pdx-sanity66

[pdxhall]

Thanks Mark. You know I didn't even think about that when installing the shocks. I am used to the ones that have the piston covered but after you mentioning it and thinking about it some more you might be right. I'll check it out.
I'm going to go with a fairly mild GM 350 crate engine and I'm still deciding on a trans. The trans is coming down to how much I have to spend when the time comes. I was determined at first to stay with a manual and getting 5 or 6 speed but lately I've been considering maybe going with a 700r4 auto. I've always went with the idea that a truck or hotrod needs to have a manual but I'm getting older and lazier and an automatic is starting to sound better.
Right now I have to concentrate on finishing up the painting on the frame so I can finish the brakes and run the brake lines, emergency brake cables, and the fuel lines. Then install my front sway bar and get an adapter from Captfab and install my power steering gear. In between all that I'll be starting some rust repair on the cab.

[pdxhall]

I don't have too much progress to report. I abandoned my radiator support repair because I picked up a great rust free one from Perro13 here on the site.
I welded some patches on a couple of small areas of rust-through under my passenger side fresh air vent cover and prepped the area to weld in the rust free vent cover that I got. And I started cleaning and stripping the driver side floor area and rocker to find out what patch panels I'm going to need to pick up. The outer rocker appears to be in great shape. I can probably get away with just some minor patching on it and it will be good. I'm going to remove it, though, to check the inner rocker and the floor section that needs to be replaced. Very little rust through on the floor here but a lot of pitting. My main area of repair on the driver side is the seam area at the floor to firewall junction and a couple of areas above this seam, and a small area in the corner of the floor to kick panel area. I'll try to get some pictures posted up tomorrow.

[pdxhall]

I removed the center crossmember today and cleaned up the last of the rust on the frame section that was under the crossmember. I gave the whole center section of frame rails a soak of fast etch, neutralized it, and then shot 2 coats of Eastwood's Rust Encaplulator. A couple of coats of Extreme Chassis Black Satin tomorrow and the frame painting is finally complete. I also ordered a new dropped center crossmember from CPP.

[66ChevyMax]

Nice progress. What a solid truck, keep up the great work.
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[markeb01]

Looks great. Amazing how much work goes into rebuilding an old truck.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

Through all the stress of unemployment, going to school, and still having trouble getting employment after I finished school, the thing that kept me grounded and kept me going was my ability to go out to the garage and work on the truck and forget everything else for a while. I feel the truck kept me sane (well as sane as I can claim to be ) so it is officially the Sanity66.

Stress of my Father-in-Law in major accident and death of mother-in-law and all the crap that goes with it just about took me over the edge. That's when the search for my lost 65 began. I knew I needed an outlet. So I sympathize with the name you've chosen. Many in these forums have stated their truck is therapy.

Thanks for giving us a peek into your personal life.

[pdxhall]

Thanks guys. I was real happy that the weather cooperated so I could get the last of the frame painted. It was keeping me from moving forward with my plans so now that it's done I can finish brake lines, crossmember, etc. My plan for the summer is to get the cab floor finished so I can coat the bottom of the cab and set it back on the frame. That will give me more room in the garage to start body work and fitting fenders and panels.

[LostMy65]

Since I was really little, until even real recent, the older fella three houses down from my grandparents had a gold truck just like yours.
Keep a good coat of wax on it, and put off painting as long as you can. That gold is so nostalgic.
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[63sbssbbw]

Wow,great work Brett
I think you and I are at about the same stage..
LOL and in about the same time frame.
Looking good,keep at 'er
Trent

[pdxhall]

The Brown truck came for a visit on Friday and delivered my new dropped center crossmember. I got it installed today.

[pdxhall]

I cleaned up my 1 1/4" sway bar today and got a coat of primer on it. I also went to O'Reilly's and picked up the Moog sway bar bushings and new brackets. I had already picked up the frame brackets awhile back so as soon as I can get some paint on the bar I'll be installing it. I've got 3 12hr shifts of work ahead of me so it will probably get done on Saturday.
Next up will be getting brake shoes, drums, and hardware for the rear end, installing at least part of the emergency brake cables, and then plumbing the brake lines.

[Dinos63]

nice work !

