65Custom Build Thread

[65Custom]

Set seat in the truck to check steering wheel location and seat mounting

[f66]

I really like your dash modifications. I would like to incorporate that in my Truck.

[65Custom]

I decided to go with coolc10's reproduction AC dash Vents rather than trying to emulate it, plus it will be more original looking.

[65Custom]

fitting the AC vent, the template wasn't an exact match so it needed a little adjustment to center it and used the vent itself to mark the mounting holes for the screws.

Also fitted the AC evaporator to make sure the cubby will fit, looks I need to make some adjustments to the cubby depth and one of the defrost ports. I will need to cut off one port and blocked it off to make clearance and use a Y connector for the defrost hose to defrost vents

[65Custom]

A little update not getting much done things have been busy, but have gotten the backup lights mounted, ground down the welds between the firewall and cowl and have put in all the seat belt mounting, getting down the last few things before the bed and front end go out for sand blasting.

[65Custom]

Took off all the brackets in prep for installing the new suspension and changed course on the dash extension, changed back to the first idea the filled center wasn't turning out as expected.

[65Custom]

A little more progress dash extension is mostly complete, a few little touch up things needed the cubbies are not mounted at the top yet, all the welding is finished on the dash extension, assembling the rear suspension spaced the trailing arms back 1" and few other things tidied up. Getting closer to the finish line.

[65Custom]

AC vents finished, and working on power door locks have a proto type ready, next is to figure out how to get the power door actuator to operate the door lock/un-lock

[65Custom]

All the body panels are out for sand blasting and an epoxy coating, the rear end is installed and the front crossmember is removed for a new front cross member and suspension.

[65Custom]

fitting the front crossmember in it's new home, will be relocating it forward around 1 inch to help center the tire in the wheel well. This should also give the truck a better ride with the rear also shifted back 1 inch and the front crossmember forward 1 inch with a new 117 inch wheel base an overall 2 inch gain, should help get some more weight off the front and give the truck a better weight bias.

[Grounded63]

Is the engine staying in the stock location. And, only the crossmember/suspension is moving forward ?

Because, if the engine/trans drags forward with the cross member. And the rear moves further away. It will actually be worse.

[65Custom]

Originally Posted by Grounded63

Is the engine staying in the stock location. And, only the crossmember/suspension is moving forward ?

Because, if the engine/trans drags forward with the cross member. And the rear moves further away. It will actually be worse.

The plan is for it to stay in the stock location or as close as possible, moving it forward with the crossmember would cause too many other issues with clearance for accessories & fan & radiator etc. Keeping it in the stock location should also help with the weight bias keeping the engine weight as close to the center of the truck as possible.

[65Custom]

Front suspension is installed still have to install the front & rear sway bars. the rear sway bar needs custom mount brackets due to the heavy duty axle housing, The housing extends out further, it has shorter axle tubes than the std housing and the sway bar mounts sit right where the tubes are welded and so a stepped mounting bracket is needed, so another custom piece needed to make it all work together

[65Custom]

rear sway bar mount bracket

[65Custom]

We set in an engine to test fit everything and it looks like we will have to push it back, as it is right not it is about a 1/2 in front of the stock location. The front cross member is 1 inch forward but when installing the engine mounts first install as the instructions pushed the engine even more forward so we were able to flip sides and bring it back a 1/2 inch.

It really looks strange with all that space between the firewall and the back of the engine.

Probably will have to run a low profile valve covers (hope I can do that as I want to run a good set of roller rockers ) and also modify the firewall to be able to set it back more than it is right now, I'm not sure right now how far back we can go because the 4l80e has to also fit in there and pushing that back will surely have some interference somewhere, I believe it will be on the seam between the firewall and foot well. I may have to cut that off and weld it up to gain that 1/2 inch to clear the trans but we need to get a empty case to test fit it. So just to get the engine as far back as we can to get it as far behind the crossmember as possible there will be more modifications.

[65Custom]

All the body parts are back from sand blasting with a fresh coat of epoxy.

[cwcarpenter98]

Nice! Did you have that done locally? Eventually, when I get to that point, I'll probably end up doing the same thing

[65Custom]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Nice! Did you have that done locally? Eventually, when I get to that point, I'll probably end up doing the same thing

The shop is in Cleveland, ga. where Im getting the body work done, A long time friend works there is doing the work I can't do since my health issues side lined me from doing much for a few years now. Anyway they have a guy that does this for them who is cheaper and does better job and also does the expoxy coating for a much more reasonable price than the other guy who is closer to the shop.

I can probably get the guys name and info if you want it. I will say when I saw it this past Saturday he did do a great job, everything was very clean the hood was not warped which was my biggest concern. Cleaned out all of the old filler and old undercoating, and overall we had very little unknown rust show up so I'm very happy with the results.

Next is fix the unknown now known rust and beat out the dents enough to so that it can be body worked and then it will be off to the painter for body work and paint.

Looking forward to getting it back has been gone since 2020

[cwcarpenter98]

Originally Posted by 65Custom

The shop is in Cleveland, ga. where Im getting the body work done, A long time friend works there is doing the work I can't do since my health issues side lined me from doing much for a few years now. Anyway they have a guy that does this for them who is cheaper and does better job and also does the expoxy coating for a much more reasonable price than the other guy who is closer to the shop.

I can probably get the guys name and info if you want it. I will say when I saw it this past Saturday he did do a great job, everything was very clean the hood was not warped which was my biggest concern. Cleaned out all of the old filler and old undercoating, and overall we had very little unknown rust show up so I'm very happy with the results.

Next is fix the unknown now known rust and beat out the dents enough to so that it can be body worked and then it will be off to the painter for body work and paint.

Looking forward to getting it back has been gone since 2020

Thanks for the info! I'm so far out on getting to that point, so I'll reach out to you when I start that whole process. I'm looking forward to seeing yours get back on the road!

[65Custom]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

Thanks for the info! I'm so far out on getting to that point, so I'll reach out to you when I start that whole process. I'm looking forward to seeing yours get back on the road!

Yeah me too! it has been a long time in the works.

[65Custom]

Started on the firewall mod this week to fit the big block, It's looking great, we need to move the engine back 1.5" to compensate moving the front suspension forward 1". Swapping the engine mounts to opposite sides should effectively move the engine back 1" and there is another .5" in the block mounting plate.

[65Custom]

The driver side of the firewall is cut and fitted and tested the set back of the engine. It looks like we were able to get it back about 2" set back it really makes a difference where the engine sits. testing out a couple different styles of valve covers to make sure what ever I end up running will work.

[SkinnyG]

Can you cut both sides to look symmetrical?

The passenger side looks almost "original" - I like that.

[65Custom]

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

Can you cut both sides to look symmetrical?

The passenger side looks almost "original" - I like that.

Both sides are not symmetrical from the factory, so it would be a bit difficult to make them both the same without changing the look of both sides or even just removing and replace the whole firewall which I'm not willing to do at this point. The driver side has more right angles than the pass side had

[SkinnyG]

Dang.

Oh well. Keep up the good work!