Project Goldilocks, '66 C10 SWB BBW Build

[SCOTI]

That mat does look like it fits well. I'll have to check into those.

[Bomp]

Looking really good. Dig that cross member.

[aggie91]

Saw the front suspension pic on FB, looks good. Fully agree on saving and not going into debt for the truck. X2 on the mat, I have been thinking of not doing carpet in my '65 once I get that far, I will have to check out the mat at Fred's.

Will be waiting patiently for updates...

[ccreddell]

If you arent going to update the truck build, at least post up pics of the shop/apt build so we can live vicariously through you....

[theastronaut]

Appreciate it dudes. I'm really happy with the mat, great fit and the pattern is nicely molded.

I should have worded my last post better, I'm trying to avoid taking out a loan on the apartment/garage. I'll have a decent amount saved up by the end of the year but I haven't found any land for sale in the areas I like. I can post updates on that once it gets going. The other option is to take out a loan, keep my cash available for buying and flipping enough mini-projects like the blue C10 to get the loan paid off quickly. I'd rather not have a payment though.

[Mjminino]

[joe dirt]

love this build!...great work!

[ajgriffin]

Hey Alan, did you ever get back on this one?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by ajgriffin

Hey Alan, did you ever get back on this one?

No, it's literally buried in the corner of the shop. I do have the spindle/brake parts at another machine shop to have caliper brackets made. (my name is John btw).

Plans for the truck have changed a bit, big surprise, right? I won't be going for an all-out track slayer suspension setup at this point, just a cruiser that will still handle great. I've bought another car that's way better suited to autocrossing and track events so Goldilocks will just be on the track for fun, not lap times.


(This is where MalibuKasey starts grumbling and making comments to try to keep me on track... )

I started a build thread in the "alternate tinkerings" section for the other car.
The suspension is done and I should have the engine/trans swap finished by October, and then I'll start back on the C10. It'll be infinitely better on the track and get 30+ mpg as a daily. Did I mention it pulls 1.06g on cheap all season tires in mid-30 degree weather? I doubt Goldilocks would ever be able to do that, no matter what suspension and tires are under it.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=727205




Mock up engine, I'm swapping in a Miata 1.6 with sidedraft Webers to triple the horsepower. With only 58 hp and all season tires it's currently keeping up with, or barely outrunning Fiesta/Focus ST's and WRX's at the local autocross. It'll be a track monster with more power and sticky tires. And if I stuff it in a wall its no big deal, I can buy a clean shell for a few hundred dollars and swap everything over easily. If I wreck 'locks on the track, there's no replacing it.

[ajgriffin]

Sorry! Where the heck did I get Alan from??? That's what I get for posting at midnight

I've seen your other thread, looks great and the description sounds even better! I'll be watching over there. Post lots of info about the sidedrafts when you build/install them. I'm curious about how that's done.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by ajgriffin

Sorry! Where the heck did I get Alan from??? That's what I get for posting at midnight

I've seen your other thread, looks great and the description sounds even better! I'll be watching over there. Post lots of info about the sidedrafts when you build/install them. I'm curious about how that's done.

No problem, I never really post my name on here so that's my fault. I'll post info on the carbs when I get that far with it. I just finished the engine mounts and lower radiator support today. Once the engine is rebuilt I'll start on the carbs.

[Katchi]

Hey John! Really interested in the interior & seat photos of your ‘66 and photobucket isn’t loading them them. Any chance you’d repost or message themti me?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by Katchi

Hey John! Really interested in the interior & seat photos of your ‘66 and photobucket isn’t loading them them. Any chance you’d repost or message themti me?

Hey, photobucket has really messed up a lot pics on here, not just mine. If you're using Google Chrome, try adding these two extensions to restore photobucket pics posted on forums. I've read that there are extensions available for other browers too. I you add them then all of the missing pics on the forum will automatically show up again.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...fegnfnflicjjgj

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/d...alioapbifiaedg


I also have a Facebook album for the truck, it can be seen here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=75d7674613

[okndn]

following

[cullman]

i will bet Goldie locks is getting jealous of the car.

[theastronaut]

Back from the dead... I cleaned out the corner of the shop the truck is parked in a few months ago to get ready to start back on it. I've got all week off so I wanted to get the front crossmember finished and make a plan for the rear suspension.

I pulled the engine and trans back in May to sell the T56- I decided to go with an AR5 5 speed from a Colorado instead. They're reportedly just as strong, don't take up as much tunnel space, the shifter location is better for a bench seat, and they're only around $300. Fabbot makes an adapter that uses a 4l60e bellhousing to bolt the AR5 up to a LSx. I can buy the adapter setup from Fabbot, an LS7 clutch kit, the trans, T/O bearing, and lines for around $1200 bucks. The T56 sold for $2k by itself so I'm money ahead now, and especially money ahead if I ever blow up the trans from beating on it. I'd much rather replace a $300 buck trans than a $2k trans!





Saturday I blocked the truck up at ride height (4.5" at bottom of the rails under the cab) and took measurements of the bag height, then I dissasembled everything to make patterns for the upper bag mounts.








I opened up the hole that's in the coil spring retainer for the air line and fittings to pass through, then welded in the plates.






