Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 01:30 AM

I'm going to start from the beginning to give you guys a sense of how far this project has come. My Grandfather bought this truck off the lot in 66 along with a chevelle for my Grandmother. I think he must have run into some money to buy both of them at the same time. The chevelle is currently sitting in my Dad's driveway in pristine unrestored condition. It has the original 283, powerglide and only about 70,000 miles on it. That's my next project if I can talk him out of it. Back to the truck.
This truck sat broken down in my yard from the time I was in middle school till I was 21. My Dad and I put a rebuild small block in and I drove it around the country. 30,000 miles later I finally moved into a house with an empty two car garage out back. This was 2 years ago in January 09'. I started stripping it down to the frame immediately. Once the frame was bare metal I decided to convert it from a long to a short bed. With some help from my Brother and Dad, we cut 20 inches out of the frame and the bed. I ordered up the Air Ride Strong Arm kit for the front and back along with a four wheel disc brake set up from Baer. After the bags and brakes were on I put the cab back on the truck and started cutting rust out of the floor board, kick panels and rocker panels. I patched the floors on both sides and moved to the front fenders. I bought new ones but have since decided to cut them up and patch the original fenders. When you get a part for your truck and it has a made in Taiwan sticker on it, it makes you cringe. Plus nothing fits like original sheet metal. I've done most of the hammer and dolly work and have gotten all of the panels pretty straight. When the front fenders are done I'll be ready for primer.
Right now I still have the rebuilt small block in it but I traded out the old 4 speed granny for a T-5 out of a Firebird. It's a good cruising combination for now but it's only a place holder for what I'm in the process of building. I've started a 383 stroker that will have about 450hp and will be bolted to a Tremec TKO500 5 speed. I'll probably have to finish the truck first with the engine and tranny that are in it now and swap them out later. I've had to prioritize since the economy turned to ****.
I'll post as many pictures as I can to give you guys a good look at some of the work that's been done. Some of them are from my phone so there a bit fuzzy but effective.
Thanks for looking.

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 01:40 AM

This is the TIG welded frame with the backing plate. Also, the sheet metal cuts I have from the 20" shortening.

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 01:51 AM

The bed is welded up and is now a stock length shorty. If anyone is doing this make sure you brace it up tight before cutting the rear. Both sides of the rear come off at the same time and are connected with the cross sill. I used a piece of angle I had and bolted it where the tail gate chains go. I also braced it in the center the same way. When I put the tailgate back on the gaps and alignment were perfect... or as good as they were before.

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 02:01 AM

These are the brake and engine shots I have from after the install. The set up is from Baer and is not cheap. I broke the bank with these and my build has stalled because of it. Maybe I'll learn to budget next year. Running out of money teaches you things like hammer and dolly technique so it's not all bad sometimes. Elbow grease is free.
I didn't take to many progress pics during the middle of jobs but lots after each was completed.

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 02:17 AM

Cab on, rusty floor out and fresh metal in. Most of the time I'm working by myself which explains the cherry picker.

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 02:21 AM

I cut 3" out of the steering column to have a little more room to roam because I'm 6'3. I've decided to keep the bench because I can't seem to find a bucket that looks like it fits in the truck. I'm going to lower the bench a little for more head room when I get a chance.

This is how she sits now and brings us up to date in March, 2009. It's come along way since the snow shot.

el_bole · 05-14-2012, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

The bed is welded up and is now a stock length shorty. If anyone is doing this make sure you brace it up tight before cutting the rear. Both sides of the rear come off at the same time and are connected with the cross sill. I used a piece of angle I had and bolted it where the tail gate chains go. I also braced it in the center the same way. When I put the tailgate back on the gaps and alignment were perfect... or as good as they were before.

