My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

This used to be my fathers truck. 16 years ago I helped him rebuild a 350 for this truck. After that it sat in the back yard for quite a while. Now that I am 30, it is my turn to tackle this truck and hopefully do to it what my father always wanted to do and make him proud (and a little jealous :lol:)


first order of business is to take the 2 inch lift out and drop it 4 in the back and 3 in the front.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03584.jpg

The state of the art lifting components!!

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03635.jpg

no wonder it rode so rough, half the bed bolts weren't in!!

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03636.jpg

The drop coils and shocks are in. Will clean up the rest when I get it on a lift.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03712.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03711.jpg

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Next thing I did was cut off that back bumper, I don't know why these trucks have them. They are awful!! The PO had welded the bumper bracket to the frame to compensate for the lift.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03558.jpg

the welded bracket

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03622.jpg

now all i need to get the bracket and bumper!!

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03695.jpg

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

And for the record, that is my cousins pink house. :lol:

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

sweet!! what kind of coils are those?

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Got them from Brothers, never looked for a brand name. It was the stage II lowering kit.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

cool, thanks

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

I have been working on the front end for a couple of weeks now. I ran in to quite a bit of problems. The upper ball joint stud did not want to let go so I had to send it out to get pressed. Upon its return, the wheel cylinder plate had broke so I need to replace that.

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03714.jpg

Now I am waiting for the wheel cylinder and the lower control arm for the passenger side. That needs to get a ball joint pressed in to it, I had no problems getting the drivers side in.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Well, this is one of my doors. :help:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03564.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03566.jpg


I got 2 doors from a gentleman of craigslist for free so it was replaced. The new door just needs a few little things done and it is good to go.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

That looks like the EXACT same kit from PerformanceOnline.com that I got except mine was 5/3 instead of 4/3. "Nitro Slammer Shocks" right?

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Good luck with that beast. You have a lot of work in your future.

Those step bumpers were real common. If you had a topper on the bed you could crawl inside without opening the tailgate. Also you could use it for a trailer hitch.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Yep.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Well. I picked up a '63 shortbed a couple of weeks ago. It came with an extra chrome grill. so that will be going on the '66. Here is the parts truck.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

So I took the hood off of the '63 and swapped it with the '66:

Old '66:
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03547.jpg

New to the '66:
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03745.jpg



I will be taking the grill support off the '63 next and putting a '64 to '66 back on to the '63.

I really don't like calling the '63 a parts truck. If the '66 was not my fathers, I would have sold it and would be keeping the '63 for sure. It has a running 283 and a 4 on the floor. So if any of you see it for sell on Craigslist please don't think of it as a parts truck. It needs some work, but is a very good start to a project. But I am a week or 2 away from that........

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

If you notice the bumper looking a little funny in the above post it is because the 2 inch lift is still under the cab, still need to pull it. The PO to my father had mounted the bumper by the bottom holes to the top of the frame mounts to compensate for the body lift. Doing so it left the bottom of the bumper mounts showing, so this is what they thought was best:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03617.jpg


So I will have to make some sort of flat bar I can bend up and mount to the frame and bottom of the bumper. :mad:

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Great looking project!

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

lookin good, gota love these truck so many great memories..

td

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Yeah, I broke that windshield with a soccer ball when I was 11. :metal:

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Well, it has been quite a while since I have posted in this thread. Mostly due to the fact that I have not done too much. Life!!! But today I started back up on it. I decided I wanted to tackle the engine bay. I have quite a bit of wires all over the place. I dislike wires and wire looms!! :lol:

So I am going to take the next few trips over to my truck (it is my cousins house) to clean this up and rewire the headlights, alternator and horn.

Some before pics:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03597.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC03598.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04329.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04330.jpg


And some after:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04345.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04346.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04344.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04341.jpg

I am going to work on that engine wire harness and clean it up a little. A little to messy lookin'.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

I used this grommet for my oil pressure line, water temperature line and my choke cable, i don't know if it was the right one but it worked :metal::

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04342.jpg


I ended pulling all this out, I will probably be using the loom to cover a wire I am going to run from the alternator, underneath the engine through the middle of the crossmember, to the battery:

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p...0/DSC04348.jpg


I still need to wire up the headlight and running light harness. I am going to steal Chief Rocka's idea about running them through the inner fender. And I have a little idea for the side marker wiring.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

I did install the power brake booster last week, but I need to fix it and hook up the brake pedal first. Also going to add a Dual master cylinder and new lines.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

It's good to see you got a chance to get back to it. It's amazing how the wiring can get so butchered in a vehicle over the years... Nice work!

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Glad your back at it. It's looking good.:metal:

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

I feel your pain about not being able to devote time to your projects....looks like your starting to pick momentum back up though:metal:

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Man, do I know the feeling !!

Were you talking to me ?? :lol:


Seriously, good job man...very nice progress !

Just a note, I drilled a small hole, and ran my headlight wires thru the fenderwell, and to the front relays. Worked out goot.

Re: My "Pop's 66" Build......
 

Rust on the fender/door looks great. I like that penetrated rust look.
Keep on.