LFD's low buck truck build!

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by WinDancer

I am impressed at how frugal you have been- and also see that you are already over $3,000. This is an expensive endeavor, but I love these old trucks!
Thanks again,

Expensive My 71 has another 0 added to that number and it is not as far along as this one! I feel for what has been done and what is rebuilt or new for that price that it is cheap. It will be a 90% brand new truck when done I hope still for under 5k.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Hart_Rod]

Not to speak for Windancer, but, I think he meant even doing it frugally, the $$$ starts to add up. How much money is to much? I think it depends on how you use your trucks. If you drive it like a "truck" or it's your DD, $10K to $15K is no more expensive than buying a newer truck. If it's parked in the garage as a "toy", then, yeah it's a lot of money to just be sitting there for a weekend driver. I've got about $40K in parts (not counting) labor in my 48. That's a lot of money , but a new one would be just about as expensive and not nearly as cool . I can justify that to myself because I drive it a lot. The only way I'll get the money back out of it, will be through time and MILES.

Back to drive shafts, Kevin, the CrewCab originally had 3 drive shafts and 2 carrier bearings. Since I'm shortening the chassis, I would like to go with 2 drive shafts and 1 carrier bearing. Any idea how I should calculate how long the driveshafts should be and where the carrier bearing should go?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Not to speak for Windancer, but, I think he meant even doing it frugally, the $$$ starts to add up. How much money is to much? I think it depends on how you use your trucks. If you drive it like a "truck" or it's your DD, $10K to $15K is no more expensive than buying a newer truck. If it's parked in the garage as a "toy", then, yeah it's a lot of money to just be sitting there for a weekend driver. I've got about $40K in parts (not counting) labor in my 48. That's a lot of money , but a new one would be just about as expensive and not nearly as cool . I can justify that to myself because I drive it a lot. The only way I'll get the money back out of it, will be through time and MILES.

Back to drive shafts, Kevin, the CrewCab originally had 3 drive shafts and 2 carrier bearings. Since I'm shortening the chassis, I would like to go with 2 drive shafts and 1 carrier bearing. Any idea how I should calculate how long the driveshafts should be and where the carrier bearing should go?

No idea, I get all my drivshaft info from "Driveline services of Sacramento". I was just repeating what they were telling me.

Kevin
LFD inc.

[Rokcrln]

Sorry not alot but still moving forward piece by piece. Started on the brakes last night, I am replacing the wheel cyclinders, shoes, center hose, axel hard lines and adjusters on the rear. I cleaned all parts and painted the backing plates and outer drums then up front I am replacing the pads, both hoses and flushing the system. I am into parts for $175 and 2hrs down so far. The rear drums are painted and everything is back together and ready for new hard lines.

I found out my rear yoke on the pinion is warn out so now I get to replace that as well. I hope to have it up and running in the next few weeks. Sorry it is going so slow but life is moving very fast these days!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

While Lemon Drop is curing in the shop and I have a few days untill I can deliver the last of the parts I thought I would get Low Buck closer to the road. I was at the pick-n-pull I found a gas door that was not the standard shape and thought it might work out well. It is off a Mazda Miata and has a remote door release.

I started off by pulling the pass side wheel tub and found out were I wanted to mount the door for the best body curve fitment. I just kind of eye balled it and then checked the inside of the bed for any clearance problems. I then made a templet for the rough shape of the cut out and traced it to the bed side. I also added some location lines to keep things in place. These lines were also transfered to the gas door and the bed side. I then cut out the hole smaller than I would need just so the filler neck could fit in the bed side. I then traced the out side of the patch and keeped triming untill it fit. Then I welded it all in and ground it down.

Mixed up a bit of mud and put on a thin cote, let it dry and hit it with a long board and shapped it a bit. It only took a small second cote and sanded out real well. As I was doing this it was looking way off but with a little bit of tweaking it found its way. The door still needs a bit of hand tweaking and then on to mounting the door realease. I have not really messed with the filer tube yet because that will need some cutting and welding to fit its best. It will be visable inside the bed but not too much and it will be out of the way so it can still be used as a truck.

This step cost $9.50 for the door and $2.00 to get in. All of about 2.5hrs and it is to this piont and looking good if you ask me.

Kevin
LFD inc.
$3247.26
97.5hrs

[Rokcrln]

Body work!

[GREASEMONKEY72]

that looks good and the best part is its different then everybody else

[hgs_notes]

It's on the wrong side though. It just isn't right. Flip it around.

The round door is nice though.

[trkklr77]

hey bud, its been a while since i checked in on your build, looking great, i like the filler cover.

i see you got the steel wheels you wanted, still want to sell the mag style aluminums?

[seaquester5]

Kevin, Just wondering, on the frame and bed shortening did you use mig or tig or both for welding the bed and frame? Bill

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by trkklr77

hey bud, its been a while since i checked in on your build, looking great, i like the filler cover.

i see you got the steel wheels you wanted, still want to sell the mag style aluminums?

YEP!

Originally Posted by seaquester5

Kevin, Just wondering, on the frame and bed shortening did you use mig or tig or both for welding the bed and frame? Bill

I used a 220V mig with .035 wire on a 25/75 gas mix

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[trkklr77]

ill try to get up to the tuesday night car show in winters, i still have your phone # so ill give you a call sometime in the day.

