Project Rocky Mountain High

[Denver64]

I think if i took it anywhere it would have to be a rolling frame. Have to get it on a trailer somehow. What I'm doing is trying to justify to the wife that I need to spend money on a new compressor and I can save money if I do some of the sandblasting myself.

[ALChevyGuy]

Howdy from Highlands Ranch. Good looking build. I've been working on mine for a couple years and I'm getting ready to bolt the body back together. I just got the 327 running over labor day weekend.

[Denver64]

Nice to see a couple of local guys posting on here!

Progress has been a little slower this week as I've got to spend some time with the wife. However, I've been warming her up to the idea of a new compressor so hopefully it's time well spent!

As for the truck, took apart the control arms and spindles that I got from the junk yard. Also got the two remaining bolts out of the cab and it's loose. Hopefully I can get that off this week and start pulling the engine and tranny. That is, if I don't have to wire up a new compressor (crossing my fingers!).

[Amperes]

Good luck with the build.

[Denver64]

Hey Guys, was on vacation and didn't get a chance to post a project update before I left. Here are some pictures. Was able to get the cab off and pull the engine and trans. I have a guy coming tonight to look at the engine and trans. Will be nice to get rid of that! Next up is going to be prepping the frame for sandblasting and paint. Still have some things to pull off it. Also, trying to sell some parts and what not to get a new compressor. Some of the progress may be on hold until I get one, hopefully in the next couple of weeks.

[MacAttack]

Very nice pics - especially the view of that 'grease fossil' of a transmission.

[Denver64]

Yeah it was really oily and also seemed like some factory insulation or foam had melted on the top of it. Suppose to have a guy coming any minute now to look at it. If he doesn't want it I have another guy interested. Would like to get it out of the way.

[Denver64]

Oh yeah ordered my new compressor the other day. Can't wait to get it and get it hooked up. Got an 80 gallon 2 stage porter cable compressor. Has 15.2 cfm @ 90 psi. Was running with a craftsman oilless 30 gallon one. Sucked sanding for 2 minutes and then waiting 5 for the compressor to catch up.

[Denver64]

Got the new compressor today. Will put up some pics when it's installed. On a pallet right now. Anyway, the numbers I put up were wrong. It's 15.6 @ 100 psi and 15.2 at 175 psi. Can't wait to get it up and running!

[Denver64]

So I'm wiring up my garage today with 220. I'm thinking about putting some electric baseboard heaters in to heat it up. Anyone use those? Do they work pretty good? It's starting to get cold here and it drops below freezing just about every night now. Plus, being that my garage is brick, it takes a very warm day to get the chill out of it.

[Aviat0r]

Just saw your question on sandblasting your frame....I had Roadrunner Fabrication do mine. They charged around $100 to blast AND powerdcoat the frame off of my '63. They are off of I-25 and 58th or so...

[Captainfab]

Unless you have very cheap electricity in Denver, I wouldn't install base board heaters.....not very efficient at all. What other choices do you have for heat?

Originally Posted by Denver64

So I'm wiring up my garage today with 220. I'm thinking about putting some electric baseboard heaters in to heat it up. Anyone use those? Do they work pretty good? It's starting to get cold here and it drops below freezing just about every night now. Plus, being that my garage is brick, it takes a very warm day to get the chill out of it.

[Captainfab]

That is redicously cheap! Hopefully they did a good job.

Originally Posted by Aviat0r

Just saw your question on sandblasting your frame....I had Roadrunner Fabrication do mine. They charged around $100 to blast AND powerdcoat the frame off of my '63. They are off of I-25 and 58th or so...

[lakeroadster]

Originally Posted by Aviat0r

Just saw your question on sandblasting your frame....I had Roadrunner Fabrication do mine. They charged around $100 to blast AND powerdcoat the frame off of my '63. They are off of I-25 and 58th or so...

Sweet! I have seen their shop on the west side of I-25, didn't know they did custom work. Will have to check them out. Thanks for the tip.

I had Coblaco (South of Brighton, off 85) sandblast (1) 15" wheel... they charged me 30 bucks. You got an entire frame blasted and powder coated for $100.00!

