1950 Chevy Pickup Resurection

[Gary Lewis]

A few of you will remember that a few years ago I pulled a 1950 Chevy pickup out of a field with Big Blue - which is why I can post about this on the Bullnose Forum. My grandson just spotted it under the carport and was quite interested. In fact, he started washing it!

 

But after a bit he started asking questions about what it would take to get it running, and now we have a plan to attempt to fire it up when he is back this summer.

 

So today he scrubbed one side of the hood and that front fender, then used rubbing compound on it to get the mold out of the paint, then polishing compound, and then wax. What a huge difference.

 

After that we pulled 3 of the plugs and squirted PB Blaster in the cylinders, and since the other three plugs wouldn't come out, we sprayed them with PB Blaster as well.

 

So here's a few pics and a video to show what he did:

 

[Nothing Special]

I was going to chastise you for starting on another project before getting back to Dad's Truck. But... grand kids. I guess you get a pass!

[85lebaront2]

Kid's ambitious I'll give him that. Is the engine a 216 or 235? Either way it is probably a splash lube on the connecting rods and may have poured babbit bearings. Chevy didn't go 100% to inserts until 1954 as far as I remember.

[Gary Lewis]

I was going to chastise you for starting on another project before getting back to Dad's Truck. But... grand kids. I guess you get a pass!

Yep, grandkids! What they want, ....

I'm thinking we are going to take this very easy - beyond washing/rubbing/polishing/waxing, and my arm already hurts. Supposedly they just parked it when the brakes went out. But was there water in block when winter hit?

We have a lot of checking to do.

[Gary Lewis]

Kid's ambitious I'll give him that. Is the engine a 216 or 235? Either way it is probably a splash lube on the connecting rods and may have poured babbit bearings. Chevy didn't go 100% to inserts until 1954 as far as I remember.

Right, Bill. 216.5 and should be splash with babbit bearings.

[85lebaront2]

Right, Bill. 216.5 and should be splash with babbit bearings.

First car I remember my parents having was a 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak, Straight 8 and the first year Hydra-Matic for Pontiac. I can remember watching dad drill out a broken (corroded through) headbolt after using "permanent antifreeze" in it. This was probably 1953-54 while we were at Dahlgren VA before he traded it in on a 1953 Custom Imperial. I learned a few new and interesting words watching him. Imperial showed in some way how behind Chrysler was, it had the 331 Hemi, but a semi-automatic (tiptoe shift) transmission. It did have a torque converter though.

The Pontiac still had the foot pedal starter and an elaborate linkage system to make sure the shifter was in Neutral (park lock was by placing the shifter in R with the engine off (N D L R quadrant). You need to find a "Blue Flame" 235 and a Hydra-Matic for that 50 and make it restorod.

[Gary Lewis]

First car I remember my parents having was a 1948 Pontiac Silver Streak, Straight 8 and the first year Hydra-Matic for Pontiac. I can remember watching dad drill out a broken (corroded through) headbolt after using "permanent antifreeze" in it. This was probably 1953-54 while we were at Dahlgren VA before he traded it in on a 1953 Custom Imperial. I learned a few new and interesting words watching him. Imperial showed in some way how behind Chrysler was, it had the 331 Hemi, but a semi-automatic (tiptoe shift) transmission. It did have a torque converter though.

The Pontiac still had the foot pedal starter and an elaborate linkage system to make sure the shifter was in Neutral (park lock was by placing the shifter in R with the engine off (N D L R quadrant). You need to find a "Blue Flame" 235 and a Hydra-Matic for that 50 and make it restorod.

I'm hoping to put it back as it is/was. If the engine will run then we'll see if the tranny is any good. And even if the radiator leaks we can keep it topped up with a hose while testing the engine.

But then there are a few other things to do. When I got it there were three different sizes of wheels on it. So it now sits on jack stands. And, as said, they said the brakes were "out", so we'll have to go through them. And the wheel bearings. Who knows if the rear axle will turn.

Not sure what we'll do about the electrical system. I am sure the battery will be bad and as that's a 6v system and since everything I have is 12v I'd need a battery. But a quick look says that's going to cost ~$150 and I'm not sure I want to spend that to find out if the engine runs. So I'm wondering if a 12V starter might be cheaper and put a ballast on the coil. Then if it runs well enough to continue reviving it we could convert it fully to 12V.

[grumpin]

Neat to see your grandson going at it!

[viven44]

All it takes is one spark to kindle that fire! I am hoping to inherit my father-in-laws 69 Chevy that he’s owned since new. The other grandson is not interested in vehicles but if he gets that spark I know his grandpa will let him have it…

Sounds like a fun project with the grandson!!

[Nothing Special]

.... Not sure what we'll do about the electrical system. I am sure the battery will be bad and as that's a 6v system and since everything I have is 12v I'd need a battery. But a quick look says that's going to cost ~$150 and I'm not sure I want to spend that to find out if the engine runs. So I'm wondering if a 12V starter might be cheaper and put a ballast on the coil. Then if it runs well enough to continue reviving it we could convert it fully to 12V.

A 6V starter will live for a LONG time being fed 12V. Some of the people on the old Jeep forum I'm on convert their Jeeps to 12V without ever changing the starter motor. So I'd suggest a ballast on the coil, make sure the rest of the system is isolated and going for it with a 12V battery. Don't crank the engine too long (let the starter cool a bit if the engine doesn't want to start). And if you get to the "continue reviving" bit you can decide what to do longer term.