Shrunken66stroker,

Great thread, apologize in advance if my question is answered some where in your build thread....I too have a long bed, just panels and rear end cut off, and want to know what is the exact length in front and back of wheel well? Basically want to have someone weld it up into shorty....ANy info would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
el_bole

shrunken66stroker · 05-14-2012, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el_bole

Shrunken66stroker,

Great thread, apologize in advance if my question is answered some where in your build thread....I too have a long bed, just panels and rear end cut off, and want to know what is the exact length in front and back of wheel well? Basically want to have someone weld it up into shorty....ANy info would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,
el_bole

I cut 12" out of the frame and bed infront of the wheel and 8" out off of the end of the frame and bed behind the wheels. I believe the wheel base of a stock short bed is 115" and the wheel base of a long bed is 127". If you want I'll take a picture of where I cut the frame under the cab. If you want specific measurements I'll be happy to get them for you.

rss396 · 03-13-2009, 01:41 AM

Looks like you have a very good plan and are going to have a very cool truck. Like to see more pics. Also nice shop / garage.!!

collins10672 · 03-13-2009, 04:09 AM

you have a great looking build project.i have never saw a 60-66 bed shortened the way you did it(most people just cut straight down),but it looks fantastic.great welding skills and quality metal finishing.i wish i had your metal working skills.will be sweet truck.keep up the good work.

jason65 · 03-13-2009, 07:37 AM

Great lookin truck.

LostMy65 · 08-14-2011, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by collins10672

you have a great looking build project.i have never saw a 60-66 bed shortened the way you did it(most people just cut straight down),but it looks fantastic.great welding skills and quality metal finishing.i wish i had your metal working skills.will be sweet truck.keep up the good work.

The way Shrunken66Stroker did it is a better method to insure a straight frame.
Take, for example; cutting it straight down and then being off by 1/16 of an inch. Now multiply that 1/16" by half the length of the frame. It only takes being off by a small fraction to translate to much over the length of the frame.

gostranger · 03-13-2009, 08:12 AM

awesome build!! 2 questions where did you get the front shocks and shock mounts?and second where did you get the tubular trailing arms and crossmember i want to get all of that for my build let me know thanks

**ChiefRocka** · 03-13-2009, 08:36 AM

Nice and build...and even nicer is the story behind both rides !!! That is way cool, and the only way to get them !!!

Looks like the bed was shortened like they did on "Trucks"....Similar ?

Great work !!

dieselarmy13 · 03-13-2009, 08:52 AM

Sweet

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 10:22 AM

Yes, it's the same cuts and air ride. I'm trying to finish mine before they do but they have a better credit card than me. I'm bustin my ass to save for some rims and tires to get this thing on the ground. It's been on jack stands for almost 2 years. I think I'm going with 20" Coys or Torq Thrusts. Not sure yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChiefRocka

Nice and build...and even nicer is the story behind both rides !!! That is way cool, and the only way to get them !!!

Looks like the bed was shortened like they did on "Trucks"....Similar ?

Great work !!

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 10:17 AM

All of the suspension parts are from Air Ride Technologies. Not cheap but I'm hoping it's going to give me some great handling. It'll be a while before I find out. Some day I'll be able to afford wheels.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gostranger

awesome build!! 2 questions where did you get the front shocks and shock mounts?and second where did you get the tubular trailing arms and crossmember i want to get all of that for my build let me know thanks

kizer · 03-13-2009, 12:37 PM

Wow nice job man. I will say nothing is cooler than seeing a truck in bare metal. Its kinda cool to me and that thing your working on is going to look awesome.

Can I ask a silly question thou? How long can you leave bare metal like that without it rusting? Or is the length of time realitive to the moisture and tempreture in the air?

shrunken66stroker · 03-13-2009, 01:09 PM

It's not a good idea to leave it in bare metal for long. I live in las vegas where the humidity hovers around 5-10%. I can get away with it longer than most but I'm still worried about it and about to shoot it with etching primer when the front fenders are done. If I lived in a humid climate I wouldn't be so lazy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kizer

Wow nice job man. I will say nothing is cooler than seeing a truck in bare metal. Its kinda cool to me and that thing your working on is going to look awesome.

Can I ask a silly question thou? How long can you leave bare metal like that without it rusting? Or is the length of time realitive to the moisture and tempreture in the air?

66chevy PROSTREET · 03-13-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrunken66stroker

It's not a good idea to leave it in bare metal for long. I live in las vegas where the humidity hovers around 5-10%. I can get away with it longer than most but I'm still worried about it and about to shoot it with etching primer when the front fenders are done. If I lived in a humid climate I wouldn't be so lazy.

in south louisiana i can't leave something bare metal for more than 2 hours with this 80-100% humidity!!

bobbylast · 05-12-2012, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 66chevy PROSTREET

in south louisiana i can't leave something bare metal for more than 2 hours with this 80-100% humidity!!

i know dats right...

