My 53/54 Chevy/Gmc build

Bought this already started project in May. It is a 54 Gmc Cab with 53 Chevy fenders, grille and hood on a 92 GMC Sonoma frame.



The previous owner had run all new brake lines, welded in the patch panels and set up steering and clutch brake pedals. First thing I did was get rid of the 4 cylinder engine and remove his body mounts and lower the cab and POR 15 the frame. Put in a SBC but used the T5 tranny that came with the truck. Had to cut down the input shaft to fit the old bell housing.







Welded in new motor mounts and made the tranny mount. Finished the body work on the cab and put that back on the frame.





We have cut down the bed side panels to 50 inches and shortened the frame. Also have to narrow the bed.

Yesterday my 2 sons made the clutch linkage and welded that in. Something is not right in the tranny. When you step on the pedal the fork will not move. I must have put something together wrong. Have to take it all apart again. Seems like these builds are 1 step forward and 5 back. I ordered a cam for the engine and that arrived broken in half. Went to Advance auto and asked for a Holley 650 cfm carb for a spread bore manifold. Got it home and went to install it and it was a square bore carb and they didn't have a spread bore in stock so I had to order 1 from Jegs. Now I have all the right parts to do the engine.

Tommy2tone wrote:

Yesterday my 2 sons made the clutch linkage and welded that in. Something is not right in the tranny. When you step on the pedal the fork will not move. I must have put something together wrong. Have to take it all apart again. Seems like these builds are 1 step forward and 5 back. I ordered a cam for the engine and that arrived broken in half. Went to Advance auto and asked for a Holley 650 cfm carb for a spread bore manifold. Got it home and went to install it and it was a square bore carb and they didn't have a spread bore in stock so I had to order 1 from Jegs. Now I have all the right parts to do the engine.

Hi Tommy,

Man oh Man... It sounds like you are having your fair share of trouble with that one. The first picture you have there looks like the stuff you get is as bad as what I start with. However, it looks as though in spite of all the setbacks, you are making progress. I gotta wonder, how does a delivery service break a cam in half??? BTW, since this is a build thread I made it a sticky.

Later Man...

Pulled the tranny and saw that the fork was not riding on the ball. I must have pushed the throw out bearing all the way into the fork so that when we put the tranny in it pulled the fork off the ball. By having the throw out bearing in so far it would not allow it to swivel on the fork. Thats why everything was bound up. In a way it was good that this happened as not being a mechanic and being in a hurry putting this together I never bothered checking the condition of the bearing and now discovered it will not turn so I will replace that before putting it back together.

Yep, whenever I pull a manual tranny I always put in a new throw out bearing. It's the best and cheapest time to do it.

Later Man...

Well I finally got my sons to help put the tranny back in. Appears the clutch is working properly but I have one problem. When you step on the pedal there only seems to be only about 2 inches of movement. We raised the rod to the fork up 1 hole and was a little better but it is still not right. Do I have to go with a shorter rod from the pedal or longer? Or do I have to shorten the rod that goes to the fork? Help please.

Well I had to put the project on hold until spring because we are leaving tomorrow for Florida for the winter.

I would rather work on the truck than go to Florida...

Later Man...