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Denver, when you get a chance, check this out:
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...d.php?t=367371
we're trying to get a sub-forum for 60-66 Projects and Builds.
thanks

[Denver64]

Unfortunately not sure what else to do for heat. I guess I could look at a wood stove. Otherwise, I'd have to trench in a gas line. I almost had to do that to run my wire out to the garage. The wife wasn't too happy with that idea, ripping up the yard and all.

Thanks Aviat0r! I'm going to be looking into that very soon. Have some more prep work on the frame to do first. How long did it take them to do your frame? I had called them a few years ago when I was working on my Buick Skylark. They told me then that they only do sandblasting and don't do much of anyother type of media. Couldn't risk it as I was trying to price out blasting the body of the car.

[Denver64]

Here's a pic of the new compressor. Can't wait to get it going. Gonna get some work done on the frame getting some of the rest of it off tomorrow night. Then this week I hope to start stripping some body panels to see what I have and start the body work.

[lakeroadster]

For heat I have one of these in my shop. It looks small but is 5000 Watts. Since it mounts up on the ceiling it is out of the way and it has a thermostat so when I am in the shop I just set it and forget it. Mounting a cheapo ceiling fan will help to move the air around and keep the hot air off the ceiling, pushing it down where you need it.

Since you wired your shop for 220 Volt power you should be good to go!

Here is a link: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...t_6970_595_595

[Denver64]

Thanks John! How is that on your electric bill every month? That seems like it puts out a good amount of heat.

[lakeroadster]

Denver,

I built my garage about 5 years ago and insulated it real well. My electric bill isn't excitably higher. By that I mean the wife hasn't said "Why is the electric bill so much higher?"

If your shop isn't insulated well the electric probably isn't what your after.

FYI: At the place I previously lived I used a torpedo style kerosene propane heater and smaller electric heater. I'de kick on the torpedo to knock down the chill in the air, then maintain with the electric. It worked well but I got tired of smelling like kerosene. I also didn't like having an ignition source. With any kind of gas / kerosene style heater you have an ignition source.

[Denver64]

Hey John, yeah, my next step is insulating and weather stripping everything. My garage is brick on one side and cement block on the other. It retains temperature really well. I am concerned about my windows a little bit but might just pack insulation over them as they are single pane. Last winter I had used a propane construction heater. It warmed the garage up but given the carbon monoxide that it put off, it was kind of a pain to run b/c of having to ventilate it. My main goal is that I can work out there with out having to use the propane heater.

So I worked on the truck a little bit last night. Just pulled some stuff off the frame as I'm prepping it for sandblasting. I'm going to give Roadrunner Fabrication a call one of these days and price it out. If they can do a frame pretty cheap I'm going to see what they'll charge for other parts like cross members and rear control arms. That'd be nice if they'll do all for cheap.

[sams60gmc]

Welcome! Solid looking project.
Btw what part of Denver do you live in. I used to live there.

[Denver64]

Hey Sams60gmc I live in Englewood. It's nice because we have a big lot so I have room for my cars. So not much progress lately. Had to do some house stuff and am going to the mountains to hunt elk on Friday. We are suppose to get a ton of snow in the next two days. Hoping for a snow day to work on the truck!

[Denver64]

Snow day today! Decided to do some work on the truck. It's been snowing about 1 1/2 inches per hour today! It snowed a little bit last night but not much. It picked up this morning and since 8:00 this morning we've gotten close to a foot. It's not suppose to stop until tomorrow evening. Yikes!

[Denver64]

Worked on stripping stuff off the frame today. Got the tranny cross member off, the parking brake cross member off, and pulled off the brake and fuel lines. Also started ripping apart the rearend. I want to pull it apart to see what I have. It's not a posi. I'm thinking at this point of trying to find a 65 or 66 rear end that has a posi and either taking the carrier or the whole thing and then ordering 5 lug axels. I believe I read that the 65 and 66 are 30 spline. Does that sound right? Also tried working on the place where the frame is cracked. I started grinding the metal off and my grinder went kuput. I might have to comb craigslist for a torch as I'm not sure I can get in there with a new grinder (when I get one) well enough for it to work. Also, I'm going to have to replace the front crossmember that has the radiator supports on it. Mine is so twisted and deformed I don't think I can get it back into shape. Anyone have one laying around?