Lateral-g Forums - D^3 Dad's Down and Dirty 1955 Pickup, Nerd Rods C4 on the Cheep

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- - D^3 Dad's Down and Dirty 1955 Pickup, Nerd Rods C4 on the Cheep (https://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50400)

Just a quick FYI for some guys who've asked questions about the project, the goal is cheap not crap. So while we are reworking and saving things we would other wise tell someone to toss when the D3 is said and done I hope for it to be a 40-50k dollar truck for no where near that much in it and a project that most guys at home can look at and think "I can do that" for most of the project.

New photo gallery,
http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects/03_D3/02/

We picked up a NICE set of 2011 Mustang seats from a local guy who pulled them for race seats. These would have worked very well if they were not as thick in the back. If we were running the automatic we would have used these guys for sure but with the stick there just wasn't any room to work the pedals comfortably. I'm 6'2" with a 36" inseam so I'm the measuring stick for this stuff.

http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...5-_H6A2527.jpg

So I had this set of Corbeau racing seats that were to narrow for us fat boys (I'm 250 38 waist and Jim's 210 with a 34 waist so not that bad) and so Jim took the skin off and bent the bolsters out. We're also going to cut it down a bit and make it more shapely for the truck but the key thing is that this moved the driver back just under 6 inches and this will be Dad's new daily driver so it needs to be comfortable.

http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...5-_H6A2535.jpg http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...5-_H6A2537.jpg

Aerodynamics and heat reduction mods!

http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...4-_H6A2519.jpg http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...4-_H6A2521.jpg http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...4-_H6A2529.jpg

We're blocking off the vents inside the truck and by opening this whole slot up along the dash the vent will now function as a heat exit for the truck giving a high rear location for the under hood to escape. This will stop air from going in the radiator and out under the truck where it will create lift. Next dad's also going to add a lip so that any water coming in will run off the sides instead of onto the motor.

And he's cutting an a smooth section of dash to clean the insides up a bit.
http://gallery.nerdrods.com/Projects...4-_H6A2538.jpg

More soon,
-Russell

My buddy Tyler did a cartoon rendering for Dad's truck, she's going to be so evil when she's done!

http://nerdrods.com/Images/Projects/...endering_M.jpg

Later
-Russell @ Nerd Rods

hell yeah, now this is a build i can get behind, i love it.

That's a cool rendering. I'd frame that and hang it on the wall.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WSSix (Post 612200)

That's a cool rendering. I'd frame that and hang it on the wall.

I'm too lazy for that, how about I just make it dad's background on his laptop, that sounds about right for this project, don't want to blow the budget.
:P

If it was on Cars, guess it would be Mater's greaser cousin?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin@EntropyRad (Post 612226)

If it was on Cars, guess it would be Mater's greaser cousin?

Dude, doing these year trucks for a living I now have 3 of my 10 customers calling their trucks Mater so no, just no. And probably his older brother being a single headlight 55-57 instead of the mater 58-59. I also don't remember how many factories there were building them either.

Later
-Russell @ Nerd Rods

(Quote) We're blocking off the vents inside the truck and by opening this whole slot up along the dash the vent will now function as a heat exit for the truck giving a high rear location for the under hood to escape. This will stop air from going in the radiator and out under the truck where it will create lift. Next dad's also going to add a lip so that any water coming in will run off the sides instead of onto the motor.

Sounds okay, but there is a high pressure area in front of the windshield which will just force more air into the engine compartment, not allow it to come out, It would be better to louver the hood, or cut and weld some other kind of vents into the hood just behind the radiator if you don't want to worry about air under the body.

Otherwise, it's a great idea for a project vehicle. I really like the idea of showing the average joe he can do something that turns out really neat for a modest cost.