Project 87' Rust Belt Region

[chevymotocross]

Time to get down to the nitty gritty! I've had this 87 Silverado for almost 4 years now. Always wanted a square body, better yet, would have loved one to be black, Silverado package, short wheel base, FUEL INJECTED. I found EXACTLY the truck I wanted 5 minutes down the road. One owner, ran and still runs great, but even then, rust was appearing but it was still very presentable.

Fast forward a few years and the Rust Belt New England has really taken it's tole on the old truck. Once again, I found an offer I couldn't refuse. Locally, a rust free short wheel base bed, WITH the dual tank openings, $300. SOLD. Had to fill a few dents but very solid.

Picked that bed up 2 years ago. Didn't have the time (in 2 years!) to tackle the project, atleast the rear of the truck. Last year I did hang 2 new fenders, a door, new rocker.

After working on the front half of the truck, I went off to Basic Training for the Air Force. Came back a few weeks ago ready to hit this project full force. Shelled out the money for the Western Chassis 4/6 kit.

So, here are the plans. Bed is now off the truck. Back half, as you can see, pretty rusty. Very back of the frame ends need work. My father is a great welder and knows structure work, we can fix that. Also, there is one section of the frame, I included the photo, where you can see how it thins out! Once again, some strengthening we can do. The c-notches should also help strengthen the area.

I'm going to sand down the frame, apply Zero Rust which has worked great for me in the past. Cab corners I need to do. The passenger tank leaks, I don't need 2 at this time with the cost of Fuel so I'm going to remove it and cap the lines. The driver's tank I replaced last year.

Front half of the frame, and underneath the cab is solid. I posted a topic before about what I found in Texas while away for the Air Force. You non-rust belt states don't know how lucky you are! Square bodies galore down there..... not a darn spec of rust!

Oh, also, sadly, while removing the old bed. My buddies at the front, not paying attention, smash BOTH the darn corner moldings! Yes, I know how expensive these are! Hopefully I can find something at the pick/pull or ebay. Do these pop right off?

DOH!



See it thin out


Structural worries....


Hard day of work!

Also, thank you to those who have served before me, and with me on this fine Memorial Day Weekend!

[chevymotocross]

Tackled a few things today. I removed the leaking passenger side tank. All the brackets and filler tube are rotted as well. I am not replacing this tank, I don't drive far with the price of cost.... one 16 gallon works fine for me. I did cap the lines though in case later on a new tank is added.

I also replaced the driver's side front cab bushing under the floor board. I replaced all the other cab bushings last year except this one since it looked OK then.... as you can see, it no longer does. Luckily though, the bolt on that cab bushing actually came out. All the other's I did, the bolt snapped from rot, and I had to access the other half from inside the truck..... removing the carpet and cutting access holes.

[palposity]

Looks like you have a good start. I can certainly relate to your rust issues!

[chevymotocross]

Had a bad experience today. As I rebuild the Silverado, I have a 1992 s10 blazer that I am driving. 4.3 TBI. We use it in the winter to plow the driveway with, and basically just a fall to vehicle if something breaks down.

Well, I have the trailer hooked up to the blazer WITH my silverado bed on it, heading to the scrap yard. I roll up to a light, busy intersection 2 lanes, stalls. Cranks but no start. Great, stuck in the middle of traffic at noon time, and I also FORGOT to grab my cell phone (of course when you actually NEED a phone). A nice woman let me use hers.

Get the blazer towed home and my father was able to hook the trailer up to his Yukon.

Now yesterday, before all this happened, I had the blazer idling in my driveway, and it stalled out. Same scenario as today (atleast in my driveway though). First thing I did was spray starting fluid in the TBI. It fired right up and continued to run fine no problem. Well sadly if I had starting fluid on me today, I would have been out of that intersection because when we towed it home, I sprayed starting fluid in it and it now runs fine, I even drove it to the store today!

I checked fuel pressure at the TBI, we have 13 which is perfect. I did fill up the tank yesterday before these two stalling situations...... I'm thinking bad gas. I put a new fuel filter on today as well just incase.

I'll have to try again tomarrow! This time I will have starting fluid with me. Any suggestions or ideas why it would be doing this?

[chevymotocross]

Made it to the scrap yard today! Made $32 on that old rusted bed. Blazer has been driving fine. I think I got some crappy gas or maybe something in the tank was disturbed and clogged the filter up. No problems since.

Won't be around this weekend. Next week I plan on tackling the rear suspension, flip kit, shackles, c-notch. I'm going to have to get U-bolts made at the local suspension shop since the ones that come in the Western Chassis kit aren't even the right size. I've heard of this before, I wonder why WC or Sport Truck Direct has not caught on. I'm going to call up STD and let them know but from what I've heard here.... they couldn't care less. I don't see contact info for WC.

Hopefully all those old rusty bolts break free..... or literally break. I may have to get new leaf spring bushings, I'll determine that when it's apart.

[chevymotocross]

Few updates. The blazer ended up having a bad Ignition Module which was causing the injectors to not squirt fuel. Fixed that, did a tune up, and now I have a reliable vehicle to drive while I work on my truck.

I was able to free the rear from the truck yesterday. The shocks came off easily, but as you can see in one of the photos here, someone welded in a washer on the bottom shock mount. I remember seeing a post or two, here, about these bottom shock mounts either breaking, or rusting out. Seems like a pretty strong weld, but I'll know where to look if my truck starts riding funny.

Next came removal of the u-bolts. These weren't budging at all. Applied some heat to the bolts/nuts and off they came! My father was convinced the leafspring eyelet bolts would not come out. Well the first one I attempted to remove came right off. I was so thrilled. Well, unfortunately that was the only leafspring bolt that came out. All the others, I had to cut. I included photos of what it looks like. I'm going to have to get them pressed out and order new bushings. Leafsprings are rusty but I see no need in replacing the entire springs.

I also removed the factory bumpstops. And cut the tailpipes since they won't clear the rear when it's flipped. I'm debating on keeping the tailpipes I have and just adapting to them, or, running new piping, mufflers back, and dumping them over the rear.

I'm at a standstill for now until I order the leafspring bushings. Once I get them pressed in, I can install the flip kit, and lowering shackles as well as the c-notch!





The only bolt that successfully came out!

[oldblue1968chevy]

what a mess! any before pics

[chevymotocross]

Old Blue, here is a pic of how the truck looked overall before I began the project. Looked pretty darn decent..... from a distance

Today, I got those old leaf spring bushings out. I ordered the Energy Suspension leaf spring/shackle kit. They bushings went in perfect, great quality. I have extra bushings for the shackles since the Western Chassis drop shackles already came with bushings.

As I stated, only 1 darn leaf spring bolt came out, all the others I had to cut, so tomorrow, I will match up new bolts.

Tomorrow I will attempt to re-assemble..... this time lowered 6''!!! WooWoo!

Truck before the project:

New Bushings: