Tennessee newb kid.

[chevysnbuicks]

Hey people. Several people at FSC told me to come here with my questions about my '77 silverado long bed restoration/customization project. I've still got a few unanswered Q's that I'll post on the 73-87 general board.

A little about me: I'm 16 years old, finishing up my sophomore year. My dad has always wanted me to get into cars. Once I got my drivers liscense, I actually got into them, and have been ever since. When my grandfather died, we got the '77 work truck. It isn't in exactly perfect condition. He [grandpa] used it to haul fresh cut firewood at least twice a week. The engine went out in 2003, and we took the motor out to send to a buddy for rebuilding in mid '04. We still haven't gotten it back yet, but there is kind of a story to that, too long to explain here.

The ridges in the bed are almost gone, and they are rusted pretty bad. The rocker panels are nearly gone, most of the lower fender on the passenger side is gone, and the driver side is in a little better condition, but not worth saving, when I can get reproduction panels from Classic Industries for $70. I'll have to replace most of, if not all of the bed panels.

Anywho, a short list of plans for the '77.
1. Modified 350, between 350 and 400 hp.
2. Either 5 speed tremec TKO or a beefed up T-56 6 speed
3. beefed up rear end. No way stock will live through the hell it's going to be going through.
4. Shaved body, relocated LED tail lights to the rollpan, door poppers, the whole sha-bang.
5. Air bags. It should lay frame by the time I get done with it, and it'll be close to laying body. (minimal modifications to the body for these, gotta love it)
6. Custom interior complete with custom grab handles, door panels, gauges, custom bucket seats, center console box, and of course, a sound system.
7. Fiberglass tonneau cover, with a custom bed setup under the cover. I will have a folding bench seat, separate sound system for the "bed interior", 17" flip down monitor wired into the sound system. The tonneau should lift vertically using 4 linear actuators, at least 14 inches, probably 16.
8. Suicide doors, you know the drill.
9. probably a 2" cowl hood.
10. Fuel Cell that will (hopefully) fit under the bed out of the way of the air management system for the bags, and not stick up into the bed at all with the exception of the filler and possibly breather. I would rather have a regular gas tank, but, eh, the stock comes down too low on the passenger side, so it wouldn't lay frame with that in the way.
11. Powder coated frame (probably) coated blood red, suspension coated black.
12. Glossy jet black paint, with custom air brushing on the tonneau cover. Black carpet inside, with black and red leather buckets and door panels. custom air brushing on dash also. Yes, I'm going for that gothic look.
13. Possibly rear disk brake conversion, and front upgrades for sure.

Alright. What's better is I hope to be able to drive this to my senior prom spring '09. Maybe no paint, because I'm not going to cheap out on paint, and probably no bed modifications, but I hope to have it drivable by then. I know I've got quite an expensive list going here, but I'll work for it, and it'll pay off, and when I stand back and look at it, I'll be able to say, "Look what I did."

Anywho, here is an old picture of how it looks