LockDoc's "Low Budget", "Low Maintenance" Project Thread

[68Gold/white]

Leon,
You might be thinking along the lines I am...
Here's my "muffler" thought..

I'd weld some 3" I.D. stubs on the end of that muffler. I don't mind the sound of flow masters, BUT they can be a little loud to some folks. My 05 Silverado staill has the stock exhaust on it and it's quiet. I like it that way...

If you mount the muffler in an area where there's a fairly long straight run of pipe...
You could change the mufflers later, if you didn't care for them.

It's interesting to me that your "freebie" mufflers are in line, entrance and exits, on the side...

That huge engine breathing through those mufflers might sound real nice???

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Leon,
You might be thinking along the lines I am...
Here's my "muffler" thought..

I'd weld some 3" I.D. stubs on the end of that muffler. I don't mind the sound of flow masters, BUT they can be a little loud to some folks. My 05 Silverado staill has the stock exhaust on it and it's quiet. I like it that way...

If you mount the muffler in an area where there's a fairly long straight run of pipe...
You could change the mufflers later, if you didn't care for them.

It's interesting to me that your "freebie" mufflers are in line, entrance and exits, on the side...

That huge engine breathing through those mufflers might sound real nice???

And they DO sound real nice.... .. Installed them this morning.

Weld the stubs on is exactly what we did. AND they are installed in the long straight run. I guess we think alike...

It is really quiet when idling but I haven't had a chance to take it out on the road yet, and probably won't until next week.

I also picked up my bed cross sills from the sandblaster this evening. I was mowing so I didn't hear his call at 3pm, so it was too late to get any pictures when I picked them up.

LockDoc
.

[68Gold/white]

Leon,
3 inch pipe. all the way?

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Leon,
3 inch pipe. all the way?

Nope, 2 1/2. they didn't have enough 3" at the shop and I didn't want to wait another week. If I don't think it is adequate I will take it off and use it on the '70 short bed and put 3" on the dually.

LockDoc

[Ol Blue K20]

I think the 2 1/2" will be fine. That engine came with a single 3" stock. You need some back pressure to scavenge properly.

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I think the 2 1/2" will be fine. That engine came with a single 3" stock. You need some back pressure to scavenge properly.

For Sure.

If you have Back Pressure, it solves the Drone and also other issues.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I think the 2 1/2" will be fine. That engine came with a single 3" stock. You need some back pressure to scavenge properly.

Originally Posted by Getter-Done

For Sure.

If you have Back Pressure, it solves the Drone and also other issues.

That's what I was thinking. 2 - 2 1/2's instead of one 3". We will see what happens. I would have saved the 3" off of the 2003, 2500 pickup but it was bent up pretty bad from the truck being rolled.

My radiator started leaking the other day so I ended up replacing it today. I will need to get the other one repaired and use it because this one doesn't have a heater hose outlet on it. Always something.....

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
Primed and painted the under bed cross sills, so all I need is the wood. I will have to look up the dimensions or measure the oak kit I have, maybe both, to compare the measurements.

LockDoc

[pjmoreland]

https://gmcpauls.com/47-72_BedWood_Info.htm

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

https://gmcpauls.com/47-72_BedWood_Info.htm

Thanks Patrick!

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
I finally got the hood and around the windshield painted today. Glad that is done!

I also cut the rear tubs so I can widen them. I will post pictures of that tomorrow. I'm hoping to get the bed set on the truck tomorrow. I need to have a friend help me do that. I use the skid loader to lift it up and set it on the frame but I need someone to hold on to it to steady and position it.....

LockDoc

[LT7A]

I've been off the site for a bit. Came back to check in on things and enjoyed catching up on your project. It's getting so close. I'm excited to hear what it's like to drive with all that torque. Very sorry to hear about what your son is going through and I hope that the treatment is proving effective. Thanks for the details you post here. I have made and a few notes. That cold galv is a great idea. I'm impressed with how you do bodywork as if it is no big deal.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I've been off the site for a bit. Came back to check in on things and enjoyed catching up on your project. It's getting so close. I'm excited to hear what it's like to drive with all that torque. Very sorry to hear about what your son is going through and I hope that the treatment is proving effective. Thanks for the details you post here. I have made and a few notes. That cold galv is a great idea. I'm impressed with how you do bodywork as if it is no big deal.

Glad you are back and thanks for the kind words.

Son is doing great. The last checkup yielded an "all clear". He is back on the remodel of his house and the last time he was here he indicated that he wants to come over this winter and finish up the '70 short bed project I started a few years ago.... That is a good sign.

Hopefully I will know this afternoon about the throttle response on the truck. I think I better take it a little easy the first few times I drive it....

