Project: Green Machine ~ 1970 Build Up

[Green Machine]

Well after reading all the other build up posts here on the board I thought that it is my turn for a build up thread. Lol

Well it all started about 2 years ago when we started looking for some parts for a project 67 we were thinking about fixing up, until the guy that owned the salvage yard we were looking through turned to his partner and said, “Should we show them the truck in the shed?”. Well, we went to look in the shed with him and we found a 1970 Chevy ½ Ton. It had a 250 Six Cylinder with a 3 speed Saginaw and a 3:73 open rear end. This truck had been sitting in the shed since 1992 (12 Years) when we bought it in 5/5/04.
This guy bought it off an estate auction 12 years earlier and had parked it in plans of fixing it up someday. But he decided that he had too many projects and he decided to let it go, (he is a former body man and has a bunch of old 60s 70s and early 80s Buicks and he had a thing for old chevy trucks so he had quite a few sitting in his yard). So after leaving his place we pretty much decided on the way home that we really wanted it because we would be kicking ourselves if we didn’t snag it up. So the next day we headed down with a truck and trailer, paid him the $850 dollars, loaded it up, and that is where the fun started.

Below is a picture from the morning after we rescued it. From there we drove the truck and trailer to the local carwash and we spent about an hour and a half and a whole sh*t load of quarters, lol, and we finally got it acceptable enough to park it in the driveway. The truck looked as if they went and drove it through a muddy field and then they parked it.

Sorry about the picture, it was before we invested in a digital camera, lol.

[Green Machine]

Here are some more pictures after we cleaned it up a little.

[Green Machine]

More........

[Green Machine]

Still More........

[Green Machine]

After we had cleaned the truck up we had started to diagnois the truck and determined that the 6 cylinder wasn't worth the time or the effort in order to make it work correctly so we decided to put in the v-8 that was in or 1967, now parts truck, in the 1970 with a New Process A833 4 speed overdrive tranny out of an 86 Chevy Pickup.

The engine we just basically resealed it with a pan gasket, front and rear main, intake, etc, basically all but the head gaskets.

The tranny we just washed up, checked the fluid, and installed

Installing this we had to grind of 8 rivits with a drill which helped support the old bellhousing in the six cylinder poisition. We also had to track down and Automatic crossmember and a automatic drive shaft which we installed new hanger bearing and u-joints.

Pictures..........

[Rokcrln]

Not a bad place to start! Looks like you lnow your way around those long beds LOL

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Green Machine]

After we had done the engine and tranny swap we were done with this truck for a bout a year while we finished up the restore on our 1968 Chevy 1/2 ton 307, 3 speed. But after we had pretty much finished with our 1968 we decide the pour old Green Machine needed some attention so we quickly found a bodyman and started In about October desmantling the truck in about a month or month and a half. It started by us first pulling off the bed and straighting the bed and knocking out as many dents and dingers as we could and we also got it as clean as possible with a powerwasher. We then took all the chrome, tailights, talgate, anything that could come off besides the bed sides, front panel, fenderwells, and crossbraces. Then we hoisted the bed back on to the truck, fastened it with 4 bolts, hooked up temporary tailights and drove to the body mans shop, which is about 20 miles from here one way, and we dropped of the bed so that they had something to work on.

So now starts the disassembly of the front end and cab. We pull the front clip and then take that clear apart every nut, and piece. Then Out comes the engine, doors, seat, tank, all the way down to the bare cab as to where we could not take out one more bolt or screw even if we wanted to. Next off comes the cab so that we can clean the frame and remove any unwanted or unused brackets. Then we took out the rear end and trailling arm assembly. We discovered the it had leaky axel seals so we pull the axles. We then discover that we have one rusty axle bearing so we decided to pull both of those and replace then also. So then we get curious and decided to see if we have any unwanted problems in the carrier so we take the carrier out only to discover a rusty carrier bearing. So what the heck mights as well pull the pinion, and guess what we found, a rusty bearing. So then we start thinking then BINGO! We remeber that we have a 3:73 Posi in the corner with a everything. So we check it out and find that the bearings are just fine so we have a lagitament excuse to install a posi. So we did and we replaced axle bearings brakes and all new stainless steel brake lines from Inline Tube.

