Shucks First Build

[Shucks]

Thanks for the write up, I got one from advanced, will be putting it in soon.
Got the motor all put together. Truck comes into the shop monday, will get a front end rebuild and cleaned/painted frame, I should have some updates later on in the month, Just trying to keep my thread alive.

[Zane M]

Great progress so far!

I think once you get a chance to drive it, you are going to end up re-thinking the use of the single plane manifold(but I understand free is good).

Single planes aren't as good as a dual plane in the lower RPM ranges for producing torque and HP. Being a street truck with what seems a mildly built engine, it may feel like a dog until you really open it up to higher RPMs.

At any rate, congrats that the engine is together. Hoping you will be driving soon.

[Shucks]

I understand and thank you for the input. But free has gotten the best of me and will use it until I need or want a new one.

[Shucks]

Finally got a guy from work to bring the rollback to my house and get the truck from its grave and bring it into the shop. Snagged a set of free rallies and tires and it already looks 2x better, just gets me more and more motivated to finish it. Last weekend I bought a stepside bed for the truck for 300 bucks. Came with new wood and a tailgate, which I didnt have in the first place. I thought it was a good deal.
So today I got the truck in, put the new wheels and tires on, got the front clip off, and the body mounts off, the cab should come off tomorrow.

I also had to run long tubes because the shorties hit the motor mounts, it was a straight across trade to a guy for the long tubes so I said, "Sure!" Even though they aren't the prettiest things in the world.

Now since its in the shop, updates will come more frequently!

[haybale]

Looking really good. Keep at it and you'll have a killer truck.

[truckfan]

my son goes to LHS and I saw this sitting there this week. very cool. good luck with the build!

[Shucks]

Cool! Thanks man, since I have to stay busy in the class for the grade, a lot will get done hopefully. I need to figure out what to do with the frame once the cab is off. Either wire wheel it at school then paint it there or to take it home and sandblast. Also what paint to use that's cheap yet durable.

[Shucks]

My 79 is looking rather, bare.



What do you guys recommend for a front end rebuild kit and for body mounts?

[Hankster]

Just read your thread, You got a good start.

[Austin.Landers]

Looking good, wish i could of done this in my hs auto class.

[Shucks]

Well my teacher is pretty laid back and has built many cars himself, so he's basically all over this project with me. He's always anxious for the next part to the truck I bring in.

[Shucks]

Heres 3 bags of sand blasting, Ran out and need a couple more to finish the inside.

Control arms will be blasted when I take them off for bushings. Ill run to town soon and grab a couple more bags to finish the inside frame. The axle will get cleaned and blasted when I do my flip kit.

[Cape Codder]

Is that bale of hay getting some sand for flavor? Looking good you are getting right to it.

[Shucks]

Hah, I debated getting the tractor out and moving it, figured the horses eat things that are worse. I just wanted to get started!

[Shucks]

Wire wheeled the fire wall and got rid of some rust and left over rubber gasket stuff from the heater, also got rid of some bubbly stuff that was caked all over the firewall, not too sure what it was.

Also, where the battery tray was on the core support had rotted out the bottom of it, is there a replacement patch for that, or is it something where I just find another or just make a little patch plate and weld it in?

[Cape Codder]

I would use the core support problem as a good spot to get experience fabricating and welding in a patch. It is not real visible and is a fairly easy patch to make. You will have better skills and more experience when it is time to deal with more difficult areas.

Bob

[Shucks]

Well I tried anyway, first time ever making a patch panel. Criticism welcome, sometimes I need it to learn.






to the left on this picture, the white which looks like is a gap, its just the paint reflection.

Now some professional patch panels came in today too!

[Cape Codder]

Experience comes when you begin. That is a start your skills will improve as you go. You now have metal where a hole used to be. To bend a piece of sheet metal without a brake try clamping a piece of angle iron on both sides of it in a vise and then hammer it over in small increments or even with a block of wood and you will get a cleaner bend.

[TheBlueBomber]

It's going to be interesting to see what my first patches will look like. Keep up the good work!

[Shucks]

Nothing huge but..

[Greenlee]

Nice work!

[Shucks]

Finished up the core support.
Moved onto the body work. The cab mounts are insane to get out. Using an air chisel to do it. Anybody have any tricks?





Quick question to the bagged guys.
The one thing I want to do to the truck but cant afford is putting the truck on bags. Now a lot of the cost in it is the 4 link set up, How much could I save if I built my own 4 link in my welding class next year for a class project? My welding teacher knows how to make just about anything work and I know he could help me out and get it done right. I just dont have 4 grand to spend...

[Shucks]

Well it's been awhile since an update just because I hate my upload method, it takes too long but I finally found a better way.. Here's what I've gotten done since its been nice out.
Epoxy Primed




I only have a picture of it tacked in, its a solid weld now.

Cleaned and you can see my new cab support mounts are in

New tumbler installed, got the keys to it now!


Painted


As of today in the shop.

Just got a shipment in of new rotors, calipers, 5/6 lowering kit in. So tomorrow bushings go into the control arms and I'll reassemble the front end and paint the back end when I take it apart to flip it.

[Shucks]

5 inch drop


Started this afternoon on the rear end before the rain showed

[TheBlueBomber]

Looks sweet!