BangShift member Squirrel has some awesome stuff. His blown 1955 Chevy is a personal favorite car of ours, but his recent project, a 1957 Chevy one-ton truck has really gotten our attention. Jim revived the existing 283 engine and pulled off a totally cool rear suspension swap using the springs and axle out of a 1980s Suburban. He also added a fleetside bed and fixed up the old school wood decking.
This truck is kind of unique in the fact that it is a one-ton model. The vast majority of vintage trucks out there are half tons that lived fairly easy lives. Back in 1957, you didn’t buy a one-ton truck unless you planned on working it. Trucks in that era were nothing like they are today. Nobody bought one just to cruise around in or because they looked cool. Trucks were work vehicles, farmer transportation, and something people hauled ass by on the freeway because the trucks were topped out at about 65mph.
With the new axle an suspension, ride quality and highway cruising ability have been advanced lots. Squirrel is a certified salt junkie and he’s talking about adding an old school slide in camper to serve as his personal headquarters at Bonneville. No doubt he’ll pull it off using his flare for the old school.
Hit the link below and read the thread on the truck build. He’s accomplished lots in less than six months and the progress really seems to be hitting a solid cadence now that he’s dedicated his time to this truck over any of his other projects.
Project : Squirrel’s 1957 Chevy One-Ton truck
UPDATE 1/11/2011 — Jim has been working at his usual quick pace and in just a short time he’s completed his chassis and suspension fabrication, added a nice fleetside bed, engineered a gas filler, fixed some body issues and most recently, added a completely bitchin’ old school camper. Jim plans on making this truck his Bonneville whip amongst other trips, so the retro awesome camper will fit right in on the salt and anywhere else old iron hangs out. The most entertaining part of the camper pickup is how Jim got the big sucker on his trailer by using a big steel sled, a winch, floor jacks and hope. Oh yeah, one of his sons helped too. Jim also took a look at the tired 283 currently providing the power and found interesting stuff after completing a compression test. This vintage Chevy is really shaping up. Be sure to check out the progress Jim has made!
Project update link: The 1957 Chevy one-ton gets a bed, a compression test, and a camper!
