Just bought a 37 Truck

[alini]

I am picking up a 1937 Chevy truck on Tuesday.  Previous owners have already installed a 350 cid engine, Turbo350 trans and Ford 9 inch rear.  The only other modification so far was a more modern bench seat but the seller couldnt tell me from what.  The charging system, lights, ignition are all 12 volt, the seller said none of the gauges work so Im assuming they are still 6 volt and need to be converted.

With the stock suspension in the truck and the ford 9 rear the lug nut count is weird (6 in the front and 5 in the rear) so the rims dont match.

 

Upon initial inspection I found the engine mounting is a little awkward to me, its mounted on a large U cradle mounted to the cross member at two spots and the cradle is only bolted to two bolts in the lower front corners of the block.  I'm a novice to this generation vehicle, but Its my understanding thats how the original 50s cars were mounted.   So it will be one of the first things I address to get it on the road.  Previous owner got it from an estate sale a year ago and barely drove it.  The front passenger drum brake locks up very easily, I"ll get the brakes serviceable until I decide which way I want to take it.  Ive heard some people hate the solid axle and others say its not bad.  Im leaning toward leaving the truck as stock as possible and just make a cruiser out of it.

 

This is not my first 'overhaul'  I did a frame off rebuild of a 65 Riviera, that is posted in the Riviera section of the forum.  Took me 4 years and I did everything by myself except the transmission rebuild.  I am ust about complete on a panel conversion of a PT Cruiser, again something I did entirely myself (except the paint - I paid because I dont have the space in the garage anymore)  So Im looking forward to getting into this project and seeing what challenges it throws at me.   I willbe asking alot of questions