My New 68 Patina Daily Driver Project

[Xeen]

http://www.chevrolet.com/performance...x-376-b15.html for the win!

[Hart_Rod]

kewl truck!

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by Xeen

http://www.chevrolet.com/performance...x-376-b15.html for the win!

Thanks everyone, I have my eyes on a 5.3 I am going to try and get this weekend. Brian I like your style haha, I just wish I could afford it. I've considered everything from another 6 cylinder to a big block with a 700r4 but I think ultimately the LS is gonna give me the best bang for my buck and be the easiest to daily drive.

[ChuckDriver]

Nice 68!

[Graham57a]

I got a lot done on this thing this past weekend. Since I posted originally I have slightly changed directions, we now have a 250 straight 6 with the original column shift. I am going to get a 5.3 and build it on the side while I drive the truck as is and then do the swap down the road. I didn't wanna tear into it too deep and not be able to drive it for a while. Right now everything is dialed in with the exception of a few gauges that aren't working and I need to get the exhaust done. Thing purrs like a kitten tho, even with a straight pipe.

[Graham57a]

Here are a couple pics

[Graham57a]

Since these pictures I have replaced the distributer cap, plug wires, and am on the lookout for an original style air cleaner.

[Graham57a]

Seriously considering polishing up the paint after seeing it wet in those last two pictures. Here is a cool picture a took this weekend while we were working.

**Also does anyone have a picture of the original paint scheme for 68 dog dish caps? I am considering repainting mine or trying to find a nice set but I was unaware that there is a difference between 67 and 68.

[c10Dream'n]

so did you lower it too over the weekend. She is lookin good.

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by c10Dream'n

so did you lower it too over the weekend. She is lookin good.

Yes sir, 5" springs in the back and cut two coils off the front springs.

[68Redhead]

That is so cool!!

[BMERDOC]

Nice truck. Kinda glad you put a straight-6 back in it...for now. Here are two pics of the base and higher level caps for 68.

[HeavyD]

No no no, a 5.3 and a HUGE turbo, thats the ticket! Should make 800 hp for 750 bucks according to the internet!

Jokes aside, nice truck. What do you plan to do about the gauges to make hem function with the ls? I have wondered about this as it seems everyone uses aftermarket setup, and if one is going for a stock ext/int the aftermarket stuff is pretty obvious. What are your plans?

** srry ignore my post..didnt see you have another 6 installed. Looks great!**

[SGJ72]

sweet. had no idea that if you didn't order a radio that the radio cut-out wouldn't be there.

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by 68Redhead

That is so cool!!

Thanks man!

Originally Posted by BMERDOC

Nice truck. Kinda glad you put a straight-6 back in it...for now. Here are two pics of the base and higher level caps for 68.

Thanks for the pic, after a little research I realized this thing came with chrome hub caps and chrome bumpers. I personally think it would look better with chrome dressings so I will be on the lookout. Those caps are tough to find tho!

Originally Posted by HeavyD

No no no, a 5.3 and a HUGE turbo, thats the ticket! Should make 800 hp for 750 bucks according to the internet!

Jokes aside, nice truck. What do you plan to do about the gauges to make hem function with the ls? I have wondered about this as it seems everyone uses aftermarket setup, and if one is going for a stock ext/int the aftermarket stuff is pretty obvious. What are your plans?

** srry ignore my post..didnt see you have another 6 installed. Looks great!**

Haha only 750? That's under a dollar per horse! I don't know what I would do about the gauges, maybe a Dakota digital swap when I get there.

Originally Posted by SGJ72

sweet. had no idea that if you didn't order a radio that the radio cut-out wouldn't be there.

It's actually a radio delete plate that looks like the hole is filled in. Pretty strange to order a tach and chrome dressings but not a radio haha

[BMERDOC]

The caps aren't tooooo hard to find. Between the forum and eBay you should be able to put together a set in a month or two. Sometimes really nice complete sets show up in the $200-$300 range. I'm still trying to piece together both sets of basic and upper level caps for my 67. I'm trying to catch good deals on nicer caps and not just throw money at it. can I offer a bit of constructive criticism? See if you can dig up one of the later (wider) diff to bring the back tires out. That's one of the things that drives me crazy about these trucks (mine included). If you are lucky, you can find the late '70 diff that is wider yet still has six lugs. Lookin forward to seeing how this truck shapes up!

