Pops 68 stepper

[wpsharpshooter]

Trying to document a little of what has taken place over the last year, Posting from my phone so its a cluster .. Last year my father passed in the middle of us redoing his 68. He had owned this truck since 94. He finally decided to throw a little money at it.. 1st pic is how it has been since he got it. The second pic is after we convinced home to freshen it up some. New suspension, new wheels.. Then we decided to let a friend take over for some additional stuff.

[wpsharpshooter]

As you can tell, the old 350 was tired. Motor was in the truck when my dad bought it.. So the plan was to pull it, freshen it up and clean up the engine bay.. to keep cost down.. My father was a frugal man lol

[wpsharpshooter]

Here we was making good time.. I say we, but this is at the point where my buddy took over... This man lives and breathes these trucks so it made sense to hand the ball off to him.. Motor is pulled. My dad was good with just the front of the frame being cleaned and painted.. However.. I made the call to pull the frame out and have it powder coated.. I knew the overall outcome would be much better... And at this time my father was starting to get a little sickly. So I knew either my brother or I was going to get the truck in the event something happened.

[wpsharpshooter]

Here is the frame out and headed to the PC'er.. With this truck having gone thru a resto over 30 years ago.. coming back in over some persons work, you really get a sense of how people cobble stuff together. This truck was originally a 3 speed on the column. However someone decided to use a piece of rebar for some shift linkage when they converted to an auto.. Then of course the rats nest wiring we have all saw before..

[wpsharpshooter]

More random hack job wiring and even a broke flange on the header..

[wpsharpshooter]

Clearly the truck was due for all new wiring. We went with all new LED lights and markers. Bought some fancy digital gauges and put down some sound dampener. New tilt column is in and we will slap a new steering wheel on it. Also done a full stereo system with speakers in the kick panels, amp under the seat.. No pics of all that yet.. My buddy is absolute garbage at taking progress pics and he is 5 hrs away or I would go and take them myself lol

[wpsharpshooter]

Here we are starting to see some actual work and progress..

[wpsharpshooter]

These pics are not in order... The interior pic was taken AFTER my father had passed.. At this point I have purchased my brothers "half" of the truck and have started to make it mine. The interior was black, but I called an audible and chose to swap everything out to saddle. The second pic. Of the motor was while my father was still alive... freshened up 350 that came out of it... Looks pretty good huh?... Until I got the genius idea to call another audible after my father died...

[wpsharpshooter]

Here was my genius plan... Buddy came across a couple of LS motors.. We had talked about doing a swap at some point... But it was going to be down the road.. But I figured since he already had the truck up there to just go ahead and bite the bullet... Still waiting on a couple of parts to get back from the powder coated.. Then he is going to get it tuned.. The last pic shows the new solid rear glass and all the dark tint removed.. Next week the wood bed is hopefully going in.. Im sure I have left out several things.. But those are the highlights.

[Tip70]

looking good

[raggedjim]

Nice work! I could be wrong but in pic 2 in post seven it looks like you may have the upper a-arms on the wrong sides.

Good luck, Rg

[wpsharpshooter]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Nice work! I could be wrong but in pic 2 in post seven it looks like you may have the upper a-arms on the wrong sides.

Good luck, Rg

I hope not for my sake ����. That picture they were screwed up.. Fixed now though.. Good eye. Says your in Murray.. Small world neighbor

[raggedjim]

Where are you in Tennessee? I actually live about 2 miles from the TN/KY border.

[lolife99]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Nice work! I could be wrong but in pic 2 in post seven it looks like you may have the upper a-arms on the wrong sides.

Good luck, Rg

You beat me to it.
I’m always drawn to control arms and the center links being installed wrong.

Beautiful truck!

[raggedjim]

Me too, since I learned it the hard way!

Originally Posted by lolife99

You beat me to it.
I’m always drawn to control arms and the center links being installed wrong.

Beautiful truck!

[wpsharpshooter]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Where are you in Tennessee? I actually live about 2 miles from the TN/KY border.

Im sure I pass by your place on our way to the Mexican restaurant over there lol.. We are in Paris

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by wpsharpshooter

Im sure I pass by your place on our way to the Mexican restaurant over there lol.. We are in Paris

That's funny, we go to El Vallarta in Paris on Thirsty Thursday!

[wpsharpshooter]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

That's funny, we go to El Vallarta in Paris on Thirsty Thursday!

That place is decent... But Los Portales is superior my friend lol.. Maybe we can link up when ever I get this thing back on the road!

[raggedjim]

Los Portalas is one of the best.

I'll drop you a pm.

[zicc1835]

nice work I have to take the ride and see this to the finish line ...like to see what the saddle interior will look like and the bed floor

[wpsharpshooter]

Well I doubt much work will get done this week.. Buddy sent me a picture of 4 inches of snow on the ground at his place and they are expecting 5 more inches. Problem with all that is that the bed work needs to be done at his buddys woodwork shop...

[wpsharpshooter]

Very small update... Bed was going in and turns out the cross sills are pretty much all bent.. So ordered more.. The wait continues

[raggedjim]

Nice looking bed wood. Rg

[wpsharpshooter]

Im hoping it turns out decent.. At this point Im tired of spending money lol