V8TV New Shop Truck

[Farmgirl]

I just picked up a 1954 Chevy Pickup Truck to get me from the house to the shop.  Kevin got a little tired of me hauling duck food and straw bales in our daily driver so we got an old truck.  We are considering putting a bicycle in the bed of the truck to get me home, "just in case".  I gotta learn to drive a 3 on the tree but the tune up should be easy.  I just hope the straight 6 can handle my lead foot.  I see an upgrade in the motor coming soon. 
The plan for the truck is to "keep it simple"  It's a low buck truck.  Meaning, I'm not painting it, I totally love the light petinaed look. 
The very much rotted out cab corners are going to get rivets and aluminum patches.  A good pressure wash, a little tune up and away I go.  Since we are on the SEMA grind, the truck is quickly becoming a winter project. 
So how bout it guys.  Do any of you have a daily driver beater truck your wife makes you drive so you don't get the minivan dirty? 
Show me pics, give me pointers, tips, tricks to making my 54 stay on the road, low budget, but cool.
I hope to get some footage of the truck on line in a few days - keep checking back and keep on truckin!

[Kevin O]

Here's the "new" truck in living patina...

[67Cowboy]

Hey Farm Girl (Kelle) well let me be the first to say just how  hot you are because I'm sure you're gonna get about a million boyfriends once word gets out about you. YOUR TRUCK IS AWESOME, I miss my 5 window  already !!! Don't sweat the three speed it's one of the best transmissions ever, and you'll learn to just let it shift itself, just give it a chance by finding the groove and you'll learn to love it like a lot of us did.  You also have a great engine and if you drop by over at StoveBolt.com you'll find all kinds of tips and tricks for your Electrical system/ oil pressure and filtration, Carb tuning, Brake tips and tricks etc...
  I'm not a walking Encyclopedia for 47-54 but I've owned my share and love the Truck, especially Cherry ones like your's !!! Keep up the good work and it's so nice to know  there are some awesome women like you out there wrenchin on old Chevy Trucks; gives me chills !!!  :

[Farmgirl]

Thanks for the compliments - way to generous but thank you.  Honestly my truck is a bit worn out, but I love it.  I have been working to hard on the V8TV SEMA project car the SS496 Chevelle to spend much time on my own truck, but after SEMA I'll make that truck my winter project and get it on the road in no time. 
Sounds like you know a lot about the trucks - can you tell me if that straight six is capable of going 60 without shaking the tires off the rims?  Its got to go at least 60 to be safe driving around here.  If it can't do it, I'm gonna have to rip it out and significantly increase the power plant.
I've made Stovebolt.com a favorite website of mine to check out frequently for tips and tricks - thanks!
I fully believe any woman can do what I do - they just don't want to - which is soooo unfortunate.  To those women who are angy at their men for working on cars all the time, I wish they would work with the guys - not against them.
Thanks for stopping by the Truck Stop.

[Fly-n-C3vette]

Hi Kelle,
GREAT Truck!!  We have a few of them running around here in Wyoming. That engine will turn 60-70mph if its properly tuned and in good shape. One thing that may slow it down is the gear ratio and/or trany.  But that truck seems to be in nice shape and a good start for something cool. Maybe Nick can help you back half it ... No, keep it the way it is. One a freind of mine had years ago, we put a 327ci engine and a T-!0 4spd trany in it. So it could be shifted as fast as a car, but do the duty of a truck ...

Take Care.

[67Cowboy]

Thanks for the compliments - way to generous but thank you.  Honestly my truck is a bit worn out, but I love it.  I have been working to hard on the V8TV SEMA project car the SS496 Chevelle to spend much time on my own truck, but after SEMA I'll make that truck my winter project and get it on the road in no time. 
Sounds like you know a lot about the trucks - can you tell me if that straight six is capable of going 60 without shaking the tires off the rims?  Its got to go at least 60 to be safe driving around here.  If it can't do it, I'm gonna have to rip it out and significantly increase the power plant.
I've made Stovebolt.com a favorite website of mine to check out frequently for tips and tricks - thanks!
I fully believe any woman can do what I do - they just don't want to - which is soooo unfortunate.  To those women who are angy at their men for working on cars all the time, I wish they would work with the guys - not against them.
Thanks for stopping by the Truck Stop.

I wasn't being generous I was being honest, don't make me get on one knee to prove it !!! You have a beautiful attitude, please disciple as many young women as possible. My X hated the old green car with the funny smeel that I bought her (A perfect all originall/ low mile '67 Mustang with under the dash factory air and a 289 !)
    Anyway the motor and tranny are awesome like I said; but if you are going to go that fast you may want  to have a little taller cog in it. My old Apache with a 261 and 456's was wound out at about 50 mph and although these 6's are tough at lower speeds they won't live long wound that tight.
    Look around over at Stovebolt and see what the guys are doing, some use the blue wrench and put a whole car frame under them. I highly urge you not to go that route because of what these trucks will be worth whole in the coming years. Especially when all you need is a taller cog  in the third member. Yes you can stuff in a 500 Cadillac and a automatic overdrive but it's just not the same truck anymore and in my opinion you might as well have bought a late model off craigslist, it would be cheaper in the long run. 

