There are lots of phases of classic truck building that the average home hobbyist tends to shy away from-major structural changes, wiring, upholstery, and bodywork and paint are among the most common. But for anyone who's got any kind of confidence in their skills some of these tasks are actually more within our reach than we may realize. A lot of this is thanks to the engineering prowess of aftermarket manufacturers who design and build the quality components we use in the course of sewing together our classic truck projects. Today I'm going to prove my point by allowing everyone to see that even an all-thumbs wannabe truck builder like me can successfully tackle a pretty major upgrade all by himself at home in a less than professional two-car garage/shop. And, as I've said more times than I can count, if I can do something like this anyone can.
While I'll do my best not to make this install story sound like an OxiClean infomercial I do want to express a purely personal opinion (and do so with great respect for the other fine manufacturer's whose components I use and recommend as well); I really think TCI makes some of the finest street rod and classic truck frames, components, and chassis any of us could get our greasy paws around. I've been using the company's wares for well over 17 years with great success, and will continue to do so until I'm done playing with trucks and cars for good-which will more than likely be when they plant me in the cold, damp earth.
As I alluded to in my opening paragraph, the main reason for my success is the hard work and engineering expertise of the aftermarket-in this case Total Cost Involved Engineering the manufacturer of the awesome IFS setup I've installed here. I chose the TCI setup over any of the many other high-quality brands out there because I've used the TCI IFS (and countless other TCI products) in the past and felt comfortable that it'd work as well in my classic pickup as it has in my hot rods in the past.
Well, this is what I'm starting my latest build experience with-a virtual basket case '57 Chevy. I'm not complaining, mind you, as it's better than no project at all. In fact, thinking like an optimist, at least I'm saving a bunch of time and effort by not having to disassemble a whole lot of stuff.
As is the case with any full-on build the chassis should be the starting point-like they say, you can't build a good house on a crappy foundation. That said, the first order of business is the following front suspension and brake upgrade. Like every project I start I modified my game plan numerous times before settling on one and this time was no different. I was first going to utilize a Total Cost Involved Mustang II-style coil-sprung IFS as part of the pickup's foundation, but as you can see that rapidly morphed into TCI's street rod-style coilover-equipped IFS for the '55-59 Chevy pickup. (TCI makes suspension kits and components for a large array of classic trucks by the way.)
The installation is pretty straightforward as you'll see, and the most important factors are correct measurements and good strong welds. The parts fit just as they're supposed to and the instructions are easy to understand and follow-so use 'em! That said, I'll make this short and get right to the install. I hope you enjoy it, but more so, I hope it'll motivate some of you to give something like this a try-there's nothing like saying "I did it myself!"
