'69 Short Step Lowered with discs

[Mike C]

I picked up this truck about 15 years ago from my dad's cousin. It was just too clean to let it slip away when he wanted to get rid of it. Belonged to his father in law, so I guess that makes me the third owner.

66,000 miles makes it the lowest mile vehicle I own. Not many options, power steering, gauges, full foam seat, positraction, heavy duty rear leaf spring suspension, silver with black interior.

Here's what it looked like right after I got it. I had the tires sitting around from a jeep project I'd bought and mounted them on my 15x7 Jimmy rims with the original truck hub caps.





I finally got around to getting it road worthy again about 2 years ago and ordered up an ECE disc conversion kit. In addition to the 2 1/2" spindles I put 2" drop springs on the order.

Front shocks are stock length KYB and rears are a second set of stock length fronts mounted in the position closer to the rear.

Since it was a leaf spring truck, not a whole lot of options on lowering and I decided a flip was the best way to go. At first I planned on welding new perches, but in the end bought a DJM flip kit.

I picked up a '72 leaf spring housing on Craigslist with 3.07 gears planning on swapping in my gears and posi. I needed the extra width of the later housing for my wheel tire combo. The one real surprise in the project was what I thought were 3.73 in my truck turned out to be 3.07 also. This saved me from having to setup my gears in the other housing so I just swapped in the positrac and double checked backlash.

Wheels are Summit Legend series in gunmetal. Fronts are 17x8 with 4.5" backspacing. 235 55 17 Hankook Ventus AS are mounted. The rears are 17x9 with 5" backspacing and mount the Hankooks in 275 55 17 size.

While it was all apart I put a set of Cal-Tracs on it with the future possibility of a dose of big block 427 power

Measurements are stock LF 19 1/4", RF 19 3/8, LR 20 3/8 and RR 21 1/4. Lowered measurements are LF 14 1/2", RF 14 3/4", LR 14, RR 14 1/4. Flip lowered it about 7" in the rear and tires are two inches shorter than the 31's that were on it, so 8" closer to the ground in the back. Front came down just a tick over 4 1/2" but tires are 27" which but the front 6 1//2" closer to the ground.

The result.....







All in all, it came out exactly as I envisioned it. Couldn't be happier and thankfully those damn drum brakes are gone! Plans are to add a stereo and some tinted windows, maybe even Vintage air. Front sway bar is next and is already painted. Need to install ECE drop sway bar brackets first. Paint stays as is and I hope to put some miles on it!

[CST10]

That's a great stance on ya truck. I like it. Looks awesome.

[Mike C]

Thanks. I was thinking yesterday the same about yours when I saw your post with the big n' littles. I went the same way, just a little lower. LOL

[cericd]

Nice looking truck Mike. Would you happen to have any pictures that show the updated stance from the side?

[Mike C]

I don't think I took one straight on from the side, but I'll look through my pics and if I can't find one I'll shoot a new one if the sun ever comes out again...

[Mike C]

Found this one.

[jabos]

Your truck looks real nice. Me and my 14 year old son have a 69 long bed fleet and he wants to get a spare tire mount to put in the bed and some stock hub caps for the wheels.He likes the stock look.

[cericd]

Originally Posted by Mike C

Found this one.

Nice! Thanks for the side pic.

[special-K]

I like everything about your truck, Mike. You nailed the nothing over the top just a good ole really cool old school truck built to drive look. One suggestion...change that Gott water cooler for an early galvanized Igloo one

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by special-K

I like everything about your truck, Mike. You nailed the nothing over the top just a good ole really cool old school truck built to drive look. One suggestion...change that Gott water cooler for an early galvanized Igloo one

Thanks, and agreed. It's on the list of things to do. Since it came with the cooler on it, I figured I need to keep one. I think I may have a galvanized one that will fit at the farm and will look when I'm up there this week.

[simplepeddler]

Looks perfect.......Can't wait to add one like this to my garage

[Katrina/10]

Looks great!

[tommys72]

Cool truck, looks really good. You gonna leave the spare tire like that or match it with the rest?

[Mike C]

Originally Posted by tommys72

Cool truck, looks really good. You gonna leave the spare tire like that or match it with the rest?

I think I'm going to leave it. Actually I will probably try and find a 5 lug rim that will work with the cap so I can have a spare. With the posi in the rear though, I need a 29" spare.

[LPoole]

Nice lookin stepper. Does it still have the cooler on the other step ? lol j/k. That's something my dad would have on his. I really like the stance and wheels. I like my rallys but will have to get a 5 lug set when I convert to discs and id like some like yours.

[lolife99]

Great looking truck!!!

[Rod Run]

Perfect stance.

If I go with 17" tires instead of 18's, I'm pretty sure that I'll be going with the same size as yours

[Mike C]

Thanks for the compliments. In the rear that's as much tire as you can fit pretty much without modifying the inner bedside. You MIGHT squeeze a 285 in there if your truck is blessed to have a really evenly centered rear.

[wreckedchevy]

nice looking stepper

[Dirt's72]

Man I woulda rocked that the way it was in the before pic, just my style.
The way you have it now it would get stolen in a heartbeat around here.

[Mike C]

I hope that's not the case here...

It was fun to drive before, but it's near epic now. It drives great and gets looks from darn near everybody. The 4 wheel drums were a hazard so not sorry to see them go to say the least.