smuggled goods

[joehalford01]

i've been lazy lately guys but i finally took some progress pics for ya. heres the new carb and two inch spacer, pretty much looks the same. i also attached pics of the smithys for you. what do you think? first time for everything i guess.

 

[joehalford01]

i also started taking the gauge cluster apart. i want to retain a semi stock look and not go with new gauges stuck in a piece of billet like everyone else. so i found a nice cluster at the junkyard from a 76 camaro. the gauges are the perfect size and pop out individually. a couple days worth of work with the dremel and some creativity should pay off i think. I'm also going to use the tach but i will need to build a seperate cup for that.

 

[joehalford01]

here are some more pics, including the rats nest that i plan to do away with when i put the new gauges back in. i have a swap meet wiring harness that i've been hanging onto for awhile now.

 

[joehalford01]

it sure is nice having an extra car, i can go bannanas on my truck now. I havn't done anything with the gauges yet except set them aside from the last update. I'm going to finish those when i re-wire the truck. I decided to start my body and frame work. I've got a lot to learn so bear with me. I pulled the bed off, i kinda like the way it looks without that huge bed but i'll decide on that later. I just wanted it out of the way so i could get to the frame, etc. Then i started on the front end. I've seen these trucks with front tilt hoods but never complete front end tilts. After pulling the outer cowls and the passenger fender off i can see why. dosn't look easy. I think i'm going to try anyways though. I'll eliminate the inner fenders along with the radiator support. the hood, fenders, outer cowls, and front will all be one piece. I'll need to fab something that pulls the front end out, then tilts it up for this to work. here are some pics, any advice is welcome. thanks guys.

 

[joehalford01]

that orange one is sick dude, thanks for the pics.

Lemme weigh-in on this ...

It's ugly - I hate it ...

Quit while you're behind ! ! !

You have to at least wait until it's done before you hate

 

[joehalford01]

sweet dude, thanks for the links. I'll check those out. You wouldn't by chance have a pic of the brackets and hinges on that thing would you?
It looks easier then what i'm thinking but i'm not sure if I like the lines of the angle cut. it dosn't flow with the lines of the truck in my mind. If i make it pull forward and close up all the other spots, the only lines it will have are the original at the door and top of the hood.
then theres the inner fenders, i think i want to lose those for a couple of reasons. the first is if i slam it i don't have to worry about wheel clearance, the second is some really cool fenderwell headers would be nice, the third being less weight. are there good reasons to keep the inner fenders, if i drive in the rain my engine will get all wet and dirty?

 

[joehalford01]

points taken dude, I was thinkin about that battery tray , i can always sell it.

I am planning on welding it all into a single piece, i think you're onto something with the scale bit though. it would be good to know what each piece weighs. I think i'll start by reducing it down to individual pieces, then seeing what i need to make my front end. if i did weld the hood to the fenders i think that would help structurally by quite a bit. plus i would like to weld the outer cowls to the fenders as well. once it's all together i can cut out all the extra stuff on the inside of the single unit.

one of my fenders has a good dent in it though so I think i'll wrangle up some fenders from the junkyard first. Then use the ones i have now to practice my dent removal skills on later. I know that sounds excessive but i know where i can score some fenders cheap. sounds like i have something to do tomorrow.

 

[joehalford01]

well......didn't get much done today; got dragged to the mall, then went to my parents, finally got to work on the truck tonight for a few hours. i managed to get the driver side fender off and remove all the bolts for the radiator support and grill support. there were two large bolts at the bottom of the radiator support i gave up on tonight (it's freakin hot here and the 500w halogen light don't help). I managed to get the nuts off but the bushings between it and the frame are rock solid; i hit it a few times with a hammer and gave up. I'm tired.....

 

[joehalford01]

no, i still don't know what i'm doing. I figured i would start with the front end and go from there. are you scared yet?

 

[joehalford01]

i found a free photo shop style program online. how do you guys think my truck looks with a chop? I don't know how many inches this would be, i just cut about half of the top out.

before:

after:

i like it but i don't, i think it would look better slammed as well, i think i'll do that next. it sure does help to be able to visualize it though.

 

[Gastrick]

Man that's a serious whack Joe. I don't think I would chop it quite that much. And like you said, it could use a lowering job to bring the proportions back after the chop. I like almost anything chopped. Especially lowered trucks.

 

[joehalford01]

looks even better slammed, anyone have any side profiles of 60-63 trucks in primer, longbed, i didn't take any of mine before i took the bed off. i need to do a side profile.

 

[joehalford01]

A bump for my thread!!!!!

