Double drop builds

[ihssalky]

This is my first truck build. I seem to be jumping in head first. Its just the way i am i guess. I have been into building and running pulling tractors for many years. I have always liked these trucks and wanted to try a build.
This pic is of the truck currently. I plan to start over from the begining, so this is just a teaser. The truck will be setup with 454 stroker, tremec 5 speed, Porterbuilt dropmember front and 4link Porterbuilt rear/ my notch and bridge setup, and accuair.
The reason for the name " double drop builds" is that there are actually two trucks being built side by side. One is mine and the other is a friends that will be similar with a sbc and 3 ott. More soon...
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[Maximuz]

Waiting inpatiently....................

[ihssalky]

To start on my truck build i went looking on craigslist. That seems to be where we all ge into trouble. Its the starting point to spending too much money and time on something. Oh well. I found a '70 c10 stepside locally. I called about it and happen to know the owner. It was setting in a field for about 8 years. It really did not do the truck much good. It had a lot of pennsylvania rot. More than most. About the only things going for it were that it was strait where not rusted and had a title. Not much , but i just could not let it sit out there and die. This is a pic after bringing it home and removing the junk bed

The other truck is a '71 short step truck. The owner has had it for about 10 years. He worked on it some after he orignally got it. It basically showed up at my shop after we discussed what i was doing on mine. It just seemed to make sense to do them side by side. Pics to follow on it.
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[502ms]

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[ihssalky]

This is a pic of the other truck that is being built. This is how it currently looks. I dont have any other pics of it. I will be getting more pics as we go. It also has all the same rust problems. If i had to do it all over again i would head to AZ and get a rust free truck.
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[ihssalky]

Once i got a chance to remove the cab and bed i was able to see exactly how bad it was. It was worse than i expected. The bed was not worth anything. The cab was very bad in all normal spots and also below gas tank. The front fenders were also rotted out at the bottoms. The doors were not much better. Its a shame since they are so strait of pannels. It was at this point that i decided to start to look at craigslist again. I knew that one big obstacle was out of the way with having a good title, but that might be about all. I looked around for replacement pannels. It took a few weeks but i came across an ad that was about 1.5 hr away. It was a truck that had a tree fall on it and crush the cab and hood. Not too good for the cab, but good for me. It was a poorly done rust repair/paint job. It happen to have all the body parts i needed to fix mine including the swb fleet bed for 1300. It looks better in the pic than what it was.
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[67cheby]

SWEET ! double builds i like that !

[ihssalky]

I got both trucks apart and made some decisions on what to do. Basically i have a frankin truck. Two trucks in one. I used the cab, doors, front fenders, and hood of gold one. The blue truck donated the frame and bed. The rest of the blue truck pannels were used as patch pannels because the were too dinged up to use. The blue truck frame ended up to be in excellent shape. Thats good because the gold frame was rusted thru.
As we get into the fab work on the chassis i will have more on the second build truck. That is when it came into the shop for the start of its build.
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[ihssalky]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

SWEET ! double builds i like that !

Thanks
It makes for a lot of work. My truck usally gets worked on first so the second one is much easier. Sometimes the second one actually gets better stuff since it is the second time around.
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[ihssalky]

Kinda had to take a break this week from one hoddy and focus on another hobby. Will have more on the trucks asap. Till then this is a video of my run at the national farm machinery show in the 8000lb super stock alchohol class. 2nd place in finals. http://youtu.be/UEisaozjYXA
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[67cheby]

nice job on the repair work !

[ddubbs]

Ya why he said. :-)
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[ihssalky]

Thanks. If i had to do it all over again i would start with a better cab. It took a lot of time to get it into decent shape. If it did not have a title it would have been changed.
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[ihssalky]

After the rust removal was done i went onto the mods. First up was to shave the drip rail. Its a little difficult to do along the top of the windshield. Just cut and do about 3 inch at a time. This is where i stopped on the cab and started on the chassis mods on both trucks
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[ihssalky]

Next up was to strip the rear to get ready to c notch the rear and install the 4 link. Basically the crossmembers wher removed near the rear where the notch goes in. You get tired of cutting rivits after a wile. Also it was braced in front and behind the rear to hold the frame during the notch cutting and welding. I decided to go with the 4 link setup. I just liked it better than the trailing arm setup.
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[original-71]

first time ive seen a double build thats awsome keep the pictures coming

[ihssalky]

Ather the rear got stripped, the four link got mocked up. Little trickey tryin to get it all in place but very strait forward. As always it is a pleasure to use Porterbuilt parts. I only went with their four link parts and not the rest of the rear dropmember because i found a deal on these parts from another board member. I just wanted to try to do my own bag and c notch setup.
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[widewhite70]

Looks and sounds like a good build or builds I should say!

[ihssalky]

This is the rear of the second truck. It was done a little different just so they would not be the same. Sorry its been a wile since i posted much. I purchased a cnc mill a few weeks ago and am tryin to get it all up and going. I am hoping to be able to make some parts for me and possibly some for others.
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[ihssalky]

up next was the front suspension. The green truck got the v3 extreme front dropmember and the gold truck got a v4 extreme dropmember. The gold truck also got 13" brakes and green got stock front brakes for a 71. we mixed and matehed PB parts around from three different orders. It is amazing how well they are all built. I really does not matter what goes with what. It all fits like factory. Well actually better! Also i did a mockup of the bed with the accuair and a cooler that will house the top of the fuel tank

[ihssalky]

Its been way too long since my last post. I will try to do better. Been working alot on both trucks. Got gold cab and clip metal work done and off to paint. The green cab is getting the rust repair treatment along with a '59 impala dash. It was actually much easier than i originally thought it would be. Both trucks have the cowl shaved and the gold one will be without wipers.

[ihssalky]

It took a while to do all the motor work but it was worth it.
Gold truck: 489 ci bbc. New tall deck block .030 over, lunati crank,srp pistons ,h beam rods, solid roller cam, aluminum heads and roller rockers. All topped off with msd ignition and msd atomic efi.
Green truck: 383 sbc scat rotating assembly , hydraulic roller cam, aluminum heads topped with a deamon 750.
Both have been balanced and use arp studs and bolts thru the complete build.

[ihssalky]

Thanks
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[DKclassis72]

sweet builds man! what 13" front brakes are you running from your previous post?

[ihssalky]

Got the cab back from body work and paint for the gold one. It is going to be its original medium gold and white roof. It is base /clear with a flat clear mixed to an eggshell finish. It was very hard to judge if i liked it till i got it back for a few days and put things on it. I am very pleased. The only thing thats strange is that a shadow will make it look like the paint is thin in spots but i would not want it any other way.
The mods to the cab include : shaved and clearenced firewall, added 3rd brake light, under dash brake booster, shaved dash speaker, shaved key and heat controls, shaved drip rail ,welded rockers to corners, and top rear of cab cut off and rounded upper seam area.

Also got some marquez one piece tail lights fit in the bed.