Baby B – 1955 Chevy

1955 First Series Chevy

Introducing Baby B!

This sweet 1955 first series Chevy 3100 5-window was discovered down in Texas.

We promise to have updates on each “Working Wednesday” to follow Baby B’s progress. Stay Tuned!

Baby B arriving at Possum Holler Garage in Sawdust, TN

Baby B was purchased by Becky Hanrahan, our President/Owner. Becky and Baby B have a lot in common! The truck is a first series ’55 Chevy and Becky has admitted to being from ’55 too. J Baby B spent its early years on a farm in Texas and Becky grew up on a farm in Iowa.  It’s almost a match made in heaven.  Becky recently experienced the birth of her first grandson and someday this truck is going to be driven by him, hence the name. Becky plans to use Baby B as a daily driver, until her grandson is old enough to drive and then the truck will be all his!

That’s a Hall & Oates reference for the kids in the audience.  Look them up on YouTube, but first let’s talk about Baby B!

The restoration of Baby B is getting serious. This week the boys has begun the dismantle process. They started at the front and worked all the way down to the frame rails.

Baby B is getting the complete frame off restoration treatment and even though she is a very rough canvas to begin with there is a lot of potential there!

Baby B has shed her body panels and revealed her true colors!

It’s much easier to pick a paint scheme when you can see the original colors of the truck. The boys have dismantled the truck enough that they uncovered some panels that haven’t been battered by years of wear and tear. Baby B’s fenders used to be a dark blue color while the hood, cab, and doors used to be a light blue color.

It’s a color scheme that is perfect for a truck that is celebrating the birth of a grandson!

New parts have arrived from LMC Truck.

Baby B won’t get to go through them to see what treats we’ve sent her as her frame, cab, and various parts are heading off to the sandblaster the very same day!

Tune in next week! Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!

Baby B is back from the sandblaster and looking sharp! Who knew all that rust and dirt could end up looking so good?

That’s the original frame, cab, hood, both front fenders, and the rear wheel wells.

Baby B’s new fenders are being prepped for installation.  The boys have been sanding and cleaning them thoroughly with a wax and grease remover.  They’ll also been filling in any imperfections in the fenders.

After they are done with them the fenders go from warehouse basic to showroom quality!

The boys review the frame to see what will have to be removed to install the new Independent Front Suspension on Baby B.

After it was blasted, the boys review Baby B’s cab to see what metal needs to be replaced.

Yes, we know that is Chevy’s tag line from the early 90’s, but it fits here!

Baby B’s heart has arrived. The boys have been all over her new transplant. Baby B is going to be powered by an HT 383 from Chevy Performance. Her V8 power is going to be mated to a Hydra-Matic 4L65-E Transmission to help get all that power and torque to the road. She’s not only going to be a “head turner” for her looks, but sh’es going to lay some rubber down too! The best kind of truck: loud, proud, and quick! Stay tuned for upcoming installments of Baby B’s new rearend and a new disc brake system (Sadly, we have to stop too…)! Remember to check back every Wednesday for more updates!

This week the boys have been sanding down the Bedsides, Running Boards, and Fenders to start mocking up the bed. After they sanded them down, the boys applied the primer coat and got right back to the sanding. Baby B is starting to really come together!

This week Baby B has been having the bed mocked up. Check out that unstained wood and stainless steel slat bed. Once the boys get the stain on there, it’s really going to shine. We can’t wait to show you the paint colors too!  As soon as we know, you’ll know!

It’s about time to start bolting Baby B together, but first The boys are “boxing in” the frame. This will make sure that the frame is straight and has to happen to prepare for all of the updates. This includes a lot of serious fabrication and pain staking measuring but is a must to help install the 383 engine, automatic transmission, IFS, and 4 link rear suspension.

The very last thing that will occur during this step is that the frame must also be leveled from side to side and front to back before they can proceed.

“Fit, Grind, Weld – repeat – Fit, Grind, Weld – repeat…”

This week’s update is the installation of the new Independent Front Suspension. The boys have put in many hours of careful measurements, adjustments, more adjustments, more measurements, and then some fabrication.

The frame had to be completely leveled, left to right & front to back prior to any installation. After the IFS is installed, the components will then be removed to prep the frame for paint. With each update our excitement is growing! We can’t wait to show you all the finished Baby B.

This week Baby B has had the new IFS Cross Member permanently installed!

The boys have also installed the Four Link rear suspension with the IFS still attached. To install the rear suspension there is a lot of measuring and adjusting, measuring and adjusting. After it is all perfectly installed, it all will be removed as the fabricated frame will be sanded, primer’ed, and head to the paint shop.

After the previous “mock up,” the drive shaft brace is now permanently installed.

With all the modifications complete, the frame is put in primer. The boys carefully turn it over to make sure it is beautiful on both sides. Did you spot the chicken?

The frame is now painted. The IFS that was previously mocked up is now permanently installed. The fuel tank is also now permanently installed in the bed. Last, but definitely not least, the Power Brake Master Cylinder is also permanently installed. There’s also a sneak peek of the Rocket Racing Wheels that will be installed!

Here are the Cab Corners after the sand blast and then again after the metal work. Body work coming up!

The cab floors are being repaired. Worn out areas are cut out and new LMC Truck floor pan metal is installed!

Cab body work is almost completed.

Hard to believe all of this will soon be pulled apart again. The boys are trying to verify that Baby B has the desired “stance” front and rear. In an effort to determine the appropriate tire size and “stance.”

The front clip is mocked up. It’s checked and re-checked. Everything is checked again to make sure it all goes back together perfectly. Take it apart – put it together – take it apart – put it together, etc., etc., etc…

This is the last step for Baby B before it’s time for paint. After this, the truck will be taken all apart again, painted, and then reassembled! We can’t wait!

Paint!

(Not a real code.)

This week Baby B’s heartbeat (383 Stroker) has been painted and re-installed. Can’t wait to hear her roar into life!

Baby B has arrived at our corporate headquarters in Lenexa, KS. She looks great in person! We are hoping to have some video of her to share with you all soon!

Baby B had an amazing lunch date with a dark and handsome ’53 Ford F-100.

She also used this time to explore Kansas City a little more! Check out these cool pictures we got of her around town.