Grizz's Redneck Express 1966 Chevy Short Fleetside RESTO-GO!

[Grizz1963]

Pic I forgot to post up last night.

Kinda sums up working together closely......

Intimacy of the build....



Twisting tight nuts.

[Ta2Don]

Glad you were able to get the springs sorted...

Glad you had Martin there to help and Ian to get photo proof...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Glad you were able to get the springs sorted...

Glad you had Martin there to help and Ian to get photo proof...

Martin is sleeping over tomorrow night.

Ian is cooking

I feel a party coming on......

Have soaked all potential nuts twice now with penetrating fluid.

[Ta2Don]

Looking forward to the update... and Pics!!!

[Grizz1963]

I have been losing sleep the last few days about getting the the rear springs and shocks off the truck and the new ones fitted after our battle with Martins last weekend.

This week I used SAS20 penetrating fluid three times to get the nuts and bolts all oiled up.



Today I contacted Darren from Unit Engineering to offer him a 4 post, 3000kg lift for £200.00 but interestingly he had also bought one last week.

One thing led to another in our text chat and I mentioned tonight's projected job and anticipated pain.......

"I have a battery powered Rattle Gun you can use." he offered, so after work I went down to his industrial unit (large engineering shop) had a coffee, chat and guided tour of some of his toys. Then asked if I could buy some solid ally from him to remake my lowering blocks....... come with me he said and back into the engineering shop we went.......

"Here, have these"



So with Rattle gun in hand I came home.



After Martin and Ian got in we had a coffee, then I started the fire and handed over to Ian while Martin and I went to the garage.

Back end went up and Rattle gun came out........ EFFORTLESS !!!








OLD vs NEW



Springs and shocks removed



The shocks come with a variety of steel sleeves, and I needed to cut two down to make them fit. Then grind down the sides of the bushes a bit for a tight fit.



New parts fitted and locked down.



OOOOOHHHHH YESSSS !!!!

1.5" drop........ now that had my face hurting from all the grinning.





Not bad for 90 minutes worth of effort.



Checked the level with a spirit level and the load bed is flat straight.

Now I want 2.5" dropped spindles on the front to go with the drums......... Can you get dropped spindles to go on drums??






Next up, tomorrow morning we need to drive back to Martins place 15 miles from here to fetch the new front brake hoses from his truck as he is going Disc brakes next, and to get some fresh brake fluid, then redo the trucks front shock lower bolts as I bought new high tensile bolts this week, as the originals were badly rusted and one was too short.

Last thing will be a decent road test, and some daylight photos of the truck to show the current stance.

[Paul Y]

Nice one Grizz!

P.

[Ta2Don]

Great work Mates!!!

My buddy loaned me a Snap-On Impact (rattle gun) and that sure made getting the u bolts loose easy...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Nice one Grizz!

P.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Great work Mates!!!

My buddy loaned me a Snap-On Impact (rattle gun) and that sure made getting the u bolts loose easy...

Thanks guys.

Insomnia is a pain, so I was ready at 05.00 to get back on it after getting to sleep at 00.45

[Grizz1963]

Another one of those questions that have me wondering about stuff.

I have a standard front end with 6 lug and drums, after redoing the suspension with 2" drop all the way around, I am now thinking that I may want the front end a bit lower still.

So can I do it while keeping everything else in place without sacrificing ride quality and use ability?


What is available, from who and at what sort of money?

[Paul Y]

Hey Grizz'

The 'free' option would be to section the crossmember , a relatively easy task for your skill sets! Think that would get you 1 1/2" and retain the full suspension travel. Having looked at the various threads detailing how it is done doesn't look hard technically.

If i were to do it I think I would find a latter model truck being broken and take the front end out of that just in case I ever wanted to go back. Added advantage is it would come with 6 lug disk brakes so you could keep your wheels, which I am guessing is part of the reason for keeping the drums?

Sure somebody else will come up with a drop spindle part number for drums which is the other option.

