Thanks for asking.....here is project: Patina'd

[Hart_Rod]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

The only other thing I had to do was mark the holes to be drilled in the bed with a sharpie and drill. Got some new stove bolts and after hitting them with a DA for a little bit, I bolted them in for now and moved on to the next area of the built.

I like,

[prostreetC-10]

"The wheels on the bus go round and round...."

Tire and wheel time.
I am a Chevy rally wheel nut and nothing else would do. Actually, there are other wheels that would have looked good but you couldn't get them in custom offsets. My first set of wheels were built by Early Wheel in Southern Cal. The fronts were 15x8 with a stock 4" backspacing. They fit perfect. The backs were 15x12 with a 6.5 backspacing. front tires are 275/60/15's and the backs started out as 29x15.5x15 Mickey Thompson sportsmans. You call Early Wheel and tell them what specs you want. The centers and rims are separate and they weld them in house. I was excited to put the 15.5 up agains the 31/10.5 that was on the truck. I painted the wheels "argent silver" which is correct for the Camaro/Corvette style rally wheels.

[prostreetC-10]

I think the coolest thing about my wheels is what 95% of the people don't even notice. The only problem I have ever had with the rally wheel is how tall the center cap is. I was at a swap meet about 3 years ago and found a vender in Rainier, OR that made a center cap that was a little shorter than the stock ones. It was the most *****en thing I have ever seen and had to have them. It's hard to tell by the pictures just how short they are until you sit them next to a stock one! I also went with the 2" trim ring.

[prostreetC-10]

As stated earlier in the build thread, once I knew I could "probably" get 18.5's under there, I began my search. Since this was a budget build, I wanted to keep everthing as cheap and used as possible. Finally, some big ole meats popped up on craigslist. I watched them or a couple of months and watched the price just keep falling. I knew there were special application and most rigs couldn't use them. I called the guy up and asked if he would take $100 for both (they still had the nubbins on them) and he said yes. They even came with M/T natural rubber racing tubes that I sold on eBay for more than I paid for everthing! When I got them home and rolled them up next to the old tires......I got a little scared about them fitting because they were so big. Time would tell.

Next thing I did was call up Early Wheel and ordered some 15x14 rallys. Believe me.....I must have measured 20 times before I called in with the backspacing. I knew there was no sending back. I ordered them with an 8.75 backspace (funny how that's the total width of man guy's rims!!) and had the tires mounted. After re-adjusting my panhard bar to make sure the rear end was perfectly centered, I lowered down the truck to realized that I had a perfect fit. Even had a little room for bed flex.

Note in the last pic I used just a couple of steel plates to get the rake just right. The last plate is an aluminum pinion wedge. I really think these are a good idea if you are really lowering your truck so you can bring your pinion angle back!!

[67shortie]

Dayum, that's alot of tire back there

Sweet ride, love it

[northern 85]

She is a baaad mamajama!!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by prostreetC-10

Next thing I did was call up Early Wheel and ordered some 15x14 rallys. Believe me.....I must have measured 20 times before I called in with the backspacing. I knew there was no sending back. I ordered them with an 8.75 backspace (funny how that's the total width of man guy's rims!!) and had the tires mounted. After re-adjusting my panhard bar to make sure the rear end was perfectly centered, I lowered down the truck to realized that I had a perfect fit. Even had a little room for bed flex.

I did 9.75" BS on mine but my truck was alot lower (I needed them tucked more for outside clearance). Looks cool when you see it from behind don't it?!

[prostreetC-10]

It looks really cool now because the fender wells used to be wider than the 15.5's but now they are perfectly matched with the 18.5's. I am replacing the tailgate so I have the old one off. I also have to find a donor bed so I can get that front part replaced. It's really the only part of the truck that has rust. It had a weird canopy on it and held water in a funny way. Here are some pics. I don't know what it is about the slope of my driveway but it gives my truck a weird rake that it doesn't really have. It sets very level. The other thing is the damn camera actually takes away from the size of the back tires. They are much bigger looking in person.

[jgh64pkup]

this is an awesome truck
great work

[killer71]

STOUT lookin truck!

[jgh64pkup]

i really like the sound of the gear drive almost like the whine of a supercharger
i heard that after you run it for a while and it stops making that noise
can you still hear yours

[tremman78]

what is the width of your tubs?

[GR8-68]

awesome truck love those wheels might need to get me some made

[michael bagby]

sweet subscribe

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by jgh64pkup

i really like the sound of the gear drive almost like the whine of a supercharger
i heard that after you run it for a while and it stops making that noise
can you still hear yours

Hell yes I can hear it. I think the trick is to get a good one. The only one I would EVER run is a Pete Jackson. There are some really cheap ones out on the market and they sound like crap when new and after a lot of miles. Now that I have my hood back on, people think it's blown. The PJ really is the nicest sounding in my opinion.

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by tremman78

what is the width of your tubs?

From the bedside to the outside of the fender is 15.5 inches.

[tremman78]

thanks for the measurment. and ill agree on the pete jackson gear drive.
how is the 67 coming along. we just finished a 68 fastback.

[prostreetC-10]

Today was tailgate primer and install day......what was I thinking?? I had the guy that blasted my tailgate offered to primer it too. I said "No thanks...I want to complete cover my garage and everything in it with primer!!!!" Holy cow, I had no idea what a mess that was going to be. Since I already had my paint booth (the garage) All I had to do was suspend the gate so I could get all the sides. That's where the rails of my garage door came in. Yeehaw!!!!

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by tremman78

thanks for the measurment. and ill agree on the pete jackson gear drive.
how is the 67 coming along. we just finished a 68 fastback.

It's resting on my patio right now until we move. The truck is my budget/practice rig. The mustang is going to get the real $$$ but that won't be for a couple more years.

[prostreetC-10]

As some of you might have seen in another thread, before I could put the new gate on, I had to straighten the bed. The driver's side was a little sprung out. Since the pass side was straight, I wanted to anchor it and pull the driver's side over. The only thing I could think to do was to anchor the pass side to the side of my house with a ratchet tie down and then pull the driver's side over with another one. I'll be damned if it didn't work perfect!!!!!! You can see the before and after on the gap and the new gate was a big cosmetic improvement.

Don't get me wrong....I've never painting this truck. I just really want to give it the "work in progress" look.

[turp mcspray]

Good job on the tubs! Most people just add a strip in the middle and double the amount of work they have to do. I always tell people to do it that way they act like it's the greatest idea they ever heard! I just thought it was the obvious way to do it. But being self employed I always have the mindset "whats the fastest, most efficient way to get this done" Lets see some smokey burnout pics!!

[jgh64pkup]

thanks for the info on the PJ gear drive

[sourkraut]

Keep it coming, good looking truck!

[jgh64pkup]

you should of left your tailgate how it was
it would of went with the patina

[Thealien]

Thanks for a great inspirational build. Your truck and skill are excellant! I would love to see the mustang when you are working on it.