1971 Cheyenne "One For the Road"

[19723DR]

Originally Posted by scotts62

Updated pics with no snow on the ground is progress, right?

Right! Your just giving me a good excuse to take it for a drive this week end.

[19723DR]

This weekend we had near perfect weather. I was going to put my front bumper brackets on, but in the time the paint was drying I started something else and forgot about them. For some time I have been planing to build a bed cover out some melal I pulled off a job. They use it for suspended ceilings. Its light weight and really strong.

[19723DR]

I made a template of the rear bed bump out. Made a piece buy cutting the piece in several places and then welding.

[19723DR]

It's pretty easy from there. I just made sure it was square.

[19723DR]

Test fit.

[19723DR]

More bracing the middle and rear.











That's as far as I got this weekend, I'll pick it up again next weekend.

[scotts62]

Hey that looks good!!! What are you going to cover it with?

[VA72C10]

Nice work on the cover frame!

[19723DR]

Thanks. The frame will be covered with 1/2 ply wood with a thin layer of foam, and then covered with white vinyl. When I was moving things around I put the tonneau cover from my '93 which is white as well on the Cheyenne and it looked really good. The trick is finding a piece of vinyl wide enough to stretch over the whole thing.

[19723DR]

This week I had two short days at work so I spent some time on the bed cover. The 1/2 ply wood I had was torn up so I decided to use 3/4. This was some old wood from another job, but not full sheets. I then cut the pieces down to fit and stained and sealed them on the bottom. I used self tapping drywall screws to mount the wood to the frame. When they were mounted I stained and sealed the top. Next was to make the hinge. I patterned them from the one I have for my 93. Really simple, the tab slides through the slot and the shocks pull it forward. I used some some old shocks from another project that I sold awhile back, I bought them at Auto Zone, but I don't remember what they go to.

[19723DR]

[19723DR]

All I need now is to find some white vinyl. I have some good news, I sold my Sonoma and another car I had so I will be ordering some stuff for the truck soon.

[Rokcrln]

Looks good and nice use of CRC for the bed cover.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[19723DR]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

Looks good and nice use of CRC for the bed cover.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Thank Kevin. Sometimes I just want to see what I can build out of the stuff I get from work.

[VA72C10]

Any updates?

[19723DR]

It's have been a while since I posted on this thread. There have been quite a few things I've done to the Cheyenne in the last few months. I took the stock track bar to my father-in-law's shop and had him make it into a adjustable one. I also put some 1 1/4 wheel spacers on the rear. That makes a huge difference in the stance, the tires just clear the fender. I also Bought a new steering wheel and found a new used rear bumper.













I also pick up a power brake booster. Yeah I know it only took a year.

[VA72C10]

looks great! Love the new stance!

[ScottTRD]

What was the backspacing on those rims?

[19723DR]

Originally Posted by ScottTRD

What was the backspacing on those rims?

Well I'm not sure since it's been four years. I looked on Discount tire's website and the only list one offset 7mm in the 20X8.5. The good news is they are now offering a 20X9.5 in two offsets 0mm and 15mm. I'm running the 8.5 wheel now with a 1 1/4 wheel adapter. I'm planing on ordering 2 rear 20X9.5's In the near future.

[19723DR]

Okay, so this thread was brought back from the dead so I might as well update it. Thank you for that, it needed to be done, I've been neglecting that! I put this truck on the back burner for the last year. I actually took the old school wheels off and put them on the '72 suburban this year, I've been running some 15x7 15x8 truck rallies. I know that when I first started this build thread I was planning on putting in a Vortec 4.3 for fuel economy, but stayed with the 350 that was in it. I recently purchased an '89 Suburban with a fuel injected 454. In the last month, I pulled the engine, tranny and wiring harness off the Suburban and this past weekend I pulled the 350 out and put the 454 in. Right now it's bolted in and I'm working on splicing the wiring and other odds and ends.

I know the name of this build is "One For the Road" and it is still going to be on the road, just a lot louder and funner to drive. This truck was originally a big block truck and I feel good about putting another big block in it.

On a side note, for those who have followed this thread and are wondering where the 4.3 went, I put that in my '51 Suburban. I don't have a build thread on that, but I did an S-10 swap. I'm glad I saved it for this instead of just selling it because it's been a lot of fun to drive.

[derrickmanx1]

Nice truck.

[67cheby]

looking forward to updated pics !

[19723DR]

Thanks guys.

Out with old in with the new Its all bolted in there. That's a tight fit.

[67cheby]

Nice !
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[Squareforceone]

any updates? Also, what did you use for paint?