Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Bet that had you scrambling faster than you thought you could! Fuel filler line looks great. Been enjoying your build for a while now. Gotta get me a powder setup!

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

It was exciting for a few seconds. I had mail ordered the tires so they were banded together pretty tight. Then I let them sit on my porch for a day in the 20 degree temperature. So when I went to install them and seat the beads, they didn't cooperate and I had to move on to the ether and fire method.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Hooo-Weee! Glad you're ok! Ready for phase 2!

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

I bet the wife gave you an earful....glad no pain.. Looks good, and should flow well too...

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

This morning I started on the front end. So far, I'm about an hour and a half into it.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...a70d78de09.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...c782cab7de.jpg


http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...563ba60199.jpg



http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...15fb6212f3.jpg


I'm actually having an off morning. While disassembling I broke one of my favorite SnapOn screwdrivers. It was abuse, I was tapping a cotter pin out using a little ballpein hammer and the screwdriver. My bad. I also slipped when popping the ball joints loose with my mini sledge and hit a tie rod end. Ruined the threads on that real quick.

So I came inside to drink a pot of coffee and use the Internet machine to find my parts to freshen everything up.

I had already bought a few things. Shocks, grease seals, upper and lower ball joints, and idler arm.


http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...966dad3512.jpg


I need to order brake hoses, a tie rod end (doh), and a dust cap one of the front bearings. Fortunately, the control arm bushings are good upper and lower. I say fortunately because these aren't just normal one ton stuff, they're some heavier dutier stuff than I have ever seen before. Looks expensive.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Looks like you'll have your work cut out for ya. I can't wait to see them all cleaned up and ready to rock on back in.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Here is where I stand right now.

The driver side is fairly funky due to past power steering leaks.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...ab512fbfcc.jpg

Passenger side is cleaner.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...022ccc32b6.jpg

Don't worry, I solemnly swear that this front suspension will be fully rebuilt and sanitary when I'm through with it.


I've been cleaning parts all day. I also cut a coil off each spring to bring the front down to match the rear (drop shackles installed earlier).

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...e9fc2abefa.jpg

I have a bunch more stuff that is cleaned and blasted and sitting in the blast cabinet awaiting color. I promised Valerie I'd buy her a nice dinner if she'd carry me to town tonight. I'll get some paint, wire wheel, cut off wheels, and new blast media. My blast media is contaminated so I need to buy a couple of hundred pounds of fresh stuff. By going shopping tonight (and buying Valerie dinner in exchange), I'll be ready to hit it hard first thing in the morning rather than having to take a couple of hours to make a trip to town which cuts down on my productivity during the day.

I'll try and get pictures tomorrow, but the lower control arms are weird on this thing. Rather than using u-bolts like most other trucks, the arms bolt directly to the crossmember with bolts and nuts. It's very heavy duty.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

I forgot to say, UPS dropped the ball on my McMaster Carr order of stainless hardware. This makes four orders that have passed through the Atlanta UPS hub in the last two weeks that have been delayed. Be forewarned, if you order something that travels in the brown truck through the Atlanta UPS hub, you're likely to get a delay. They must have a real mess going over there.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Only meager progress today. I've been running around buying another old truck so that took a good bit of my day. But, I did get a pile of front end parts ready to begin assembly. I still have to remove lower control arms to clean and do ball joints, clean and restore the rotors and clean and rebuild the brake calipers. Then I'll be ready to look at reassembly.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...a894c3e744.jpg

I currently have three orders en route with parts, and all three of them are lost or delayed in the UPS and USPS systems. Now I wait and hope they turn up soon. Waiting on the hardware for fuel filler, brake hoses, and caliper rebuild kits.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

What is the new old truck you just added ? Love your builds .

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Tell us about the truck you bought?

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

I'll get pictures of the other truck Thursday. I've been watching it on Craigslist for a while. I drove it a week ago and left without making an offer. After a week of mulling it over the guy texted me and we agreed on a lower price. I'm happy with the deal.

Basically, its a K2500. 1990 model. 350 TBI. SM465. 4.10 gears. It's an 8 lug 3/4. Some of them were light duty 6 lug trucks. I only wanted the heavy duty one. I gave 1700 for it. Not a deal I'll ever brag on, but it seems to be somewhat below going rate.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

I think that is a great price for a running driving k2500. glad to hear it worked out. i am really excited to see that one get the treatment. and i am a little jealous. i like those trucks.

i keep thinking to myself every time i read updates that i hope one day i own a truck you have already owned. what a treasure that would be. all the trucks i buy have PO's who were apparently mentally retarded.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Good deal on the K2500. Dually or no?

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Ryan, I think that's a pretty good compliment you paid me.

I'm serious when I say it though, I'm about done. You're not gonna see me build very many more trucks. I'm tired.

I'm 7 years away from retiring from the fire department and I decided to go ahead and build my "rest of my life trucks". I wanted a dually for heavy work duties and a 4 wheel drive for everything else. I swore to not compromise. My requirements for each were TBI engines, standard transmissions, white color, regular cabs. I now have both of them.

Pretty soon its gonna be time to move on to something else. I want to restore some old tools and machinery for my workshop. I need to restore my old Ford 8n tractor (again). I want to do some fence work around our land and raise goats. There's one more motorcycle I want to restore for my collection (a Bultaco). Lots of stuff out there to do beyond Chevy trucks.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Just a single wheel long bed 3/4 ton 4wd.

