Where can I find detailed information for a retoration?

[Al Downs]

Looking for things like interior paint. color of horn button and how the glove box door and radio bezel is colored and painted. Are what color are the stripes between the stainless parts. Is there a source for all restoration information
Thanks

 

[vwnate1]

There used to be a book 'How to restore your Chevrolet pickup" by I forget whom, someone here will know and once you have the correct title and author it will be a simple thing to find it cheaply .

Shop books needn't be pretty and pristine, when you find them dirty and dog eared that means someone used them so offer less than the new price and USE IT .

No matter how old or rare I rarely pay over $5 for any shop manual or book, there's just not much use for them after the initial buyer .

Chevrolet used to have a phone number you could call and give them the year model of your truck and they'd mail you, FREE OF CHARGE, a big pile of copied , detailed notes on all this stuff you're after .

Dupont and others all have paint chip charts that show the correct original colors .

Post up some pix of your project, we love 'em clean or dirty, the '49 3100 in my avatar was working that day, in the Panamint Valley, California far from home, these are TOOLS so don't be afraid to use it .

As one who's been working with and on these AD's since the 1960's my suggestion is to make it run then sort out the brakes, electrical , cooling system and all that stuff, this will take you some time and being able to drive it as you up fix it will ensure you don't loose interest like most do after they take it all apart .

Many here have restored and many others simply use and enjoy so the collective knowledge is amazing, no question no matter how mundane, is stupid .

Oh, yeah : WELCOME NEWBIE !

 

[Al Downs]

I will get some pics in a few days. I have owned this truck since about 1972. I used to drive it every day. Paint chips are easy to get but I am looking for information mostly on the interior parts, like the glove box, radio bezel and steering column. Not trying to make a show car but would like to be somewhat correct. I have most of the parts and many duplicates. I started to redo it many years ago and am now getting into it again.

 

[vwnate1]

Good deal ;;

The dash paint color is called "Champagne" and some vendors used to sell it in small can,s very helpful to use when re spraying the dash using an air brush .

I had the steering wheel repainted in Porsche "Seagull White" ~ this looks much like the cross country bus and big rig steering wheels I remember from before air conditioning ~ I live in the Desert so a black or other dark colored steering wheel is always too hot to be comfortable plus the *instant* I got it dirty I could tell and clean it before the munge dried out and became permanent .

 

[vwnate1]

If you get a moment, look through the older posts as many have gone down the same road and shared what they did, used and where to get it..

 

[Al Downs]

I have seen the glove box door and center bezel in two different configurations. One way was all polished stainless and another was with the raised stripes polished and the low area in between painted. Thinking about it I have also seen some completely painted. Any idea which way is correct?

 

[vwnate1]

I no longer recall. sorry .

However, I am sure one of the others here will know .

Some times it takes a few days to get a response, we're not many kids who live on the internet here .

 

[52wasp]

Hello Al,
One "factor" in whether specific parts of these trucks are chromed/stainless/painted is what year they were built. Specifically, during the Korean war. As I recall, chrome-grilles and -bumpers were unavailable during that period of time. It is likely that other "bits" were only offered painted as well.

And, as Nate asked (picking up where Zig left off), we'll need to see pictures of your project.

Mike

 

[Al Downs]

Here you go. The pictures you requested. I have owned this truck since the 70’s. I started to redo it about 20 years ago but got too busy and sidetracked.

As you can see, I have a lot of parts and a lot of doubles. I will have a lot of questions as I go. Right now I am sorting parts so I can start looking for missing items. I even have an original radio but I don’t know if it works.

I want to make a nice driver, not a show car but I want to do things pretty original. Still trying to find out how the radio bezel and glove compartment door were originally. We’re they painted with bright highlights or all polished stainless? If painted, where they painted with the same color as the horn button. I do have that pai

nt ordered.

Were the bumpers chrome or stainless?

Enjoy the pics.

 

[vwnate1]

WHOA ! .

Looks to me like you've got a great start there ~ many have rusty and damaged cabs, you're looks great .

As mentioned, the trim and dash depended on when it was made ~ I have a 1952 Chevrolet owner's booklet that has an insert cautioning the owner to be very gentle with the chromed parts, this was because during the 'Korean Conflict' (war) many metals were in short supply like the copper and nickle used to underlay any properly done chrome work . ("triple chromed" means regular chrome properly done) .

Your truck has a DeLuxe windshield trim to I'd think you'd like chrome bumpers and stainless steel dash trim with the indented bars painted .

The grilles were normally highly polished stainless steel as chrome was in very short supply then .

There is no 'exact' because the supply situation was fluid .

 

[Al Downs]

Can someone tell me what was used to hold the two halves of the hood together? There are twelve holes. I have looked it vendor catalogs but can't find them. The holes are smaller than 1/2 inch.

 

[Al Downs]

Just about ready to put some color on the fenders.

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

Can someone tell me what was used to hold the two halves of the hood together? There are twelve holes. I have looked it vendor catalogs but can't find them. The holes are smaller than 1/2 inch.

Steel rivets. Plus center divider trim sandwiches in between. Some custom builders delete the center trim for a smooth custom look. They usually weld the halves together. I prefer original look and will probably use a stainless center trim on my truck.

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

That is a super clean looking original cab. Southwestern truck?
Very rare.

 

[e015475]

I took the two halves of my hood apart to paint it by removing the rivets. I reassembled it with #10 screws and nuts.
The repo center trim is a little fiddly but it is a lot less work than welding it back together. If you decide to weld it together you'll need really good heat control to keep from warping the hood as the welds cool and shrink

 

[50 Chevy LS3]

What Phil said...
I would be afraid to alter an original hood in any way, really. I'm told the re-pops don't fit very well...
I used to think I wanted to use a louver press on mine. That thought has now left me.

 

[vwnate1]

Louvers ~ EEK ! my friend Jake in L.A.P.D. Central Facility had louvers punched in the *perfect* hood of his 1937 Ford Coupe, spent the rest of his life regretting it .