Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Yesterday my new steering wheel showed up. Today my new radio showed up. I popped the old one out to see if it would fit. It just barely clears the hvac controls. It is a motorized screen so maybe I can tilt it up a little to be able to see it better. I have been working on my grill shell. What a PITA this is. I really have had a notion to buy a NOS one after doing this. It won't be perfect, but it will be way nicer than any one I've had yet.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I started by removing the anodizing a couple months back. Then I started pounding out dents and goudges. Now I've been sanding all the imperfections out. I'm at 180 grit and have to go clear up to 1200 or 1500. It should look nice, but it's a real PITA! I got an email that said my front bumper is done too! So when it gets here, I'll test fit it then get it to a coater or paint it myself.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

seen a trick a while back about removing zink anodizing with some muriadic hydrocloric acid and baking soda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Tld3onsUVE

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Nice pile of parts Ryan! I like what you have going on the grill too. I know how time consuming that must be. Keep the pictures coming.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Awesome truck and great build thread man! It took me several nights of iPad reading in bed to get through it all but worth it! Your suspension, motor and axle swap ambition is amazing to me. Cool fab work too!
Now I need to read the other Ryan's build too :metal:

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Thanks! It has came a long way, but still has a long way to go.

Lately we've had to keep getting things in line for the house deal to go through. Which, has eaten up any spare time to work on anything. I've had roughly zero extra time for any vehicle related stuff......

Last week I recieved my front bumper from James at RLC fab. I cut the turn signal mounting holes from a stock bumper and then welded them in this bumper. I also modified the brackets to use the 6" lights I have had for years and never used yet. They don't fit perfect, but will have to work. I sat my winch in the bumper to see how it looked and if it would clear the intercooler.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Then on Thursday night I was able to start test fitting the bumper. I had to cut on the lower portion of my old grill to get the bumper to go back far enough. The brackets don't go back far enough either so I will have to make some brackets and weld them on the bumper. Now that I got it on there, I think the winch will fit in there. It'll be close, but should just clear. I'm still waiting on the wheels and stuff to get sand blasted. Hopefully he hurries up. The bumper will have to go there too, before it gets PC'd. Who knows when I'll get to work on it now. We close on our house this Friday, then next week I go to training in Kansas. Then it'll be fix this and change that on the house for a couple months........

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Is that a custom bumper from them? I looked and didn't see it. I really like it, simple and good looking

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I think it is a new version of his large winch bumper he plans to build for the older trucks. His old design was flat on the face. Then he added an angled piece on the top. I didn't want the angled piece on the top. When he designed mine he put the angled piece on the bottom and I thought it would look good. It did. :metal: Hopefully I can get it to PC soon.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

that bumper looks nice , its not so big that it sticks out like a sore tumb screaming : HEY LOOK AT ME I WEIGH TEN TONNES AND CAN KILL SMALL KIDS AND SMART CARS BY LOOKING AT THEM MAD
It couldve been factory from the way it looks
realy like it

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Agreed

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Bumper looks great Ryan!:metal:

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I agree too, the bumper looks beefcake but not out of place. Good luck on the move and training. Busy times!

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

That bumper is sweet! Pretty similar to what I have in mind for mine too.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Thanks guys! I picked up the wheels today so I'm hoping to get them painted tomorrow and installed before next week. The bumper has an appointment to get blasted Monday so I have to get the brackets done this weekend.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

The color shop doesn't blast?

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

They do, but they are way more expensive than this guy is. And I bet this old boy does a better job. :metal:

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

How much does something like that cost? I think I want to go for something exactly like that

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

That is a awesome truck.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Base large winch bumper is $700 and roughly $75 to ship in the US.

Thanks.

Well, last night I got the wheels primed and painted. It was no fun at all. I won't mount them yet because they need to finish curing. In May I will get to mount them. :mm:

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Everything looks great. What did you do for prep on the wheels and how did you paint them. I need to do this to mine also but haven't decided what to do yet.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I had them sand blasted and then I cleaned them with degreaser. I used a wash primer, then epoxy primer, then sprayed gloss black on them. They turned out pretty decent.

I still haven't mounted the tires because I've been contimplating buying 35's still. Well, I think I'll just run the 33's for now because I've found another nicer LH longhorn bed side, and I have a new addiction. Hydro dipping..... :mm: I need to finish buying a/c pieces and small stuff more than I need taller tires that will probably just take away from mileage any how. Haha

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

That valve cover looks SWEET!!! :metal: :metal:

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Thanks!

I got the Longhorn to our new house and it is now in it's own garage. For now. :mm:

These new to it wheels really brought the rear end back in to the bed sides too. Good thing I didn't hold out for 35s. It never would have fit in the garage. It barely fit under the door with the air bags dumped.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

i allready was looking at that height of the garage door when i read youre comment about it
think the bigger wheels wouldve made the truck look a bit too mush like a cartoon as whell
these are exactly what the truck needs

hmmm wats with the exhaust so far back in the bed and the aluminium ting with the hoses sticking out of it .... are you building a remote turbo intercooler setup ?

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Nice! The truck has his own bedroom :) How cool is that....congrats on getting the new place.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Those tires and rims look great on there!

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

The exhaust in the bed is the unfinished tail pipes I started making. I need to cut my air bag upper braces so I can run the exhaust like I want it. The object in the bed with the hoses going to it are actually the truck's fuel tank right now until I get the new one made to go under the bed.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Thanks. Maybe some time soon I'll actually be able to work on it. :metal:

Yeah, they look better than I thought they would.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

you could do a real seventies thing and put a big rig round aluminium tank sideways against the cab in the bed , saves tyou stopping at the gasstation twice a week
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA...VQTMy/$_35.JPG

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I'm out on that. My last truck had a 40gal step tank in the bed and it made it a real pain to haul anything big.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I can't recall in your thread if you are running the bed/saddle tanks or not? I'm running them and the cab tank in my LH and pack about 60 gallons of fuel for longer trips. It's awesome!

Your truck looks fantastic BTW :)

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

you could do saddle tanks and one of those rearmounted blazer style tanks
there all under the bed
for a long trip you could basicly set a oildrum in the bed straped to the rollcage and have an electric transferpump hooked up to pump the contens intoo the bottom tanks
my guess is youre back will quit and beg for mercy before youre running out of fuel

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Thanks. I have saddle tanks I once was going to use on it. But I don't know if they'd even fit with the air ride brackets on the frame now. I have a 20-30gal transfer tank that is only about 8" deep that I may put up front in the bed and I will still have nearly an 8' bed still. I'm trying to keep bed space open because this is the only long bed truck I have now.

You're right on that. :lol:

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Mine will end up with about 38 you can use in the tank and another sixty in the transfer tank. Figure I should have about 1800 miles of range, possibly more depending on actual mileage. Are you fabing a tank for it, mister?

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Kind of. I may cut/bend the material and have Kyle tig it for me. We shall see. For now I can use the transfer tank.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

What are you making it from?

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

SS or aluminum. Not sure yet.

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

I would avoid aluminum. My vote is 304l

Re: 1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes
 

Looking good!