Project NOT4SLE

[VA72C10]

Nice work....looking forward to the pictures. Your planning has paid off. Even with a few setbacks your downtime is minimal...

[vegaschevy]

yesterday ended up being a long day, going on a couple hours of sleep and at work again. once off work going to go and finish the truck.

[lowdownstar]

It's looking great! i am in the same boat but because of work i have no time to play plus it was only 22 here yesterday for the high!!!! Really hard to do any painting or anything in this weather. lol I can't wait to see yours done.

Thanks for sharing with us

Ray

[vegaschevy]

Well I got the truck finished in the rear, it is Porterbuilts 2" lowering trailing arms, and 5" ECE lowering springs. The shocks which many rave about the KYB seem to not be good at all. i did buy them used and was told less then 400 miles on them but they just do not seem very firm and the truck has some bounce to it.

I did have HUGE problems getting my driveshaft to mount up in the Porterbuilt crossmember. The factory driveshaft had no possible way mount to the crossmember without a custom 1" spacer. You can see by the pics.

It is a little odd looking right now until the front gets done but she sits on 235/75/15 tires right now and she seems to be very low. Way lower then comparable trucks with a 6" lowered rear.

heres some pics finishing up













heres pics of the spacer I HAD to make. Maybe Im missing something but no other way to get a driveshaft to work. You see the front bar that the driveshaft has to clear.

[vegaschevy]

[big_al_71]

looking really good, but I know that when you lower the front the back will come up some..

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

looking really good, but I know that when you lower the front the back will come up some..

Ya, I figured I would gain an inch or so. Will be interested to see.

[highperf4x4]

Cool, lots of work there. How long till you drop the front?

[CheyenneShop]

Love your progress - thanks for the updates!

[texastrendz]

i would contact porterbuilt on that man. seems fishy. looks good

[PBFAB.COM]

Sent ya a PM Deven. The crossmember isn't designed to be used with the carrier bearing you have installed. A shim or spacer like you have made is necessary for clearance at the shaft. It will work as you have it. I will give you a call tomorrow to further discuss.

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

Cool, lots of work there. How long till you drop the front?

SHould be doing it next wednesday. I have another day off and going to start on it. should take a day or two to get it all done. I would be set if I could find someone that has a set of 71-72 A arms that I could get shipped to me and then I could ship mine back to them. I want to powdercoat my arms and that would save me a day of disassembly.

Originally Posted by texastrendz

i would contact porterbuilt on that man. seems fishy. looks good

Nah, its custom fab stuff. it all bolts up easy but nothing is a factory fit

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

Sent ya a PM Deven. The crossmember isn't designed to be used with the carrier bearing you have installed. A shim or spacer like you have made is necessary for clearance at the shaft. It will work as you have it. I will give you a call tomorrow to further discuss.

cool, Thats what I figured, Just ran around till I found a spacer and went that route. I looked at every carrier bearing I could find and they all had the same dimensions height wise.

[sleepertruck72]

Nice progress ! She looks great lowered

[vegaschevy]

Had a starting issue with the truck this morning. or this last evening.

i cut my exhaust right in front of the muffler to get my rear suspension on. Well she no longer starts very easy like she used to. i dont get it. i would not think loosing back pressure would make it hard to start but maybe.


Last night she started idled for a few seconds then died. would not restart. It has fuel and floats are full.

Any ideas? I was thinking a muffler that was flow through but those dont restrict much if that is my problem

[Normy71]

Just a thought check the grounds
Looks good

[highperf4x4]

Lack of back pressure won't cause either situation. If I'm understanding you correctly, it won't start and it hasn't started since it died right? Check your ignition module inside the dizzy or at least check a wire for spark.

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

Lack of back pressure won't cause either situation. If I'm understanding you correctly, it won't start and it hasn't started since it died right? Check your ignition module inside the dizzy or at least check a wire for spark.

Ya, It cranked and cranked but nothing. Plug looked dry but float bowls were full. I broke a plug taking one out so Ill check on it this morning.

i think the lack of back pressure is making it run and start hard. It without a doubt has made the gas mileage drop

[chevy_mike]

Three things you must have for an engine to run, fuel, air, spark. Make sure you are actually getting all three before going futher.

Exhaust back pressure can change the tune needed but will not typically cause an engine not to run. I have run open headers without issues.

Check all the basics first. Good luck.

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

Three things you must have for an engine to run, fuel, air, spark. Make sure you are actually getting all three before going futher.

Exhaust back pressure can change the tune needed but will not typically cause an engine not to run. I have run open headers without issues.

Check all the basics first. Good luck.

Ya, I got an idea of the basics!! LOL

Went out to trouble shoot and the 12 volt wire came off the Dizzy. she fired right up after that. Still runs crappy though

[butternut1972]

Truck is looking good. Keep up the nice work.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by vegaschevy

Ya, I got an idea of the basics!! LOL

Went out to trouble shoot and the 12 volt wire came off the Dizzy. she fired right up after that. Still runs crappy though

glad you got it running. I'd adjust the idle screws unless you will be doing the exhaust soon. THe freer flowing exhaust will affect the tuning of course. I ran more timing and less fuel if i remember (might be wrong-it's been 12 yrs) on my 80Z28 whenever I opened up the exhaust cutouts. Let the exhaust dump right after the headers....It ran really good like that once I learned to tune it. I ran it at the strip and I picked up 2 tenths with the exhaust open vs through the exhaust (had high flow cats and dynomax turbo mufflers)

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by vegaschevy

Ya, I got an idea of the basics!! LOL

Went out to trouble shoot and the 12 volt wire came off the Dizzy. she fired right up after that. Still runs crappy though

SOUNDS LIKE GROUNDS FOR A 383 HOMBRE!!!!

[vegaschevy]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

SOUNDS LIKE GROUNDS FOR A 383 HOMBRE!!!!

I have so many ideas, thoughts and plans it is not even funny. i have kicked around the big block idea, LS or 6.0 motor, 383 stroker motor, all kinds of everything.

I know that it is a matter of time with the current motor as it is probably 180k on it and 40 yrs old. Not to mention the tranny lol

Well I need to start on the motor route soon. Ill probably patch up the exhaust a bit and then wont get to a motor for awhile.

i want to do the front suspension, wheels tires, front sheetmetal and 67 front end, then a few other odds and ends and then the motor. So it is a few months away at a minimum. but it will be a great motor when i head that way. I want to do another truck as well so i was thinking I could build a nice 383 and then keep it for another project if I decide to do a FI motor later for this truck.

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by vegaschevy

Ya, I got an idea of the basics!! LOL

Went out to trouble shoot and the 12 volt wire came off the Dizzy. she fired right up after that. Still runs crappy though

LOL, got the spark working. Knew it would be one of the three.

[highperf4x4]

Well I'm a big fan of the 383's

Alot of guys are doing to the LSx motors with fuel injection and overdrives but I love the old school stuff. I'll leave the 402 in mine but I'm gonna toss some mods in it soon.