1950 Chevy truck restore

[jeff10049]

Started the restore on this 50 chev. It's an older restoration that was done good mechanically but poorly on the paint and body. It has an independent disk brake front end, power steering, power brakes, 12 bolt rear, small block Chevy power, th350 auto trans.

Mechanically not much will be changed other than the transmission to a 700r4 overdrive unit so we can lower the cruise rpm a bit.

Body is in good shape needs cab corners and a proper repaint. Having some parts sandblasted now. somebody had the really bad idea of spraying that trunk paint type of stuff on the interior going to be a pita to strip but I don't want to blast the cab.

Wood bed was improperly installed and shot.

[jeff10049]

They also went overboard with the red paint and painted the steering column and the wheel too? Looks like shit also had the ignition switch in the tilt column will keep the tilt but put the switch back in the dash and clean up the steering column. Will be keeping the red exterior but might go with a silver interior to break things up.
Also planning on power windows and a/c.

Thinking of firemist red for the exterior. comments ideas on color welcome.

[jeff10049]

Also I don't like the wheels. Top three choices are chrome steel with moon cap, Craiger, or torque thrust?
Undecided at this point.

[BruceK]

Thinking of firemist red for the exterior. comments ideas on color welcome.

Cool project!  I've got a real fondness for these post WWII Chevy trucks.  When I was about 10 years old I often used to ride in the bed of one - back when that was perfectly normal to do so.

As for color, lately I have really started liking the sand paint color appearing on new Toyotas and Jeep.  This is sort of the color.

[BruceK]

This is the Jeep version of the color.  I don't know why, but I just really like it. 

[MPlayle]

I tend to like the "sand" colors as well.  Many years ago, I barely missed the chance to own an early "Cooperized" Mini in Sandy-Beige with a Snowberry white roof.  Still one of my favorite color combinations. 

[jeff10049]

That sand color is not bad a little plain for us I think or maybe we're just used to seeing the truck in red all these years.
I do like how the black running boards break it up some. The red that was on it looked good before it faded out.
The firemist we are leaning towards looks alot like the picture below and how the truck looked before the cheap paint failed.
I think the black running boards would look good with the red.

[jeff10049]

Like the idea of the steel wheels painted body color and then the stock chevy center caps.
Just found this factory color option called cape maroon it's on the list of choices for sure.
Even though the truck is not stock I like that it is a stock color choice shown below also has the wheel center cap combo.

[BruceK]

That's a great color on that truck.   Reminds me of a Mini Mk I color that's similar called "Maroon B".

[94touring]

Maroon B

[tsumini]

Also I don't like the wheels. Top three choices are chrome steel with moon cap, Craiger, or torque thrust?
Undecided at this point.

Artillery whells may look good. My brother's 32 ford pickup looks good with them.

[John Gervais]

I like the dark red with black running boards that you're considering, but with classic Crager SS 5-spoke wheels where the rims and centers are painted body color - with only the spokes, center caps and nuts left in chrome.

[jeff10049]

That 32 ford looks like it might just have a wee bit of power on tap  4.gif

[tsumini]

Yeah 354 hemi with 6 strombergs. He lives on a dirt road.

[jeff10049]

Got some stripper and spent a day removing the zolatone crap from the interior and door jambs also stripped the dash.
Hand sanded all the stripped areas the next weekend and sandblasted any rust areas have a chepo harbor freight blaster works ok.
Primed all the bare steel then started block sanding the rest of the cab almost ready for the first high build primer.
Had to weld in every single trim screw hole in the interior because some idiot used giant flat blade furniture screws to hold in the trim and oversized the holes.

[jeff10049]

etch primer

[jeff10049]

installed new cab corners this weekend.

[jeff10049]

Since the last post a lot has happened on this one the existing paint on the cab was blocked with 36 grit to start getting it straight. Then body filler is done and a quick 80 grit block over it all so the primer would not have to fill 36.
Then primed with 3 good coats of high build primer blocked again in 220.
A few spots needed more filler and now its primed with another 3 coats of high build hopefully the last primer going to start 320 sanding soon.
Also welded up all extra holes in the firewall and smoothed it out a little.

[jeff10049]

After 220 grit blocking and re prime pictures.

[jeff10049]

Made a big change on color choice going with a caddy color from 1963 called benton blue.
A friend gave me a way cool old school under dash a/c unit all metal even the vents and all the litttle air deflectors in side them are metal.
I cleaned it up and painted it the benton blue.
Same friend happens to have a 63 caddy we just painted benton blue and decided it would be a great color for the truck.

[farseer80]

Can't wait to see how it turns out.

[jeff10049]

I think we found the wheels they remind me of an old halibrand style. And thats what was looking for when these came up much more affordable.

[MiniDave]

What does 5X4.75 mean?

[MPlayle]

Dave,

My guess would be the bolt pattern: 5 holes on 4.75" centers?

[MiniDave]

oh, of course....... :-[