I always wanted a sweet old truck

[JPutnam]

its been a slow slow process. been raining like crazy here. that mixed with working a ton hasnt given me much time to work on this. but I finally got the subframe pancaked. I burnt up 2 angle grinders and about 10 recipricating saw blades. my drill started smoking and over heating while drilling the upper bag plate holes too. As well as breaking my brand new portaband. Granted they are all cheap harbour freight tools. but these subframes are beefy. Also I got my cnotches. now I just need the fitting for the bags, the air lines, the tanks and the compressors.

I ended up with exactly 2" 1/8th chopped out of the subframe. was shooting for just 2".




on another note. My wife wanted a hotrod. ended up picking this studebaker up for her. My friend did most of the chop on it. then left it sitting. just needs upholstry a bit of metal work, some paint on the roof and the windows cut down.

I told her if we got it then she needed to do the work on it. its hers. we can do what she wants to do to it. she wanted to paint it leopard print. I think I talked her into just doing the roof a subtle leopard print with flake. but its up to her.

[JPutnam]

not the greatest pic. looks super bad for some reason. its really not that much of a hackjob if you see it in person.

[JPutnam]

I do have a couple questions. I dont know where to ask them. I assume someone has laid frame while retaining the stock 4 speed transmission and the 250 engine. Does anyone know of a build thread on that? or any info?

The trans mount hangs down as much as the front subframe did. the trans hangs almost as low aswell. am I going to need to cut up the cab in order to raise the trans? I need to raise the engine aswell. any good ideas on doing this? I know I could just make new engine mounts. but Im thinking maybe keeping the stock mounts and making a spacer between the rubber and the upper engine mount. anyone have pics of something like that?

Im really hoping I do not need to modify the cab floor. But if I need to then I will and Ill just make it lay rockers if thats the case.

[JPutnam]

work on this has been real slow. too busy remodeling my duplex and working long hours at work.

I boxed the lower control arms. I grabbed some 3in strap and ended up making it 2 3/4in deep by the balljoints up to 3in deep at the other end.








then wire wheeled them a bit.


spray painted them black and got new balljoints.
the first set of ball joints didnt remotely fit. I have no idea what they are for. I ordered them online for a 1966 gmc 1000. but obviously they arent right.


then I went to the local parts store and picked up the right balljoints.

They still didnt work. too big.

at this point I was severely stumped. my truck is a 1966 GMC 1000. after poking around for a bit I found that my control arms(at least, if not all the suspension) are from a 1964 or 1965 and have different balljoints. I did notice that at some point someone painted the truck white. I think it used to be a gray. the primer that is showing through on the hood and front end is different color than on the rest of the truck. I assume someone wrecked it many years ago and threw 64 or 65 front end parts on. who knows though.

I completely rebuilt thr front brakes aswell as bolted up the lower control arms and bags.









After wire wheel.


a bit of paint




all new


and the control arms and bags installed. I upgraded to some newer u bolts. drilled the holes bigger. I would suggest buying a newer subframe as drilling was a pain.





I am also kinda kicking myself for not pulling the trigger and doing disc brakes. I had already ordered all the new drum stuff when I bought the truck and already installed the new(drum) brake master. but now, after doing all this work I wish I had just gone with discs.

[joedoh]

looks good! nice job on the arms

Originally Posted by JPutnam

I did notice that at some point someone painted the truck white. I think it used to be a gray. the primer that is showing through on the hood and front end is different color than on the rest of the truck. I assume someone wrecked it many years ago and threw 64 or 65 front end parts on.

the primer colors are usually different between the hood, the cab, and sometimes the bed. hoods sometimes have black primer and cabs sometimes red oxide

[JPutnam]

cleaned up the upper arms. removing those old balljoints is a pain. The new balljoints I recieved in the mail had too big of a shank on them. they didnt fit my knuckles. Had to go to autozone and get some for a 64. super dumb.
but got them on.
















The tire hits the wheel well. I need to tub those still. but then it will only sit down another inch at most. I REALLY wish they made drop spindles for drum brakes. I was looking at what it would take to modify some, but it seems you would need to change up the backing plate aswell. Im thinking I might z the frame now. I dont know.

I also might pie cut my upper control arm and bend it down. the balljoint seems to be pretty much maxed out. Ive read moog joints are the only ball joints that have enough movement in them. but Im way too cheap to buy moog. they are like $90 each!


