fun on a budget

[big10ratrod77]

Well yall have heard a little (very little) bout my rat rod. Well there’s some money in the budget now and I got bout $650 bucks and I want to better truck.


Here is a little of the trucks back ground dad bought it new in 77 and its never been tore down further than the valve covers, so no major engine work was ever needed. and dad wont let me do cam swaps and headers and all that until it dies and I have hit the horse power barrier. It’s got a K&N air filter and duel exhaust, yet it is still blisteringly fast so now the suspension needs to be addressed. So since I can’t do anything else to the motor,
So I got some plans but I need some help

I have found a 3/4 ton sway bar at the junk yard so that will be going on when i can get in touch with the owner of the junk yard (where can I get good sway bar bushings cheap with out having to pay for S+H)
And the rest of the upgrades are simple bolt ons.
I am thinking about high performance brake pads, maybe slotted or drilled rotors, new shocks, I have been looking at the Eldebrock performer IAS shocks but they are like 300 and sum for a whole set are there any other high performance shocks that wont kill my budget? BTW the truck sits at a stock ride height.

So what kind of upgrades have yall found that are quick bolt ons that are fairly cheap and last real good and make it handle better? Also this is my daily so like I got to be able to install the parts in like a weekend

[3r!c84]

lets see that motor (:

[big10ratrod77]

here ya go its a bone stock 350 except for the K&N air filter, flex fan and duel exhaust



its backed up by a sm-465 granny gear transmission that i have mastered the art of speed shifting and its got 3:73 gears with a ONE WHEEL WONDER! but i still got good grip. this truck has been up to about 130 hangin with a 5.0 mustang and that was a little scary so now i want to beef up the suspention so she will grip like a road queen!

this summer im going to upgrade to a jet stage 2 Q JET becouse the stock carb has started given trouble reclently when the 4 bbl kicks in when your going about 90 it just dies so im gonna get a little more power from that to

[big10ratrod77]

come on guys yall got enything?

[hotrod_991]

i would start looking at your front end parts. ball joints, tie rod ends, bearings, steering components. All thies will help with the handling and steering response. Even if you think they are good pull the dust caps and check the wheel bearings. If they are wore out the can cause drag. You got a pretty solid truck there bud. nice.

[N2TRUX]

I agree with hotrod_991. Before you spend money on going faster, make sure the suspension, steering, and brakes are in good shape. As far as upgrades go, I would sand, prime and paint the bumper with satin white. I would do the same for the rims and hubcaps.

If you have a local salvage yard, you might look for some clean chrome bumpers and fresh caps. Onther item that might make it look better is smaller mirrors. Unless you use it for towing, those would look better being replaced.

Talk to your Dad about lowering it a bit too. Not much but a little would give it some attitude.

[big10ratrod77]

well i never showed yall a side pic of my truck it also has the f44 big ten option which includes 3/4 ton leaf springs which gives me a "rake".

lowering my truck is out of the question couse me and dad use it to pull trailers with our tractors to shows

the front end of this truck is soild they have always been greased every time the oils been changed the truck has been taken well care of mecanicly.

but ive found out a few things the shocks havent been replaced since bout 86 or 87 and the pads and shoes are getting thin and it needs some rear leaf spring bushings im thinking bout sum polygraphite bushings for the back.

so what are my options for rotors? kinda wanted some slotted rotors

[spinem]

ur dads a smart man. Keep saving for a rebuild if the motors gettn tired.

in the mean time, loose those mirrors, hubcaps and a leaf n the rear... cost=nothing.

then some cheap steel wheels/w/ retreads/used's....

paint.

if motors tired, save for a 4bolt rebuild, or have that one rebuilt. Just a cam and what not in that ol motor would be a waste of money.

[spinem]

woaaahhhh!!!! buy a welder and some steel!!! that thing looks like cheese!!!

[SatisTraction]

slotted rotors would be a waste of time and $$$$. new autozone pads and shocks will do wonders for cheap.

buy a gallon or two of satin black and a paint gun.

cruise and have fun.


I will be the grown up here and say that truck has no business over 70 mph.

[big10ratrod77]

ur dads a smart man. Keep saving for a rebuild if the motors gettn tired.

in the mean time, loose those mirrors, hubcaps and a leaf n the rear... cost=nothing.

then some cheap steel wheels/w/ retreads/used's....

paint.

if motors tired, save for a 4bolt rebuild, or have that one rebuilt. Just a cam and what not in that ol motor would be a waste of money.

dad will appreciate that, yea when I do rebuild the 350 I aint going to wild because I learned with my last engine build I built a 225 Plymouth slant six with a BBIIIGG cam, headers 4bbl intake .090 off the head, major port and polish, big valves and that broke my bank! I am going do a good back yard port and polish shave .010 off the heads and .020 off the block with 9 to 1 flat tops and a 350 horse 327 camshaft and a new q jet. I am not going overboard this time, and its a four bolt main motor.

woaaahhhh!!!! buy a welder and some steel!!! that thing looks like cheese!!!

yea I found a 84 bed in the junk yard that’s like brand new for 350 so I am going to buy that and a little MIG welder and some new rocker panels, cab corners, cab mounts, floor pans, doors and finders and that will get my body about right.