First Project. 1956 GMC Pickup

My nephew Earl has been wanting to build an old car/truck for some time. After talking with him I explained to him that if you want something bad enough you just keep after it until it happens. He looked at me puzzled and I explained to him if he wants something bad enough and stays after it, it will sooner or later fall in his lap. We drove up north to look at this late 60's early 70's built hot rodded 56 truck. I did a little talking and this $1400.00 jalopy was knocked down to a sum of $600.00. Cheap enough for Earl to have his first project. The truck has seen better days but in it's prime it sported a panel painted gold paint over the rootbeer brown with silver and gold metal flake. Chrome reverse rims, 58 Chevy taillights and was pushed by a 327 SBC. He has some work ahead of him but I think he's up to it.

Looks like a good start, I for one hope he puts her back to her panel paint and chrome reverse glory days.

I'm going to meet Randy at noon to head north to get it. It's nice to have a club member with a rollback.   

I'll post some pics when I get back. Not much of the ol' girl to see since the old owner ripped the dog house off since the above pictures were taken. I guess that is one less thing Earl has to take off though   

nice!!!! i want to see more!!! i like the idea of going back with the panel paint job. =)

Randy and I spent the better part of the day going up north to Richmond, IN to pick up the 56. Long day... I'll post a few pictures in a bit.

Haha that's cool you got it. I looked at thing on CL for a while & thought about it, but passed. Good price even if it's a total loss...

She's really rough. I got a great look at everything yesterday. It will take a ton of work but if Earl wants a 50's ride this is really the only way he can get one at his age. It's cheap enough he now just needs to put the work in it.

Very cool! Looking forward to pics and seeing it on the road.

Later

Lee

You never know what's hiding behind the doors of those little garages. This one being in Richmond, IN


Randy was kind enough to blow off his Saturday to pick up the 56 with the rollback.

Good shot of the underside while it was on the rollback. Someone thought it sat too low looks like.

Few cars we seen while we were in Richmond, Indiana.


This one is for sale but I'd run away. FAST!

Their was a set of doors on the lex. craigs list to fit this fri.

big dogs 42 wrote:Their was a set of doors on the lex. craigs list to fit this fri.

Amy and I went down there and grabbed the one he needed today. He didn't know anything about it until he went out in the garage and seen it.

It fit perfect in the back of Amy's work truck   

I about screamed like a little girl!

 

That is too cool! Glad you surprised him with the door...BIG smile, Earl?   

Happy For You,

Lee

Earl started the tear down on his rig. The windshield came out first followed by the bed, bumper, and what was left of the exhaust. He took a short break before returning to cut out all the old wiring. Not bad for a few hours of work.

Sometimes you just have to ask why??

I was really worried about the windshield lip where the seal goes. After the windshield came out to get a good look I was really happy. Looks really good.


Firewall is not too bad either. Plenty of factory holes to weld up.

Nice, just like Christmas!

Earl had about an hour between school and work so he got the stock gas tank out and some more stuff off the firewall and the dash. Wiper arms came off too.

It seems like every time I work on the truck there is less and less truck. hope to do the hood work done soon so I can take it to get it louvered.

That's the way it goes. If you want something nice you have to rip it into a million pieces and spend the rest of your time trying to figure out where everything goes back on.   

We got the junk left door off the rig as well as the right, huge west coast mirror, some more stuff off the firewall, the steering column, shifter and trans cover, heater box and more. Sad part is all the easy stuff is off and it's down to cutting or grinding all the bolts that are so rusted you can't get them out. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea how rough the old gal is.




Earl got the old radio out of the dash that someone had put in. I wasn't too happy to see the hack job they did cutting the dash up. Not only did they cut it, they bent the metal all the way up to the body lines of the wrap around to make it fit.