1970 VA Longbed Project

[VA72C10]

I have a 1970 Fleetside Longbed I purchased a couple of months ago. I have been collecting information and parts on here getting ready to rebuild it. I will start from the beginning and go through what i've done so far.

One thing i'd like to start off by saying that the best way i've found to get parts is to check here first, price out parts at the recommended vendors next, check craigslist and ebay, and make a final purchased based off the best deal/best info you get. The best price isn't always the best deal if you don't have any help if you need it.

I have rebuilt a 1980 camaro with MUCH help from a friend about 10 years ago. This time I am trying to do most of the grunt and finish work with a local custom shop guy doing any welding and fab work.
To start off with, I purchased the 1970 truck for $3300. The previous owner had installed new fenders, cowl hood, billet grille, inner and outer rockers, cab corners, and some other body panels. It has a 350/350 combo with new Edelbrock intake/carb and 2800 stall converter.

Here's pictures of the truck when i first got it. How do you like that cherry tailgate.

[VA72C10]

The Previous owner cut the springs to achieve the lowered look so I will be doing a 4/6 drop or airbags eventually. My list of plans for the truck-some are necessesities and some are toys:

Add Power Steering
Add Power Brakes
Add inner fenders (none currently)
New Rad support (current is swiss cheese)
New bed to save body work
Spray in bedliner
New Tailgate (duh)
Move Tank to rear
Hidden gas fill (sidemarker)
New deluxe clear sidemarkers
1 piece windows
5 lug Posi Rear
Drop Spindles with cross drilled disc brakes in front
Airbags w/ compressors
Floor Mount Shifter
Tilt steering
Newer truck seats
New Carpet
New deluxe pedals and trim
Stereo with subs behind seat
New 70 Grille surround
New factory grille
Euro clear headlights with HID
Clear Front Parking lights
New chrome front bumper
New rear chrome bumper with brackets (none currently there)
Marquez designs taillights/bezels or something similar
New door handles
New door locks/ignition
New windshield trim with the stainless trim
New rear window trim with stainless
Tinted windows
Chromed/billet engine bay
Chevy blue (new truck) color with added metallics and pearl
20" Rims TBD (Looking for a deal)
Leather seats/door panels/dash pad

[VA72C10]

The first thing i did was get inner fenders and radiator support. (Thanks Ridgeback ) I have also already sourced seats from a 2001 Chevy truck 402040 with integral seat belts. They have one tear in the driver's seat but i will eventually recover them in leather. I also have new front and rear chrome bumpers. As you've seen from the pics, the PO converted the front to 72 specs. I have a new chrome grille surround with chrome headlight buckets and bezels. I also have the clear 72 parking lenses. I will be painting the radiator support, inner fenders, and hinges/brackets blue to match the truck. I want an overall clean and "smooth" look without totally smoothing the truck. It will still have drip rails, handles, mirrors, locks, & stake holes, but no moldings other than the front grille and window moldings. I recently got a Free Rear window with gaskets and metal trim from Athey's trucks in Front royal. (Thank you )He also gave me some other parts and i have purchased several things there at very good prices. I already have all new locks and keys, new pedals with deluxe trim, new glovebox, weatherstripping, stainless bolt sets, etc. in about 6 boxes in my garage just waiting for me to have time to work on the truck. Below are pictures with the interior gutted (i removed the gas tank tonight) Also shows when i test fit the new seats i'll be running, shows the underside of the cowl hood (the paint color i will be using but it will be a little darker with more blue and purple pearl and some more metallic flake.) Finally, the front end beginning to be torn down

[Riveted1]

Nice! Looks like you're gonna have some fun with that one!

[VA72C10]

It is fun and frustrating at the same time. I'm on a budget as most of us are so i spend way way way too much time chasing down deals. I did get the power steering mostly installed (need the engine brackets still) and took a brake booster that didn't work off waiting on some brackets from a board member and a reman. pb booster. Hopefully will get a little more time to work on it in the upcoming weeks and will get it to a point where the body work can begin. Still need to find a gate and a better bed. Have a bead on some good doors, a floor shifter, and a posi rear as well. Just gotta catch up with people.

[VA72C10]

Old news

[VA72C10]

Picked up a used bed in very good shape, a tailgate that needs some work but is much better than what i had, and 2 1/2" drop spindles with cross drilled 5 lug rotors and calipers.

[72BlckButy]

Great looking project, good luck with it all! Can't wait to see the end result.

