I need an Advance Design Chevy in my life.

[The Griff]

A friend of mine's dad just bought a new truck (new to him) and I went to look at it today, and fell in love.

Its a 1950 Chevy 3800 (one ton) that they got from their neighbor for $900, and it is in really good shape, not perfect, but for a 64 year old truck not bad at all. The only real problem with it is that it needs some brake work, they don't work. It's been converted to a 12 volt system, and all the electrical stuff works too.
It still has it's 235 in it, and it runs awesome. I drove it around their yard, and other than it's inability to stop, drives awesome too.

All it needs to be roadworthy (perfectly legal, good clean title) are the taillights, the left headlight, and obviously the brakes.

The worst spot on the body, damage wise, there's almost no rust, is the grill, and that was because of his mom, she caved the grill in by hitting the trailer with it.

I love driving this thing, but it's not really fat-guy friendly, little cab + big steering wheel = you can steer with your belly.

Him and his dad want to pull the body off and put it on an 84 K10 frame, which, as awesome as that is, kills me, because I would love to keep it just as it is, all original, and drive it.

 

[diesel4me]

My late best friend Randy had a '50 Chevy pickup,that his dad bought at a Navy Base auction and we used to work on it after school ..the thing was in nice shape as far as rust,but the engine was poor and the tranny had chunks missing off first gear,probably from trying to downshift into non-syncro first gear once too often...

He eventually found a good engine reasonable for it,a 235 from a '62 Impala,and the tranny from the car donated the gears to get it fixed..I dont know why,but he decided not to put it on the road,(maybe title troubles?) ,and he ended up selling it to another friend,his father still owns it as far as I know,and its had a professional frame off restoration..

I dont blame you for wanting to keep it 100% original,but if its anything like my '56 Chevy pickup was,you'll end up hating the manual steering and huge steering wheel,especially when you try parking at a mall or Walmart..

I loved that truck,but driving it was a chore,the straight axle was not the best riding or handling suspension ever invented,and they put the swing shackles on the leafs in the front,which made for a harsh ride..my truck steered like it had a worn out seized steering box,and loved to dart from one side of the road to the other,even with new king pins and tie rod ends and a tight draglink..the single bowl master cylinder can be a hazard too,one leak and you lose ALL brakes!...it was fine back in the 50's when thats all we had but--

For todays driving conditions,I'd want power steering and brakes with a dual braking system --you could learn to live with the ride,maybe add disc brakes to the straight axle,but I think the 4x4 chassis swap is a very desireable option--you get all the upgrades with a minimum of hassles and expense..
But as they say--"its only original ONCE" too....it will reduce its appeal at resale to purists,I think more would want to buy it in 4x4 form myself though..

 

[y5mgisi]

They shouldnt be allowed to molester it like that!

 

[Stein]

When I had mine I had really good luck with www.chevsofthe40s.com for parts. It was a "51 3800. Mine needed rear wheel cylinders and brake lines in the front because they were collapsed completely and a master cylinder rebuild. Everything was less than $200 total.

 

[SouthernYank]

You should shop for another similar one with maybe a crap motor or something else and offer to swap plus cash if theyre just wanting the body. I agree I hate seeing one that is in that good of shape being molested for parts.

 

[The Griff]

I talked to him some more today, and he says his dad just got all of the emblems and trim from the guy he bought if from, The "Chevrolet" and "3800" that goes on the side of hood, the headlight bezels and the tailgate.


I tried to see if he would sell it, but they really seem to be dead set on using that truck. Supposedly his dad has been trying to buy if from that guy for about 6 years.

Steven told me that the plans are to take the blue 85's body, which is perfect, and put it on the frame of the 75 K20 (AKA Hoss), because it's original orange body is rusted well past the point of no return. Then put the body of the '50 One ton on the 85's frame. And scrap the orange 75 Body.

I'm not sure how they are going to do this, because the 85 half ton has no title.



And, on the '50, although the brakes are no good, is the pedal supposed to be so high up that you have to almost knee the steering wheel to use it?

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Remember without boosted brakes you supply the effort. LONG throws.

 

[diesel4me]

If the pedals come up through the floor boards,they are pretty tall...for added leverage ,as Amblazer stated..
My '56 had the master cylinder bolted under the cab to the frame rail--made checking or adding brake fluid a real pain!...

 

[The Griff]

Yeah, It come up through the floor.

I'm not sure how they are going to make things line up, because the 85 is a normal long bed (obviously) and the '50 has a 9 ft bed.

If they can make it work, it would probably look pretty good, because the 85 has a 8 inch lift and 35's on it.

Still if it was up to me, I would fix the brakes, put the emblems and trim on, put a new seat in It, a new bed floor, and some tall-narrow super swampers on the original split rims on the back. Maybe some louder exhaust.

and done.

 

[diesel4me]

Those old Chevy's with straight axles are not hard to convert to a 4x4, GM did that on the first ones using the NAPCO transfer case and front axle...but if your going to do that you may as well use the later chassis and get the P/S and disc brakes,better ride,etc...

I do agree though,leaving it alone is a highly desireable thing to do too,dont get me wrong..