69 LWB Power Tour Rig

[mcbassin]

Nice work on the cluster. It's cool you didn't have to sell your truck.

[69SCSS]

Thanks man! Yea long story, just glad it's finally behind me. Hoping to have the cluster installed and all set up by the weekend, headers already back on the engine.

[69SCSS]

Headers installed. Looks much better now that they aren't rusty.

Next step, make the connector for the cluster, and slap it in the truck.

[69SCSS]

Quick update... cluster installed and looks great, except the speedo had to be returned, it was faulty and they're fixing it for me. Not too worried, as long as they fix it.

Next project, bedsides and adding trim. Going to cut down the trim (it's longbed trim) and then drill holes for the hardware, as well as the taillight bezels.

[69SCSS]

My next thing to finish... bedsides and headboard, wheel tubs and splash guards painted and ready for assembly...
Going to blast, undecoat, and paint the bed floor next week and then assemble.

[69SCSS]

Hey Look! My truck is all one color now!! Finally got the bed done. Just have to let the paint dry on the filler and box, then I can install that and it's done!

[88Stanger]

very nice ride!!! Great build

[69SCSS]

Thanks man! Getting close to finished-ish. Like that's ever gonna happen, right?

[69SCSS]

So, long time no post. Moved to the Oregon Coast, school started, and finally getting back to the truck.
First off, got some valve covers to replace the leaky stockers that came with the crate motor. MUCH better. I have to get the cleaner to the front of the engine, and the center link, crossmember, etc... but at least the top of the engine looks cleaner!!!
Next up, rear shock relocators, front shock reinforcements, and swapping out my noisy headers that make me think I have an exhaust leak constantly for brand new ram horns I'm going to coat with POR-15. After all that, it's oil change time.

Lots more coming later, gonna drop it another inch all the way around, probably a notch, and maybe someday I'll paint it!!!

[swamp rat]

POR 15 works on cast manifolds?? Are they straight dumps or angled dumps?

[69SCSS]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

POR 15 works on cast manifolds?? Are they straight dumps or angled dumps?

Angled. Por15 has a hi temp coating, used it on my BBC nanifolds and it always stayed on perfectly. Had to use it on the ramhorns.

[swamp rat]

Ok Thanks, will check into it.

[NewType72]

Looking forward to seeing how that looks once painted. Looks like a great build brother

[Theboatandcarman]

looking good!

[mattowar]

Great job. It looks really nice

[69SCSS]

Thanks guys! Got the ramhorns painted, added the hardware. Bolted the plug wire clips to the block, but could only run the driver's side, as the headers I have on there right are in the way of running the wires thru the clips. Easy enough once I install the ramhorns.

Next up, shock relocators, 1" blocks, and new lowered shocks to match.

[69SCSS]

Well, been working on my garage and finally got it to where I can start working on the truck! As of now it's parked in there, and preparing to tear it down for some long-delayed improvements.

First up, the whole rear suspension setup. I have CPP 4" drop HD springs, drop shocks with stock brackets, and adjustable panhard bar. I'm swapping in 5" drop CPP springs, shock relocation kit, an HD notch, and hidden hitch. Also swapping out the trailing arm bracket on the crossmember for and adjustable one so I can set the pinion angle correctly. It's close, but I'd rather have it right!

Once that's done, it's to the front. Right now there are cut front springs (1"), drop shocks, stock manual steering, and 1.25" sway bar. I swapping in 2" drop CPP springs, adding upper shock reinforcement brackets, and the CPP power steering kit. While I'm at it, going to clean up everything front and back.

I have some minor issues / leaks to take care of, but 15k miles so far and it hasn't let me down. I'm considering a couple other things but once I get it torn apart I'll decide; first is going ahead and painting it while it's apart... but that's a $3-4k (at least) prospect, so I'm going to have to think on that. The other is doing a cam / lifters swap (mine is the stock 195/260hp crate motor cam) and swapping in the Holley Sniper EFI setup, with the in tank pump setup. Since I will have the bed off and access to the gas tank, would be a good time. That's a $1500 decision in itself, a little easier to swallow. I'm looking for 300-350hp, so that should get me there easily. Also adding a Vintage Air Evaporator kit, my heater sucks!!!

Oh, and I need to get this all done by the end of May... we may be heading to Kansas City for Power Tour 2017.... Depends on how far I get, wish me luck!!! I'll be updating as I go.

Here's some pics of how it sits just before I pulled it into the garage.

