Project '64 Cheapskate

[chevyrestoguy]

Had another good day today. We were able to get the cab mounts shimmed and adjusted to get the proper fender to door gap, and that was extremely important because it'll save a lot of body panel fit headaches later. Got all of the inner fender and core support bolts torqued, and sandblasted a bunch of parts that will need to be primed and painted soon. That will be my main focus tomorrow, getting these parts etch primed and ready for color.

Here's a few pictures of the front inner structure all bolted up:

[TJ's Chevy]

Looking good!

[duallyjams]

Originally Posted by t.j. Mccauley

looking good!

x2

[Low Elco]

Man, that looks nice! Can't wait for the next update! Any rough ETA on the first fire-up?

[chevyrestoguy]

I don't have a firm ETA on the fire-up because I still have a lot of plumbing to do, along with installing all of the wiring from the firewall forward. I still have to get the fuel system installed (tank, etc). I still have to do a little more suspension work on the rear, which will require notching the frame and raising the bedfloor. There's still a bunch to do, but the list is shrinking (slowly).

[TJ's Chevy]

Aww man! You don't have to worry about plumbing! All you have to do is stick a fuel line to the carb and one in a small gallon can. Then for your cooling a 5 gallon bucket of water to dump on the motor when it gets hot!!! HAHAHAHAHAHHA!!! That's almost how I did it with my 64! lol!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

I don't have a firm ETA on the fire-up because I still have a lot of plumbing to do, along with installing all of the wiring from the firewall forward. I still have to get the fuel system installed (tank, etc). I still have to do a little more suspension work on the rear, which will require notching the frame and raising the bedfloor. There's still a bunch to do, but the list is shrinking (slowly).

Looking forward to seeing how you do the notch and raise the floor. Still not decided on how I want to do it on my truck.

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Looking forward to seeing how you do the notch and raise the floor. Still not decided on how I want to do it on my truck.

I'm going down 2 more inches in the rear, nothing radical. I think I'm going put a simple old-school pipe notch in it, with boxing plates on the inside. I'm only going to raise the bedfloor enough to get decent clearance between it and the rear end housing. I plan to make a notch that's sturdy enough to still carry a decent load in the bed and tow a car trailer every once in awhile. So, that means thick pipe, thick plates, and fully welded in place.

As far as the bedfloor, I'm still gathering info on different ways to do it.

[Low Elco]

If you really wanna be cheap, there's always the 'ol Inverted Cakepan Trick!

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

If you really wanna be cheap, there's always the 'ol Inverted Cakepan Trick!

Alright, Chip you've got me.........What's the Inverted Cakepan Trick? Is that sort of like the Wheelbarrow Firewall trick, the Snowshovel Distributor Clearance Trick, or the Mailbox Blower Scoop Trick?

[Low Elco]

Exactly! If you're hitting, go to Goodwill, etc., and find a good thick old school cake pan. Cut appropriate opening and use 1/4 carriages through flange on pan, seam sealer the underside, Bolt that sucker down, 'et 'voila! Notch cover. 'Course, a wily fella such as yourself could do the notch, then pull the springs and fab up bumpstops to stop the rear at say 1/4" off the bed floor. I'm just spitballing here. (Actually, I'm living vicariously through you 'cuz I'm too lazy to get off my dead ass and take a sawzall to my own truck!)

[Low Elco]

PS- 2 inches more drop in the rear? Who doesn't love some California Rake? Leave the back high, piss Freiburger off!

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

PS- 2 inches more drop in the rear? Who doesn't love some California Rake? Leave the back high, piss Freiburger off!

Actually, I'm waiting until I get everything forward of the firewall installed, including the coil springs, before I decide to do anything with the rear. Once I get all of the weight on the front, I can make the final decision on the tire height and how many coils I need to cut (if any). After that is done, I'll step back about 50 feet and view it from every angle and see what it needs. I'm a huge supporter of the big/little look, and in order to make it work, you have to have the right rake. The wheelbase of longbed makes it a little more tricky to get the rake right because just a little change in the front or rear height makes a huge difference. I DO NOT want this truck to sit level!!

Scott Sullivan said it right. He said that a 1/4" difference in height can make the difference between a hot rod and a tractor.

[Low Elco]

He's not kidding. My formula for years has been 3-5 deg downward rake, measured at the pinchweld to the ground, variance dictated by wheelbase, the more the longer. This carries also roughly through the tires in both height and section width. All visual points tapering forward front to back. A friend once said he could tell from a block away if I'd set a car/truck up. But that's just what I like. It's probably why I like this truck so much.

[Bomp]

Waitin for the engine to spin……vid? lots of pics.
Gonna make it sit pur-fecta’

Note: keep all cooking utensils away from truck build.

[Low Elco]

All Right, Alex, quit holding out on us! Your fans need a fix!

[chevyrestoguy]

Rumor has it, Santa is bringing me a set of 2" blocks from Boris (Way2low2) at Street Machinery, and also a pair of C-notches.

.....my wife's a keeper

[Low Elco]

Lucky....

Do you guys shut down over the holidays? Truck workin' time!

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Lucky....

Do you guys shut down over the holidays? Truck workin' time!

Yep, we cranked up the wick big-time with a challenge from management that if we met our goals, we would shut down for Christmas. We got it done, so that means that it's full speed ahead on the '64. I have lots of things planned!!

[Low Elco]

Woot Woot! Enjoy the down (workin') time. Don't forget to take Momma out!

[NEWFISHER]

Coming along nice! A notch from Borris saves a ton of work, ask me how I know He was backordered so I went ahead and did the pipe, plate, box method.

Cake pan..I like it! I want a deep bedside for the dogs and didn't want to raise my floor, but want to go lower also. I picked up a diff cover that I may "cake pan" into the floor.

[rusty76]

Man if my wife new what all I wanted for Christmas for my truck she'd freak out. But as always tools are welcomed. My wife is good with finding me tools I can use. Who can't use tools?

[ChickenCityHotRods]

Read through the entire thread and I'm blown away by your attention to detail and the creative ways you have used junkyard parts. Killer work!

[kustombrad]

Alex put his 2" blocks in Saturday and the truck sits perfect! He's going to have so much fun driving the crap out of this when it's done! I'm feeling guilty for not helping him as much as I'd like to, but I'm neck deep in my Bonneville project and working on it every spare minute I have. I'm going to have to kick mine to the side shortly though so I can help Alex get this beast wrapped up 'cuz this dude needs to be driving this thing!

[Low Elco]

Pics or it didn't happen!