My '69.
 

Here is a picture of my '69. Since this one I have made progress on the brakes and the engine is done.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Nice project :cool:

Now tell us about the Corvettes, I see a 68-73 under wraps and am not sure about the other one, I never could tell those apart. Is it a '62? :D

Re: My '69.
 

Here's my Ebay 7 qt. pan. It fits very well and the welding and finish are impressive, I used a Fel Pro 1 piece gasket. I wish they would have had them years ago.

Re: My '69.
 

Here's my home ported 76cc heads and a picture of the engine setting together. It has Silv-O-Lite flat tops, .030 over, heads milled .020 and .022 steel shim head gaskets for 9.3:1 CR. I used a GM Performance cam also. It should be a good little truck engine.

Re: My '69.
 

Nice engine buildup! That garage looks like quite a place to build a vehicle too :cool:

Re: My '69.
 

The Corvette under the cover is a 1981 that my wife ordered new before we were married. It's a low mile virgin. The only changes are belts, hoses, tires and battery. I kept the take offs too. They were just changed due to age.

The primer Vette is a 1959 I bought in 1969 when I come home from VN. It isn't a virgin. It's a dual quad 4 speed and was originally all black. I still have some damage to repair before paint. I'm doing the truck first though. Need to get that parts chaser on the road you know. :)

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

The '59

Re: My '69.
 

I added that garage on a few years ago. The 2 car just didn't allow for any toy room so we stuck this one on the end of the 2 car. It's a little bigger than a 24x36 since it is angled. I have it well insulated with a furnace and registers in the ceiling. It's set up so I can add central air if I can ever talk the wife into that. I just wish I didn't have to spend so much time working to pay for it so I could enjoy it more. :whine:

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Nice collection :cool:

The bulge in the car cover looked like the end of a chrome bumper to me :lol:

Re: My '69.
 

It does, doesn't it?

Re: My '69.
 

Well I've made a little progress since the last post. I got the front brakes all finished and the engine in. Tonight I removed that old diamond plate step bumper. I had to split the nuts on the frame bolts but it's off and it's a heck of an improvement. If anyone wants it it's free if you pick it up. It's actually in good shape except for paint and it is without a doubt a serious piece.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Tom,

Any Update's on The Truck? Love the Vette's...........

Rick

Re: My '69.
 

Wow-wee... lookin' good!

Re: My '69.
 

I forgot about this thread. It has been progressing along. I'll post a few more pix later.

Re: My '69.
 

Here's a couple more. The radiator is in and I put the new fan on just a few minutes ago. I have some more work to do tonight also. I have a radiator tank to mount for one thing. It's getting close to time to light a fire in this engine. The chrome valve covers are just so I don't damage the pretty ones.

Man my garage was clean 2 years ago. I'm ashamed.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

I got the fan and shroud on and the tank mounted. Changed out the rocker balls to grooved ones. I think it is good insurance with the higher pressure springs. I slipped on some of those blue stainless sandwiched valve cover gaskets too. We'll see how well they work. Got the shrould notched also so the top cover would set down flush. I think it looks pretty nice and covers up the ugly. I put these Hellas in it too.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

I have always wanted one of those 81-82 Crossfire fuelly Vettes. One with a 5 speed. I can only dream. NIce build up on the motor. Wish I had a garage that clean...and big!

Re: My '69.
 

That Crossfire fuelie was used on the last C3 (1982) and the first C4 (1984). It looked cool but was a low performance setup made for torque. The '81 was the last carb and the first computer engine control making it somewhat unique. The Crossfire guys are pretty dedicated to thier cars. I have driven an '84 before and it is strong on the bottom end.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Nice...everything. What is your benchtop made of?

Re: My '69.
 

Man, your wife sounds pretty damn cool...nice vettes!

Looking forward to seeing that parts chaser when she's done!

Re: My '69.
 

