Finally Starting
 

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Attachment 1250451I finally have moved the 67 to inside the barn and started the tare down part. I hope to get it stripped and blasted here pretty shortly. The questions will be starting, maybe some of them not to intelligent but please be patient. This is my first trip around the merigo round.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Great start!

Re: Finally Starting
 

Your in the right place here, lots of good people with lots of experience.
Make sure you bag and tag EVERYTHING and take lots of pictures, you will need them for reference when its time to reassemble.

Re: Finally Starting
 

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Attachment 1251014Here are some of the bad that will need fixed. The rust above the sun visor is something I think I will have to have hired done. I will need to find a new track bar. The rust above the A-post will be another tough fix. I do have the cab totally detached and is just sitting there waiting to be lifted off. If anyone has any suggestions on the fixes please speak up, I am up for any and all of them.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Is that the worst of the rust? Are also going to have to replace the usual floor panels, cab corners, rockers, lower pillars, etc?

Re: Finally Starting
 

The drivers side cab corner is going to have to be replaced, the rockers inner and outer have been done, passenger side corner has been started (PO). Rear cab mounts need changed atleast the outer half of them. I bought a fleet side bed in near perfect condition minus the tail gate and lights.

Re: Finally Starting
 

I might at least look around for another cab unless you are dead set on fixing this one. The rot around the roof looks pretty nasty and isn't as easy to fix as rockers and cab corners. Not trying to discourage you, but sometimes it makes more sense to start with the best possible foundation.

Re: Finally Starting
 

The only problem I have with that is I want to be able to keep the original vin tag. What can I do about that?

Re: Finally Starting
 

Where do you guys find the time to work on these trucks, with two kids and other honey do's , it seems like i will never get mine finished......

Re: Finally Starting
 

I've got 2 kids also, but they are old enough we don't have to mind to them all the time and they both actually enjoy helping on the truck. Now for the surprising part they are both girls. LOL The honey do's kind of stack up once in awhile.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Best thing to do is make it a family project.

Re: Finally Starting
 

I've heard you can cut the whole jamb (with the VIN) out at the factory seams and weld it into your new cab. ;)

Re: Finally Starting
 

I drilled out the rivets from my vin tag and scrapped the cab.

Re: Finally Starting
 

You'll need 'rosette' rivets' to reuse that VIN. Very, very hard to come by and possibly illegal in some states.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Mine were not "rosette". They are round, they are actually still on the drill bit I used. Cab, front clip and bed all had the same matching color under the bad paint job on top of them. Yes the frame number also matches.
Unless they just rebodied the frame.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Kind of intriguing if they weren't rosette style because they certainly were from the factory on every truck I've seen. Possibly swapped previously?

Re: Finally Starting
 

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Attachment 1252021I had a friend come over with a loader tractor and we lifted the cab off. I took the pressure washer to it and found that the frame is in really good shape. The pics are from before washing. Now I just have to get ahold of the blasting guy to make it look like new again.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Well I've got the shocks, e-brake lines, driveshaft and the manual transmission cross member all off and I think it's ready to go to the blaster. Besides powder coating what is the best paint to coat it with when it gets home?

Re: Finally Starting
 

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Attachment 1266429I got the frame and springs back from my buddy that has the powder coating business, and got all bushings and steering parts in. The springs don't look as good in the pics as they do in real life. I had him powder coat them silver and I almost wish they were on the outside of the truck. My wife and oldest daughter helped a bunch on this part of the project, I hope they keep it up.

Re: Finally Starting
 

I got the front suspension put back together this evening.Attachment 1267231

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Re: Finally Starting
 

I asked about the rosette rivets a few weeks ago and was pounced all over and told by the administrators of this board that it is illegal and is not a topic on this board and will be cancelled every time...

Well me being me... I said fine I will just investigate that myself... What I found out is it is illegal in all 50 states to remove a ID plate and replace it without the DMV and Highway patrol in... Then it is questionable... It has to be approved by them PRIOR to anything being done... then re-inspected upon completion... The you run into the issue of taking the truck from one state to another... That is a Whole new set of issues...

Re: Finally Starting
 

I think I have found all the patch panels that I need (found not boughten). Starting with the foundation and going up. I'm hoping to save the money and just have the rust places above the sun visors fixed professionally.

Re: Finally Starting
 

It looks from your pics the best way t fix the roof is to find a donor cab and cut through the "A" and "B" pillars then drop it on and weld it in... That way you are still with the original VIN cab with a top that has the integrity of a original truck...

Just my opinion...

Re: Finally Starting
 

Best of luck ... looks like you have a great start. :metal:

Re: Finally Starting
 

I got my tubular motor mounts and cross member installed and set the block and tranny in for a test fit. They fit like a glove. I finally got around to making the new track bar. I don't know how long it's going to take me and my family to finish this but we're having fun doing it. I've been so dead set on putting a 383 in it when I started and the further I go I keep having thoughts of maybe a 427. We'll see.Attachment 1289275

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Re: Finally Starting
 

Looking good :metal:

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Re: Finally Starting
 

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Went to the junkyard yesterday to get a driveshaft for the old truck. It ended up being an 1 1/4" to long. I thought about it for awhile, went inside and watched a few youtube videos about shortening driveshafts and decided being a certified welder I could surely cut and shorten it. It turned out pretty good, but I'm still going to take and have it balanced. While I was at the junkyard, the owner and I were just having casual conversation about different aspects of the build. He out of nowhere says I have a tach dash for that truck. I didn't think I would be able to afford it at the time so I kind of ignored that sentence and went on talking. Then I couldn't stand not asking no more so I asked. He says i'll just take $100 for it, I couldn't get I'll take it spit out fast enough. Especially when he give we a money back guarantee to work. The only thing wrong with it is that it came out of a big truck and has an air pressure gauge and a throttle lock hole. The air gauge I can live with and the bezel I am just swapping it out with my original bezel.

Re: Finally Starting
 

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Got my engine back from the machine shop and put the slugs in the holes, and did some cleaning and painting. Working on figuring out what cam to run. Boy that is a chore. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. It's a 454 bored 30 over making it a 461, 23cc domed pistons, 781 heads, 780 holley, 373 rear gear, 700r4 with a 1800 stall, wanting a lope, but going to be driven on the street mainly with maybe a few trips to the track.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Attachment 1533529Kind of layed off the restoration of the truck and got a good start on the power plant for it. When I started it was going to be a sb and somewhere along the line it growed up.

Re: Finally Starting
 

damn fine job on the build so far, motor looks awesome!!!

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Im looking for a serpentine system for it now. I don't have the money to buy the expensive systems so I'm going to clean up and make a stock system look decent I hope.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Looking good so far!! I'm also running old school fan-belt style.
Looks good to me and works for what I'm doing.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Attachment 1587975powerplant is done

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Attachment 1587986 I put the carb on, put the engine in the frame and mounted the electric fuel pump and fired it up for break in. Ran it awhile to break it in and have taken it back out so I can take it to the dyno shop.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Nice build Im in for the ride ....question the most forward cross member in post #25 is that available from a parts house or was it made for your frame

Re: Finally Starting
 

Are you referring to the transmission cross member?

Re: Finally Starting
 

Chassis and engine looks good. Tagging along for the rest.

Re: Finally Starting
 

Going to jump in for the ride too...

Re: Finally Starting
 

Attachment 1600868driveshaft back from powder coating and ready to be put in the ready to go back on pile