[67Cowboy]

Thanks for the compliments - way to generous but thank you.  Honestly my truck is a bit worn out, but I love it.  I have been working to hard on the V8TV SEMA project car the SS496 Chevelle to spend much time on my own truck, but after SEMA I'll make that truck my winter project and get it on the road in no time. 
Sounds like you know a lot about the trucks - can you tell me if that straight six is capable of going 60 without shaking the tires off the rims?  Its got to go at least 60 to be safe driving around here.  If it can't do it, I'm gonna have to rip it out and significantly increase the power plant.
I've made Stovebolt.com a favorite website of mine to check out frequently for tips and tricks - thanks!
I fully believe any woman can do what I do - they just don't want to - which is soooo unfortunate.  To those women who are angy at their men for working on cars all the time, I wish they would work with the guys - not against them.
Thanks for stopping by the Truck Stop.

I wasn't being generous I was being honest, don't make me get on one knee to prove it !!! You have a beautiful attitude, please disciple as many young women as possible. My X hated the old green car with the funny smeel that I bought her (A perfect all originall/ low mile '67 Mustang with under the dash factory air and a 289 !)
    Anyway the motor and tranny are awesome like I said; but if you are going to go that fast you may want  to have a little taller cog in it. My old Apache with a 261 and 456's was wound out at about 50 mph and although these 6's are tough at lower speeds they won't live long wound that tight.
    Look around over at Stovebolt and see what the guys are doing, some use the blue wrench and put a whole car frame under them. I highly urge you not to go that route because of what these trucks will be worth whole in the coming years. Especially when all you need is a taller cog  in the third member. Yes you can stuff in a 500 Cadillac and a automatic overdrive but it's just not the same truck anymore and in my opinion you might as well have bought a late model off craigslist, it would be cheaper in the long run. 
   Oh yeah I wanted to ad the old Naugahide seat will clean up real easy with some Murphy's Oli Soap, it also works good on the old window rubbers. The starter button is usually not that hard, pull the choke knob out about 3/4 of the way then spin it over a couple rounds and pump the foot feed three times and usually it will start every time, you'll learn the trick soon enough. Have you changed the brake fluid out yet ? if you haven't I highly urge you to do that first before anything else, I like Dot 3 . also make sure you have some clean oil in your breather just cheap old bar and chain oil will work. Also you can get electronic ignition to fit in place of your points, all that's at Stove bolt and well worth your time and money. Keep us updated and more video is always good for me !!!

[Farmgirl]

It saddens me to hear of wives and girlfriends "hating" a guys ride.  If they would learn to at least enjoy a ride in the car, the entire relationship would be better.  In my case, cars helped me bond with my dad and brother and now with my husband.  The Galaxie we have tends to break down on the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere 10 miles from Smalltown USA and it is up to him and I to get us where we need to go.  Sure it is scary, but it is a huge bonding, relationship building experience.  It only makes us stronger to work together and get back on the road.  And along the way we meet some of the most amazing, nicest, most helpful people that we will never forget.
We are thrashing on the Chevelle for SEMA right now in the shop, but after about November 15, my truck is becoming top priority so I'll be checking out stovebolt and on this thread much more frequently seeking advice once I'm totally sunk into the trunk. 
There won't be any torch work done to the truck unless I absolutely can't get a bolt loose.  It is staying original with just safety modifications and a radio - I love the old truck look, I can't drive it down the rock road to the shop in the snow if it were lowered so that idea is way out.  Its for hauling parts, not looking cool. 
Thanks for the tip on the bar and chain oil in the breather.  I'll get that from my dad after helping him cut wood for the winter.
Nothing is free.
I'll be posting more videos of the truck soon!  Stay tuned and thanks again for the tips.

[Graham Jones]

"Show me pics"  dammit Farmgirl this is a FAMILY oriented website!!!!!!  Show you pics. Jeez. Now, how about those shop girls...

[Graham Jones]

"get a mouse up my dang pant leg" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA that was fantastic!  oh you just wait until you see the raw footage from tomorrow! you remember what happened last time Nick and I were together !   haha!

[Kevin O]

I think Graham is referring to the footage from the 496 engine build... unless they have something they're not sharing at this point...

[Graham Jones]

no that was brandon that had the "extra footage"   i think you received it but didnt air it... towels anyone? ha!

[Farmgirl]

Graham
We hope to be showing new pics of the 54 Chevy soon.  I gotta get more parts ordered and when they come in and the guys quit bringing their projects in the shop, I'll be able to work on the 54. 
I don't want to see anything raw involving you, Nick or Brandon. 

[67Cowboy]

Well I was gonna post some photos of my toy in a photo shoot but I can't find the browse box to down load photos I have no idea what all those little bitty squares mean or what they do this is the most user unfriendly site !?! Farmgirl send me an email cowboy70x7@comcast.net and I'll send you some photos from the photo shoot.

[Kevin O]

Hey buddy -

The trick to posting pics is here:

http://www.v8tvshow.com/forum/index.php?topic=8.0