Backwoods '66

[gtcox]

Heaven forbid there be a list out there that allows someone to go to the hardware store and pick up the correct bolts, nuts, and washers there!

For the record, I did save and label most of the major hardware that I took off...but most of what was on the rear end was so bad that it fell victim to whatever cutting/pounding tool I felt like using and therefore is even useless to use as a reference.

[Blue666]

It takes a while to to develop the discerning eye that can say "This scrap metal" I wasted a lot of time trying to save crap i should have thrown away. The sooner you can figure out your tolerance for scrap, the quicker you will make progress.

As you gain metal working talent and vehicle skills, you can save more from the scrap pile but you need to decide if the effort is worth the time & trouble.

[gtcox]

So a friend introduced me to the race engine building guy today and we talked for a little bit about what I was wanting to do with my engine and all that. Told him I wanted something that was highway driveable [reasonably] but still had 350+ hp so I can piss off the occasional high school kid in their mustang. I had had a 400 sbc in mind but he suggested a 383 that would cost $3500 to build. Said the 400 would be more like $600.

What are you all's thoughts on this? I'm a little hesitant to put a stroker in my truck. No particular reason why, just am.

I want something that's different (NOT A 350!!!!). I had been looking at big blocks but I don't really want to screw around with all the clearance issues when it comes to fitting it in the truck.

[Blue666]

Here is something different. Still a GM product. Will require some driving & work.

http://asheville.craigslist.org/pts/3563359597.html

Just an idea. Is a diesel out of the question?

[gtcox]

Originally Posted by Blue666

Here is something different. Still a GM product. Will require some driving & work.

http://asheville.craigslist.org/pts/3563359597.html

Just an idea. Is a diesel out of the question?

I had actually considered them at one point, but with the amount of modification required and the fact that I live on a diesel tractor for the majority of summer and fall I kind of nixed that. There's only so much diesel this man can take.

That and half the yay-hoos in this town have diesels--it's the world headquarters of Cummins. I had a buddy who was wanting to put one in a CJ7 or something and am interested to see how that turns out if he gets around to it.

I think I might just go crazy and build up the 305 that came with the truck with an absurd amount of horsepower, because if I don't like it I can always put it in my next project. Yes, there will be MORE.

[gtcox]

Got the truck frame back in the garage yesterday, it'd been braving the Midwestern winter. Looks like I need to touch up my POR-15 job. Imagine that, I didn't detail properly with a brush.

Revisited an oddly placed crossmember. For some reason a previous owner had moved the trans member up one set of bolt holes. Weird.

Ran to the hardware and grabbed new [SHINY] nuts, bolts, and so on to reattatch the...thing. Why do I not know the name for it? The crossmember that the engine and suspension are on. $25 to get that puppy properly secured, crazy. Need to get POR-15 on that before I get it all bolted up though. Hoping to start ordering suspension and steering parts within the month. Just in time for me to have a crazy work schedule with it being early spring and having a job in agriculture.

[McMurphy]

Like the majority of us here, I guess you do what you can, when you can! You are possibly about due on some update photos, I would like to see how the POR-15 survived the winter outside.

Hang in there, we are all here if you need us

[gtcox]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Like the majority of us here, I guess you do what you can, when you can! You are possibly about due on some update photos, I would like to see how the POR-15 survived the winter outside.

Hang in there, we are all here if you need us

I'll have to take some close-ups later. I didn't clean the frame to perfection before I applied it so there was some bubbling and flaking over the past few months. I think the largest spot was probably 1.5 or 2 inches long. Nothing terrible, still a huge improvement over the rusted beast I started with.

[gtcox]

I've been slacking on posts...oops.

Lots of spring cleaning took place recently so the garage is in great shape and order...however I lost a weekend's time to work on the truck.

Guys, gals, I broke down, I did it. I'm going to be using a 350. As much as I wanted to use the 305, the guy who is actually building the engine highly recommended otherwise saying that he sunk $7k into 305's and both cracked because of heat.

So here's the setup I'm loosely basing my engine on depending on what David the engine guy says...

350 sbc probably a mid-model with a stock bottom end.
Iron Vortec heads.
60102 or 03 Lunati Voodoo Cam
Single plane intake
1.5 rockers

I requested that the block and heads be painted black with some aluminum valve covers with "CHEVROLET" on them. Told the builder that the carb was more or less up to him depending on what he thought the engine would need. This guy has stories of some absurd engines he's built so I'm just trusting he knows what is going on. Hopefully it doesn't come to bite me in the ass.

It's nothing that will turn out HUGE horsepower, but enough to get me around and have a little fun. I'll probably end up putting some Hooker headers on with Flowmaster 40's or 44's.

I've also ordered some CPP tubular trailing arms that should be arriving in a week or two. And have to meet with the rear end guy who's a brother of an older friend and they've both worked on funny cars for a while.

The transmission guy will have to wait until the engine is done.

So everything should be arriving just in time for me to have NO time to put them together because of work, but that's how it goes right? When you have the money you don't have the time and when you have the time there's no money. Oh well.

I'll have more pictures when things start coming together, promise! Right now I've only got a bare frame and lower sums in my bank account to show.

[gtcox]

Things happened. I'll do a full update with pictures later. But for now...

I have 80% of the frame, disc brake conversion, and tubular suspension done. My dilemma right now is the rust repair. I don't exactly weld, I know people who can and can teach me, but to be honest, the easiest thing to do with this cab would be to lovingly shove it off a cliff and buy a new one. But I can't find any decent 65 or 66 cabs. Anyone on here know of any within a reasonable drivin distance? Say 3 hours or so. A manual cab would be great too since I'm planning on the conversion anyway.

Pictures to come soon! I need to get on a real computer and not just a smartphone.
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[LT7A]

Any updates on this? I found it when I did a search for the intake manifold casting number. Got intrigued and read the whole thread.