my build thread

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by creep

I know this is a little late but I just noticed in your pics there aren't any plates welded the the sides of the frame where it is Z'ed. I have always heard you should weld a plate on each side of the frame rail, overlapping the gussets and tying both sections of the frame together. I think they are called "fish plates" or something like that. Never done a Z so don't know for sure.

I fish plated the outside of the rails with 1/4". Should be plenty. Check out the video.

[creep]

Cool! Are you keeping the 305? Have you test fit it with the Z?

[redneck6]

bad ass truck bro , you are making me wanna z mine front and rear now , only thing stoping me is cost of steel , you could of made a brandnew frame from scratch , look at all the bling toys you got to play with . bad ass see ya on the road some time .

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by redneck6

bad ass truck bro , you are making me wanna z mine front and rear now , only thing stoping me is cost of steel , you could of made a brandnew frame from scratch , look at all the bling toys you got to play with . bad ass see ya on the road some time .

Thanks for the kind words bro, I'm very fortunate to have the the knowledge of machining and having that whole shop at my disposal, I'd love to set up a machine shop if I ever bought a house. I know I could have made a complete frame but I felt that was a little over my head when I started. If I get another parking spot I'd love to pick up a registered 1964 but its the 1963 body style Suburban and I'd build a full frame for it.

Come'on man a stick of 2x4 is only 72 bucks, I built my whole back half with 1 stick and then some extra 2x3 for the body drop, pick up a stick and start cuttin!

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by creep

Cool! Are you keeping the 305? Have you test fit it with the Z?

I haven't tried to fit any motor in thier yet. I have a 350 for it that I was planning on using. I would imagine that the 305 would fit just about the same. That thing is a monster.

[sams60gmc]

Well today I got my poly bushings in the mail, I figured out they didn't come with the metal sleeves around them and I completely demolished mine removing them. So I decided instead of trying to find some new ones I'll just build new tubeular upper arms. I got a basic sketch drawn up. I'll start building jig off of my stock ones tomorrow. I went over to my good budy Luke's (frenchblue72) house and checked out his Strong Arms to get some ideas. Pretty stoked about it. Gonna have to run inner fender less now!
Bushings

Rough sketch idea.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Sam glad ya came over today Im getting some serious motivation on my ride cleaned up the shop and am ready to kill the shop with metal shavings and major truck progress.. It cool to actually know someone local who is building the same thing as me makes me wanna actually work on mine..

[Sick5]

Originally Posted by sams60gmc

Well today I got my poly bushings in the mail, I figured out they didn't come with the metal sleeves around them and I completely demolished mine removing them. So I decided instead of trying to find some new ones I'll just build new tubeular upper arms. I got a basic sketch drawn up. I'll start building jig off of my stock ones tomorrow. I went over to my good budy Luke's (frenchblue72) house and checked out his Strong Arms to get some ideas. Pretty stoked about it. Gonna have to run inner fender less now!
Bushings

Rough sketch idea.

i like the sketch!!

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by Sick5

i like the sketch!!

Thanks man. Hopefully I can bring it to life.

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by 61 son of a Gun

cool keep us posted on the project !

You know I will man.
Didn't have the motivation to build a jig today but I priced out my steel for the set of uppers. 6' of 1 1/4 wall dom and 1.5' of 3/8 cr. Runs about 70 bucks. Now jus gotta find someone to bend 1 1/4.

[Captainfab]

I could bend that, but I'm not close to you.

Originally Posted by sams60gmc

You know I will man.
Didn't have the motivation to build a jig today but I priced out my steel for the set of uppers. 6' of 1 1/4 wall dom and 1.5' of 3/8 cr. Runs about 70 bucks. Now jus gotta find someone to bend 1 1/4.

[sams60gmc]

Found someone to bend my tube. Put an ad up on CL and a guy that used to come into the machine shop alot replied. He said we could trade machining for bending but then I reminded him who I was and he said free.
Pretty stoked to get started on them.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Hurry up sam I wanna see em finished at this rate your truck will be done before your dads car hahahahahahaha

[sams60gmc]

Haha I hear ya Luke. And all he needs is interior and wheels! Altho I couldn't imagine building a car of that caliber. I get nervous just standing around it. I couldn't imagine working on it.

[sams60gmc]

Got started on my tube UCA's. Started the jig and made my 3/8 ball joint plates.

[sams60gmc]

Got my jig made up for my control arms. Decided to build the jig on a something so I can keep it in case I want to build some more. Got my card board templates. Might get the tubing bent this weekend.


Card board templates of the tubes and ball joint plate bolted down. These have the exact deminsions as stock control arms. I might build another set down the road with a more mellow ball joint angle.

[sams60gmc]

Well I called up my buddy to see about getting my tubing bent and he was just heading out for a long weekend. So maybe next week I can get the tubing bent.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Dude that sucks... I may have you machine me out something for my watts link and I may pick your brain on suggestions on how make it looks super clean..

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

Dude that sucks... I may have you machine me out something for my watts link and I may pick your brain on suggestions on how make it looks super clean..

I'm down.

[sams60gmc]

Got my A arms made up. Turned out great! I made left and right jigs off of the factory arms in case I ever want to make more.

[Captainfab]

Those turned out nice

What wall thickness is that 1.250 DOM?

[sams60gmc]

It's 1/4" wall. Pretty gnarly stuff.
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[creep]

Wow, that's awesome! Are you gonna try making some lowers too?

[sams60gmc]

Originally Posted by creep

Wow, that's awesome! Are you gonna try making some lowers too?

I've been kicking around the idea of some lowers in my head quite a bit.
I'm not sure tho.
There is alot more riding on the lowers than the uppers.

I have plenty of tubing left over to make some tho wasn't sure how he was going to be able to bend it but it only took about 4 feet for the uppers.

I know I could make them but at the same time its a confidince thing.
I'm a machinest not a fabricator lol.
I need to build something safe.

[sams60gmc]

Took my arms over to Luke's house today. Media basted them and then he powedercoated them for me. Turned out spectacular.
Thanks for all the help today Luke.