83/84 swb stepside long time build

[rip2174]

[rip2174]

Engine and tranny all painted. Getting the converter back on Monday then will bolt them all together and put on frame with new mounts from Porterbuilt. Then I can get the cab out of storage and see how much I'm going to have and cut out of the floor.

[tinydb84]

Those don't look like LS mounts. Did you figure them out?

[rip2174]

Yes, got with Porterbuilt and they fixed it up. Sent me the LS mounts. I just have to send them back the other SBC mounts when I get back from Mexico.

Porterbuilt has great customer service and I recommend their products. Really satisfied with what I have purchased from them.

[rip2174]

Well getting back on the truck when I get back from Mexico. Was thinking about sound deadening stuff. A guy here just did his 56 with a double layer of Fatmat on the floors and juet on firewall and a double layer of Fatmat on the ceiling. Says he is very happy with sound and may have think he over done it but is happy with results. I have read alot of stuff on here even the sound deadening website. But I think I want to do Lizard skin sound heat on underside cab and inner and bed fender wells. Then do one layer Fatmat on everything up to bottom of windows and the ceiling and see how it sounds. That gives me the option of later of closed cell foam and MLV if i think I need it.

Any thoughts on that combo to start?

[rip2174]

Well back from 7 weeks in Mexico. Managed to lose 16 lbs while there, 4% body fat and a lot of muscle. Tried to keep diet in check and workout in my room. Just couldn't eat enough I think. Got back last night and had today off so I decided to get back to work on truck. Got the freshly rebuilt tranny out and cleaned it up.

[rip2174]

gutted the cab for the most part and firewall.

[Greenlee]

Looking good! You have done a ton of work.

[rip2174]

got a little more work done yesterday and today. Hole for the tranny

[rip2174]

been fighting with can bolts since i pulled the cab. Finally gave up and cut holes in the floor. Yea more stuff to fix later. Made a mess of it too!

[rip2174]

[rip2174]

dam cab bolts

[rip2174]

got it back on frame with new cab mounts and it is a lot higher than before. Little frustrated with this. Thinking about doing a body drop now. Never did one those, Might be a little interesting. Its sitting about two inches from the pinch weld being on the ground.

[tinydb84]

Down the rabbit hole!

[rip2174]

So it has been awhile. Decided it would be wise to take 3 classes this spring with a full time job. Not so smart. Did manage to do a little work over the X-mas break and here and there.

[rip2174]

So I moved on with the frame. Everyone keeps telling me that once I get all the weight on it will flatten out. So I dropped in motor, cab and test fitted some panels.








as you can see the passenger side is high. Still wasnt low enough. LOL

[rip2174]

So a freind suggested what to do to the frame to get it lower. This is his ride.

[rip2174]

So off to the metal place I went.


Test piece



fianl. just need to clean up some welding

[tinydb84]

Good progress! I would switch to gas. So much cleaner, even when you arent going to see it.

[rip2174]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

Good progress! I would switch to gas. So much cleaner, even when you arent going to see it.

Thank you. Ill use gas on all the outside stuff. Just bought a big roll of flux wire, so going to use it for abit. Not to mention cheap when it comes to the gas, and the gas shop is on the other side of town. LOL.

[rip2174]

almost finished welding tranny tunnel. Need to weld from underside. So moving onto the firewall. Breaking out some parts to see where all is going to check what kind of mods are needed.

[rip2174]

got the steering bracket off the wall. Going to put plate on inner wall to add strength back. Also going to make a plate to mount the gas pedal. So tomorrow going to get out wire harness and see how Im going to mount the circuit panel that was in the firewall as well as the hydro-boost to see how it is going to mount to the firewall. Still looking for suggestions for the ring for the end of the steering column.

[rip2174]

Going to roll the pinch welds down on the firewall and shave off the bolts for the parking brake to allow for the filler panel to lay flat.

[LT7A]

Hey Rip, this is a cool build! I'm more of a 4x4 and static drop guy, but this one has my attention. You have a good thing going and I respect a guy that can go through the "stuff" with the shop that "stored" your truck and keep going. I know of very talented guys with good resources that have quit on projects because they got so disheartened. I am learning how to let go of unfairness so that I can proceed to a place where I can enjoy myself. You are heading that direction, so keep it up! We're (I am, at least) benefiting in ways that go beyond truck building. Thanks dude.

[rip2174]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Hey Rip, this is a cool build! I'm more of a 4x4 and static drop guy, but this one has my attention. You have a good thing going and I respect a guy that can go through the "stuff" with the shop that "stored" your truck and keep going. I know of very talented guys with good resources that have quit on projects because they got so disheartened. I am learning how to let go of unfairness so that I can proceed to a place where I can enjoy myself. You are heading that direction, so keep it up! We're (I am, at least) benefiting in ways that go beyond truck building. Thanks dude.

Thank you