So back to the frame. We procced to strip the fram of little things such as brake lines and fuel lines and paint that also with Eastwood Rust Encaplsolator. Then we install new brakes and stainless brake lines and then we are ready to put the rearend assembly back in to the truck along with a newer set of springs from LMC. Now on goes the cab with ne mounts and of to the body shop it goes.

Pictures...........

[Green Machine]

Here are some Cab Frame pictures and the last two are pictures of some of the main assemblies getting a final wash before paint, or in the cabs case getting remounted back of the frame.

[Green Machine]

And now time for the fun part, Body Work , lol.
Here are some pictures of after they had just stripped down the entire cab and box with a sandblaster and just a little bit of starting body work............

[Green Machine]

More Body Progress #1.................

[Green Machine]

Last two of Body Progress #1......................

[Green Machine]

Ok now we have more body progress, i remembered to bring the camera this time. These pictures they have gotten everything in primer and have started a little bit of rust repair...............

[Green Machine]

More Body Progress #2.....................

[Green Machine]

More Body Progress #2..............

[Green Machine]

More Body Progress #2.......

[Green Machine]

Last of Body Progress #2...................... The gold tailgate is a replacement we found, the original one is solid,but a little too rough to fix easily. I think the cab corners, rockers, and cab supports are getting fixed/repacled at this point also.

[Green Machine]

Ok that is pretty much the body progress thus far, I will have to remeber to bring a camera along next time because as of thos last pictures he has built and moved in to a new shop. I am glad he built a new shop, as you can tell things were pretty crowded as project were moved around, but that set him and us back 2-3 months.

So now on to the fun stuff - Mechanical work.
This winter while we had the body in the shop we decided to build an engine because it turned out that our other engine wasn't to hot. Our other Engine turned out to be a 283/302/327. The block is a 327 with a 327 pistons and a 283 crank making it a low compression 302. About a 7:1 compression ratio. So we decided to build a new engine for some gas mileage, we hope. We decided to build a 1989 Chevy Camaro 305. We started by basically cleaning it up and some how ended up doing a rering and bearing job. We then just re-assembled with stock heads no head work, except new springs and valve seals, because they were all sealing just fine. We put back in the stock 305 roller cam and lifters and added a HV oil pump with stock spring. Then we put a Edelbrock Performer Intake and a Edelbrock 1406 Carb.

On to the tranny, the A833 4 spd overdrive. We started the whole thing by just wanting to replace the speedo gear but ended up dismantling the whole thing and installing new needle bearings, new front and rear bearings, new Syncros, and all new gaskets. Gave it a fresh coat of paint and it is ready to go. Had to find a 1 piece RMS
manual flywheel, have it surfaced and put new clutch assembly.
So that is pretty much it for right now, I will try to take some more pictures and update as I go.

Below are some pictures........

The manifolds are ugly, they are just temporary until we can get some nice headers -Lol

[kansas city cheyenne]

It looks like you have been busy. Looking good so far.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Good Lord man! You've done more in one day than I've done in ten years!!! Great looking project!

[tkeduk8r]

hey fellas, thanks for the numbers info in the pm.... Im looking forward to seeing this one parked next to the red 68!!! and possibly goin for a ride in it to see what the a833 is like... I still havnt gone out to grab the one i was talkin about in SD, but i am planning on it soon!!! looks great!!!!
--Mike

[Green Machine]

Finally some paint on the outside of the cab today, inside already painted, doors and fenders are supposed to get painted tommorow. It is getting closer !!!


<=== Note : Avatar is a before pic !

[71swb4x4]

Looks good!! Keep the pictures coming.

[centsless]

Excellent work!!! Love the color!!

[wibilly]

i love that color, is that dark olive?

[bucket]

you know its going to be a good project when it starts out "should we show them the truck in the shed?"