1955 First-Series Five-Window Chevrolet Pick-up

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Interior

Interior

Pictures of the vehicle at the time of purchase :
 

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for the latest photos
     

     

  • Interior - will be two-tone.  black for the seat and lower half of the cab and gray for the upper portion.  Painted dash (to match the exterior color) and column/wheel combo as well.  Compliments of Seatco
     

  • Dash - I want to "smooth" it.  There should not be any need to have knobs on the dash, as all the important controls will be have been incorporated into the steering wheel/column.  But if needed, I will use Ron Francis knobs, and probably use a Ron Francis wiring harness too. 
     

  • Gauges - currently leaning towards the White Hot Series (with red pointer and back light) Speedtachular set from Classic Instruments and a round Dakota Digital indicator for the shifter.  It also has turn signal, high beam  and cruise control indicators as well.. 
     

  • Audio system - still got a few ideas.  As everything depends on the steering wheel/column combo, I need to find an appropriate adapter that will work with a given aftermarket head unit.  But everything will be out of plain sight.
     

  • Steering wheel - I recently purchased a 2007 Impala SS wheel/column with the assistance of a friend.  It has it all!!!  Here is an example.  The biggest issue I had is attaching the airbag cover to the steering wheel.  The wheel and cover came without the airbag (due to selling used items).  So I had to make a plate that would attach the cover to the wheel.  Once fabricated, I filled the void left by the missing airbag with plastic wrapped spray foam.  It firmed everything up nicely.
     

  • Steering Column - I recently purchased a 2007 Impala SS wheel/column (with the assistance of a friend).  It has it all!!!  Here is an example.  I have rough mounted the column and need to remove a fair amount of the plastic on the top piece so it will fit properly against the dash.  Obviously steering columns are much shorter and stockier than they were in the '50's.
     

  • Seat - from Glide Engineering with contoured foam and heaters.  Black leather will cover the entire bench.  I have mounted the frame and made all the customizations necessary for it to function properly.  I am keeping the skirt that encloses the area under the bench.  This way I can "hide" the items that will go under the seat.
     

  • Door - I know this is a repeat of the exterior section, but I will be using shave door handle kit from Autoloc.  I like this kit over the others because the solenoids have a positive mount.  With the kit I used on my last project, the solenoids move after so many actuations and it gets old having to adjust them every month.  (The reason for the movement is a single screw used as to hold the solenoid in place.  The way the brackets are bend/manufactured causes the mount to bend instead of holding the solenoid in place.)
     

  • Windows - will be power.  I am leaning towards the controls from Autoloc.  I am also wanting to use their billet door looms and shaved door handle kits.
     

  • A/C - Vintage Air Gen II Compact 3 Vent Evaporator system.  Will be hidden up under the dash, behind the former glove box.  Control panel will be hidden from plain sight.  I am still thinking of how to route the hoses to/from the condenser and main block.  I would like to keep them out of sight as much as possible.
     

  • Rear View Mirror - will be auto dimming with exterior air temperature sensor and compass
     

  • Cowl Vent - will be powered with the assistance of Watsons Streeetworks and some custom engineering at work.  The motor is a simple gear device and it only is intended to spin in one direction.  As the cam moves thru it's range, the cowl is opened and closed.  I am going to incorporate a sun roof controller from an Audi S4 in the headliner to control this device (along with other things).  With the help of some friends, I am going to use an optical feedback circuit to control the position of the vent.  This is definitely overkill, but I have a bit of time to kill and I have access to a machine shop to fabricate and mount the necessary components.  I have fabricated all the mechanical pieces and assembled everything.  Now to figure out the electronics of my plan...


new floorboards are coming

Passenger kick panel

driver kick panel

Extra holes have been removed

New passenger's side

New driver's side

smoothed dash and new floor boards

passenger kick panel

partially finished drivers side view

Starting the floorboard modifications

Completed interior

... from the drivers side

Primer !!!

nice looking dash

still got the battery in the floor

Dynamat is everywhere

Looking good!

From the passenger's side too!

driver's door panel

headliner (and mirror)

Passenger's door panel

just cleaning up the wiring now...

Driver's door panel

Floor from Driver's side

Headliner completed and installed

Again

Passenger's floorboard
 
tada!!!
 

 

Info Box

20-Jan-2011
The truck is finally back from the upholstery shop!!!!