.

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

I remember the first truck I had my pop look at for me in 1978. It was a chevy stepside around 1973. It was rusted all to heck but I was looking past that. My pop was a mechanic most of his life and just shook his head. He then found me a 1970 chevy 1/2 ton long bed with 250 cu in and three on the tree. Passanger side bed side had been creased but it was not a rust bucket. Man I wish I still had that truck now. Pop too

Yeah, coralhead, I've had lots of vehicles I wish I still had. And my Dad is still with me, lives about 10 miles away in the same house. He is 78 now and still gets around real well, still tells me what he thinks without any sugarcoating!

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Zig, I read in your profile that you teach school. Do your kids at school think your truck is COOL, or do they think it's old and weird like us guys who have them?

 

[Zig]

Steve, sadly they have yet to see it on the streets. But when they see it, I'm sure they will think it's pretty cool. They are third graders, after all.

 

[Bilbo]

Nice looking truck, and good story to go with it. My first truck was found, by my Dad and I, in a farmer's back pasture. 1950 F*&d. $45 later, we towed it home. I was 13, and had a couple of years to work on it before I could get a license. I used a right angle grinder with sanding pad to grind off all the old paint down to metal. Dad 'confiscated' some white paint from his work, and we painted it in the carport. I miss them, Both... but have the memories. Thanks for the nostalgia trip ;o)

 

[Kens 50 PU]

First truck?

Mine was a '46 F*rd. You know the one. Green with the yellow grille and trim. Bought it for $25, towed it home, reworked the brake cylinders and sold it for $50 a week later. That was back in the dark ages (1970). Never cranked it, but I'd bet that the old flathead 6 would have got the job done!

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Thanks, Bilbo, and Ken, I spotted a 46 Ford in a yard in my hometown that had set for so long it was settled in pretty good. Stopped one day and politely asked if it might be for sale. Man, I got some serious blowback just for askin' the question! I must have disturbed the guy at just the wrong time. The Ford sat there for at least 10 more years until it disappeared. I also found two '40 Ford pu's that were for sale, but, for much $$$.
I have to tell a little about uncle Bill, the used car lot mechanic. He always liked hot rods, sports cars, etc. Dad always was more of a bone-stock, spotless car kinda guy. Bill would go every wed. afternoon to the auto auction with his boss and most of the sales guys so everybody could help drive back whatever they bought. In the early 1970's, there were alot of muscle cars at the auction and Bill would ALWAYS grab the hottest car in the lot. Then, he would keep it overnight, because, we all lived between the Auction place and his work. Soooo, every wed. night, we got to drive 'em, and if Dad did not want to go, Bill would throw my brother and me the keys!!! I drove, everything from SS cameros, chevelle's, nova's, a few corvette's, a 2plus 2 catalina, 442's, firebirds, to at least one bricklin, I think I spelled that right, it had gull-wing doors. When I say drove, I mean DROVE! My brother had a drivers licence, I did not for most of the time, but we lived in a rural county in a different time.
Bill divorced my aunt and passed away a few years ago. I still smile about the wild things Bill let us do and he was a very good mechanic. Sorry about the topic drift, but I think most of the guys on this forum remember those days.

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Found another photo, this one from 1985. I had redone the body again in the summer of 1984. This time, ground out the bondo, dollied out the dents, had learned a little about gas-welding sheet metal and re-painted it the same color myself. Came out fairly good but, in 1984, could not get floor pans and formed cowl panels. Made my own panels as best as I could, but still used some screws and pop-rivets. Now it's sitting on those 15X8" alum wheels I told Russ about.

 

[ccharr]

Found another photo, this one from 1985. I had redone the body again in the summer of 1984. This time, ground out the bondo, dollied out the dents, had learned a little about gas-welding sheet metal and re-painted it the same color myself. Came out fairly good but, in 1984, could not get floor pans and formed cowl panels. Made my own panels as best as I could, but still used some screws and pop-rivets. Now it's sitting on those 15X8" alum wheels I told Russ about.
View attachment 11134

Great looking truck thanks for sharing, some trucks have a look that smiles back you when it is happy.
That truck is very happy in that picture.

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Thanks, Charles, today it's probably not to happy. Undergoing MAJOR surgery. New floor, cab mounts, kick panels, etc.
Found even more pictures in the shoebox.
Before and after cowl area 1984.

And one more different angle 1985.

 

[vwnate1]

I Hope

All you who have or had , a nice Father / Uncle or someone like this , are keenly aware of how lucky you are .

My Father who's 91 and about to graduate Harvard University for the second time , still never misses a chance to tell or show me how much a disappointment I was just for being born .

Those who had fun buying and working on your rigs (or nasty Brand 'F's) are especially blessed your Father will be riding shot gun with you through the rest of your your days

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Yes, Nate, I'm very much aware of the blessing of having a Father and Uncles who were/are involved in my life. Dad seemed like very much a disciplinarian when I was growing up. Now I understand his reasons and am very thankful for the lessons learned.
I'm sorry to hear of your relationship with your Father, and hope that with communication and forgiveness, it improves.