Believe me, its nothing to see. The truck is rough and shabby. But its white, has a granny 4 speed and good 8 lug four wheel drive chassis.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Firefighter,

If you ever get the time would you take a few photos of your bike collection?

Thanks

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

I hear you there. I've finished my C-10 build. I have a nice Jimmy to play with now, and my in-laws are holding a 72 C-30 extended wheelbase flat bed for me which doesn't need restoration, just paint to pretty it up and some changes to make it a car hauler. That's all I want for trucks. There are several other things I'd like to build. Maybe a bike or 2, a cobra kit car, a muscle car, a manx style dune buggy, might even try an old fat fender car. I saw a 46 Olds 2 door sedan not long ago that has been stuck in my head ever since.

BTW, I came across a bultaco not long ago.
http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps383dec53.jpg

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

"Got a gunnnn rack, goat ropers need love too sticker. Aaaaaand it's uuuup againnnnst the waaaalllll redneck motherrrrrr...."

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Thanks! I never knew what the words were between "gun rack", and "and it's up..."

"Goat ropers need love too sticker" huh? You don't know how many years i've just mumbled through that part...

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Listening to it sober helps-But where's the fun in that?

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

My McMaster Carr order with the stainless fuel filler hardware is still stuck for 7 days now in UPS Georgia hub.

Rockauto order of front brake hoses and caliper rebuild kits showed up today. Of course I'm stuck at the station working. My wife sends me texts with pictures of my stuff that shows up while I'm at work.

Nothing new to report otherwise.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Sounds like a good score on the K2500. We have a 95 K2500 8 lug 8600+ GVW ext cab lwb. I absolutely love that truck. My wife is normally the one who gets to drive it.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Y'all don't go all getting excited about the 4 wheel drive. It's fairly haggard around the edges. I'll get pics when I pick it up tomorrow. Here is the Craigslist picture though. Again, this truck is years beyond wearing a white wedding dress if you know what I mean.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

yea, well thats a Texas truck. In New England that thing would be mint, guy. :lol: We've had a few of those, they just rust like crazy. The frame broke above the rear axle on my Dad's last 94, never mind the cab mounts that completely rotted thru. Dents are easy....rot is not haha

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

:D I think my favorite detail thus far is what looks to be the Sharpie style 4x4 on the bedside.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

If you look closely, there is a long "barbed wire" pinstripe down the lower body line. They used the left over pinstripe to do the 4x4 with. As soon as I paid for the truck I took my thumbnail and began to rake the pin striping off to make sure it wasn't stuck too bad. Believe me, that crap is as good as gone as soon as I get it to the shop.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Shoot, it'll give you something to pick at a little at a time. Good solid bones.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

I did not know the SM465 was still available at that point. Cool truck. No diesel love?

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

The NV4500 didn't replace the SM465 until 1992.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Oh, that is wonderful. Some people are just, special. :) Looking forward to your attention to detail going into this truck.

How is the front end on the dually?

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Oh thats a cool truck.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Who bought your 78

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

It took me about three minutes to get the 4x4 sticker removed with my thumbnail. I can't say strongly enough, I love this truck. I don't know of any other truck I've owned, and that's a bunch of trucks, that I so quickly got attached to. Me and this truck are gonna have quite a relationship.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...2349c5752d.jpg


I've had five Cummins trucks. I like them plenty but the Dodge part wore me smooth out. Currently, I just don't want to dig off into a diesel conversion into a non Dodge truck.

No one. It's sitting by my shop. I don't really care for the truck so I haven't even touched it in a few weeks. I'll either part it out or sell it soon. I either bond with a truck or not, and that truck is most definitely a "not". Now, this new 4x4 I picked up today, I really, really like that truck. Its a pile of junk, but I couldn't be happier. That ones not going anywhere. Before I had it up to fourth gear, I knew I had found my new keeper.

That said, I spent the morning retrieving the 4x4 home and poking at a few things on it. But, this afternoon, I drove it to the parts store and borrowed their ball joint tool. When I got home, I got the front suspension of the dually reassembled. I still have to do the rotors and brakes, but the control arms, springs, shocks, ball joints, and basically the hard stuff is now finished. I should have it sitting on Alcoas fairly soon.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...e450ad21f2.jpg

No, I didn't go all mental on detailing the suspension. I just cleaned and painted the stuff I worked on and left the rest au natural. It's all been pressure washed clean several times so there's nothing under there that I'm really ashamed of.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

Come on! we have an entire section of the site for our absurdity! ive been thinking about buying and swapping a gmt400 for a few days. ive even sniffed a couple out

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

http://i1344.photobucket.com/albums/...ps40995172.jpg

I got this 88 off of a farmer up here and it was a basket case, it my daily driver now....it had those black busted black fender flares on it. I have not found a decent set of those around. I have rebuilt the engine, trans case front end, replaced the bed, bumper, tailgate, drivers door, fenders, and fixed every little detail I could possibly fix, the lights on the floor 4x4 shifter even work....I like white trucks with TBI as well, my 87 is white and TBI. It's easy to find nice body parts...

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

:metal: :lol: ;) :D YESSSSSSSS!!!

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

If you don't have to have oem ones they sell repops on ebay for like $135 shipped for a set of 4.

I know a few guys over on gmt400 could probably get you a nice used set if you want oem though...

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

That's a total bummer about the '78. I was looking forward to reading about it. Oh well. I'll take the control arms and all the suspension, lol.

Re: The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build
 

'78? Got pics? How did I miss that?