[CC69Rat]

Wow, very nice find indeed ! Do you still have your orange SWB?

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by BMERDOC

The caps aren't tooooo hard to find. Between the forum and eBay you should be able to put together a set in a month or two. Sometimes really nice complete sets show up in the $200-$300 range. I'm still trying to piece together both sets of basic and upper level caps for my 67. I'm trying to catch good deals on nicer caps and not just throw money at it. can I offer a bit of constructive criticism? See if you can dig up one of the later (wider) diff to bring the back tires out. That's one of the things that drives me crazy about these trucks (mine included). If you are lucky, you can find the late '70 diff that is wider yet still has six lugs. Lookin forward to seeing how this truck shapes up!

Thanks Nick, I saw a set on ebay for 250 but I think I will just get one at a time and piece it together. I also noticed the rearend width but I think it'll end up 5 lug at some point so I will just convert to a 71 and up rearend when I do that and fix the problem. For now it'll just look goofy from an angle haha.

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

Wow, very nice find indeed ! Do you still have your orange SWB?

Thanks Chad, hope you're doin well man. I do still have the orange truck, it's in storage now. My house that I moved into doesn't have a garage so I have to store it for a year until my lease is up and then I am going to search for either a garage apartment or a house with a garage.

[WIDESIDE72]

Cool truck. I would lose the flex fan though. In addition to slicing you up any time you work around it, they fatigue from flexing and one day will come apart. Hopefully it won't happen when you are under the hood adjusting the carb or something. Best case is it lets loose while going down the road, only thing the hood and/ or radiator!

[68SWB4x4]

Very nice find!

[harrisoncole4]

Wow thats pretty clean

[stomper]

OMG LOVE LOVE this truck. Glad to see you are enjoying it with the 250 I6 while you locate/build an LS. The patina 'USA 1' plate is awesome!

[Dave K.]

Dig the color.... Nice truck

[kehstr]

looks to me like you need some wheel spacers.
I'm doing an 5.3 ls swap in my truck, so when you are ready to start on swapping that in, just let me know, and i'll be happy to help point you in the right direction.

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

Cool truck. I would lose the flex fan though. In addition to slicing you up any time you work around it, they fatigue from flexing and one day will come apart. Hopefully it won't happen when you are under the hood adjusting the carb or something. Best case is it lets loose while going down the road, only thing the hood and/ or radiator!

Thanks man, if I were going to keep the 250 I would definitely switch to an electric fan but it looks fairly new and hopefully holds up until I can get the 5.3 built

Originally Posted by 68SWB4x4

Very nice find!

Thank you sir, glad it didn't slip through the cracks like they usually do

Originally Posted by harrisoncole4

Wow thats pretty clean

Thanks man

Originally Posted by stomper

OMG LOVE LOVE this truck. Glad to see you are enjoying it with the 250 I6 while you locate/build an LS. The patina 'USA 1' plate is awesome!

Thanks man, my dad said we need to reproduce those USA 1 plates with the exact patina that mine has so everyone can have one

Originally Posted by Dave K.

Dig the color.... Nice truck

Thanks for the kind words. When I first got the truck dark green wasn't my first choice out of the 68 options but it's definitely growing on me. Especially with the light green interior

Originally Posted by kehstr

looks to me like you need some wheel spacers.
I'm doing an 5.3 ls swap in my truck, so when you are ready to start on swapping that in, just let me know, and i'll be happy to help point you in the right direction.

Thanks man, it looks way worse in the pictures then it does in person. I could only get away with maybe 1/2" of spacer before I ran out of stud unless I did those big spacers that relocate the bolt pattern and I just don't trust those things. Plus once it gets the 22s I'll need the room for lip