Also I think I am going to end up removing the engine and trans. then removing the front clip and removing the cab and bed. I DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS!!! AT ALL! but after looking at it and seeing what I can do, I think I need to. I modified the front subframe so it wasnt hanging down a ton. but now the transmission mount is the lowest. I still need to raise the engine and trans up ~4 inches so the steering clears it. But the transmission mount is riveted on to the frame. and the top rivets are withing a half inch of the cab floorboard. I could probably fight them out from underneath. but it would be such a PAIN. I think it would be easier to just remove the cab. then I can remove the trans bracket and make a new one. as well as flip the carrier bearing crossbrace for the driveshaft.

the wheel spacers are on because I had these brand new 16in LT tires so I bought some <$50 suburban wheels from a newer suburban. the center bore is too small and didnt fit the hubs. Im planning on using the wheels and tires until the tires are dead then getting some 15in tires for the stock wheels(white wheels in pics) which look way better.

[JPutnam]

I unbolted the front clip last night. I ripped the lower rear bolt section out of both fenders. it was so rusted there I couldnt save it. Does anyone have any trick to fix this? without buying a patch panel or new fenders?

[1963c-10]

Trucks looking sharp!!! The lower front fender issue is common and most by the back brace to repair unless you can make your own patches.

[4mulaSvaliant]

Are you talking about the lowest fender "cage nut" that you run a bolt into from inside the wheel well?

If so... I would suggest making a patch piece for the rusted area. get it completely fit (without making any provision for the nut just yet)

Once the patch fits really well, tack it in, place the fender on the truck and fit it to where you want it. Mark the hole location.

Pull it back off, drill the hole

Grind your tacks and pull the patch off.

Weld the appropriate nut to the back of the patch (centered in the hole)

Put the patch back in permanently.

If you do this in that manner, the chances are that the nut will be located exactly where you need it since the old metal is apparently too far gone to pull a decent pattern from.

Just my thoughts anyhow.

[rusty76]

Neat truck I likes it.

[JPutnam]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it all. I will try and find some fenders I can cut the inner fender piece out of. I think there are a couple trucks at the junk yards with pretty mashed up fender. the inner section might be good on them though.

[JPutnam]

this is what it looks like with the jack stuck under it. (excuse the dog toys.)

so I did this.

engine shot


had to test out how low again. totally maxing out the upper balljoints. thats the only thing holding it up.


you can see how much room I still have before the lca bottoms out.




at this point I am not sure what to do. I wish I could find some drop spindles for drum brakes. I think I might pie cut the upper control arm and bend the balljoint mount down to get better travel out of the balljoint. but that will only give me maybe another inch lower. Im not entirely sure what to do. I might z the frame a few inches. I am planning on lowering the body mounts 3/4" or so.

now I plan to move on to the rear. once its done then I will know the actual ride height. then I can figure out what to do with the front.

I could just pull the trigger and grab some disc brakes. I would rather not spend that money right now.

[rusty76]

I'm thinking your choice is to z the frame. But I think I would just save up for the discs and such. Looking good dude.

[tinydb84]

I would switch over to disc breaks. You will get an easy 3 inches of drop.

Do you plan on moving your steering box and idler arm up? It would solve the bump steer issue you are going to have.

[JPutnam]

yes. I plan on moving up the steering box and idler arm. Im just waiting until I know what I want to do for sure before I install them. the oil pan is in the way of the steering right now.

[tinydb84]

Good stuff. My 66 was done the same way in the front. I don't know if I am going to keep it that way or go with a dropmember later (it's all on the back burner until I finish my 75).

[joedoh]

you can pie cut the uppers, cut a pie shaped piece out on the vertical sides of the upper just to the frame side of the balljoint. then you lay it out, the pie cut will close (the arm bends when the balljoint binds) and you weld it up super solid. its a good way to change the balljoint angle when it just needs a couple more degrees, and the only thing that you lose is a little bit of lift. I dont know about you but I dont lift it up all the way when I drive.

edit, looking at your arms, it may need to be cut more than just a pie, unless you can get it cut right where the upper is flat straight across. I also see you have already mentioned doing this, my mistake, I didnt rear the whole post!