Strodder · 05-12-2012, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobbylast

i know dats right...

In the high Desert that doesn't happen.

It's a DRY HEAT.

66chevy PROSTREET · 03-13-2009, 12:47 PM

very nice!

TimE · 03-13-2009, 01:15 PM

Great job so far!! Keep it up.

That's a cool story behind the truck. Good luck in talking your dad out of the Chevelle.

kizer · 03-13-2009, 01:16 PM

Thanks. I figured as much. All this metal work stuff is over my head. I"m a computer geek with a camera and trying to be computer geek with a grinder and a cut off wheel.

Worst case I'll get tons of pictures of my mistakes. hahahaha

Either way I subscribed to this thread because its kinda cool. Your backstory was awesome as well.

03-13-2009, 01:30 AM	#1
shrunken66stroker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 954	Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. I'm going to start from the beginning to give you guys a sense of how far this project has come. My Grandfather bought this truck off the lot in 66 along with a chevelle for my Grandmother. I think he must have run into some money to buy both of them at the same time. The chevelle is currently sitting in my Dad's driveway in pristine unrestored condition. It has the original 283, powerglide and only about 70,000 miles on it. That's my next project if I can talk him out of it. Back to the truck. This truck sat broken down in my yard from the time I was in middle school till I was 21. My Dad and I put a rebuild small block in and I drove it around the country. 30,000 miles later I finally moved into a house with an empty two car garage out back. This was 2 years ago in January 09'. I started stripping it down to the frame immediately. Once the frame was bare metal I decided to convert it from a long to a short bed. With some help from my Brother and Dad, we cut 20 inches out of the frame and the bed. I ordered up the Air Ride Strong Arm kit for the front and back along with a four wheel disc brake set up from Baer. After the bags and brakes were on I put the cab back on the truck and started cutting rust out of the floor board, kick panels and rocker panels. I patched the floors on both sides and moved to the front fenders. I bought new ones but have since decided to cut them up and patch the original fenders. When you get a part for your truck and it has a made in Taiwan sticker on it, it makes you cringe. Plus nothing fits like original sheet metal. I've done most of the hammer and dolly work and have gotten all of the panels pretty straight. When the front fenders are done I'll be ready for primer. Right now I still have the rebuilt small block in it but I traded out the old 4 speed granny for a T-5 out of a Firebird. It's a good cruising combination for now but it's only a place holder for what I'm in the process of building. I've started a 383 stroker that will have about 450hp and will be bolted to a Tremec TKO500 5 speed. I'll probably have to finish the truck first with the engine and tranny that are in it now and swap them out later. I've had to prioritize since the economy turned to ***. I'll post as many pictures as I can to give you guys a good look at some of the work that's been done. Some of them are from my phone so there a bit fuzzy but effective. Thanks for looking. Attached Images Last edited by shrunken66stroker; 03-13-2009 at 01:32 AM.*

03-13-2009, 01:40 AM	#2
shrunken66stroker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 954	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. This is the TIG welded frame with the backing plate. Also, the sheet metal cuts I have from the 20" shortening. Attached Images

03-13-2009, 01:51 AM	#3
shrunken66stroker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 954	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. The bed is welded up and is now a stock length shorty. If anyone is doing this make sure you brace it up tight before cutting the rear. Both sides of the rear come off at the same time and are connected with the cross sill. I used a piece of angle I had and bolted it where the tail gate chains go. I also braced it in the center the same way. When I put the tailgate back on the gaps and alignment were perfect... or as good as they were before. Attached Images

03-13-2009, 02:01 AM	#4
shrunken66stroker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 954	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. These are the brake and engine shots I have from after the install. The set up is from Baer and is not cheap. I broke the bank with these and my build has stalled because of it. Maybe I'll learn to budget next year. Running out of money teaches you things like hammer and dolly technique so it's not all bad sometimes. Elbow grease is free. I didn't take to many progress pics during the middle of jobs but lots after each was completed. Attached Images

03-13-2009, 02:17 AM	#5
shrunken66stroker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 954	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Cab on, rusty floor out and fresh metal in. Most of the time I'm working by myself which explains the cherry picker. Attached Images

03-13-2009, 02:21 AM	#6
shrunken66stroker Registered User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Las Vegas, Nv Posts: 954	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. I cut 3" out of the steering column to have a little more room to roam because I'm 6'3. I've decided to keep the bench because I can't seem to find a bucket that looks like it fits in the truck. I'm going to lower the bench a little for more head room when I get a chance. This is how she sits now and brings us up to date in March, 2009. It's come along way since the snow shot. Attached Images Last edited by shrunken66stroker; 03-13-2009 at 02:25 AM.