Looking forward to today's update to see pictures out in the daylight!

P.

[Paul Y]

Here is a thread I bookmarked detailing one of the ways it can be done

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=543729

As for the insomnia I recommend taking up smoking meat, if you are going to be up you might as well spend it ensuring the correct temperature is maintained to produce the perfect pork shoulder or briskett!

Look up the BBQ bretherin and make yourself a UDS!

Hijack over, back to our scheduled program....

P.

[Grizz1963]

Well, went to sleep at about 00.45 and woke at 05.10 so not a good night, but woke with a big grin after yesterdays progress.

Martin had slept over on the couch and had similarly little sleep, but I suspect he missed Bow his giant Rottweiler being on top of him in bed......

So by 06.00 we were sitting planning our day.

Return Darren's Rattle Gun and visit him for a bit, then to Halfords Motor spares to get a new battery for Nicola's MX5 as it was beginning to fail.

Sorry to say, but the guys there, 3 of them behind the counter, are dicks. Asked the car's registration number, punched it into the computer.... "Ahhhh, it's an import, sorry, you will have to wait at least 10 minutes so that someone can go out to the car to look and see what battery it takes"

Martin and I both laughed and walked out...... idiots. No wonder these sorts of businesses are dying out.

From there we went to his house, found Amanda had woken from her slumber, and got the hubs from his truck to rob his brake lines from.

Then came home via a spares shop where we got a litre of fresh brake fluid. At least the owner of the shop knew what we wanted and did not need to consult a computer or a winsdscreen wiper fitter.

Coffee, cookies and chat with Ian who had a late wake up start and had thought we had been abducted by aliens as both our cars were still here and the garage locked and alarmed (as we had used Nicola's MX5 to run the errands)



Removed the pipes and remains of Martins truck's brake lines that he had cut off when stripping his truck.

While we had the wheels off, I replaced the nuts and bolts fitted last week with new high tensile nuts and bolts.





The brake pipes that came off looked like this........





Replaced they looked like this.




After bleeding out the muddy coloured brake fluid, we driveway tested the brakes, as I did not want to clear the cars from the drive to go test the truck, but next weekend it will get a decent road test and drive, after which the brakes will be re-bled if needed.

Lastly, a pic of the Motley Crew.



Once again I can say a huge thank you to Martin for the extra hands and brain power, as well as to Ian for coffee, brake fluid topping up duties and general piss-taking and teasing.

Next up will be getting the new exhaust system built and the cutouts ordered from the USA if I can get a courier organised.

Looking forward to that antisocial part of the trucks evolution.

[CRGRS 66]

Hey Rian, I will have to spend some time and go through your thread from the beginning, but just wanted to say hello, love your truck man!

Does Martin also have a thread on the forum?

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Hey Rian, I will have to spend some time and go through your thread from the beginning, but just wanted to say hello, love your truck man!

Does Martin also have a thread on the forum?

Hi my build thread is

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=611614

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Hey Rian, I will have to spend some time and go through your thread from the beginning, but just wanted to say hello, love your truck man!

Does Martin also have a thread on the forum?

Hi Craig, thank you very much!!

Nicola just got back from visiting her daughter about 90 minutes from here, and I was saying that this truck really does make my heart smile.
Despite the cost of everything we do here being around 60% more than the USA, so a $100 item in the USA will be $160 plus here, this truck and the people involved in the hobby/madness really makes me happy.

There is so much more I would love to do, but one needs to be sensible and just wait till you can afford it, or an item comes into the market at the right price, which is rare over here, as there are not a lot of 60-66 C10's and pretty much no support from businesses.

Check out my garage thread on GJ if you have time and are bored.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=52970

And I know your build of your truck is a memorial to your mum and dad.......

This is what my brother and I did last year, check it when you have time. The actual report starts on page 22.

http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/inde...topic=106063.0

All about celebrating life.

And a thread I am just re-reading..... Realising just how mad I am.