Finally! I've actually made some progress on the truck guys. I've managed to finally get the motor and tranny out, pulled all the wiring, the gas tank, steering column, and the CAB! I finally have it down to a rolling chassis! I'm so excited it hurts! I'll be using the welder soon. My wife's been helping me the last couple days and she really wants to keep it a longbed fleetside, not too radical (my plans are always changing - but at least i'm moving forward). So plans are 3" z front and back of cab, huge step notch over the rear axle.......and we'll go from there. One step at a time .

I am going to be needing a pressure washer. Any suggestions? I saw one at Lowes today for $260 that put out 2200 psi (had some honey do's); would that be plenty to blast all the grime off? I've also seen the ones you use with your air compressor but i don't know how useful they would be........it's a consideration if anyone here has used one though. Know of any good deals going right now? I'm going to check out sears tomorrow. Is a pressure washer overkill? (my wife wants the house pressure washed as well so I'm trying to justify the purchase - kill two birds with one stone)

What about sandblasters? I'm going to need one of these as well soon. I figure the harbor freight roll around under $100 special is my best bet. Anyone here tried it yet? My compressor isn't very big so I need one that is half-way efficient, so any pointers on this would be great. Thanks guys, pics will follow soon - the camera is dead right now .

 

[Bonehead]

Both pieces of equipment are rentable, or you can find companies who will do the work for $. but it may be more fun to buy them.

 

[Gastrick]

Joe, first off IT'S ABOUT TIME . Secondly, I actually like your wifes idea on this subject. Long, low, fleetside without getting too crazy. Sounds like a plan to me. How low do you want it. Do you really need to 'z' the frame to get it there? Because after you "z" the frame, you're going to have to raise the transmission hump and driveshaft tunnel of the cab too.


I say get the pressure washer. Anytime you can grab a tool that makes the wife happy too, go for it.

Which HF sandblaster are you talking about. The gravity feed or the pressure pot?

 

[joehalford01]

Bonehead: Both pieces of equipment are rentable, or you can find companies who will do the work for $.

Come on MAN! Thats no fun! Just don't tell my wife we can rent them.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=34202

I was going to get whatever was on a sale for the least amount of money at the time. I'm guessing this is the way to go though over one of the other siphon style units?

As for the z, it looks like most go for a 3" as everything still pretty much bolts in without too many issues. Some guys have pushed 3.5" but the few that have done more then that (and posted it about it online ) have said they've run into all kinds of issues. We have alot of things going on right now and I'm planning to go back to school next semester so I'm starting to agree with my wife on scaling back my grand plans, but at the very least, I want to be able to mow the lawn with my bumper when it's all said and done. I need to keep my budget down and I'm already looking at about $700-$1000 for my air-bags. I figure the z, maybe a front crossmember notch, and some channeling if necessary are all items I can do for cheap and get my truck layed out for a lot less then some of the other guys spending big bucks on tricked out suspensions. What do you think? Your advice is always appreciated.

 

[joehalford01]

i have a few minutes before work so i finally wrote down the casting numbers on the small block from my truck and looked it up on mortec. 3782870

327 small block 62-67 with 2 bolt main

Not too bad, i was afraid it was a 283 (just being paranoid i guess). What level should i be able to build this guy up to on a budget for a truck application? I'm thinking 350hp, 300lbs. tq? The oil pressure was pretty low when i was driving it so I'm afraid it may need a re-build but i'll do a compression check first while it's still all in one piece on the stand.

 

[joehalford01]

enough small talk; heres the proof!

Rats nest removed! I stuck it in a box for now in case i need any of it when i use my replacement harness.

Here's the engine and tranny removed!!

The cab removed. That was a cool experience.

The rolling frame!

 

[joehalford01]

I picked this little guy up tonight after work to the tune of $250. It's nicer then the one they had at lowes and comparable to most i saw online. It was on clearance at sears, last one in a box with everything. It works pretty good as i hit the frame with it real quick for fun. I'll pick up some de-greasers next week and give it a real work-out then.

 

[35Mastr]

i have a few minutes before work so i finally wrote down the casting numbers on the small block from my truck and looked it up on mortec. 3782870

327 small block 62-67 with 2 bolt main

Not too bad, i was afraid it was a 283 (just being paranoid i guess). What level should i be able to build this guy up to on a budget for a truck application? I'm thinking 350hp, 300lbs. tq? The oil pressure was pretty low when i was driving it so I'm afraid it may need a re-build but i'll do a compression check first while it's still all in one piece on the stand.

Joe,if the pressure was low.You better tear it down.Pressre is built through your mains.They are probably out of clearence.Oil pump likley on its last leg too.Might as well go right through the motor.Its easer now than to do it again.How do I know.I have to tear my motor apart soon now.#5 is drippin some coolant.