[pdxhall]

Thanks Dino. I've got a lot of inspiration from the great trucks you've built and I'm looking forward to watching your newest one come together.

[theastronaut]

Great work!! I like where this one is going! That gold paint looks good too, you keeping it? Can't wait to see more!
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[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Great work!! I like where this one is going! That gold paint looks good too, you keeping it? Can't wait to see more!
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Thanks man. I am a big fan of your work and even though I'm not close to having the skills you do I try to make things the best I can and I'm having a great time doing it. I'm still not sure about the gold paint but I need to be making up my mind soon. I'll be to the stage in the build where I'll need to soon.
When I was about 14, my neighbor had a 63 Chev Impala in light blue with a white top that I fell in love with and I've alwayts wanted something in that color combo but never have, so my original plan has been to go with a light blue Hot Rod Flatz with white around the windows and the front and rear bumpers, and then the light blue on the roof. I was thinking of the earlier years silver for the interior with black seats, carpet, and accents, but the gold is starting to grow on me so I'm torn.

[pdxhall]

I got my 1 1/4" sway bar and Moog poly bushings installed today. One thing more off of the check list.

[LostMy65]

Man! that is looking good.
You mention checking things off your list.
Do you have a set goal as to timeframe to start putting the body back together?

A frame up restore is some time out for me.
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[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

Man! that is looking good.
You mention checking things off your list.
Do you have a set goal as to timeframe to start putting the body back together?

A frame up restore is some time out for me.
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Thanks. I'm hoping to get the cab floor patching done this summer so I can get the underside of the cab prepped and painted and set back on the frame rails. That will give me more room in the garage for when the rains return and I'm forced inside. I plan to get the brake and fuel lines in before the cab goes on and ideally I would like to get the engine and trans in before the cab also, but I don't know if financially that can happen. At least I will be able to start fitting body panels etc. and then pull the cab back off if necessary to deal with the trans mounting, etc.
I don't have any heat in the garage at this point so I'm hoping I can get quite a bit of priming and/or painting done this summer on things such as the inner fenders, core support, and other odds and ends and save other projects for the winter months.

[joesscamaro]

I tried finding that Grand Slam kit you said you got from CPP, but couldn't find the same kit that it looks like you have. Do you have a link for the kit? I'm sure I overlooked it somehow. Thanks! The truck is looking really good also!

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by joesscamaro

I tried finding that Grand Slam kit you said you got from CPP, but couldn't find the same kit that it looks like you have. Do you have a link for the kit? I'm sure I overlooked it somehow. Thanks! The truck is looking really good also!

I looked online, also, and it looks as though they aren't offering the grand slam kit anymore. I'm sure you could still piece together the same stuff, though. Good luck on your build.

[furrydice79]

really nice progress dude, i too have a 66 LWB fleet, and I am just about to start the restoration, in fact if you see a red/orange chevy around Ptown it may be me!!
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[CRGRS 66]

I am subscribed, and look forward to following your progress. Nice work!

[pdxhall]

Originally Posted by furrydice79

really nice progress dude, i too have a 66 LWB fleet, and I am just about to start the restoration, in fact if you see a red/orange chevy around Ptown it may be me!!
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I'll keep an eye out for you. Good luck on your restoration.

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

I am subscribed, and look forward to following your progress. Nice work!

Thanks! My progress is sort of slow but thanks for the interest. I'll try to keep things moving forward.

[pdxhall]

I haven't got too much done the last week or so. I've been busy finishing up our bathroom remodel. I'm gonna try to get back at it this weekend.
I've got a question to throw out to whoever happens on to my thread. Does anybody know or know of anybody that has attempted to cut down a bench seat in to a bucket seat? I think it would be a really cool period look. You know, kind of like what Chevy could have put in these trucks rather than the buddy buckets or similar to the suburban split seat. It seems that I saw this on a thread at one time but I could be mistaken. I tore my old bench seat down to the frame the other day and it looked like something that could be done fairly easy, so I might give it a try.

[66farmer]

PDX
I have been looking at my seat back and thinking about the same thing. I have another seat that I can use for the frame parts to make the bucket but have not come up with how to make it pivot foward. I would like to have a flip down arm rest my DD a Dodge Ram has a real nice one but it's to thick. If you find a thread about this let me know.