Slick is getting a full TCI suspension!

[gringoloco]

The little details eat up a bunch of time, but it's looking good!

[Smittee]

Originally Posted by 68Stepbed

OK, I finally got the bed boards installed and ready to put the bed back on. A couple guys helped me set it and immediately noticed a problem!



The shock towers are in line with the middle cross sill brace. Luckily, it's the one that's not load bearing. The new inner tub panel interfered with the shock mount, and the mount is higher than the bottom of the wood of the bed floor.







So, the way to fix this was to start cutting some more. I cut a few inches off of the cross sill brace, and notched out the inner tub wall and the wood.





I don't have a picture of it, but the bolts for the C-notch are taller than the original rivets and they also rubbed, so I used a forstner bit to make insets for the bolt heads.



After a few test fits, I was finally able to get the bed in place and the bolts dropped in. I'm not going to completely bolt it down tight until the fenders are on. It sure does look funny without fenders, though. LOL







This all took place last night, so this morning before I left for work, I had to at least get a fender on even if only with a couple bolts. It's getting exciting now to see it start coming back together!!

That stance with the rear fender on is RIGHTEOUS! Can't wait to see it all back together!

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Looking great...Jim

Thanks, Jim!

Originally Posted by gringoloco

The little details eat up a bunch of time, but it's looking good!

For sure! The small, piddly stuff is what's taking so long.

Originally Posted by Smittee

That stance with the rear fender on is RIGHTEOUS! Can't wait to see it all back together!

You and me, both!!! Thanks for the compliment!

[68Stepbed]

A little more progress.









The machine shop called and is almost finished with the engine. Once they button it up, they'll get it on the dyno and break it in.

[gringoloco]

Bed looks really nice! Almost makes me want to do something nice with mine... almost. How much downward adjustability do you have left on the coilovers?

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Bed looks really nice! Almost makes me want to do something nice with mine... almost. How much downward adjustability do you have left on the coilovers?

The coilovers are in the lowest mounting position. I'm sure there's some adjustability on the coil itself, but I'll let someone who knows what they're doing adjust those. To start with, I won't even be messing much with the valve adjustments until I learn more about them.

[68Stepbed]

Something's about to go down at Casa De Kenner!!



She's back in!!!





Look at that stance with the weight back between the fenders!!




Now for the fun part! Before the engine came home and went back in it's place, it got dynoed at the machine shop. 521hp @5900rpm 472tq @ 5400 rpm!! She should scream now for sure thanks the addition of the AFR heads!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuZn5...ature=youtu.be

[slow4dr]

We just posted your truck up on Instagram Matt. Keep up the great work.

I still think the pull was cut too early tho.

-J

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by slow4dr

We just posted your truck up on Instagram Matt. Keep up the great work.

I still think the pull was cut too early tho.

-J

Thanks, man! Yeah, in some ways I'd liked to have pushed it a few more rpm, but I'm super stoked with the power numbers. I may do a chassis dyno sometime to get some numbers of what's going to the pavement!

[gringoloco]

Wowsers. This is still a 5.7?

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Wowsers. This is still a 5.7?

Yes. It's still all stock bottom end, but with new bearings and rings.

[68Stepbed]

Well, the past few weeks have been quite hectic. I was in a bit of a thrash to get the truck together and running to make it to the NSRA show in Louisville, KY. It fought me in almost every step of the way the past two weeks. I finally prevailed getting it fired up last Friday night, taking it for and alignment on Monday, fixing a brake issue Tuesday and Wednesday, and took it on an "official" test drive(about 10 miles) on Wednesday night. I drove my mile long trip to work Thursday morning, then back home, loaded it in a trailer and headed out for Louisville. Friday morning, I unloaded it and took it straight to the autocross to start a fun shakedown. Everything is working great!! It handles much better on the autocross. On the drive to dinner Friday night, I got about 7 miles or so on the Interstate. It drives much better and absorbs the bumps and potholes like a modern car!!

I still have some tweaks to work out on the shocks, swaybars, and other adjustable tidbits, but so far, no complaints at all!!

[TexasLS1]

It looks amazing, glad to hear it's been running well and you could put it through the shakedown on the autocross course. Love the pics. Got any vids from the event?

[oldman3]

Truck looks great going thru the autocross, nice job, glad everything is coming together...Jim

[gringoloco]

Sits just right. I see a GoPro stuck to the fender. Vids?

[68Stepbed]

I've got some videos that I'll get loaded soon. The media guy from TCI is also going to be editing them all together to get a promotional video together. I'll get a couple of the vids loaded later today and share them.

[68Stepbed]

A few videos of the truck in action. I'll have to find a video of it from outside.

https://youtu.be/cLkYrrdVZGQ

https://youtu.be/52dObLWCYEk

https://youtu.be/HBUoZEcIWDM

https://youtu.be/zYTRWB6LvRc

https://youtu.be/xOR9QbTX-Ng

[Smittee]

Wish I had known about Louisville. My wife and I went down there Saturday! Forgot to go to the Autocross event! So I suppose that is why I missed you. Darn the luck. Went to visit some hometown friends and forgot all about the Autocross. The bad part about getting old!
Thruck looks great and sure glad to hear that the truck handles the bumps better. That was the reason for putting the TCI under mine. Now if I could JUST QUIT making body mods to gte it back together!

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by Smittee

Wish I had known about Louisville. My wife and I went down there Saturday! Forgot to go to the Autocross event! So I suppose that is why I missed you. Darn the luck. Went to visit some hometown friends and forgot all about the Autocross. The bad part about getting old!
Thruck looks great and sure glad to hear that the truck handles the bumps better. That was the reason for putting the TCI under mine. Now if I could JUST QUIT making body mods to gte it back together!

That old age thing seems to get all of us, even if we're not that old. LOL Louisville is a big place, so I can understand forgetting to make it to part of it.

Maybe we can meet up at a future event.

[BossHogg69]

Matt - don't know if you saw this already or not - just got this month's Classic Trucks mag today and thought it was pretty cool!

[Cbo]

Truck looks awesome man! Do you have any more info on how you got to 521hp in that thing?!

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by BossHogg69

Matt - don't know if you saw this already or not - just got this month's Classic Trucks mag today and thought it was pretty cool!

I most certainly didn't know that was in there!! Looks like I'll be making a trip to Walmart this evening!! Thanks for letting me know!

Originally Posted by Cbo

Truck looks awesome man! Do you have any more info on how you got to 521hp in that thing?!

Thanks! Literally, the cam and heads is all that has been done to get the hp numbers. The cam was in the engine before, the heads are the only major change.

[Cbo]

Wow,no didn't think you could see those numbers out of a 350 with just a cam and heads.

Originally Posted by 68Stepbed

I most certainly didn't know that was in there!! Looks like I'll be making a trip to Walmart this evening!! Thanks for letting me know!



Thanks! Literally, the cam and heads is all that has been done to get the hp numbers. The cam was in the engine before, the heads are the only major change.

[68Stepbed]

Originally Posted by Cbo

Wow,no didn't think you could see those numbers out of a 350 with just a cam and heads.

You never will out of a 350 sbc. Mine is a 346ci LS1