My "New" '76 2wd TOY...currently un-named

[bluex]

Put me on the list for c-notches and flip kit brackets....

[nlped]

Originally Posted by bluex

Put me on the list for c-notches and flip kit brackets....

I'll do it! Hopefully I will have the new c-notch prototype today

[bluex]

What are your plans for the front since you have the spindles on the parts board??

[nlped]

Thinkin' about one of Nate's crossmember's

[nlped]

^^^with the McGaughy 13" front brake kit, and it comes with the drop spindles. But I won't buy, 'til I sell. (the brakes, not the dropmember )

[nlped]

Woo Hoo! Me & a buddy wired up a plug for my new welder and plasma cutter this evening. The plasma cutter is more fun than any other tool I own. We cut from 1/8" to 3/8" thick metal, and just a little fine tuning of the air pressure and the voltage setting, it cut it like butter.

I now just need to fine tune my ability to cut a straight line

[nlped]

Well, I sold the first set of drop spindles and got my McGaughy front and rear 13" brake kits w/ cross drilled rotors. I will be starting on the install on them this weekend. Finally working towards taking some elevation out of the Bull.

Quicky shot of the front kit behind the 18" 338's. Oh, did I mention that the 338's fit without ANY issue with this set up

[bluex]

Wow, super nice. Get that thing on the ground all ready...



I know I'm one to talk huh???

[68Timber]

Nice to see some progress on The Bull, I was afraid you were going to sell it. The wheels and brake kit look great.

[nlped]

^^^ I seriously considered it, but I have wanted one of these things since high school (many moons ago), so I just decided to keep it. I will make a serious effort to focus on it and just make the 'Burb a tow vehicle... For a while anyway

[justpball]

looking good bro! cant wait to see it all together

[tvblazer78]

Very cool! Now put them on and post pics!

[nlped]

I'm gonna start this weekend. Gotta do some machine work to the rear axles and install the Auburn diff and new 3.42 gears first. I want to get the rear lowered first, so I know where the front needs to end up.

[nlped]

I am definitely dragging @$$ on this project, but I finally got a little bit done. I pulled the rearend out from under the "new" '88 Suburban, because it was howling like a rabid coyote, so I can use it as the replacement rearend for the Blazer. Both are 12 bolts, and the one in the Blazer seems to work perfectly so I am going to put it back under the 'Burb when I get this one back from being rebuilt.

This pic is obviously before being cleaned up and painted, but just so you know, I have actually cleaned on it for about an hour with a 1600psi pressure washer. It had leaks from everywhere, so there was stuff stuck to it all over. I ended up wire brushing it and finally using the ole portable sand blaster and getting in the nooks and crannies. It's now painted gloss black with PPG Gloss Black Alkyd Enamel Commercial Performance Coating.

I also will be going by today or tomorrow to pick up the axles, which have been machined to fit the C5 rotor in the McGaughy 13" Big Brake Kit . And I took the 4x4 Tahoe springs apart and sanded, primed, and painted them with the same PPG paint.

I hope to get the Blazer a little lower by the end of the weekend, weather permitting . I'm going to put the 'Burb back to stock ride height for now, using the Blazer parts... until I can do it up the way I want it!

[justpball]

any progress is good progress!!!

[nlped]

Originally Posted by justpball

any progress is good progress!!!

Thanks

I got the axles back from being machined down to fit the C5 rotors, so now I am going to take the donor 12 bolt to my rearend guy...that sounds really bad ... so I can get it fitted with the new 3.42's, Auburn Posi, & new bearings and seals . Then it will be going under the Blazer!!!

Just a before & after shot of the axles side by side, still plenty of metal.

[nlped]

I'm just about ready to get started putting everything back together. I got the rearend back from having the Auburn, gears & bearings/seals installed...cost me $100 this time .

Now I am in the middle of painting the calipers, rotors & CPP m/c. I did the rotor hats & veins and the caliper bridges in a high temp gloss black, and the caliper bodies in a high temp cast grey. The rearend housing and '95 4x4 Tahoe rear leafs are painted with PPG gloss black Akyln Enamel Chassis paint. I'm hoping to get the rearend ready and possibly put under the Blazer this weekend.

Quick pic of some parts

[68Timber]

Lookin good....

[blu-by-u-2]

x2

[nlped]

All right, I got a little bit done this weekend. I pulled the factory 12 bolt out from under the rear of the Blazer and the factory leaf springs too. I was about to start on installing the new Tahoe leaf springs and the new 12 bolt back under but ran into an issue I need clarification on. The Tahoe springs are about an 1"-1 1/2" longer, from spring eye to spring eye, than the stock springs. Is this going to cause me problems?

The bolt that holds the leafs together and locates the spring perch and flip bracket is also that much further back, but I figured I could just drill an new hole in the flip bracket in the center and that would fix the rearend location issue...right? I have kind of come to a stand still until I know if this is going to work.

I also figured out why the rear brakes smoked when used a lot , it has a fubared axle seal, but I can fix that. This rearend is going to end up under the 'Burb.

[VA72C10]

good progress...those brakes look awesome too!

[cochino12]

did you get the leaf's from a 2 or 4 door tahoe?

[nlped]

Originally Posted by cochino12

did you get the leaf's from a 2 or 4 door tahoe?

I got them off of a 2 dr. That was right, wasn't it?

[nlped]

Well, I went ahead and used these 4x4 Tahoe leaf springs. After a quick conversation with Travis, I decided to try them. I did go ahead and drill a hole directly in the middle of the flip bracket to compensate for the Tahoe spring bolt being 1" further back. That way the rearend would be in the correct location as far as the driveshaft is concerned.

I didn't get it finished, but the actual rearend is under the Blazer, and all of the major bolts are in place & the u-bolts are tight. I didn't tighten up the shackle bolts or the front leaf spring/hanger bolt yet, as I figured it would be smarter to do that once the truck is back on the ground. I still have to bolt up the driveshaft, install the hardlines on the rearend housing (I waited to do this because of the disc brake kit), and install the brake kit and bleed it. Then I just have to put the rearend cover on and add fluid and friction additive and I should be good to go . I'm going to try and finish it up tomorrow evening if the weather permits.

Then I have to start on rebuilding the whole front suspension... YUCK!!! But it's gonna ride one heck of a lot better, and the 4 wheel drive stance will be gone.

[tvblazer78]

Very nice work.. You have been working a lot on this thing. Sorry that I have not been on here that much. The new house keeps me going. Anytime you all need help just email me and pm me.

Keep it going and lets see some pics..