[hotrodchevy1999]

nice work

[69SCSS]

Progress.

Pulled the bed off yesterday, got my stuff organized. Hosed off the frame and and suspension to get all the dirt off, and pulled it back into the garage.

Today I drove out to Chevy Metal and grabbed the notch kit from Rick, and now I am just missing the trailing arm front brackets and I have all the pieces for the rear suspension. Tomorrow I start disassembly!

[69SCSS]

Update.... rear notches done, shock relocators installed, new springs, and hitch mostly installed. Just have to drill 6 holes for the hitch, and install the front trailing arm brackets when they get here (supposed to be monday), put the gas tank in and it works again. Then it's on to the front!!!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I saw the original post date and had to skim through your thread. Pretty cool, but sucks you haven't made a power tour yet.

I did a short haul in my 65 Mustang in 2014, I think I made the first 3 stops, my wife and I did the entire thing in 2015 (around 3,500 total miles) and I ran the entire tour by myself last year (around 3,500 total miles again) because she refused to go to LA/TX/KS in June. Glad she didn't go, I would have had to put her on a plane by the 2nd day. It was 105-110* every day.

The only reason I'm not going this year is my damn job took away 2 of my vacation days and moving them to a forced week off for Christmas. I have 10 days for the entire year and already planned a 6 work day trip (9 total) to Cali.

Anyway, do whatever you can to make it. It's unreal. This years route should be some beautiful driving and not hot as hell. A little bit of the route should be similar to where we went in 2015.

[69SCSS]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

I saw the original post date and had to skim through your thread. Pretty cool, but sucks you haven't made a power tour yet.

I did a short haul in my 65 Mustang in 2014, I think I made the first 3 stops, my wife and I did the entire thing in 2015 (around 3,500 total miles) and I ran the entire tour by myself last year (around 3,500 total miles again) because she refused to go to LA/TX/KS in June. Glad she didn't go, I would have had to put her on a plane by the 2nd day. It was 105-110* every day.

The only reason I'm not going this year is my damn job took away 2 of my vacation days and moving them to a forced week off for Christmas. I have 10 days for the entire year and already planned a 6 work day trip (9 total) to Cali.

Anyway, do whatever you can to make it. It's unreal. This years route should be some beautiful driving and not hot as hell. A little bit of the route should be similar to where we went in 2015.

Thanks man! Yea already signed up, so unless I can't get the truck done by then (which seems unlikely with the progress I have made so far) we are going!! Been 20 years since our last one.
And yea, my wife would have the same problem with the heat and 260 air conditioning!

[67ChevyRedneck]

I'm probably not going to make the next couple of tours, but I really want to take the C10 on the next one I go on.

How are you liking Oregon? My wife and I drove the PCH last year from Mexico up through Seattle over 9 days in a rented 2016 Mustang Convertible.

The weirdest stop was when I was in OR with the top down and I found out I couldn't put my own gas in the car. Awkward with the guy standing a few feet from me with the top down... I hadn't had someone pump gas for me in like 20 years. Where I grew up in NY a few stations still had full and self service.

[69SCSS]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

I'm probably not going to make the next couple of tours, but I really want to take the C10 on the next one I go on.

How are you liking Oregon? My wife and I drove the PCH last year from Mexico up through Seattle over 9 days in a rented 2016 Mustang Convertible.

The weirdest stop was when I was in OR with the top down and I found out I couldn't put my own gas in the car. Awkward with the guy standing a few feet from me with the top down... I hadn't had someone pump gas for me in like 20 years. Where I grew up in NY a few stations still had full and self service.

I am from Washington, so I would avoid getting gas in Oregon for that reason. That and until a few years ago it was cheaper. Now that I live on the coast, I get to confuse gas station attendants when I open the tailgate and pull the gas cap. "Is that stock??"

[69SCSS]

Update... the truck is back on all four tires!!! I have all the springs swapped, installed the front shocks with the support brackets, and at the moment sits 1.25" lower than it did before. It'll get a little lower once the springs settle, I'm sure.

Next up is a list of little things to take care of, got a small trans fluid leak at the lines coming out of the case (hose is leaking), I have to pull a brake line away from the exhaust downpipe on the passenger side (it's about 1/2" right now), and a couple tweaks here and there. I'll slap the bed back on and drive it around for a bit before fixing the big problem - my radiator is leaking slightly from the bottom of the drivers side tank! Tearing it all out and getting it fixed, but I want to drive the truck a bit and see how it drives before having it down again for a few weeks. Progress!!