New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Hi there,
been checking things out here for a few weeks while i was trying to work the deal for this truck. Thought i would say hi and get your guys opinions on the new project.
80 chevy stepside 4x4 4 speed. truck currently has a 250 with a blown motor. I picked up a 402 a few weeks ago and was looking for something to put it into and couldnt pass this up. I paid 500 for the truck but it needs rockers, doors, one fender and a hood. Im going to scrounge the local junk yard and should be able to get the doors,hood and fender pretty cheap. I paid 500 for the truck. I work closely with a few post secondary trade schools so the truck will be going up to ct for paint and body work. It will probably take 6 months or so till its done but its only going to cost me materials and i hate body work so im not going to complain. Then when it comes back ill do all the mechanical work to it. I also figure it buys me some time to gather the rest of the mechanical parts i need.
heres a few crappy cell pics
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...mg079Small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...mg078Small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...mg077Small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ss/13Small.jpg

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

nice project

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Nice truck and a great deal! The truck cost you almost nothing and all you pay is materials for the work? Man, I wish. When you send the truck to get done, make sure you send a few disposable cameras with it so the guys doing the work can make a "build book" of sorts.

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

we all gotta start somewhere and thats a good a start as any.. good luck with it and keep us posted.. welcome to the board

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Well went to the junkyard today and got a good fender and a good passenger side door also got a radiator mount for a big block truck.New doors is power windows and locks tho so i will have to grab a harness next time im there to make the conversion easier. Still need to find a good drivers door but i have 3 other yards i can hit up so i'm sure ill find one. i did have a question about the hood tho. My hood comes back farther and the cab doesnt have the cowl on it(hope this makes sense )
Every hood i found off an 80 like mine either was creased as bad as mine or worse or was screwed up from when the moved the trucks around the yard with the equipment. I had found a pretty cool site with a truck interchange and it said that
HOODS:

73-80 SAME PART#(79 & 80 HAD A DIFFERENT FRONT EDGE, BUT THE HOODS STILL INTERCHANGE)
81-87 SAME PART #

i guess im just not seeing how one without the cowl portion built in would fit "right"
Thanks for the welcome guys!

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Nice looking truck!

:welcome2: to the board from Mid-MO!!!

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

they won't

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

that explains it then lol. i was hoping this yard would have one. They only charge 25 for a hood. looks like next weekend i hit the more expensive yard

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

yeah it will probably be hard to find one that isn't creased

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Nice!!!!

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Well found a good hood and a good drivers door. i am 99% sure the drivers door is aftermarket but i wont complain. So far I am into a whopping $100 bucks for the body panels. yard gets 25 each for doors fenders and hood. Plan is to go over to the truck on monday and put on the doors and hood and put the fender in the back for when it goes for paint and body work. i figure they can put the fender on it. I need to give the truck a closer looksie and make sure there isnt anything else i need to get for it for the body work. Those of you guys who replaced your rocker panels which outfit did you order them from? I dont mind paying more for a good quality part.I also decided not to bothe rwith switching it over to power windows so i grabbed a regulator and swapped the power door i got the other week over to manual

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Most of us use LMC Truck Parts or Classic Parts.. you can find them on the net here: http://www.lmctruck.com and here: http://www.classicparts.com
By the way.. welcome to our great board!

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Stepside longbed ? Very rare if it is. I can't tell for sure from the pictures.

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

What junk yard are you shopping at? is it Harry's U pull it?

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

no its a shortbed.im going to get better pics of it on monday

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

no i try to avoid Harrys if i can. Ez pull and save in New Ringold. i'll hit the harrys yards as a last resort. i hate that they charge core charges for junkyard parts

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Sweet looking stepper looks like a great project. Can't wait to see that motor in it!

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

I haven't done it yet, but when I'm ready I'm gonna buy from Captkaos (board vendor)
here is a link to a 5 piece repair kit for an excellent price imho
73-87 Chevy Trucks Linky

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Wow, that sure looks like a long step to me. The only guys with long steps on here (that I know of) are not in the US - loslowrider and Shamil. Show us some more pics.

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

ill get some more pics on monday when i get over to the truck. Its over at another one the schools i teach at right now till it goes to ct.

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

you gus nailed it. long stepside. Im sure this will sound stupid but i only saw the truck once before it was for sale and basically negotiated it all over the phone so i couldnt remember long bed or short. Anywa went today and got the title and put on the new door and hood. Bringing it home tomorrow night then taking it up to ct either this friday or next so the can start the body work. Overall shes in good shape. One rusted thru body mount and rockers are the majority of non bolt on repairs needed. Heres some more pics from a couple of hours ago

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCF1894.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCF1893.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCF1896.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCF1898.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...s/DSCF1895.jpg

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Now that you have found a good hood, I would buy a hood "brace" kit ASAP.
Not sure exactly where but I am sure one of the vendors mentioned earlier will have it.

Hate to see original iron get destroyed, especially in your neck of the woods!

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

i made braces up for it on saturday and welded them on before before i took it over this morning. I figured it would be cheap insurance considering im sure the hood will be getting opened and closed a bunch of times as they are doing the bod work

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

very nice project truck. I almost put an 8ft stepper bed on my 84.

I think they look better on a 4x4

Re: New guy with new(to me) truck
 

Sweet. What school in CT are you bringing it to?