It's a high density fiber board that a local furniture company uses for the base in stero cabinets. It come in 4 by 12 foot sheets and is 1 inch thick. It's also very heavy. It took 6 guys to unload it when they dropped it off. It's also very hard. A hammer blow will barely dent it.

I built the base framework out of 2x6s then lagged the whole thing to the wall studding. I layed 2 layers of this stuff on top and framed the sides in pine. The first layer is screwed to the framework and the second layer is screwed to the first layer from underneath with short enough screws that don't come through the top. Keeps the surface smooth and clean. It's coated with a few coats of polueurathane. It's been very durable so far but I try to only lay things that will scratch on the rubber pads. Those came from Menards and are for standing on in the shop.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

burke117

The picture in post 15 is pretty much how it looks now. I have had to slow down on it like a lot of others but I plan on having it up and running this summer. The 2 and 4" springs are in it but the front tires are 235/78/15. They are taller than what I'll put on later. Probably 235/60s. Also there is still a lot of weight to go on the front so I'm thinking it will be at least 2" lower than it is now. The rear tires are about the same diameter as the 255/60s I'll be running. Once I get it all together and drive it some to settle it all in I can decide if I need it a little lower or not.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Subscribed! :metal:

Re: My '69.
 

I still don't have much time to work on this but I have lots of parts accumulated. I decided not to use the '72 5 lug rear I bought. The original 6 lug has a near perfect ring and pinion so I bought a CCP 5 lug axle conversion package that comes with drums and lug bolts.
I sold the Hella lights to a friend that's building a Volvo vintage rally car since they are perfect for it and the right style. I put in regular halogen seal beams with eye shades for now.

I have also been working on the relay harness for the lights and I got a set of rally wheels for it. Corvette style. 15x7 for the front and 15x8 for the rear. Speedway motors has great prices on them. They come painted and the welds are perfect. They are so nice I can overlook the fact that they are made in China.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Post an update picture please

Re: My '69.
 

The wheels.

Re: My '69.
 

I'm still pecking along on this build. I've been doing a lot of small things and recently decided not to bother with rebuilding or replacing the steering rag joint. With the suspension upgrades I'm doing I want crisp steering response and a rag joint won't do that. I bought Borgeson joints and a collapsable steering shaft from Amazon to replace everything between the steering box and the column shaft. My old trunion is in excellent condition with no slop but it has to go in order to do the swap. The shaft is 3/4"DD on the upper end and 1"DD on the lower. The upper joint is 3/4" 36 spline by 3/4"DD and the lower joint is 13/16" 36 spline by 1"DD.

The photo shows the parts I'm using and their numbers. I'll get started on this this evening and post more photos.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Nice start, color looks to be same as mine

Re: My '69.
 

Not sure how "un-crisp" a rag joint is, but the collapsible steering column will be a real live-saver in a front wreck with one of these trucks. I seem to recall that the steering column comes right up into the driver in such a crash.

Re: My '69.
 

Looks like it. Spid says Dark Yellow and Saddle Tan interior. I'm fortunate that it still has the original paint, although with plenty of battle scars but practically no rust.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

Had a friend killed a few years ago when a guy ran a stop light and hit him head on while he was making a left turn with the green turn arrow on. He was driving his 1960 Corvette and the steering shaft is like a steel spear pointed right at the center of your chest.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

I had a 59 vette in high school--looked pretty much like yours (primer no paint). Later had a 62 (my favorite year) and a 66 BB--matching numbers--fun cars. Look forward to your build.

Re: My '69.
 

I'll have had my '59 for 50 years this coming August. I need to concentrate on the truck this year so I can make some progress on the '59 over the winter. I've also had a '65 convertible and a '67 427/390 horse coupe. like you said, fun cars.

Tom

Re: My '69.
 

I made a little progress. Got the old shaft off and started mocking up the new parts. The upper joint slid on and there is a flat on the shaft to secure the set screw so it can't slide off. The lower spline on the box has some rust on it preventing the joint from sliding on easily with a little tapping. I'm going to have to clean up those splines. There is also a dimple on the flat to locate the set screw. Once I get the joints located I can measure for the collapsible shaft to determine how much needs to be cut and where.