Bag bolted in, its about 7.75" tall at ride height, a little over 2" taller than just bolting in bag mounts to the stock crossmember. This should let me run more pressure at the same ride height to increase the spring rate. If it's too stiff I can add spacers between the bag and LCA to drop the pressure/spring rate. I'll finish the other side tomorrow, then weld up any extra holes and prep it for paint.

[theastronaut]

So a lot has happened in the 4-5 year break on Goldilocks. My plan was to build this thing for autocross and track events... that's probably not going to happen now. I posted about the Festiva earlier in the thread... it just doesn't make sense risking an accident on the track with the truck now that I have a car that is track capable and cheap/easy to repair/replace if it gets busted up on the track. I'll still autocross the C10, but probably won't do any big track events with it. If you've followed the Festiva's build thread you know how ridiculously well it handles. I know the C10 will never do that well so there's no point in trying to go slower than a Festiva on a road course in a truck that would be impossible to replace.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=727205

I've learned a ton about chassis setup, track prepping a car, and what to look for to make a car handle well by building and thrashing on the Festiva. A lot of that info can be used to make the C10 handle better.









I also did a frame-off resto on the '63 VW I posted about earlier in the thread. It's finished now and will probably be posted on Bring A Trailer soon.








I was able to acquire my granddad's '64 C10 about a year ago.

[mongocanfly]

Pawpaw looks like a solid project John....what's the plan for him?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Pawpaw looks like a solid project John....what's the plan for him?

Nothing major, I’ll probably do the same suspension and wheel/tire setup I did on the blue ‘66 I had. I don’t want to change it too much from how it is now, I may just do a tune up and brakes and drive it as is for awhile. It has a 283 and three speed so I’ll do a 3:08 rear gear to make it a better cruiser. It’s been brush painted with house paint at some point but it’s coming off easily so I’ll lightly wetsand and buff the original paint.

[jhrusk]

Man your Grandads truck is so cool, im sure goldilocks will be a stout runner and looking forward to seeing more of it. When you get to the point of the trans install please show it. The vw is one of the coolest, I've never had one but if I did that would be it. So cool

[likaroc13]

Glad to see you back on Goldilocks, & I think the new direction is a sound idea. Love the VW vert, & it came out killer. I dig granddad's '64 as well, & it's no doubt a special one to have & cherish. Looks really solid as well. Look forward to seeing more progress on any of them!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by jhrusk

Man your Grandads truck is so cool, im sure goldilocks will be a stout runner and looking forward to seeing more of it. When you get to the point of the trans install please show it. The vw is one of the coolest, I've never had one but if I did that would be it. So cool

Thanks Jay, it was great to see you and your truck at the show in Anderson!

Originally Posted by likaroc13

Glad to see you back on Goldilocks, & I think the new direction is a sound idea. Love the VW vert, & it came out killer. I dig granddad's '64 as well, & it's no doubt a special one to have & cherish. Looks really solid as well. Look forward to seeing more progress on any of them!

Thanks Phillip!

[theastronaut]

There were raw corners left from cutting back the spring cup area, so I rounded them and welded the two layers together, then smoothed up the edges.












Since the crossmember is moved up the top two mounting points were just above the frame rail. I slightly recessed and welded in 1/2" threaded bosses, made rounded covers to hide them, then welded them in and blended the welds.








Since this mostly finishes up the front (besides shock, sway bar, and engine mounts) I went ahead and shot a coat of semi gloss rattle can to get it all one color and keep the bare areas from rusting.

[SCOTI]

Very clean looking work!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Very clean looking work!

Thanks!

I started detailing and assembling the driver side, this was as far as I got. I'm really happy with the new installed height of the bag with the raised mounting points! It may be too tall as-is but that leaves room to add shims to adjust the installed height which should allow me to tune the pressure and effective spring rate without changing the ride height.

I may also swap to smaller bags since they'll have a steeper rate of spring rate rise as they compress compared to a larger bag. From setting up the Festiva I've learned that a soft initial rate works best to absorb bumps and maintain ride quality, but is mostly important for soaking up mid-corner bumps without upsetting the chassis and causing the car to skip around and lose your line. This was a huge difference I noticed between my softly sprung Festiva and my much stiffer Miata. I could go over curbing and bumps in the Festiva and it soaked it up like it wasn't there, and the same lines in the Miata would make it side-step and skip around... not very confidence inspiring.

A stiff sway bar to reduce body roll negatively reduces the independence and free movement of the suspension, so on the Festiva we use the small stock sway bar and add progressive rate bump stops that engage after ~1" of free travel. These aren't hard stops; they're soft enough to seamlessly engage and compress but stiff enough add to the overall spring rate the more they're compressed- that reduces body roll without the negative aspects of a stiff sway bar. I'll look into some way to incorporate progressive rate bump stops on the truck if the natural progressive rate of the bag isn't enough.

Pics of the Festiva's coilovers with the bump stops installed over the shock shaft. The rear spring rate is only 105# so it's very soft and compliant but after the first inch of travel/body roll it seamlessly firms up in corners while maintaining full L/R independence without a rear sway bar.







I'll wait to reassemble the other side so I can take the spindle/brake assembly to have caliper brackets made. Neither of the first two shops I've taken them to ever got around to making them after waiting for months in each shop.