Old iron

[AndyL]

Gotta ask, as I'm starting to think I've lost my mind...

Eyeballing replacing the DD with something a little less ratty looking... But the 90's pickups look like crap to my eye; and I inevitably end up drooling over the 30s, 40s and 50s pickup trucks... Which sadly usually even after sitting for 30 years in a field look better than my POS :)

Really don't need another project right now, but I can't help but think about taking one of those old farm trucks, dropping a modern driveline into it (upgrading heater brakes etc in the process) and running it as the DD. At least they have some style... Too bad extended/crewcab seems to not exist (though I'd kill for one - I hear international made a crewcab A110 but finding one...)

Am I the only one?

[g-m]

yes

[bituerbo]

Please post this in the "what iron should I buy" section of beyond.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Old_Iron_2.jpg

[Arthur Dent]

Best would find old farm truck and drop on to a S10 frame other something. Modern running gear, old school style.

[spikerS]

about 15 years ago, helped my neighbor do a complte restoration of a 1938 D2. finding replacement engine parts was next to impossible, and the parts we did find were crazy expensive, so we just swapped the drivetrain with a 350 and turbo 400. worked out really well. I still wish i could have bought that truck.

would I do it again? in a heartbeat. I love classic vehicles.

[canuckcarguy]

I agree with OP, these old trucks will always get more attention than new ones, just because they're more rare, and as long as you can swap in a more modern drivetrain, they're not pigs to run.

But to do it right isn't cheap.

[AndyL]

see I'm contemplating something along the lines of:

http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/BigblueL29/Back%20to%20the%20fiftys%202009/IMG_2832.jpg
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq59/BigblueL29/Back%20to%20the%20fiftys%202009/IMG_2828.jpg

6.2 diesels are a dime a dozen, classic flat black is always good... Wouldn't slam it like this one, and not a fan of the flames... but otherwise :)

[spikerS]

personally, i like em even older. something like this rocks my world. I would jump all over restoring something like this.

http://www.myphotolounge.ca/myphotolounge/image.axd?picture=2009%2F3%2FIMG_5377.jpg

[AndyL]

No argument, this one makes me drool:
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1937-Chevrolet-C-K-Pickup-1500-W0QQAdIdZ159714032

But once you go pre-war parts become radically more difficult to find, which then makes it a toy and not really a workhorse :) At least there's available off the shelf body & mechanical parts for the 47-59 chevies... Pre-war doesn't seem to share that luxury...

[spikerS]

really when you go that old, you don't have many options for parts, so you either fab new ones, or you swap newer parts in.

[gretz]

If only i had the coin, i'd snatch this up in a heartbeat...


http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-SUVs-trucks-vans-pickup-trucks-1968-Jeep-Kaiser-US-Military-2-1-2ton-6x6-W0QQAdIdZ148532405

[spikerS]

oh hell yeah, old military vehicles are awesome, but they are hard to find at a reasonable price.

[AndyL]

How the heck did they get that into canada? I know CF started selling off it's bombardier/white deuce's recently; but past research told me we weren't able to get the export permit for US military hardware into canada (only way was in pieces, but then getting that by RIV...)

[AndyL]

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1947-REO-Truck-with-dual-rear-wheels-W0QQAdIdZ167511057

Damnit... And no space in the driveway :banghead:

Mmmm Cummins powered REO Speedwagon !

[ekguy]

Wouldn't the money involved in something like this be quite astronomical? Unless of course you do everything yourself....But still. Must be quite the undertaking to restore something like that.

[canuckcarguy]

Originally posted by AndyL
How the heck did they get that into canada? I know CF started selling off it's bombardier/white deuce's recently; but past research told me we weren't able to get the export permit for US military hardware into canada (only way was in pieces, but then getting that by RIV...)

More than 15 years old, so no RIV approval required.

[ExtraSlow]

This is also my dream. I'm a fan of the 40's and 50's "big fender" Ford and Mercury pickups.
Unfortunatley, the time and space required to do this is beyond me right now. Doing it yourself, you can stay pretty cheap, but it taken hundreds of hours, if not thousands.
There are guys dropping 50's fords onto crown vic chassis and getting pretty driveable results for *slightly* less work than a full rame of resto of the origianl running gear.
Pick up a rolled Police Interceptor and you are off the the races.
http://www.brewtowncruisers.com/truck49.jpg http://www.mercury-pickup.net/1947merc1tonpanelWeb.gif
What I dream about.

[theken]

I would build a fifty five chev in a heartbeat if I didn't know how much work it is.

[sputnik]

My all time favorite truck is a 1955 Chevy (cameo OR stepside).

http://image.automotive.com/f/features/9717433+soriginal/0804clt_03_z+1955_cameo_front.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3016/2595243941_03e8912337.jpg

[Graham_A_M]

wow, is this thread awesome.