[VA72C10]

Going to work on the truck tonight. Ordered pulleys for the ps setup and a bunch of engine dress up parts last night. This hobby is addictive...Scored some good ebay deals on both the dress up parts and some other parts i've been looking at. Will post some pics up soon.

[VA72C10]

Installed the brake booster to mock up but was missing some bolts. other than that will work and look good once i finish cleaning/painting it. PS brackets i have and bought don't work so i'm going to go with chrome aftermarket adj. ones. I had fun working on the truck and look forward to a time soon where i can spend a couple of nights a week working on it.

[VA72C10]

More pictures soon, but not much to see at this point.

[VA72C10]

More pictures tonight during the rush. Had to move it from the guy's house who's helping me with the body work. Someone called the county and my truck was one of the projects that has to go. Most of the pics are of the new bed i got from a local boardmember.

[VA72C10]

more

[VA72C10]

No work on the truck recently, but i've been spending a TON of money on parts HOpefully it will look as good as i can picture in my mind when it's done. I should get some more time to work on it soon. (Sound familiar to anyone?) I scored a new GM factory 70 Front grille surround w/ the stamped lettering (a true not repro one) for a decent price (decent is a relative term to what some have been selling for) I got a TON of more engine dress up goodies, new clear deluxe sidemarkers, poly body mounts, bed mounts, a tach dash, and some misc parts.

[VA72C10]

Here are the two trucks i am using for inspiration for mine

[va_tlc]

keep pushing on, it will look killer after its done, but then again are they ever done huh. if you happen to need a good bed floor, i know of a junkyard that has a real nice one, but its kinda far from you tho. good luck

[VA72C10]

Got a bunch of parts, some new Rod doors panels and a good set of hood hinges for a great deal (thanks Gburdic) a 70 outer grille i have plans for, and some 5 lug rallys on bald tires i'll use temporarily when i do the 5 lug swap. Hopefully will have a chance to work on this in the next few weeks before it gets too cold

[thirdstreettito]

Cool truck! Any update pics?

[VA72C10]

No recent pics because I've mainly been gathering parts and working/on the road way too much to work on it. Still looks like the last pic with the front end taken apart.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Looks like a clean project to start with..

[splatrd]

Hey VA72C10, just noticed we are neighbors, I live in Chesterfield. We ought to get together sometime and compare builds. I bought a 72 Cheyenne super last summer and have been slowly chipping away at a full restoration. I have already completely rebuilt the front and rear suspension and 2-4" drop, rear blazer tank install, late model truck seats, etc. Just getting into the body work now.

[VA72C10]

Forgot another part I picked up...CPP's drop down battery box...My battery is already relocated to the back but currently is just sitting in the bed with two holes cut for the wires. This box mounts it to the frame rail of the truck and if you ever need to access it, it drops down for you to service it. I got one for a deal on ebay, but here's the link to the ebay auction since their main website is down. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Batte...Q5fAccessories

[67_C-30]

You could take pics of those super-cool billet knobs! Cool project!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 67_C-30

You could take pics of those super-cool billet knobs! Cool project!

Thanks! I will definitely have to take some pictures when I get my camera back....lent it to my sister in law.

[VA72C10]

Wow, three months since a single update. I have been working on a bunch of projects around the house and completely ignored the truck. Well, no more

The one thing I have been doing during this time is collecting all the needed parts and making decisions on the final direction of the truck. I have decided to bag it and that bumped up the budget by a grand, and that's with shopping for some good deals. I also have been selling some parts off to be able to afford needed parts for my truck. The upcoming plan is to get the old bed off and install the rear blazer tank, airbags, adjustable panhard bar, new drop shocks, C-notch, and all the airbag components. Then will modify the bed for the stake pocket gas fill, put the one needed cross sill on the bed, and do some final sprucing up under there before putting the new bed on.

That being said, it will be slow progress. It is over at the home of the guy helping me with the body work and some of this work. And, I am out of town between three and four days a week for my job right now. So there is very little time to actually get over there to work on the truck. It is on the side of his garage as he gets some other projects done so any work has to be done in the daylight so that pretty much leaves Saturdays as long as neither of us have plans.

What I will begin to do is add some pictures and links to the parts I am using. I really like Bruce88's build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...63#post3104863
I hope to be able to help others by providing info on all the parts used to make it easier for everyone to look up. The main disclaimer I will make is that I have bought many of these parts used or mocked up to save money, but will provide the links to the new parts. I would love to have a limitless budget, but that's just not a reality with all my house projects and with a wife and two little girls