Spring has sprung here in Minnesota, so in a few weeks I'll be able to haul my '94 to the shed to get working on it.  I posted WAY back when I first found this forum on my build plans.  I'll start here again to bring everyone back up to speed.   

 

First off, is this the right part of the forum to post a "build" thread?  If not please direct me to the correct location.  thanks

 

I restored a '51 Pilothouse B3D truck that was my great grandfathers truck.  I seem to have a disease now, lots of old truck parts in my house, garage and at friend's sheds.  I decided a few years back I was going to take a modern powertrain and graft on a Pilothouse cab/front clip as a daily driver.  This truck will be a stretched 3 door cab flat bed stake side hauler style truck.  I've got all the old Pilothouse cabs and doors to cut apart and re-weld up to the stretched cab.  As well as all the doors I could need to make the 3rd door and fill the space behind the passenger side door.

 

The '94 has a fresh rebuilt tranny and about 150K on the engine.  I've been thinking that since it will all be available to work on, going thru the engine and rear end would be a good idea right now.  Before I start to tear things off, any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Plans include air ride, saddle fuel tanks, rear duals and a tip up front end like a semi for engine work.  

 

thanks, I look forward to keeping this thread moving over the course of the spring/summer while things start under way.

Edited March 12, 201411 yr by PilotHouse2500

been a while...but punching holes in the firewall for cable controls, wire harness and acc cable.  Building running board mounts and frankensteining an acc pedal

 

 

running board progress

 

 

Pic of a full size mock up of the running board below.  Meanwhile I've plugged unused holes, made ones needed, made a mount for the gauges computer, welded in place the wing handle mounts, welded on mounts for wiring and cable controls.  At this point I'm pretty much ready for paint.   Hard to believe.

 

 

Impatiently waiting...

On 9/14/2024 at 11:54 AM, Mopar1973Man said:

Impatiently waiting...

 

I've been helping the painter build his new 5000sqft building to knock some of the cost off the project.  He THINKS he'll be all buttoned up here in early Oct.   So we'll trailer him over in early Oct and he'll "start".  No idea how long he'll be working on it....but needless to say I HAD orginally hoped to be reeassembling by Oct....so a few months behind.   Money will be the big driver on my side now.  Meanwhile I'll start working on the bed frame.

and on to the bed 

 

 

Spent more time with the parts yesterday, a few cut off wheels and a few scary moments with large pieces by myself....I've secioned it into 4 pieces now, but have decided to just build a new one,  these parts are just too beat up to match up to a nice clean cab and frame.   So off to CoreMark I go to spend unplanned $$.

broke the bed down to these 4 parts, with these and $1200 at CoreMark, I'll make a new bed with out all the "historical issues"

 

 

Cab marker lights set

 

 

Bed progress

 

 

Flat bed with stake pockets. Going to be sweet truck.

Looking great so far!

Bed "on" the truck.  Not at final height yet.  Amazing what you can do by yourself with no ready hands to help.

 

 

Front sitting on a cross member, rear set correct with cart.

 

 

I have a bed...

 

Things left:

1.  Fuel fill bracket

2.  Tie down backers

3.  Drill holes for bed strips

4.  Drill holes for marker lights

5.  Make bed tail plate for turn, brake, back up, plates,back up camera and trailer power

 

 

Wow back up camera on a 1950's truck this is going to be feature rich truck. 

Looking good!

Spent the day yesterday SLOWLY drilling the bed strip holes...60 in total thru structural U channel....all while under the influence of my shingles booster shot....but I got it done.  Here is my "favorite" version of the back plate (for all intents and purposes legally read that as "bumper").  orange dot is camera, yellow is trailer connections.  I just don't know if the marker lights are "out" far enough or not.  I might need to trim my stake pocket bits a bit to push them out further.

 

Edited October 11, 2024Oct 11 by PilotHouse2500

Are you putting lights in the bed corners?

originally yes....now....I dont know...I'm waffeling on what to do and how to do it.