03-13-2009, 01:41 AM	#9
rss396 Registered User Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Amity Oregon Posts: 70	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Looks like you have a very good plan and are going to have a very cool truck. Like to see more pics. Also nice shop / garage.!! __________________ 1950 Chevy 1/2 ton 283 Mustang II 1961 SWB 2x4 235 six 2007 Silverado 1/2 ton Z71 4x4 1968 Camaro SS 396 / 502

03-13-2009, 04:09 AM	#10
collins10672 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: bean station tennessee Posts: 398	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. you have a great looking build project.i have never saw a 60-66 bed shortened the way you did it(most people just cut straight down),but it looks fantastic.great welding skills and quality metal finishing.i wish i had your metal working skills.will be sweet truck.keep up the good work.

03-13-2009, 07:37 AM	#11
jason65 Registerd User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 2,118	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Great lookin truck.

03-13-2009, 08:12 AM	#13
gostranger 65 suburban vortec 5.3 bagged Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: upstate new york Posts: 1,317	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. awesome build!! 2 questions where did you get the front shocks and shock mounts?and second where did you get the tubular trailing arms and crossmember i want to get all of that for my build let me know thanks

03-13-2009, 08:36 AM	#14
ChiefRocka Hollister, CA. Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Hollister, Ca. Posts: 6,150	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Nice and build...and even nicer is the story behind both rides !!! That is way cool, and the only way to get them !!! Looks like the bed was shortened like they did on "Trucks"....Similar ? Great work !! __________________ John What the Heck is that ?? CURRENT BUILDS: 62 BurbMaster Other Builds: My '63 C-10,LWB,CC,BBW '06 HD StrAight Axle Swap Father/Son '67 C-20, LQ9,4L80,Bagged,8-Lugger !!Good Friend Richard's Build AMERICAN CUSTOMS & CLASSICS (831) 630-1965 www.ACCHOLLISTER.com ACC on FACEBOOK "Rest in Peace, Mom & Dad ... I will see you again someday!"

03-13-2009, 08:52 AM	#15
dieselarmy13 Phone's ringin Dude. Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 1,426	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Sweet __________________ I pitty the fool with only two headlights!! 2003 SILVERADO SS--THE NEW GIRL 1972 GMC--THE OLD GIRL

03-13-2009, 12:37 PM	#18
kizer Its Deja Vu time again Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Marysville, North of Seattle WA Posts: 815	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Wow nice job man. I will say nothing is cooler than seeing a truck in bare metal. Its kinda cool to me and that thing your working on is going to look awesome. Can I ask a silly question thou? How long can you leave bare metal like that without it rusting? Or is the length of time realitive to the moisture and tempreture in the air? __________________ Its not pretty but its mine to figure out. The build / The Photos / Build Diary

03-13-2009, 12:47 PM	#23
66chevy PROSTREET SOLD Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Poorest state in America(Breaux Bridge,Louisiana) Posts: 370	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. very nice! __________________ 1966 CHEVY FLEETSIDE SOLD 11-29-9 TRUCK THREAD- http://http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=301368&page=2

03-13-2009, 01:15 PM	#24
TimE Hey Y'all!! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bay Minette, Alabama Posts: 1,755	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Great job so far!! Keep it up. That's a cool story behind the truck. Good luck in talking your dad out of the Chevelle. __________________ Just hopin' I live long enough to finish something!!!



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03-13-2009, 01:16 PM	#25
kizer Its Deja Vu time again Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Marysville, North of Seattle WA Posts: 815	Re: Shrunken66Stroker's build thread. Thanks. I figured as much. All this metal work stuff is over my head. I"m a computer geek with a camera and trying to be computer geek with a grinder and a cut off wheel. Worst case I'll get tons of pictures of my mistakes. hahahaha Either way I subscribed to this thread because its kinda cool. Your backstory was awesome as well. __________________ Its not pretty but its mine to figure out. The build / The Photos / Build Diary

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