Finally "Silvers" build thread!! ('78 swb 2wd silverado)

[SBTork]

Originally Posted by menace121978

thank you travis! i'll order the brakes in the next few weeks and i love pics so there will be plenty!LOL

i still have to get the rear end and leafs all cleaned up... and buy the flipkit, and buy the front rotors and calipers and buy a new quick ratio steering gear box and buy...............on and on.....

Yeah, I've noticed that the parts list grows everyday. Oh well, it's all worth it and it feels like christmas morning everytime something shows up.

[80stepsideguy]

Looks great dennis,
I see your making some serious progress on your truck.I am gonna go with the same rear disc brake setup as well since i`ll be running 18s in the front and 20s in the rear.. Keep up the great work..

thanks
pat

[SBTork]

I almost forgot to ask, did you replace the studs that hold the upper control arms on? (between control arm and frame, alingment shims are between them on these studs)

[menace121978]

thank you pat!

sbtork, DO NOT ORDER THESE BOLTS FROM LMC. i ordered them and they sent just regular bolts. called them and theres nothing they could do about it because the diagram they have (#11) in their book doesnt show anything special about the bolts but they cost twice as much. and they dont have any info on the bolts except the part #. shipping them back would be $10 more for a $25 refund. i just cleaned the old ones up with thread all and put new nuts and washers on. classic trucks have the right bolts in there book they even have a colored pic that shows the exact bolt. $3-4 a piece. mine cleaned up real nice and the A arm shaft and shims cover most of the bolt threads anyways. hope this helps, Dennis

[menace121978]

small update... had knee surgery monday the 8th so the most i can do is order parts now!! this was from last sunday.
started sanding and restoring the mags

pain in the butt!!

im taking them down w/ 120 grit to get all the big knicks and dings out from overtighting the locks.
cant really see them in this pic...

my little helper and my big mess!LOL

got the eyelet bushings out of the leafs and shackles(thanks ken)

new ones in...

[menace121978]

more sanding! my finger tips are raw!LOL

found my extra leafs in the garage and getting them ready for the blaster...

all blasted and painted

thought this was cool

all new bolts... there starting to get expensive!

last one of the passengerside getting the same treatment


i ordered a western chassis flip kit and have decided to go w/ 5 leafs in each pack until i see how low shes gonna be. also ordered more paint and hope to start in on the rearend as soon as i can carry it from the side of the house.LOL

[JohnC]

looks good man! Yeah those grade 8 bolts add up fast!

[northern 85]

Nice job,hope your knee is getting better.

[menace121978]

thank you john and northern. not sure if its getting any better since i'm doing this without pain killers. still hurts like hell.

[JohnC]

No need to be a hero. Use the pain pills that's what they are for. Better to take longer to get back healthy, then to get back faster and not be totally healed.

[menace121978]

LOL! its part of my past that prevents me from putting anything mind altering in my body. (kind of a promise i made to someone) on october 17th '09 i'll have 6 years clean and sober!!

[SBTork]

Originally Posted by menace121978

LOL! its part of my past that prevents me from putting anything mind altering in my body. (kind of a promise i made to someone) on october 17th '09 i'll have 6 years clean and sober!!

that's awesome man, congrats!


Your progress is coming along great, still using the extreme chassis black on everything?

I remembered seeing something on your bolt woes with LMC, I just wanted to confrim. Knowing that, I will steer clear from them and probably just clean up my stockers, chase threads, etc. Im painting more of my frame this weekend and getting the front crossmember and control arms ready to be sent out to the blaster/powdercoater. Then new hardware, bushings, and reassembly. Then on to the rear end, then bodywork and drivetrain.


BTW....did you use an air chisel on the rear leaf spring bushings?

[menace121978]

thank you sbtork. yep still using ew extreme. some of the best stuff i've ever used. for the rear bushings i used a big 1 1/8" socket that i beat to death with a big @ss hammer. it was rough but i couldnt see paying someone $25 per bushing.

what paint did you end up going with?

