1963 LWB bagged project

[provelless]

This is my 63' project, plans are:
* bag it
* z frame 3"
* later model front crossmember/ power steering
* 350 Vortec 700r4
* patina style paint

[provelless]

Body is not to bad, rockers and floor need just a little patching, bed needs a few patch panels and bottom of doors.

[provelless]

Here's where we are today.






This is my first bagged project so I'm sure I'll have a few questions. Since I'm z'ing the frame is there a need/reason the section the front crossmember? I plan on using stock a-arms if that makes a difference. Also I have a plasma cutter and plan on making the notches and bag plates, ect. does anyone have the dimensions on the rear notches? thanks Ken

[creep]

If you Z the frame there is no need to section the crossmember. If you section the crossmember there is no need to Z the frame. If you're swapping crossmembers it might be easier to just section it before you put it in. Either way stock arms should be OK.

Good luck on the project. I'm looking forward to seeing some progress. I'm kinda partial to 63 longbeds

[provelless]

Creep just checked out the build on your truck, super nice truck! Progress on my truck has been slow, a lot of it is I'm unsure what I'm doing the other is it's damn cold ! Anyway here's where I'm at now

[provelless]

[provelless]

[joedoh]

do not die grind the ball joint.

there are a couple of approaches:

you can install an upper ball joint with more travel, if available. it may not get you all you need.

you can pie cut the uppers on the vertical just inboard of the balljoint, cut a pie shaped piece out on front and back of the arm, then jack up the lower again. the upper balljoint will bind and the arm will bend, closing the pie cuts, which you weld back up. the drawback here is that you will lose exactly as much lift as drop you gained, which may not matter to you at all.

you can raise the entire upper control arm up at its mounting. this will make the unequal length arms have less camber change and may give you the extra drop you need. the drawback is the arms will be closer to steering components and exhaust headers etc.

you can buy drop spindles and or custom lower arms with drop geometry. this wont keep the balljoint from binding but it will give you more drop before it happens.

[provelless]

My drop spindles should be in tomorrow I'll wait and fit them up then pie cut if needed, thanks

[creep]

You may not need to do anything to the upper arm. Until you have the front end completely mocked up with bags and wheels and a sectioned xmember or Z'd frame you won't know exactly how much drop you need.

[provelless]

That's basically what I'm doing. I'm figuring a max of 28" tall tire, right now with 2.5 drop spindle, lower control arm up as high as it will go my spindle is 14" from ground and I like 2" laying frame. I'm hoping that z'ing the frame just 2" that I want have any clearance issues with trans. My truck has the high hump so I think I'll be ok. Ken

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by provelless

right now with 2.5 drop spindle, lower control arm up as high as it will go my spindle is 14" from ground and I like 2" laying frame.

frame? or bottom of the front suspension crossmember? just asking, the reason people do a z is to put the bottom of the crossmember even with the frame.

[Popcorn W]

Im going a similar route but you're a little further along than I am. I've got my z done. I need to update my build thread tomorrow. I did 2 inch z

[Bomp]

Lookin' good.

Sub'd

[provelless]

Made a homemade rotisserie, other side is engine stand. and painted the frame.

[provelless]

Tomorrow if I get rained out of work I should get it put back together , install bags, tank and compressor. Next is to get brake lines ran then I can push the frame aside and start the body work. Ken

[provelless]

Well it didn't rain today but I still got a chance to put suspension in along with front airbags and lines.

[provelless]

Here's some pics of my other rides. The Chevelle runs 6.80s its has a 468 12.5:1 with Racerite heads.

[Vics63Chevy]

Love that rocket! Hahah your 63 is lookin better every update, I'm subbed.

[ProudSoul]

Lookin good man. What kind of compressor is that? Like all your other rides too, the s10 is my fav!

[provelless]

Originally Posted by ProudSoul

Lookin good man. What kind of compressor is that? Like all your other rides too, the s10 is my fav!

The compressor came with one of those cheap kits off ebay, I have a feeling I'm going to regret buying it at some point. For one you only have one motor running both compressors if it fails your screwed. I'm already thinking of adding another compressor.

The s10 was a very sharp truck, won several 1st place trophys with it but it rode like crap. Also I got tired of young chicks pulling up beside me thinking I was some young dude and seeing the disappointment on their faces when they see some old grey bearded man driving, haha.

[Popcorn W]

Wow, you're really moving along. I better get busy.
What size blocks are you using on the rear? I was looking at mine and thinking it may not be possible to lay frame with stock trailing arms.

[provelless]

Originally Posted by Popcorn W

Wow, you're really moving along. I better get busy.
What size blocks are you using on the rear? .

3" blocks made from 2x3 tubing and I'm pretty sure that's what the swb guys are doing too. Are you planning on moving the trailing arm crossmember back any? The reason I asked is on mine from the original stock height to being layed out the rear axle moved forward 2.5 inches. I only moved it back an inch though, I know some of the guys that didn't move it said that wish they had because when its layed out the wheel is to far forward. How are those modified control arms coming along?
I hope tomorrow I can get the bags, tank and compressor all hooked up and I've started body work on the cab. The cab needs all four cab support mounts gonna try to tackle those this week.

[Popcorn W]

Originally Posted by provelless

3" blocks made from 2x3 tubing and I'm pretty sure that's what the swb guys are doing too. Are you planning on moving the trailing arm crossmember back any? The reason I asked is on mine from the original stock height to being layed out the rear axle moved forward 2.5 inches. I only moved it back an inch though, I know some of the guys that didn't move it said that wish they had because when its layed out the wheel is to far forward. How are those modified control arms coming along?

I hadn't heard about the rear axle moving forward. Never thought about it. I was really hoping to complete mine without taking the cab off. My cab mounts aren't the greatest. I can leave them like they are, but taking the cab off may mess them up.
I guess I can add about an inch to the arm mounting tabs so I won't have to cut the trailing arm crossmember rivets, which I can't get to with the cab on.

Isn't that 3" block going to give you almost no error in your scrub line or are you going to run 22s or something with a very low profile tire?

[provelless]

Popcorn if I understand the meaning of scrub height correct, if I were to have a flat will I have something dragging or hitting the pavement. I'm not sure but I'll check tomorrow. When I looked into laying frame with stock trailing arms this was what people were doing.