Project "Leon "

[texasld]

I was reading in another post from a few years back that you had commented in about getting your axles welded and re drilled for a 5 lug application. Where did you have them done. We live in the same area and I would love to just drive them over to the shop.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by texasld

I was reading in another post from a few years back that you had commented in about getting your axles welded and re drilled for a 5 lug application. Where did you have them done. We live in the same area and I would love to just drive them over to the shop.

What bolt pattern are you wanting? I still have the axles/drums in storage. They ultimately got swapped for new, stronger, aftermarket Moser axles.

The guy to know is Mike Minnette...

Minette Enterprises @ 972-241-7184 (last # I have for him). Not sure if he's still doing them (re-drilling axles) or not as he did mine around 1990 (?). I know I sent a guy I work w/his way a few weeks ago to re-drill the pattern on some custon/import wheels & he did them.

Super nice guy too.

[texasld]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

The guy to know is Mike Minnette...

Minette Enterprises @ 972-241-7184 (last # I have for him). Not sure if he's still doing them (re-drilling axles) or not as he did mine around 1990 (?). I know I sent a guy I work w/his way a few weeks ago to re-drill the pattern on some custon/import wheels & he did them.

Super nice guy too.

Called the number, seems to still be around. The VM is great! I love business like this! Thanks for the contact.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by texasld

Called the number, seems to still be around. The VM is great! I love business like this! Thanks for the contact.

If you've been in this area for a while, he built a street legal sprint car back in the late 80's that was in Hot Rod magazines 'dare to be different' type story. A different guy owns it now but it stops in @ Kellers several times during the 'cruise' season. Pretty cool ride....

[texasld]

Well, another weekend has passed and still not much progress on the 69. I did however get the Suburban off of my trailer and pulled the entire front clip off. I think I'll be tearing into the motor tonight. Time to get this junker out of my garage. So many parts to get though! I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

[texasld]

Well it has begun. I have started pulling the Burb apart. Just working on it a little at a time. Last Sunday my buddy Bruce came over to give me a hand tearing into the broke down blue whale. The first task was to get the thing off of the trailer. That is where the Red neck Engineering came in.

Since the reared doesn't roll, we had to make it. I'm so glad I bought an engine lift. I never knew it had so many uses. Should have gotten one long ago.



Got the rear end up off the trailer , chained the lift to my work bench. (Wasn't to much load on the chain. It was simply a place holder.)



Then pulled the truck Forward until the ramps could be put on the trailer.



And then pulled it out the rest of the way.



There you have it!

[texasld]

Over the course of the past few nights it has been coming apart.

Not really much of a story to be told, but here are some pictures!

The PO kept it fairly clean it seems.

This is going to be fun!

The package

Somone don stow da motdr!

[texasld]

I finally got the burb out of my garage!!!! As it stands, I have kept the Engine/Trans/Gas Pedel/ECU/Wiring Harness/Seats/Center Console/Console Mounting Bracket/and the Rear View Mirror. I have sold everything but the doors and rear seats. Everything else is gone! I'm only in everything I kept $50 I can't believe that I pulled that off.

I have pulled the Engine and Trans and have "sold" them off to a friend.


Then I moved onto the rear of the truck. Starting the cut down of the bed.
I used LFD's (Rokcrln) write up to start this. If you haven't seen what this man can do, It's incredible! Made it look easier than what it turned out to be, but it wasn't to bad. Here is the link to the WU. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=509442


I used the old bumper that was in the bed of the truck when I got it as a brace because I didn't have any scrap long enough laying around.


I started on the floor of the bed. (Don't mind the second line. I may have messed up the first time I measured that line.... What's the old saying? Cut 4 times measure once... Something like that.



I got the entire rear sliced off... here it is. Excuse the pile of junk that I need to haul off in the bed of the truck.





Just messing around in the shop, I decided to see how my Suburban seats fit into the cab of the 69. Here it is just sitting in, no bolts or holes for that matter.

[mcbassin]

Very nice progress!

[texasld]

I splurged and ordered about $2200 worth of parts on Monday. Some of them have started to show up!

This is what came in today!


Got this set from KMJ Performance off of ebay for $128.77 shipped.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prothane-7-2...bff8a8&vxp=mtr

More to come from CCP, Brothers, and Auto City Classics. Front end rebuild kit, Shock Reinforcement, 2.5" drop spindles, rear disk setup, under bed gas tank, patch panels for rockers, corners, and gas tank filler plate. Break lines, drop springs, c-notch kit... the list goes on...!!!

[texasld]

Another box from Fed-ex showed up Saturday. My house is about to become a receiving dock.



Got these from Auto City Classics
http://www.autocityclassic.com/index...mart&Itemid=66

$444 with shipping to TX. Came will all hardware and even has Drilled and Slotted rotors. Ordered them Monday, Shipped Wednesday, at my house Saturday. I will be doing business with these guys again. They shipped much faster than Brothers or CCP. Still waiting on parts from them...

[texasld]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

If you've been in this area for a while, he built a street legal sprint car back in the late 80's that was in Hot Rod magazines 'dare to be different' type story. A different guy owns it now but it stops in @ Kellers several times during the 'cruise' season. Pretty cool ride....

