Build - 69 Step Side - Take 2

[Bullockchevy]

I wanted to introduce myself to the board. I have been a long time reader/researcher on the site but I have not been active in working on my truck or writing on this site, but I plan to fix both of those now.

I have a '69 Short bed step side, that was my first truck at the age of 14 or 15. I worked on it constantly up into college and it was my primary driver over most of those years. It was in pretty bad when it started out and it made it to almost show worthy by the time I was in college. Now I am in my 30's with a wife and kids and the truck has spent a lot of times in garages only to be driven once or twice a year. It has a fair amount of wear and tear now and a lot of the work we did back in the day needs fixed again.

I felt bad about truck being neglected like that and I knew the only way I could motivate myself to fix it again was to make it my daily driver once again, so a few weeks ago I sold my 07 Chevy LTZ crew cab. Once I started driving the 69 again it didn't take long to start re-planning everything that needs to be done. The projects are big enough that I am breaking them into phases and I hope to complete one "phase" a year.

Phase 1 -Convert 4 wheel manual drums to 4 wheel disc with hydroboost.
Phase 2 - Serpentine belt system with new accessories, (engine is a '92 350)
Phase 3 - Air conditioning, (was original air truck but everything is missing)
Phase 4 - New drivetrain
Phase 5 - Re-paint and... well its never ending

So before I dive into the details of phase 1, I thought I would share some pictures of the truck over the last 15 years to catch you up...

[Bullockchevy]

The Truck has been through three engines, two transmissions, three 12 bolt rear ends. The interior is still in pretty good shape, but the bed needs redone, the paint needs some work, and there is a second tailgate to replace the one shown that has been in primer for 11 years so far...

[Bullockchevy]

Ok, that should be sufficient detail to cover 15 years worth of modifications...ha.

Phase 1

I have never like how hard it is to stop this truck, it loves to go but it can't stop. Now that I'm old, it a little more important that it was when I was a teenager.

The truck currently has 4 wheel manual drums with 6 lugs. I wanted to go to 4 wheel disc and be able to maintain them with parts locally rather than buying a kit. I also want them to stop this truck on a dime by bringing in newer technology.

This this forum I found a thread that would do just that with the D52 calipers. With some awesome custom brackets from Captainfab on here, you can bolt the D52 calipers on a 12 bolt rearend, so that is my plan for the rear. I also needed to convert to 5x5 lug so I have new Moser axles since none of the machine shops in town were interested in re-drilling mine for liability reasons.

For the front I wanted to lower the truck while I was at it so I got CPP modular drop spindles. Then from O'reilly I got the rotors, calipers, bearings, seals, lines etc.

The drop kit is also CPP, 2" lowering springs for the front, 5" lowering springs for the back. All new shocks with the relocation brackets and adjustable track bar.

[Bullockchevy]

For the booster portion I went with a Wilwood tandem master cylinder and I purchased the hydroboost from O'reilly.

This is where the first issue came up, when I got the hydroboost home I realized that is did not come with the output rod, spring and spider. Looked online and could find them either. I thought I would have to find one in a junk yard so I started looking and found an Astro van that had hydroboost. At the same time I was able to have O'reilly bring in another hydroboost for a 05 chevy 2500, and the same year 02 Astro I had found to see if they would have the same output rod.

Well when the next 05 Chevy 2500 hydroboost came in it had the output rod components so I just returned the first one I bought and got that one. I got lucky here so just be aware if you buy a re-manufactured hydroboost unit they typically don't come with the output rod parts you will need.

The hydroboost mounting brackets I got are also from Captainfab, so the unit can bolt directly to my firewall. The brackets were pictured with the brackets for the rear disc brakes. I have not figured out my hoses yet for the booster but that is the current objective. I do plan to replace the power steering pump or drill the reservoir on mine so I do not have to put a tee on the return line just to keep things clean.

[SierraMtns]

Very cool 69 stepper. Tagged to watch the brake build.

[Hawghauler]

On the newer Savana vans(I work on a fleet), the power steering has a separate reservoir, like the old days. The pressure line goes from the pump to the steering box, from the box to the input no the boost then the return line goes into the reservoir. It makes it easy to do flushes this way as well. Typically the pumps aren't designed to power the boosters as well as the steering, so they tend to burn the fluid. I highly recommend flushing the fluids as soon as it starts showing color. If you don't, the particulates in the oil will chew up the o-rings in the booster and cause it to start leaking between the booster and the M/C.

[yuccales]

Good looking truck. That bed sure looks nice.

[Bullockchevy]

Yeah, I wish the bed still looked that nice, the polyurethane has taken a beating from the sun over the last 10 years. Don't worry though I have plans to bring it back better than ever.

Last night I decided to go ahead and put the front brakes completely together that way I can just throw them on the truck. Its a lot of metal to hoist up into place but since its a 2wd drive I think it will be ok. I wouldn't try it while fighting a 4wd front axle though.

Today I got the studs pushed into the rear axles. It was somewhat a pain because it took a pretty good press to get them in. I broke one of the large non -hydraulic ones at work...

Then I put the Wilwood master, proportioning valve, and booster together with Captainfab's hydroboost bracket. Only real catch here is that they expect you to have existing nuts to bolt the master to the booster. Being a new install I didn't have them, especially M10 x 1.5

Also here are pictures of the drop kit, I hope the drop comes out at the height I'm shooting for... It should be 4" total up front and 5" in the back. Not sure what shocks go where but i'll assume the slightly longer ones go in the front for now.