I am the worlds worst body man. I get in too big of a hurry and sand off too much of the filler I put on, so the spot always shows. I have a friend that is a great body man but he is working on a '57 Chevy 2 door sedan, trying to get it finished up so I didn't want to bother him with this. In my opinion body work is WAY overrated anyway.....

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
All I can say is WOW! This thing has some serious power. You need to give it some heavy respect or you could get into big trouble, quick..... Upshifts are quick and responsive and downshifts are very positive. I need to put my Garmin in it tomorrow to check the RPM with the speed but what I think is about 55 it is running at 1500 RPM.

First drive went good except I had an antifreeze leak. I fixed that when I got back home and headed out again. Second drive went smooth as silk. It even rides pretty good for a short one ton big block. I need to take it and get an alignment done soon.

As I stated before I'm not going to do anything with the stance until I get the bed wood and tailgate installed and see where it sits then. I have a few options for changing the stance. The first one is to put the heavier front springs in. I have a set of actual one ton front coils from an ambulance. I only have about 2 inches between the front "A" arm and the bump stop. If I need to lower the rear the first thing I would do is to install longer shackles. I can add 1 1/2 - 2 inches to them without any problem. That would make a big difference. I think it would also increase the distance between the bed side and the front of the tire and decrease the distance between the bed side and the rear of the tire if I would drop the back some.

All I can say is This is going to be fun.... It puts a big smile on my face...

Not too bad for a two year scratch built project by an 80 year old guy. Thanks to everyone for following along, I appreciate it.

I will be posting more as I do the rest of the followup stuff but it may not be as often.

LockDoc
.

[pjmoreland]

That is a seriously cool truck

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

That is a seriously cool truck

-
Thanks Patrick, I can't wait to start driving it.

LockDoc

[loudchevy]

Very nice build indeed! well done

[Ol Blue K20]

Looking fantastic!

[kev2809]

that paint job looks nice!

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by loudchevy

Very nice build indeed! well done

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Looking fantastic!

Originally Posted by kev2809

that paint job looks nice!

Thanks guys. I appreciate the compliments.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
I didn't get the bed on today. I can't get the skid loader started... .. I have a fuel problem but so far I haven't been able to figure it out.

Maybe tomorrow.

Pictures of the wheel tubs cut below.

LockDoc

[68Gold/white]

Leon, I really like your "pole" board flooring, looks awesome!!!

There's a member here, name Snake 72 (from Iowa, possibly not far from you?). He used Hackberry wood in his built, looks great. I commented on his thread that a friend of mine, here in Oklahoma burns a lot of that in his wood stove in his garage. I meant no offense....

I kinda lie the idea of using the pole wood, great conversation topic... Pole tree wood? LOL

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Leon, I really like your "pole" board flooring, looks awesome!!!

There's a member here, name Snake 72 (from Iowa, possibly not far from you?). He used Hackberry wood in his built, looks great. I commented on his thread that a friend of mine, here in Oklahoma burns a lot of that in his wood stove in his garage. I meant no offense....

I kinda lie the idea of using the pole wood, great conversation topic... Pole tree wood? LOL

Thanks! The power companies are replacing a lot of power poles around here so there is a lot of "pole tree wood" available right now....

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
Finally got one of the loaders started yesterday morning (the junky one) but had a local car show to go to so didn't get the bed on until today. Went pretty smooth but I hadn't used this loader for a couple of years so the levers were real sticky. I should have sprayed them good with PB Blaster but I didn't want to stop once we got started moving it. It will be another week or so before I can get the wood sawed for the bed but I am going to put some pieces in and bolt it down so I can drive it a little to get any bugs worked out of it. Working on that now.

LockDoc

[LockDoc]

-
I finished up some things on the truck the last few days.

Sandblasted and coated the tail light and reverse light housings yesterday. After I sandblast them I coat them inside and out with Rustoleum Cold Galvanizing Compound. It has good reflective qualities and is a good rust preventive. Sorry about the crappy pictures, I forgot I had the flash on. Got those installed.

I didn't have the wire loom installed from the firewall to the rear cross member so I went ahead and did that next and tested it at the back plugin. Everything tested out OK except for the reverse lights.. I'm not worried about those right now. Installed the bulbs and lenses and plugged the connector in at the cross member and everything worked (except those darn reverse lights)...... Surprise!......

I removed the upper grille hoop the other day so I could paint the top part of the grille where I scuffed it up working on stuff. I taped that off, used scotch brite on it and painted it this afternoon. After it dried I put the grille hoop and Bowtie back on.

I had enough daylight left so I installed the hood letters and put the bumper back on.

I have a fuel line that needs secured away from the exhaust and a couple of other little things and I can start driving it.

LockDoc