1972 Cheap and Dirty Project

[Tzclark]

Picked up my new project last weekend and started to make my plan of attack. Currently has a good running 283, but it needs a re-gasket really badly. So I picked up a 77 350 out of an impala that has only 30,000 on it. I purchased a new comp 268, and the old engine already has an aluminum intake, 650cfm carb and headers. I will be fitting new gaskets to the 350 this weekend and wedging it in there. I always wanted a short wheel base but I couldnt find anything local that wasnt either restored already or totally rusted out. I will be doing the short bed conversion.

Here's my goals and cost hopes, Ill post actual pricing. Hoping to be between 6-7 for a beauty of a cruiser. I am not making a show truck but a truck I can drive on the weekend and have fun.

1. New to truck 350 that doesn't leak oil like a sieve, and has enough punch to at least break the tires loss. $1000.00 or less
2. Shorten truck to swb specs and cut box down $250.00 unless I get carried away
3. Repair the little bit of rust it has. $250.00 and lots of sanding.
4. 4/6 drop or airbags if budget allows $1000.00 or less
5. Paint flat baby blue with flat white from windows up. $1000.00 if i do all the prep
6. Used wheels and tires, hopefully torque thrust. 1000.00 or less.


I will try to keep this thread updated as well as its motivation hear from you guys to get it done.


Price total so far

2900.00 trucks actual cost including taxes
400.00 for complete 350
312.00 for all parts to regasket the 350 and the cam, lifters and chain
-150.00 sold the 283
Total $3462.00

PS, the PT cruiser is not mine!

[DBaker]

Sounds like a good project. Youll have to keep us posted on progess good luck and have fun

[hugger6933]

Welcome to the site. I hope you can do it for those prices but I kinda doubt it. I own a body shop and I don't get to paint one for a $1000 bucks. You have $250 in your plan for rust repair how much is rusted and what is gonna need to be replaced? Have you done metal working before? I don't want to discourage you I'm the last to do that on this site, go back and look up some of my post. I always offer up help to anybody that needs it or asks for it but I have heard a lot of horror stories of good beds ending up in the scrap piles and trucks that got messed up and sold for nearly nothing cause guys took them down or cut them up and got in over their heads. I am shorting two truck but I am changing the frames and beds cause I have the tools to do it quickly and I could get the parts cheaply, and it ended up less labor time than doing over the bedsides and a floor. that is a lot of cutting and splicing in six places two per panel two each side and two on the floor. Good luck Jim

[LockDoc]

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I used this thread to shorten the frame on my '70. It worked great and it's the strongest way to do it as far as I'm concerned....

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=123624

LockDoc

[Tzclark]

Hugger, i know my goals are a little tight but this is just a project to get me off the couch and play in the garage. I am currently an electrician but also have my welding ticket. The truck is currently all surface rust, needs the bottoms of the passenger front fender fixed. I know a few body guys so paint for 1000.00 cash should be doable. I am in no hurry so I can wait for deals. This isnt my first truck, just first 72. Its not about being cheap, its about doing it cheap enough and not getting carried away that I will drive it without caring a bunch. It will be the truck, i take to get milk or to take garbage to the dump. I am in no way trying to make this a really nice truck, just fooling around and ending up with a cool truck. If i wanted a show stopper I would be paying a guy like you to do it for me.