Canadian Rustbucket 66

[chevy88]

Nice clean work.

[JasontheBeaver]

Thanks a million for the effort of posting the pics as you go! This is great information.
What are you doing with your gas tank? I'm curious because I want to do a seat conversion like yours but want to keep the tank in its original position.

[noonzor]

Howdy Fellow Albertan! Beautiful Truck! Keep Up The Good Work!

[rustbucket66]

I ditched the gas tank long ago, along with the brackets on the back wall and on the floor behind the seat. First, I think it is unsafe having a tank of fuel inside the cab. Then, when it is half full or less, you can hear it sloshing around when you turn corners. The biggest reason is for the lack of storage these trucks have, even without the tank in there. i'm planning to build a fibreglass custom made compartment behind the seat. It will have a couple of doors that open for all the junk you might be carrying. Maybe some speaker boxes integrated into it also. I have a couple ideas about where the fuel tank will be outside the cab, but I'm still undecided.

[rustbucket66]

I finally have something to report. Just got some pieces back from the bodyman, bless his soul. Brake booster and master cylinder are on, still one line to install. I glued the seals at the back of the inner fenders and have put the inners on. Got the lower mount at the firewall on the wrong side of the mount, in the first two pictures. It is corrected in the third pic. Caulked and installed the rad support and bolted it together. Next will be header panel and fenders. Getting interesting now.

[rustbucket66]

Got the fenders and header panel on, still some fitting and bodywork left to do. The towel on the inner fender is to catch any brake fluid that might drip. The front fitting on this master cylinder is quite a problem to find. It came from a 90 Chevy truck. GM and jobbers can't seem to find it, got one from a wreckers, but it still wasn't right. A trip to pick your part is in store I guess, it's a 5/16 line with the outer threads a size larger than what the flare nuts that usually take that size of line. Weird. It's got to be out there somewhere. It is nice to put on painted body panels and see what it will look like. After all the ugly work is behind you, every job you finish makes it a little better. I plan to paint the trim ring around the grill surround in silver, and flat black on the inner part behind the grill.

[rustbucket66]

I messed up on the pictures, here they are.

[noonzor]

looking sharp! coming along real nice!

[rustbucket66]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

[rustbucket66]

Just got my glovebox back from the air brush artist. I'm happy with how it turned out. It is kind of the same as the sales ad in the magazine, and reminds me of growing up on the farm, and the harvest every year. We couldn't afford 2 new trucks like these guys though.

[rustbucket66]

Here are the valve covers that came home today also. They are powder coated white and the embossing painted silver. The pinstriping is subtle and adds a bit to the appearance.

[rustbucket66]

Last, is the air cleaner, I let the airbrush guy to do his thing with a couple of suggestions of what I would like. I'm very pleased with this piece also. The first pic is a bit blurry, I must learn to hold the camera still.

[coulter]

Top notch build man!!! I dig all the little details
Posted via Mobile Device

[rustbucket66]

I just cut the head off some grade 8 1/2 inch bolts, then welded them to the bumper with some of the bolt sticking slightly above the hole. I think they were 1 1/4 long, then ground the weld as flat as I could. You will have to notch the frame in the front on the top two holes, because you can't install it on the front with the studs on the backside. The rear one mounts easy because it has brackets that mount the bumper to the frame.

[rustbucket66]

Got some paint on the engine, and was mocking up what it will look like. A fairly stock 283 with double bump heads, and a bit of a lumpy cam. That is what the nicer half tons had, a 283 and a powerglide. Very few automatic trucks up here, I've only seen a handful. I'm using the old 4 jet carb and manifold, so the diameter of the carb is smaller than Qjets or holleys. I will need an adapter of sorts for it to fit the air cleaner. I have a dropped base bottom section of the air cleaner on there from a 69 Camaro. I brings the air cleaner down more towards the manifold. I kind of like the look of that, there is a difference of a couple inches of height between it and the base the air cleaner came with. Lots of pieces to go on there still, and will be a while before it fires. Not going to be a tire burner by any stretch, especially with the powerglide. I talked to a fella about putting a Gear Vendors trans where the hanger bearing lives. Sounds interesting, would give more gears, and still keep the powerglide. Hmmm. I don't mind a powerglide though, I drove it previously for a few years, and didn't mind it. Goes down the highway just fine. My computer won't load the picture for some reason, I'll try and post the picture tomorrow.

[rustbucket66]

The picture for the last post.

[lenguini]

Can you post a couple close ups of the frame notching for the front bumper bolts?Id appreciate it as it will make my life alot easier !

Cheers,
Ed.

Originally Posted by rustbucket66

I just cut the head off some grade 8 1/2 inch bolts, then welded them to the bumper with some of the bolt sticking slightly above the hole. I think they were 1 1/4 long, then ground the weld as flat as I could. You will have to notch the frame in the front on the top two holes, because you can't install it on the front with the studs on the backside. The rear one mounts easy because it has brackets that mount the bumper to the frame.

[kgmunro]

Where did you get that cool looking bracket on the front of the engine?

[rustbucket66]

As for the bracket, it is the bracket for the A/C compressor. The system I bought is from Old Air Products, and that is the bracket the kit came with. Has been powdercoated silver. Got the thing out of the paintbooth today, and my other car has a minor breakdown. It is taking up garage space, parts should arrive any day, then I can get it out to put the truck in. A bit frustrating. It will have to sit in the trailer for a day or so. There is a pic as requested, for the notch in the frame ends where the bumper attaches to. To have a filled bumper, and to have studs on the backside, I had to notch the bottom holes, so the bumper can be installed. No way it will go on without doing this. Next is a picture from the front, with the new grill that has been looking for a home. Can't wait to get started again. It has been away from home for a couple months.

[rockasilly]

I love the wire wheels. It will be nice to see it all tied together and bring back the feel of the period.

[CRGRS 66]

engine looks great, can't wait to see it in the engine bay

[rustbucket66]

Another big day for me. The thing is in the paint booth, going to have the cab and fenders all painted. The cab was painted previous, but when we put the crap repo fenders on, there was some bodywork to do. The fenders were painted previous in a one stage white primer. Anyway, long story short, it is all being painted together this weekend, and I'm supposed to pick it up on Monday morning. Then it's game on. All kinds of things to do, Get the engine and trans in, all the wiring, put the glass back in, the list is very long. Getting exciting now, there will be a lot of garage time for the next few months. The box is awaiting the sheet metal guy, talked to him last night, and he is almost ready for it. He will have a lot to fix, but it will be straight when it gets out, he is very talented. I can't put my bodyman through much more pain, as he has had plenty of that with the cab, fenders and header panel. I would never use repo body panels again. Furthermore, I wouldn't start with a rustbucket of a cab either. I've learned my lesson the hard way.

[clemdaddy]

shes gonna be sweet... that mill looks great. do we have to wait till next week to see paint? arrrrrggg the anticipation, it killing me.

[noonzor]

very sweet! beautiful ride!

[Bomp]

Like what I see!