Brad's 1954 R Series Build


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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:48 pm

Brad's 1954 R Series Build

Hi all,

My name is Brad, and I have a project going. I like reading other folks build threads so i thought i would start my own to share with others.

History:

This truck belonged to my uncle back in the 80's. To put it together, he and his high school buddies would raid groves, buy parts from farmers, and get parts from pretty much anywhere they could back home in Iowa to put this truck together. He drove it around for a year, left for college and parked it in a garage.

When my grandfather passed in the late 90's the truck needed out of storage....which is when i first acquired it. Not having much experience and NO MONEY, the truck ended up in Nebraska with some extended family. They pretty much got it running, drove it in a few parades now and then....but overall it pretty much sat in the barn.

After tracking it back down this last winter, I was able to purchase it back and brought it back with me home to Texas after visiting family back in July. I drove it around here for a week (kind of, there were all kinds of gremlins), then started dis-assembly.

Let me say this, I am not really a purist, I have always been kind of a hot rod/muscle car kind of guy, so going back with an all stock truck isn't my plan. Fortunately, very little on this truck is originally from this truck, so i don't feel awful about getting rid of old parts, and then building it into more of a modern hot rod kind of truck. When finished, i want to comfortably drive my kids around, and whatever highway speeds needed. I am not building a show truck, but i am going to do my best to make it look good and be safe (that was my disclaimer so i don't get killed for the changes i am going to be doing).

We all love pics, here we go:

Truck on my great uncles farm in Nebraska in 2011

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

As it sat waiting for me in July

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Took my daughter for a spin around my parents Iowa farm before i loaded her up on the trailer

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr
Last edited by bsievers1616 on Wed Aug 16, 2017 1:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:53 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

Got her home, took the rotted out bed off

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Dis-assembly
Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr
Last edited by bsievers1616 on Wed Aug 16, 2017 1:23 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:55 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

Found some cool stuff while taking her apart...such as:

Image

and some not so cool stuff....such as:

Image

Image
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 3:58 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

I am putting in a MII front end from FATMAN. I decided on the adjustable coil overs, rather than bags.....i hope i don't regret it, but time will tell i guess

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr
Last edited by bsievers1616 on Wed Aug 16, 2017 1:24 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 4:01 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

This is about as far as i am. 5 months of off and on work to put into 10 minutes of a build thread...lol.

I have never done body work before, but my plan is do to everything on this truck myself....so i started tackling the rust repair on the driver corner since that appeared to be the easiest to fix and practice on

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

After finishing that inner structer, then cleaning all that i could plus rust proofing. I attempted fabbing my first outer panel. Man, it aint perfect, but i am happy with the results

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr
Last edited by bsievers1616 on Wed Aug 16, 2017 1:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Joined: Fri Oct 25, 2013 10:45 am

Location: Central Florida

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 7:29 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

Looking good. Keep up the good work.
I (my builder) was pretty far along when I started "Project 51 L 110" thread. I and my builder built my truck close to what it sounds like you're aiming at. I used a MII from Fatman and went the Shockwave route. I'm still on the fence with the air ride system. I must have leakage because it always needs to pump up whenever it's been sitting for a few days. I'm almost thinking about going back to adjustable coil overs, but the air ride was quite expensive and I'll stick it out and chase leaks for awhile.
I may not have needed to add the clearance notches above the steering rack, but I put them in anyway. The before clearance was minimal and I went ahead out of the "better safe than sorry" mentality.
I followed a former forum member, Nick Waringa, build-up on his '50 L and added some of my own touches. A little research and you may be able to find some of the remnants of his build thread.
Last edited by WEW51L110 on Tue Dec 02, 2014 8:09 am, edited 1 time in total.
L110 owner since 1974, finally rebuilt 2014.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:06 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

CUT AND PASTE:
He said, Took my daughter for a spin around my parents Iowa farm before i loaded her up on the trailer I presume it was the truck that went on the trailer? LOL
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:12 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

Haha, ya, loaded the truck on the trailer :)

Man that was a long 13 hour drive towing it home .

speaking of...

Image54 IHC by isu_phi, on Flickr
Last edited by bsievers1616 on Wed Aug 16, 2017 1:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 8937

Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:43 pm

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

I absolutely love that picture of a proud Dad and Daddy's little girl. My daughter, now 30, is a mechanic and she started off sitting on my knee and "driving our R120". There is not much else to say.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive
User avatar

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 343

Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 11:57 pm

Location: Plano, TX

Post Tue Dec 02, 2014 1:07 am

Re: Brad's 1954 R Series Build

thank you! she is my youngest, just turned 3....with two older brothers. she is a firecracker, and probably the one who will help me the most on this project
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