[JPutnam]

if I did it again I would totally get a subframe from a newer truck. with disc brakes. but I want to try and use what I have now.

yeah I think I will pie cut the arms. but the rear needs to be done either way so I am moving on to that to get the actual ride height set.

[JPutnam]

got the bed off.

(pay no attention to the dog toys and dog pool)
here is what I have to work with


I think my diff leaks..


seems like the original spare tire.



and there is some damage to the bed on the drivers side behind the wheel. I think the axle has been replaced. the cab had a dent like the bed was pushed into it. not too bad. but there. the shackle mount is bent and 2 of the rivets are sheered off. then someone used one of the rivet holesas a ground.





I removed all the bolts I needed to. the front of the spring has the bolt through but no nut on it. Now I need to remove about 60 or so rivets. REALLY wish I had a torch to just pop them. I might just buy a torch. otherwise its using the angle grinder to grind then down. which will take forever.




and here is what I want my ride height to be. then lay rocker when aired out.



doubt much work is going to get done on this until mid september. We are working 14 hour shifts. 12 nights on, one night off, 12 nights on, one night off and 12 more nights on. going to suck and I wont have ANY energy to do anything with it. most likely. going to be good paychecks though.

[TJ's Chevy]

Looks good! Yeah, I have to work 6 days alot so what I do is stash up on a bunch of parts and when I get motivated I go out and hammer on getting things done. lol Like that was Yesterdays plan until I went to open my left over paint and found it bone dry! lol Oh well.

[JPutnam]

Seriously need to just find a job that I dont need to be there and that pays more. lol

[JPutnam]

So I am thinking about painting the frame this color.


how bad of an idea is this? Im gonna be removing the body and everything anyway. how much will I hate my life with this color of frame rather than just doing the frame black?

I dont know. opinions? am I just dumb for even thinking about this stuff? I still plan to daily this truck. hopefully.

Ive been working 14 hour nights so I dont get much time to work on this. I pie cut the upper control arms. the first one I cut way too much out. the second I just did like 3 or 4 cutoff wheel widths. it seemed to be just right. I only welded up the one side. I need to grind some filler pieces for the first side. I am also going to reinforce the underside where the cuts are. just in case.
IDK if I did enough either. I figure I will put them back on after getting them welded back up. then if its not enough I will just do it again, like 1/2 inch back from the first cut. I dont want to bend the metel too much in one place. I hope I bent them enough though.

Im not done of course.


goober weld, Ill clean it all up. no worries. I had to fill a few spots.

the great thing about spray paint is you can grind it and do it all again without worries. when I spray it on I take a blow torch to the wet paint. it kinda makes the finish almost like powder coat. well more like in between spray paint and powder coat. seems to make it way stronger and hold up better than just letting the spray paint dry. IDK.


also hopefully picking up a torch this weekend to burn out the rivets.

[joedoh]

the best way to do it is to cut them then lay the truck out. they will bend the exact amount needed and you weld them up then.

I dont know about a tan frame, but only because I havent ever thought about it. black is easy, it covers a lot of sins (areas you dont get smoothed out) but krylon/rustoleum covers well in about any color.

[JPutnam]

yeah the trans crossmember sits on the ground now. I need to remove the engine and trans and make a new one. up higher. once that is done then If it doesnt lay all the way out I will do another piecut and do as you suggest. the lower control arm is within 1/4" of the top bag perch though. so IDk. might z the frame 2 or 3 inches.

I messed around in the garage this morning for an hour. made the filler pieces and welded everything up. then started grinding. looks ok. not amazing.will look alright after paint. whatever.













I wish I had a 220 welder. I have a flux core welder(what Ive been using) and a gas mig. the gas is empty and I can penetrate alot better with the flux. just have to do alot more cleanup work. both are 110 though. it sucks.

[JPutnam]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I dont know about a tan frame, but only because I havent ever thought about it. black is easy, it covers a lot of sins (areas you dont get smoothed out) but krylon/rustoleum covers well in about any color.

yeah I saw a picture once of a newer dually that had a similar color frame. it was way smooth though. Im way too lazy to smooth out the whole frame.

I stay true to the Raymond Chandler saying: "From 30 feet away she looked like a lot of class. From 10 feet away she looked like something made up to be seen from 30 feet away."

to me, all I want it something that looks good from 50 feet away. if it looks good any closer its just a bonus. Im too impatient to make stuff look 100%. especially stuff that is trivial to me.