Dropmember in a 69 C10

[PBFAB.COM]

Originally Posted by lolife99

I think the BB has taller mounts on the dropmember to keep the harmonic balancer away from the rack. Maybe Nathan will chime in.

Correct... the tabs for the BBC on the Dropmember move the motor up 3/4" higher than the SBC.

[itsmike2k]

Ahh I see, yea i was wondering what all the fuss was about BBC mounts VS SBC mounts..

[royo]

updates please

[64shortc10]

NATHAN,

You must not be feeling well? We haven't seen any progress pics lately!
If you don't keep posting cool new stuff, How am I going to now what to buy from you next? There are a few of us 60-66 guys still looking for ways to mount our hoods now that we have Dropmembers and no inner fenders. I also still need to buy upper shock mounts from you so let me now how much! Hope all is well. Later

Tony from Norcal

[PBFAB.COM]

Originally Posted by 64shortc10

NATHAN,

You must not be feeling well? We haven't seen any progress pics lately!
If you don't keep posting cool new stuff, How am I going to now what to buy from you next? There are a few of us 60-66 guys still looking for ways to mount our hoods now that we have Dropmembers and no inner fenders. I also still need to buy upper shock mounts from you so let me now how much! Hope all is well. Later

Tony from Norcal

Been feeling alright... just spreading myself a little thin these days!

As for progress:

The hinges for the 60's trucks will be finalized within the next two weeks tops. I will be posting up pics and prices as soon as they're ready.

The DropmemberC4 underwent a couple slight changes... I made some adjustments to the rack and pinion mount and upper control arm mount.

I will be doing a couple more installations that I will post up for some step by step tech. One is a DromemberC4 in a 64 SWB truck (it will recieve the C4 backhalf at a later date). The other will be a 78 C-10 with a regular Dropmember and a KP complete rear set-up.

I will also have some pics of the new chassis that I will be making for the 60's/70's trucks. They will incorporate C4 front and rear suspension.

As for pics... it is most likely that you will all be bombarded at once and suffer from fabrication overload!

Tony- give me a buzz and we will make the transaction on the shock mounts.

[jimmydean]

Outstanding!

My friends '77 GMC step will be ready for a C4 setup very soon. I would like to do a full front and rear C4 if possible. Look forward to the updates.

[64shortc10]

Nathan,

I'm sure getting Horny for some new install pics and progress pics on the 69!
I'll need to work some overtime so I can buy the shock mounts and hood hinges at the same time!

Tony from Norcal

[grnddwn]

We bought a dropmember for our shop truck. Looks great Nathan. Its mocked up in the truck now. With the Z ed frame we could lay on 24s at least. Think we're gonna ditch the drop spindles. I'll try and get some pics this weeekend. Unfortunatly the trucks not in the shop due to space shops full of customers stuff.

[pissonNOS]

rob I'd like to see those pics might give me an idea how low id be with just some stock spindles yet mind you im not Z'd but still pics are always nice

[DM310]

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

Been feeling alright... just spreading myself a little thin these days!

As for progress:

The hinges for the 60's trucks will be finalized within the next two weeks tops. I will be posting up pics and prices as soon as they're ready.

Any update on the hinges?

[PBFAB.COM]

There have been a few minor design changes on the Dropmember since the beginning... I figured I would post up some installation pics/instructions to hillight the minor changes. (Please don't post any replies until I have finished the sequence!)

The first change is the location of the steering notch. Due to the varying location of the mounting holes for the upper control arm/bag mount on the 63-72 and 73-87 I have decided to reference the measurement for the notch center-line from the forwardmost mounting hole of the lower/main crossmember (that's the hole closest to the front of the truck). On the Dropmember this measurement is 4.25" (I know the pic looks like 4"...but it's a bad camera angle); on the DropmemberC4 it is 3.5". The top of the rack notch is located 2.25" below the top of the frame rail.

The lower crossmember mounting holes should be the only holes that will need to be enlarged... drill them out to 9/16". The rest of the mounting holes will line up nicely.

[PBFAB.COM]

The inner frame support bracket has also changed from its original design. It no longer has a "backing plate" that sits flush against the inner frame-rail, and has holes in the vertical gussets to accomodate plumbing/wiring. When installed properly, the radiused side of the gussets will point towards the engine, and the top corner that is bent down slightly will point towards the rear of the truck.

[PBFAB.COM]

It will be important to leave all the hardware loose until all the crossmember pieces have been installed... then tighten her down!

[PBFAB.COM]

There are aluminum bushing supplied with the kit to mount the rack and pinion steering gear. They will slide into the rack from the front.

[PBFAB.COM]

After installing the rack and pinion, install the lower control arms. There is a steel locator pin that will be inserted into the control arm shaft and the lower control arm mount on the Dropmember. The lower control arm mounting blocks have also changed from the two large block design, to four smaller caps.

[PBFAB.COM]

You need to locate the air springs mounting hole 1.25" outboard from the hole provided in the Strong Arms. If you feel more comfortable "double checking" bring the lower arm parallel to the ground with the bag bolted into the upper mount, make sure the bag is centered, trace the lower plate of the bag, find it's center and drill a 3/8" hole.

[PBFAB.COM]

You will need to enlarge the spindle's steering arm's hole to 5/8" all the way through. You will then bolt the supplied heim joint to the top of the spindle, sandwiched in between the misalignment bushings. The new tie-rod adapters are machined aluminum.

[PBFAB.COM]

That highlights all the minor design changes that have been made.

I will be doing a Dropmember/KP six-link with watt's link combo on a 78 coming up here shortly... I will be posting install pics once completed.

I should also have some pics of the C4 back-half and the full C4 chassis for the 63-72 trucks posted up within the next week.

[royo]

WOW is all that i can say still saveing money here

[Frizzle Fry]

Has anyone told you that you do nice work? Outstanding!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

....I should also have some pics of the C4 back-half and the full C4 chassis for the 63-72 trucks posted up within the next week.

Sureeeeeeeeeee . . . . . .........

[blaznhot_23]

Sweeeeet

[72CSTC5]

I have said it once and I will say it again, that piece is a work of art. Makes me want to get back on the blazer just to put that in there.

[pissonNOS]

would it be wrong of me to make a poster of your welds for inspiration haha

[BigShoe24]

I just ordered a X member from Porterbuilt!!! I cant wait untill it gets here, I will try to post some pics as soon as it gets here. My build thread is gone so I guess I'll try to post them were there are already some pics of another install.