[Frizzle Fry]

I like the fuel door. Nice job!

[Jwill41]

very nice

[1970bowtie]

when you get a chance will you post some more pics of your truck all back together, im thinking about cutting a long bed down now.

[Rokcrln]

Thanks guys! I did not get a chance to do much tonight but I still did get some done The fill tube is done but I still have a cover to make for the wheel well to keep the dirt from flying in. I will have a vent tube hooked up to keep the tank from burping and shutting off the gas pump.
I will add a bolt in the fill tube bracket just under the wheel well to keep it all in place.

As far as more complete pics, the truck has not moved since the frame was cut so any more pics would just be coppies of what is already on here.

Kevin
LFD inc.

[RACINJASON22]

Kevin I can't say it enough you do awesome work!

Love the fuel door but, how many time are you going to pull into the wrong side of the gas pump untill you get it in your head that it's on the other side

RJ22

[GREASEMONKEY72]

Originally Posted by RACINJASON22

Kevin I can't say it enough you do awesome work!

Love the fuel door but, how many time are you going to pull into the wrong side of the gas pump untill you get it in your head that it's on the other side

RJ22

the fill tube isnt gona be in danger by a load is it?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by RACINJASON22

Kevin I can't say it enough you do awesome work!

Love the fuel door but, how many time are you going to pull into the wrong side of the gas pump untill you get it in your head that it's on the other side

RJ22

I just hope it is not that one time I am out of gas as I coast up to the pump!

Originally Posted by GREASEMONKEY72

the fill tube isnt gona be in danger by a load is it?

No plus it is getting a cover that will help with any load shift if it were to happen.
I agree it is not the best set up but for a total of $9 and some time I can not copmplain too much. Alot of the things I am doing on this one will get refined on the next one

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[seaquester5]

Kevin I can't add any compliments everyone else has not already said for both this project and lemon drop as well.I don't know where you get the time or energy for not only the projects but taking care of a home and family too not to mention all the tutorial comments and photo's you post to aid everyone else is just absolutely amazing............As a footnote, I saw some guys asking what the metal cost to build the cab/bed lift and the tilt cab support. I bought both sets of plans a few weeks ago, and just picked up all the metal today. I had the shop cut all the metal to size with the proper angles with a power hack saw( they charged about $60 to do it)for both projects to save me the aggravation and mess of the chop saw. All the metal, grade 8 hardware and cutting came to $475 which is money well spent.All I have left to buy are the wheels.So, I will be busy welding the next few days and can then put some of your other ideas to work on my 72........thanks for your expert guidance....you are the best!

[Rokcrln]

Hey now don't forget about my full time 40hr a week job that is 80 miles from home as well Thank you very much! I enjoy what I do and if things go right (if they are ment to be) I will be doing this full time in the near future. Then I can really get some of my other ideas out their for all to see.

On your tip and flip do your self a favor and use casters that will put the bottom of the frame at least above your engine hoist. This way you can roll your engine hoist right under the tip and flip dolly and set the cab down. I did not do this on mine (I had not designed the lift yet) and I need to put the extention legs on the dolly to set the cab down or lift it off. It still is not a big deal but one more step that takes up a few extra minute of our sp[are time. Good luck on the build of the toys, you will find it is money well spent like I have.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[68GMC454]

finally cought up on this build..looks sweet..your doing great work..and are an inspiration to the rest of us..thank you for taking the time to show the rest of us what to do..
billy

[Rokcrln]

Well rounding the corner and heading home (for now)!
I have had a few hours this week to work on the truck so I can get it out of the shop for the next customer build comming in this week end.

I was finishing up the brake system (new calipers, wheel cylinders, pads, shoes, all rubber lines and hard lines on the rear diff) by putting on the new master cylinder when I noticed the kinked front brake line. I had to cut that section out and re-flair the old end, then make a new jumper piece using the old tube nut for the top end. I sure am glad I bought a nice hand held hydro tube flairing kit last year for my rock crawler it has so paid for it self I also had to replace the rear diff lines due to the axel flip.

I then painted the rear frame just so it would look better and be cleaner to work on in the future. I painted the new gas tank as well for a little bling I just used god old Rust Tuff rattle can paint, I found it has the best coverage and a great spray tip for rebuild in a can.

Now I am working on the air lines for the rear bags. I am going with 1/4" hard lines because I don't know yet what I am going to do for the exhaust so I did not safe running plastic line plus I think hard line is a better set up for hard mounted (non moving parts) air systems. I still need to mount the compressor and tank and find a valve for opperation. For now I may just mount two ball valves for fill and dump so I can get it up and running.

I hope to have it together this week end so I can get the new customer build (project TRAZER) in the shop and then all work will stop for a litle bit. My wife is going to be a bit early with our first child (Taylor Andrew) and she has asked (ya right, told me) for A/C to be installed before the kid gets here. That meen I have to get the new electric service in place and wired so we can power the new A/C unit. Also I have his room to get done and that is the easy part just need to paint the new doors, drawer faces, base board, door and window trim and put in carpet. So things will be on hold for a day or two

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

Then paint and air lines.

[IvelDesigns]

I'm really diggin' the lines you made.