Man those scotts hot rods bolt on kits look like they are the way to go. Ill call them today.. im sure they are $$$$$

Thanks for the info so far! I fall else gets to expensive. Ill get the disc brake conversion kit for 900 and take it to guthrie to have it lowered

 

Update:
Things are finally getting going on the truck.
New Wheels are here today. 15"x8 Smoothies with all the dressing.
Headers have arrived and will be installed asap. Radiator pulled to be cored and tank emptied and coming out tonight to be vatted. Front disc conversion on the way from Mid-Fifty.

 

Wow Tanner, your story sounds familiar to mine. I have been working on a '55 that my grandfather bought new. I found this site quite a few years ago and gained many good ideas from it. Then, the truck sat out back for 8 years. I finally got motivated again a couple years ago and have been trying to make consistent progress. Originally I was going to leave it basically stock but wanted it to drive and stop a little better. It had only 72,000 original miles on it and ran perfect. I was introduced to the "Volare front end" concept that sounded fairly easy and inexpensive. Once that was in, I realized that the original 6 cyl engine would no longer fit. So from that point it became a full on custom build. So now, after three years I have the frame modified with newer suspension etc. front and rear and am currently working on the engine; 302 ci and C6 automatic. So my point is, figure out exactly what you want, write it down in detail and stick to the plan. I now have a goal to have this thing drivable in a year and a half. So wish me luck and I wish you luck on yours as well. By the way, I started on this truck early 1992.

 

I bought my wife's grandpa's truck in 2002. My daughter was born in 2004 then the city said I had to move it out of my driveway. It's a long slow process for some of us.

I have a build thread on my truck for two main reasons 1. To make sure I don't really screw anything up. I ask lots of questions. 2. Hopefully I can help someone in the future avoid mistakes and find answers to their questions easier. So, keep plugging away and be sure to post lots of pictures of your progress for us.

 

That one is way too nice to chop and modify. Keep it stock and build a street rod from something that cant be kept original because someone else has already chopped it.

 

While i wont be chopping it.. i will be modifying it. It is getting lowered a bit and already has a C4 and 302 in place. Stock paint and interior are staying.

 

UPDATES! UPDATES!!

 

I'm just now seeing this thread...hopefully you don't wait a year between posts anymore Tanner!

Although still expensive, I've gone the route of dropped axle (Sid's), lowering springs all around, and upgraded disc brakes on my '56. I'm not a fabricator, and like Ben always says, I would have had to pay for someone to do a lot of the fabrication/welding involved in a MII type suspension swap. I am not done with mine yet, but the stance is looking pretty good and it's been fun to be able to do it all by myself or with my dad and brother.

If my truck was at my house instead of my dad's I would move a lot quicker, so hopefully you'll start cookin with gas now that you got yours in your garage!

 

Vintage56 & I are helping him. Stuff has been happening and i was razzing him for not updating his thread.

 

Not a whole lot to report. Lots of parts on order. Wheels and tires are here and installed. Ill drop an Image of how the truck looks now along with a rendering of the way its going to look soon. Thanks to 1320stang I have located a 54 axle in Tulsa OK and will be picking it up tomorrow.

I will then take that axle to Sid on Monday for the 3" drop.
Second set of headers ordered as the headman block huggers just did not fit the application well. The new set should be here tues.
A new radiator should be here monday or Tues.
Trans Cooler is here.
Front disk conversion will arrive Thurs.

I need to drop the rear approx 4" so im wondering if the axle flip is the way to go? Vintage56 will be my best ally on this piece of the project. The attached image is a photoshop of an approx. 3-4 drop. (note the cool Door logo I came up with as a tribute to my grandpa.

 

Hello, your truck looks great. Good to see you are making progress with parts ordered and your plans obviously taking shape. When I bought my truck, it had a Dana 44 rear end sitting on top of the springs, with some leaves removed. I do not know if the springs were modified to lower the truck further. It had so little movement for the rear suspension, I had to get the springs raised an inch and a half so it did not hit the bump stops virtually with any movement.

Recently I fitted a Ford Explorer 8.8 rear end, once again above the axle, and I wish I had fitted it differently. It is thicker than the Dana 44 and I have little movement of the rear suspension again. Not long ago (6 months perhaps) there was a discussion here of the best way to lower the rear end and I wish I had read it before I did the 8.8 swap.

A lot of people say flip the rear axle, but with a bit more work I understand now, you can get a better result. Sorry for waffling on, I will see if I can find the thread I mentioned.

Edit, I haven't been able to find the thread yet, but I understand the Mid fifty catalogue has a good section on lowering

 

Headers are installed. (fit perfectly!)
New 3" drop axle installed with new disk brake conversion.
MSD ignition installed, New intake, new carburator,

Finally got the motor to start today! WOO! Ill get some photos up soon!
Thanks to all of my wonderful friends for helping this far! 1320stang has been
instrumental in helping me get parts rounded up and organizing efforts. Wont be much longer I hope. Now to tackle electrical... lol

 

Rock on man!

What wire kit did you decide on?
JML

 

I bought the EZ wire kit from Mid-Fifty. Color coded and labeled to the tips.. should make it a bit easier! Plan to do this kit and add runtz reducers to the gauges to keep them original. I think i also need one for the wiper motor and possibly the heater blower?

 

I ended up ordering the adjustable rear front spring hanger from mid-fifty. Looks easy enough and will get me 3.25" of drop. Anybody have experience with this kit?