My Teardrop Trailer build

http://www.retrorides.proboards.com/...ompleted-build


Cheers,
Rian.

[clemdaddy]

great write up and a great crew of friends. thats a big part of the fun. you have a beautiful lady and a very nice truck. seems to me that you're a pretty lucky guy.

my girl and i enjoy your posts.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

great write up and a great crew of friends. thats a big part of the fun. you have a beautiful lady and a very nice truck. seems to me that you're a pretty lucky guy.

my girl and i enjoy your posts.

Here, Here!!!

[Ta2Don]

Since Rian is working for more truck funds, I am posting this early for him...

He is sporting his shirt from Clem and a plate I had airbrushed for him for a future project…

[Grizz1963]

Had to come home early today from London to edit my 2015 business plan which I am presenting on Thursday....... deep joy.

Found myself the recipient of a parcel from Searcy, Arkansas, from Ta2Don. Postage alone $26.00 ..... eeeek !!!

Anyway, contents included a couple of Don's shop T-shirts for mate Martin and Amanda and another one for Ian who is living with us.

THEN...... Thanks to Don and Clemdaddy from Fayetteville, Arkansas a T-Shirt that blew my mind the first time I saw it as it had a C10 on it, as well as the Sinclair Oil Corporation, and a custom made number plate for car shows that Don had designed and got airbrushed for me.





Well, that was my day.

Have I mentioned I love my truck ??

[CRGRS 66]

Nice!

[Ta2Don]

[Grizz1963]

Tonight the truck was loaded to work again.

Mate Martin will be starting his sandblasting soon, after doing some welding.

So we loaded the compressor and a crate tonight.......

Nothing like a ramp to make life a bit easier.



Ian supervising the tie down.



Can you say LOWER...?



Ready to Rock n Roll.

[Ta2Don]

Tuckin' those wheels!!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Tuckin' those wheels!!!

[Grizz1963]

RADICAL TRANSFORMATION !!

That is the only way I can describe how the new lowered shocks and springs on the trucks suspension performs compared to the waddling duck it had been before.

After fitting everything new, including the brake hoses, I never got a chance to go test drive the truck, but of course the compressor had to be taken over to Martin's place 15 miles away today, after which I came home and then Nicola and I took a very large wooden chest down to her work and drove around some more before coming home, so I did around 50 plus miles today.

After dropping the compressor off, I came back home driving rather briskly...... through every roundabout and other bendy bits, the truck felt a whole lot like a modern car, sure footed and going where I pointed it.

Grizz's Redneck Express delivering compressor -...

I am amazed at the transformation.

This is a modification I would highly recommend to anyone with one of these trucks. Of course there is a lot more radical stuff you can do to the truck including C-Notching, airbags, dropped spindles etc. The sky is the limit, or the size of your bank balance.

I think that with imported parts, it came to about £100.00 or $160.00 per corner to fit these Brothers Trucks parts.

After all the driving and hooning, the suspension must have settled for now, so here are a pair of pics, unfortunately, I had not straightened the steering wheel up front for the photos.






After we came back from the shops, Martin came over and we went to go look at a 1990 Chevy Dayvan.

I was interested in the steering column, as I want a replacement column shift steering for my truck, and Martin is looking for a decent 350/350 or 700R4 combo for his truck. He will be selling the 307 and gearbox he bought running out of a truck earlier this year. The rest of the Dayvan would be sold off as spares if we bought it for the asking price of £800.00

When we got there and looked it all over, the steering was locked and the ignition mullered, Martin also decided for once to be sensible and walk away as the peripheral costs of making this engine run, could end up being more than than he wanted to spend.

HOWEVER, we ended up spending a great afternoon with Wayne the seller and some of his mates at his industrial unit.

I did have to use the bathroom, and the whole bathroom was done just perfectly, and I could not resist taking this pic of the toilet seat cover....... Just perfect for an Avatar.



We eventually left there and came home via Screwfix.