Thats exactly what I done. I have a '38 Chevy half ton, and I put the body on a 2001 Silverado extended cab frame & driveline that I bought (rolled) at a Salvage auction here in Calgary.

I wanted the modern day luxuries, reliability and technologies of a new truck, but with the old hot rod looks. So I pulled off the mangled body off the Silverado and begun the slow process of installing the body from the '38 Chevy. Its taking a LONG time as my job doesn't let me take off to my dads farm to work on it very often. :( but its coming along nicely. Yeah I used the A/C PS, PB, PL, switches (etc etc) to work with the '38 Chevy body.
I have pics of the'38 truck before I pulled the body off of it. I had it running and driving without too much work. :D (man that thing was a pig to drive)


Yeah I know of *TONS* of trucks from the 40's and up. Trucks from the 1930's are very very hard to find. If you want a late 40's Ford F-50, I know of 8-10 off the top of my head near my dads farm. This one ran and drove... too bad somebody snatched it up for $300 :thumbsdow (I knew I should have bought that :( )
Locally my old boss has a late 40's Fargo 1/2 ton with two front ends that hes selling. Im sure it would run & drive without too much effort.

Let me know what kind of trucks you're after and I'm sure I'd be able to find them for you, although they'd all (most likely) be in Southern Sask.
A lot of people would be happy to give you the truck for free in most cases as you'd be doing the farmer a favor for taking it off of his lot.
most of the trucks I know are from the 50's. I do know of a '37 Plymouth Sedan though. But man its in bad shape.
EDIT: Actually, I know of a early 40's Plymouth sedan in great shape too, almost complete.


Originally posted by ExtraSlow
http://www.brewtowncruisers.com/truck49.jpg http://www.mercury-pickup.net/1947merc1tonpanelWeb.gif
What I dream about.
LOL, I know of SO many of these trucks (the left one)
A couple of '55 Chevys too.



Originally posted by AndyL
No argument, this one makes me drool:
http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-classic-cars-1937-Chevrolet-C-K-Pickup-1500-W0QQAdIdZ159714032


Actually thats a 1938. Exact same one I have, although mine was in *much* nicer shape then that one is, complete too. $2500 is a fair bit of coin for how little you get, I paid $1k for mine. The '37's have a very different grill, as do the '39's.


Originally posted by spikers
personally, i like em even older. something like this rocks my world. I would jump all over restoring something like this.

http://www.myphotolounge.ca/myphotolounge/image.axd?picture=2009%2F3%2FIMG_5377.jpg

^ I know of 4 of those. A couple you can have for free.

Try this search Query on Ebay for a huge selection
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/Salvage-Parts-Cars-/168693/i.html?Type=Vintage%2520Parts%2520Cars&_dmd=1&_dmpt=Salvage_Parts_Cars&_pcats=168693,6028,6000&_rdc=1

These guys are in Spruce Grove Alberta (about 1hr NW of Edmonton). HUGE selection of vintage cars here too.
http://www.kustomking.net/main1.htm

[AndyL]

Originally posted by canuckcarguy


More than 15 years old, so no RIV approval required.
No but you need an export permit to take military hardware out of the USA... Never even get close enough to the canadian border for RIV to be an issue...

Graham - may just take you up on that once i've got space in the driveway... I'd be saying something stupid like a 50's travelette - but with annual productions numbers in the 2 digit range :rofl: I can dream...

May be having some stupid ideas about a 47-54 suburban & 1.5ton grain truck and a palette of mig wire - to end up with that crewcab-ish dually.

[71car2]

I've heard of "Kustom King" place, had seen the photos. I would bet in saying they'll want a pretty coin in selling one of these old cars!

[Graham_A_M]

^ Yeah most places do. Thats why Ebay is such a fantastic tool for finding exactly what you want.

I feel sorry for the poor (un-informed) chap that would pay $2500 for that '38 Cab & front end. :nut:

Yeah to do a rebody onto a dually truck would be hella cool. I was contemplating doing that with one of those big rig wheel conversions. :D
I think that would look wicked, if the truck had air ride and thus would sit very close to the ground.


Another places that sells old cars & trucks is the Reynolds museum. They have a large lot to the east of their (Wetaskwin) based Museum, and have been known to sell off unrestored vehicles from the collection.
http://www.machinemuseum.net/
^ here

[Malicious]

You wouldnt be putting it through a winter after doing all the required work, thats for sure.

If so, buy a 1993 Dodge Ram, and then convert it to a mid 70's style. Just takes a grille and other stuff.

[AndyL]

Vehicles are to be driven... If it's not being restored to 100% factory original and destined for a museum - it's to be driven... Anything less would be unfair to the car...