Hey Scoti, Is this the car?
http://www.empireexoticsales.com/0_C..._225066159.veh

[aggie91]

I think that is the car. I saw that thing back in the late 80's at the Waco Streetmachine Mini Nats. When I saw it, there was no wing on it then.

That was a cool car then and now!

[texasld]

Looks pretty cool, and sounds like it should be pretty quick.



Well, more parts pictures. I really need to do more work on the truck, and stop spending so much cash. But I guess I look at it this way. I spend the money on the parts now, and when the following equation becomes true. (Lots of time=No Money), I'll have something to keep me busy.



Some parts are one back order. Full under the bed gas tank kit and all 4 shocks.

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by texasld

Hey Scoti, Is this the car?

Yep... That's the one.

[texasld]

The rest of my CCP order has come in. The Gas tank is still on back order through brothers, but I can deal. Not like I need it anytime soon.


I have spent a few nights this week working on the tear down. This part is easy, the place the rubber meets the road it putting it back together and completing it.

I started by pulling the bed. I quit working on the bed for the time being because I can fiddle with that later. I need to focus on the suspension first.



Does not look like much work, but it is more than what it looks due to all the rusty and dirty bolts. 3 favorite tools right now? Torch, PB Blaster and a BFH.



I actually have all the front end off, but I snapped this picture half way through. Take a notice to all the dirt on the floor. The flat head screw driver works great as a dirt chisel. Every time I smacked a ball joint stud.... Well there went 2 and a half years of crud!

This seems to be my stopping point every evening. Spring is here in Texas and that mean's bugs. Although its only April, somethings think June is in full swing.



I hate these little BAjf;laqskj d'lfk a'l;skjd f... I hate them. I'm not wigged out about them, they are just annoying. Smacking me in the head and buzzing around. I just want to chase after them with my torch!

[texasld]

Here are some more pictures. I finished stripping the frame down. Then I started in to cutting. Pretty straight forward. Just taking my time. I need my friend to come over and help line it back up. It's tough to do alone.






I have both sides cut, but only snapped a picture of one.

[texasld]

Its been a while since I posted last, but I have made some progress. Finished the shortening process, off to and back from the blaster and now I'm on to painting it with POR15. I got the first coat done yesterday, but forgot to snap a picture



This is after it was all etched and ready to go. I hope this was the color it was suppose to be before I painted it. Never used the stuff before, but followed the directions to a T.

Holey crap, My garage is a WRECK!

[mcbassin]

Awesome work on the frame!

[texasld]

Thanks man, It's slow going sometimes.

[texasld]

Finally got back to work. POR-ed the frame, trailing arms, and cross members. Color looks good, but I'm not real excited about the bubbles. (I hate painting!!!) Doesn't look like I have done much, but it feels like I did. I'm going with mostly new hardware all through the frame. Grade 8 for obvious reasons in the places that matter, and because the "gold" looks cool against the black frame in others. Got the cross members and the trailing arms mounted up too.






Also found some critter skin in my box of sockets. My garage has been a wreck for a while... (I'm not proud of that), and this is what I found...


I picked up a new 80 gallon 5hp compressor for $350 bucks from CL!

I also bought the HF powder coat system, and got an old oven from a friend doing a remodel. I'll post some pictures soon!

[boynton]

Nice work. It looks like it is coming along nicely!

[texasld]

Originally Posted by boynton

Nice work. It looks like it is coming along nicely!

Thank you, sir!

[texasld]

I bought a HF Powder Coat system a few weeks back, and got an old oven from a friend that moved into a new house and replaced the oven. Harvest gold oven? I'll take it! I have been playing with it for a few days now and this is what I'm getting. I wish I snapped a picture of the A-Arm before I blasted them. Although these are 2 different arms, the effect is the same.

Before


After


Pictures aren't the best...

Also coated the track arm. I really like the red Prothane bushings. After doing some reading, I'll be using an adjustable one. I have some ideas about making my own. we will see how that goes. Gotten some inspiration from the board.




Is it the best system around, Absolutely not, Is it worth the money, and fun? HECK YEA!

My evenings have consisted of clean, coat, bake, repeat..... It gets tiring after a while, but I'm happy with the way everything is turning out. I didn't feel like masking all the surfaces of my spindles so I just painted them.



I took my axles to Mike Minette as Scoti suggested. He had them done the same day I dropped them off. $175. Not bad I guess. Now I can start rebuilding my rear end.

I read Scoti's "How-to" on cutting your rear shock mounts to change up the angle. I didn't take a picture of the lowers because they were in the oven, but here are the uppers. If you haven't seen it, the article is great.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=437582 Thank you for the great info Scoti! Not a great picture, but you get the point.

I'm so glad I decided to support the board. Greatest investment in my truck thus far!

[texasld]

More clean, prep, paint/coat..repeat. But it's looking better.

Got the front-end minus the sway bar and gear box done. I need to take the sway bar to the blaster. Whats the best method of cleaning the gear box before I do a rebuild on it?

Here are some more pictures. I really am liking how the red and black is turning out. My HF powder coat system is working out alright.





Please excuse my fat finger in that last shot.