[SBTork]

Originally Posted by menace121978

thank you sbtork. yep still using ew extreme. some of the best stuff i've ever used. for the rear bushings i used a big 1 1/8" socket that i beat to death with a big @ss hammer. it was rough but i couldnt see paying someone $25 per bushing.

what paint did you end up going with?

Im using chassis saver. I have no experience with it prior to this but if it holds up like it should I will be really happy with it. I applied on a well prepped frame with a foam brush. It looks great, ill have to start a build thread once I get some more things inline.

I hear you on the bushing situation. I just took my control arms in to have the bushings pressed out and the ball joints pressed out of the lowers. Im not sure what it'll end up being $$ wise, hopefully not too much. A local speed shop does them here, their rate is $50/hour so hopefully it does not take more than an hour or ill be kicking myself in the butt. I have access to a press at work but I was not sure I could do them, now im pretty sure I can handle it so it feels like im wasting money. Not good, hopefully they don't take me for too much.

[menace121978]

ive heard great stuff about chassis saver. almost went that way myself. good luck on the bushings and start a thread!! its good motivation...LOL

[JohnC]

Originally Posted by menace121978

LOL! its part of my past that prevents me from putting anything mind altering in my body. (kind of a promise i made to someone) on october 17th '09 i'll have 6 years clean and sober!!

Congrats man!!!!!!

[80chevyshortbox]

your truck looks great i liked the look of it before the resto, so i bet i will love the look after the resto. also what are your plan's for the body.

[menace121978]

Originally Posted by 80chevyshortbox

your truck looks great i liked the look of it before the resto, so i bet i will love the look after the resto. also what are your plan's for the body.

thank you! the body is going to stay pretty much the same. all the chrome trim, a GM color called red jewel, and eventually coy 20's all around. keeping it simple and as original as i can on the outside.

lots of work man. i want her to be just like new but better and more comfortable (low buckets, o/d trans. ect). fixing all the half @ssed "fixes" that a family owned truck goes through after 30 years w/ a 10 year old working on her! LOL its kinda funny some of the stuff i did to this truck and my dad and grandpa just watching. kicked myself in the butt more than once these last couple years.

[JohnC]

At least you have that memory. That will add more value to the truck than any mod you do to it. I like the clean and simple look. Some of the best trucks on here are just stock looking simple trucks. It's hard to beat.

[80chevyshortbox]

Originally Posted by menace121978

thank you! the body is going to stay pretty much the same. all the chrome trim, a GM color called red jewel, and eventually coy 20's all around. keeping it simple and as original as i can on the outside.

lots of work man. i want her to be just like new but better and more comfortable (low buckets, o/d trans. ect). fixing all the half @ssed "fixes" that a family owned truck goes through after 30 years w/ a 10 year old working on her! LOL its kinda funny some of the stuff i did to this truck and my dad and grandpa just watching. kicked myself in the butt more than once these last couple years.

that will look awsome i love the look of the original trucks with the trim kit. your truck wil be awsome when its done.

also j/w but what did you have in the truck for the lowering kit before the resto. i think you said before but im kinda churious as to like what the front had to lower it and also how many leaf springs were token out. thanks

[menace121978]

Originally Posted by 80chevyshortbox

that will look awsome i love the look of the original trucks with the trim kit. your truck wil be awsome when its done.

also j/w but what did you have in the truck for the lowering kit before the resto. i think you said before but im kinda churious as to like what the front had to lower it and also how many leaf springs were token out. thanks

the rear had 4 leafs per side and the front had 1 coil cut off. thanks man, dennis

[menace121978]

tore the rearend apart for new seals and paint


found a few teeth kinda pitted and chewed up



western chassis 5" flip kit arrived. really nice kit w/ new u bolts. got it half way installed..LOL

[glock35ipsc]

I love it! I really dig a nice, clean, well detailed chassis.

Great job!

[JohnC]

Yeah man that frame looks awesome. It's almost going to be a shame to cover it up with the body. Keep it up man!!!

[menace121978]

right on thanks guys! ive run into a problem with my 10 bolt. the spider gears are marred up pretty bad. i'm going to go searching pick and pull and hopefully get lucky w/ either a 12 bolt posi or at least new looking spider gears. any other suggestions on what i should do??