'55 Chevy 3800 Cummins

6DoF · 01-02-2020, 07:15 AM

time to bring this back!

so while she's been in storage, my plans for this truck have changed a little. i was just building a truck to play with before, but now i want something i can show and use. the 96 ram chassis is going away. the front suspension is not good, there are ZERO parts available, i already have to redo every mount for the body/engine n trans, it looks bad, etc.

so now i want to build something i can really use. drive, show, tow, etc. so i decided i'm going back to a GM C30 front suspension, just like the c10 stuff i built before but more beef. lots of upgrades available. also now that i've built 2 air bag IFS, 3rd times the charm and i'm going to change it up a bit from what i've learned.

i FINALLY found the IFS parts i've been looking for cheap. no way i'm spending $3k on an all new setup, i really only needed the cross member, but i found a whole chassis. early 80s 3+3 1-ton chassis that someone converted to a dually rear since the front is SRW hubs. $100 for the whole thing. AND i got the rear bumper i've been wanting!

i get to measuring and this frame is WAY closer to what i was going to build. i need to look over things more, but i very well might keep this entire chassis including the saddle tanks. if i do that, i'll get it running and driving on the current springs without cutting any length out even. then build from there.

01-02-2020, 07:15 AM	#2
6DoF AKA: jeepnski Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 16,550	time to bring this back! so while she's been in storage, my plans for this truck have changed a little. i was just building a truck to play with before, but now i want something i can show and use. the 96 ram chassis is going away. the front suspension is not good, there are ZERO parts available, i already have to redo every mount for the body/engine n trans, it looks bad, etc. so now i want to build something i can really use. drive, show, tow, etc. so i decided i'm going back to a GM C30 front suspension, just like the c10 stuff i built before but more beef. lots of upgrades available. also now that i've built 2 air bag IFS, 3rd times the charm and i'm going to change it up a bit from what i've learned. i FINALLY found the IFS parts i've been looking for cheap. no way i'm spending $3k on an all new setup, i really only needed the cross member, but i found a whole chassis. early 80s 3+3 1-ton chassis that someone converted to a dually rear since the front is SRW hubs. $100 for the whole thing. AND i got the rear bumper i've been wanting! i get to measuring and this frame is WAY closer to what i was going to build. i need to look over things more, but i very well might keep this entire chassis including the saddle tanks. if i do that, i'll get it running and driving on the current springs without cutting any length out even. then build from there. Last edited by 6DoF; 01-02-2020 at 07:19 AM.