Re: My '69.
 

Just in case anyone can't read the Borgeson numbers in the post above here they are:

Borgeson 015240 13/16"-36 x 1" DD steering u-joint

Borgeson 013449 3/4"-36 x 3/4" DD Steering U-Joint

Borgeson 450024 24" Fully Extended Telescoping Shaft

To thoroughly clean all the rust off the steering box shaft I tied a paper shop towel around it and keeping it soaked in rust remover for a few days. Tomorrow I'll take a look and see how clean it is.

Re: My '69.
 

Had some time to do a little on it tonight. I finished cleaning up the splines and now the u-joint fits nicely. The nipple on the steering box shaft was very close to the trunion when I had the joint positioned correctly so, not needing it in this application, I cut it off. My DD shaft needs to be cut to 18.25 inches. Instructions say if it's over 17" it should all be cut from the tube end.

Re: My '69.
 

To continue I took the u-joints off of the shafts and measured between the box shaft and the steering column shaft. That is the length the collapsible shaft needs to be. Extend the shaft out all the way, just under 27". Directions say if the shaft needs to be longer than 17" you cut all of the extra length off of the tube end only. If under 17" then it tells you how to measure to cut off of both ends. I needed 18 3/8" so only had to make the one cut.

Then slip the u-joints on the shaft ends so the shaft goes all the ay through the first half and is flush with the trunnion end. Then mark where to drill the hole for the long set screw and the dimples for the short set screws. Drill through one side only for the long set screw so you can bottom it out on the back side when installed. The dimples prevent the u-joint from slipping off of the shaft if they would loosen.

Re: My '69.
 

There is a flat machined into the center of the splines on the steering column shaft to use for the set screw on the top end and you can see the groove around the steering box splines in the photo above that is perfect for the bottom end set screw. Since the bottom groove goes all the way around you can clock the steering wheel level with the wheels straight and slide the u-joint on.

Here is the shaft all assembled and then installed. Once I'm sure I won't have to remove it for anything else I'll remove the set screws one at a time and clean the threads and apply Loctite on them. Then tighten them and the lock nuts.

Re: My '69.
 

The more I looked at my truck the less I liked the gap above my front tires with the 2" drop springs. I ordered a pair of McGaughy's Lowering Spindles 63176 from Summit and now it sits right. I also ordered 2" blocks for the rear to go with the 4" rear springs. Everything went together easy with the exception of having to chase the threads on one of the dust shield bolt holes and I had to use shorter bolts than I had in the GM spindles. When turning the wheels full lock either way I would have wheel contact with the lower control arm lower lip to the rear of the ball joint. A slight messaging with a flap wheel on my angle grinder fixed that. This I expected from reading other member's experiences. My Corvette style rally wheels are 4.5 inch backspacing and possibly a 15x8 with a more standard 4" backspacing might have cleared.

Re: My '69.
 

Next I needed new brake hoses as the stock ones were too short. I've read all the threads on this so I knew it was going to be interesting. I used a '72 hard line kit and moved the hose tabs to the front of the crossmember. Grabbed a length of vacuum hose and used that to determine exactly what length I needed. Then I checked specs on hoses and the ones recommended in the various threads on the subject but none seemed to be just right. Summit had a 14" 3 AN hose and I also found banjo to 3AN and line to 3AN fittings so I ordered them and made up my own hoses. I used two 14" Summit 3 AN braided hoses, two Summit 35 degree banjo to 3 AN fittings, one Earls 3 AN to 7/16x24 adapter for the left side and one Willwood 3/8x24 to 3AN adapter on the right. The adapter fit the stock hose tabs and the clips fit also. You need the 35 degree banjo fitting to point the hose straight forward due to the angle of the caliper boss for the fitting. I'm pretty happy with the way it worked out. Now on to the next item.