what should i do next?

[joehalford01]

I worked on my truck some more yesterday; the 63. I got all of the front end off. so now i have the cab and the motor sitting on the frame. not really sure where i should go from here. i plan on making the front end a full tilt as i said before but i'm also thinking a body drop is in order. so i'm thinking i need to do the body drop on the cab first so i can properly align the front end. i've decided to let the chop go on this truck so i can sacrifice the head room with a body drop, hopefully will make it easier to "lay rocker" as the sport truckers say .

so? should i pull the motor and tranny next? then get everything out of the cab?

i'm leery as i don't want to strip it down to the bare frame and then lose interest. i'm also planning on doing a serious c-notch in the rear so i can get it low. should i get down to a bare frame and do each piece one at a time? frame up? open to any suggestions from you guys, thanks.

 

[Gastrick]

I'm assuming that by "body drop" you mean what us older guys call channeling. If so, I would pull the engine and tranny in order to make it an easier job. It will take less time to pull it now than the time you will waste working around it later. That's what I would do anyway. It's pretty easy to pull the engine/tranny with the front sheetmetal off anyway.

 

[Gastrick]

Just to add something here. I would make the suspension lowering modifications first, then channel the body.

 

[joehalford01]

heres a pic

 

[joehalford01]

i think your right about doing the suspension before the body drop. i'm planning on doing bags but either way it should be easier to get it all done first instead of coming back to it later. hmmmmm....

 

[rustywrench]

i agree. do the suspension first. then if you want to channel it you can do it later. dont forget the pictures!

 

[FlatBroke]

Joe,
I would say put the baggs on all four corners first. If it doesn't already have front and rear sway bars, that would be my next step (if I had the money)...Those guys over on the Chevy truck website say it makes 1 heluva big difference in handling. After the bags are on, see how low you sit and decide from there wether or not you want to try and channel the body, or "Z" the frame.

 

[hotrodron]

Cool truck. I would definately do the bags before body dropping it. You dont want to smash your rockers the first time you hit the switch. I'd leave the cab mounted and put the bags on and see where you're at. Just make sure you do the front and the back then check it out. If your planning a huge c-notch in the rear you might be layin frame with just the bags and maybe a little modifications to your a-arms. Don't smash your oil pan though LOL Might have to modify the crossmember a little too. Also don't forget, if your planning a full tilt forward front end, if its layin rocker you cant tilt that frontend forward. I love those trucks - can't wait to see your progress.

 

[joehalford01]

thanks for the feed back guys, i just spent the last three hours reading up on air-bags at chevytrucks.com and surfing a couple web-sites. i think your exactly right about installing the bags and seeing how low it goes. i think i'll do this to the front and back and use schrader valves to inflate them. i'd like to see how low and high it will sit with a complete stock frame and suspension other then the air bags, then i can make more decisions from there.

i was thinking about that on the front tilt, i'd like to design something that can slide the front end forward, then lift it up, then tilt forward. or it could do the up and tilt at the same time. i have no idea how i'm going to do this but i think i have some time to think it over.

 

[motomech]

heres a newer chevy i bagged in the front for my friend it gets pretty low and will raise up about 10 inches no mods except replacing the spring with a bag

 

[Mr.Gussett]

Tilt front end?

Just a thought!
If you have your truck slammed on the ground you can still tilt the whole nose IF you make your hinge point ABOVE the bumper.If you are not using a bumper then hinge it accordingly up higher as where you will still have room for the nose to be able to lay foreward.(split the grill )
Does that make sense????
I guess what I'm saying is your truck is going to be a sweet ride and if you want it a certain way then find a way without elliminating the one BIG thing you want the most!Where there is a will there IS a way!! Keep the pics comming!
Tim

 

[gassersgarage]

Are you gonna use suspension stops? The big "thing" nowadays is to lay frame. My friend had a chopped Merc that laid frame. One day, driving down the freeway, a bag broke. Car had to be trailered home. Loading it was a pain, besides gouging the street, he scrapped the frame pretty good.

He added suspensions stops so in the event of a bag failure, he could drive it home.

 

[FlatBroke]

Glad you brought that up. I forgot all about that.

 

[joehalford01]

i'm not sure yet, i do want it to lay frame but i know what you mean as far as a bag blowing out on me who knows, i might be completly satisified with a small c-notch, stock suspension, and deflated bags. i may let it go if i get it down to an inch or two. now i just have to wait for that next paycheck.........