Best part of truck to start buildup...?

[67'ShortMonster]

What should i get done first...

1.) The frame.... Makes sense... working from the ground up.

2.) The body.... This is the part everyone sees anyways.

3.) Engine and drivetrain... you can't go anywhere without it.

4.) Don't worry about one specific thing. And just get it on the road for now...?

Just need to figure out what I should concentrate on first to get my project going in the right direction again.
On another note, I need to decide what to use as an engine. I took the one i was gonna use for my jeep.
My options i am considering are... the engine from a 1999 Trans-Am. Not sure what it is exactly... it was a convertble v-8 car is all i know. I can get it cheap because the car went off the road. My uncle towed it, and has been storing it for three years. No insurance when the guy crashed it. Rear end and tranny would also be available...
The other option i was thinking of was just a fuel injected 454 from a mid 90's truck.
Or... Maybe a TPI 350 on twin turbos... That would be cool huh.
I am %80 sure i want to go with a automatic for a tranny.

What does everyone think...? I need some guidance here.

[bigvinnie]

depends... if you're stripping the truck down to the bones, then the frame would be the logical place to start... if just wanting to get it running and on the road, then drivetrain would be your first step... cosmetics usually come last.

[Hotrod70C10]

That 99 T/A motor would be an LS-1. If you can get it cheap I would go that route!

[landon4421]

I would have to agree with bigvinnie. I am doing a complete rebuild and I started from the ground up. It has been 2 years with out a truck ! If you plan on driving it anytime soon then start with the drive train. IMO good luck with the project !

[jakobs71chevy]

yea ive been debating the same thing. i need to replace the rockers b4 i start on the frame b/c i want to keep everything inline
but with the non-exsistant drive train (well it has a 350 3spd who knows wht state it is in) tht will b a while off just depends on wht u want to do most drive it or look at it (or in my case let the kids play in it while im working in the garage!!!!

[nate68]

fix anything that's most susceptable to rusting out first

[67'ShortMonster]

Well, the cab and the front clip, have already been re-finished once. It just wasn't a good enought job, and the paint is gonna all flake off. So, I want to re-do it. As for the frame, the truck was gonna be a 4x, but, i have changed my mind about that. Why destroy a beautiful truck by taking it off-roading... And i can get a 2wd frame easily enough. But the 2wd frame is gonna have to be stripped down. So, i guess i should go along with what nate said... if the body needed saving, do that first, but mine doesn't... so i guess i should get the frame done, so i can move around the thing first. get the frame notched, and the rear suspension set up. As well as the front suspension. Then get the drivetrain in, and drop the body on and re-finish it again....
It doesn't sound so bad when i think of it this way... Looking at the body depresses me anyways... Spent too much money to get it done like crap... (ahhh to be young and dumb again)

[palallin]

Originally posted by 67'ShortMonster
Why destroy a beautiful truck by taking it off-roading... And i can get a 2wd frame easily enough.

Why destroy a beautiful truck by

My options i am considering are... the engine from a 1999 Trans-Am. Not sure what it is exactly... it was a convertble v-8 car is all i know. I can get it cheap because the car went off the road. My uncle towed it, and has been storing it for three years. No insurance when the guy crashed it. Rear end and tranny would also be available...
The other option i was thinking of was just a fuel injected 454 from a mid 90's truck.
Or... Maybe a TPI 350 on twin turbos... That would be cool huh.
I am %80 sure i want to go with a automatic for a tranny.
. . . . . .
get the frame notched, and the rear suspension set up. As well as the front suspension. Then get the drivetrain in, and drop the body on and re-finish it again....

?

[Injected68LS1]

You should definitely think about the LS1. I have one and I love it. While your at it get the automatic tranny out of it and you'll love life. Be prepared for a lot of work on the conversion to fuel injection. You have to update your whole fuel system(expensive), convert your electrical system to support fuel injection(time consuming), and many other little projects. Don't get me wrong though, it is all worth it. You'll have plenty of horsepower and good fuel milage and reliability. The only thing you might want to consider is getting the corvette accessory brackets.

Good luck and happy truckin!

[67'ShortMonster]

The truck is stripped right down to nothing... we aren't talking conversion with this one... Were talking build it... heh heh... LS1 auto sounds like a good plan.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

LS1 would be the way to go !!!!!

[dtlilly]

I'd pull the LS1 and tranny. Be sure to get all the computers, sensors, wiring etc. You may also need to get the speedo, since there is a sensor that monitors vehicle speed. Sounds like a good project to me.

[67'ShortMonster]

Ah darnit... i was looking at the car this weekend. It's a 98, not a 99... I think the engine isn't a LS1. It must be a LT1 then...?!? It also has a 6 spd, not a auto... which sucks. On a better note, i talked to my uncle about it. He says he'd give me the whole car for $3000 when he gets the paper work done.

[Injected68LS1]

it should be an LS1 since they came in all camaros and corvettes starting in 97. $3000 is a steal!!!! I'll take two! 6 speed is even better.

[67'ShortMonster]

Hmmmm. The 6 spd would work okay you figure...? What about the rest of the car, like the rear end, and the front spindles and brakes ect....?

[Injected68LS1]

I've thought about trying to adapt those disc brakes to our trucks. I'm sure you can get the rear to work with some bracket fabrication. Front spindles would be cool but a long shot. You might be able to adapt the front brakes to the truck spindles. I think the rear end would be too narrow to work.

A good plan would be too use truck front disc and adapt the rear discs to work. Good luck!

[67'ShortMonster]

Well, it would be definitley worthe shot.. Never thought about the rear axles being to narrow... but you are probably right.
Is there a lot of wiring involved with the LS1's.... What is a Ws6 package or what ever ...? I have read about it.

[68LSS1]

LS1's are getting popular I see I started out just pulling the broken 350 which led to a Dakota Digital Dash which led to a Fatman Fabrications front end which led to taking it down to the frame which led to the LS1/T56 ('98 Camaro) which led to 8.8 Explorer rear end (with Hot Rods To Hell suspension kit) which now leads me to hopefully starting to put the frame/suspension together this month. Unfortunately, all this is now leading to a big cubic inch LS1 which leads to the new Accell Gen VII set upwhich leads to a roll cage. I'm beginning to think there is no end until I realized I ran out of stock parts to change or modify! Stay away from the F body ten bolt. Very big weak link. Wiring is not a problem. Painless Wiring makes a harness. So does Street and Performance. Speartech will sell you one or modify your original. (He's a sponsor on LS1Tech) Go to LS1tech.com and go the conversions and hybrids section. Nothing but people putting LS1's into just about anything imagineable. Shooting for 10's @ 20mpg is my goal

[Mark540]

LS1 came in 97 and up Corvette's, 98 and up Camaro and Trans Ams. 98 is an LS1 but had some bearing issues, 99 had quite a few upgrades, if you can find a 99 or newer you are better off, if not change the rod and main bearings before you stick in the car.

The WS6 is a functional hood scoop and diferent exhaust and that is about it. So the swap is the same.

10's are a lofty goal, my 99 vette was about 3100 pounds had heads and cam, 394 rwhp, ran a best of 11.88 @121 mph. This is with 3.42's in the rear and a six speed. A little laughing gas and you are there.