New to forum "new" 67 lwb and a few questions

[kwmvanc]

Hey guys I just picked up a 67 long box survivor-style good running farm truck.

My plans are to leaving it looking as is (kind of patina) but lower it and improve the handling and the brakes right away.

It'r running the inline six now with a bull low four speed, but came with the original three on the tree stuff. I intend to put the three speed back in and enjoy it like that for a while then eventually go LS power and maybe a 6 speed manual.

I'm also thinking 5 lug 15" steelies, although after reading all the making it handle stuff may have to go to a larger wheel and lower profile tires. But for now I want that old patina original look.

Questions are as follows:

1. - Lowering front - I think I'm wanting about a 4/6 drop and, once it is LS powered I really want to be able to beat on it without hitting the ground and hearing things rub and scrape all the time (I have a chopped traditional custom which is super cool but you can't carve corners in it).

So...to do things right should I go for a drop member in the front.? Probably cheaper to do coils and drop spindles but I do want it to really work in the corners. Also with the 15" wheels are things going to hit the ground with the drop spindles?

Also wondering if I can keep the stock steering for a while cuz I enjoy the old man farmer feel of it for now with the six. But would maybe go rack and pinion later.

Wondering about the handling set up with 15" wheels and if everything would need to be changed if I went to say 17 or 18 later.?

2. - the 5 bolt conversion is the best thing the 5x5 pattern.?

3. - Rear drop - I'm pretty sure I'll need a C-notch and wondering if people are pretty happy with the handling etc. I'd like to go with the outboard shock relocation like the Joe Touring truck and the sway bar etc since I'll only be running 10' wide wheels at the most. But I'm hoping to avoid the bigger step notch because I don't want to move the bed floor up. But if the C-notch is not enough then I am sort of willing to do the bed floor mods. Wondering about peoples experience with C-Notch and a 6 inch drop. Also wondering about the drop with only 15" wheels and would suspension parts potentially hang lower than the rim (not sure if that would pass safety inspection up here in Vancouver).

That's about it. I'm not going for a full frame-off just going to let it evolve for a while. I'll fix the bit of rot it has on the drivers rocker and rear passenger side cab mount if I can, but just patina it back up after and not paint the truck just yet (or ever).

One day I might shorten it to a swb.

And answers and/or suggestions are welcome. Please fire away.!

Ken

[kwmvanc]

A couple more pictures Including one of my lead sled...

[kitsbeach]

Ooops this is my truck I didn't realize I had two logins on this forum - I'm going to use the kitsbeach from now on. If anyone has ideas regarding my questions please post them up.

Ken

[aggie91]

Super clean truck.

[kwmvanc]

Thanks Karl. I've gone through you and your son's build of the red step side. Looks like you've got some other build threads here for me to take a look at. I lived the father-son thing combined with all the house renos, firewood missions etc.

[resto newbie]

Welcome to the board! You will get may different opinions from many great and creditable people from this board on your questions. My build is going a different direction than yours since I'm building mine to lay frame on 22's. I can say that You can't go wrong with Porterbuilt products though. IMHO their workmanship is unmatched. Every piece is a work of art with flawless welds. If I were you I would at least take a look at their touring products. They have the dropmember for coil over applications that I think you would be happy with. They've also got nice shock mounting options for the rear and multiple levels of c-notches.

[kitsbeach]

Hey Chad thanks. Yeah people on here all seem pretty happy with the porterbuilt. I'm just wondering if dropmember is overkill and too many $$$ for a pretty mild 4/6 drop but I do want it to be able to corner like mad and I want to beat on it without hitting the ground and rubbing the tires.

[gdavis]

It looks pretty solid from here. Don't know about the camper shell though.

[kitsbeach]

Originally Posted by gdavis

It looks pretty solid from here. Don't know about the camper shell though.

For sure the camper shell has to go...

[jhama78]

Nice truck, wanna sell the Power steering setup off of it when you do the LS conversion?

[kitsbeach]

Originally Posted by jhama78

Nice truck, wanna sell the Power steering setup off of it when you do the LS conversion?

Sure, but you'd be waiting a while because I plan to drive the six for a while. Eventually it will be LS powered possibly with six-speed manual. Short term I might put the three on the tree back in and just enjoy the big old steering wheel and the six.

[jhama78]

Right on, after. Negotiating a parking lot full of cars at a cruise in this past weekend I realized that I wouldn't mind having power steering if I can find the pump and brackets. But its no rush at all. I'm envious of how clean your truck is.

[kitsbeach]

Originally Posted by jhama78

I'm envious of how clean your truck is.

Pictures can be deceiving...it does have a cheap paint job over the original paint. But it looks pretty solid. Drivers side rocker needs work and passenger rear brace thingy leading to the cab mount also has holes in it. I'd like to get those done.