my radical 60 build

[1974k5blazer]

damn dude that takes balls!

[RunninLo]

WOW! I wish I was moving this fast on the burb or any of the other crap in the garage. I'm on vacation for almost 2 weeks on the 17th. If KD swings up let's grab the boys and get a lunch.
Once again NICE job. it takes commitment do do one like this.

Josh

[jonzcustomshop]

I am going full bore on this.
I got the brakes sorted out and mounted, and the steering column is 99% done.
the cab mounts are done, and the cab is mounted.
I am starting to route the wiring harness-I am using a harness out of a 63, and switching it to HEI, and the more modern altenator.

When I originally bought the cab, I got a set of 64 T-bird bucket seats to put in it. They were super rough, foam rotted, cloth ripped..... but they fit the 60's look I was wanting.
Well the other day at a yard sale of all places I scored a nice useable set of 64 T-bird buckets for $30.00!


no pics today, the batteries died.

[joe231]

when you can, could you post pics of your cab mounts? thanks

[kdrodworks316]

I am game for lunch RL. I will try to get up there around that time.

[jonzcustomshop]

Here are the cabmount shots.
I ended up using 4 rear 64 cab mounts. I trimmed the front ones down, and then used the pieces that I trimmed off to deal with the angle on the inboard rear mounts.
The front mounts use the pontiac wagon rubber, and are outboard of the frame rails. I may have to weld some strap to the floorpan since the bolt is just through the sheet metal. I will see how it holds up in the meantime.
the rear mounts are bolted to the original location, and just spun 180 degrees to meet up with the frame rail inboard, they use the original rubber.
Then I cut off the front frame horns, and capped them off with steel plate, I will weld rad support mounts, and bumper brace mounts to these.

[jonzcustomshop]

the brakes and steering:
I cut the brake mount out of the pontiac firewall, and then fabbed an angled box to make it work with the chevy firewall.
I used the pontiac pedal and suppord, and then trimmed it down to be 6 inches off the floor(an industry standard I think), and then mounted a 57 pontiac starchief brake pedal pad.

The steering was quite a rodeo!
I found out that nothing is the same on all my parts trucks:
60 mounts to the firewall different.
60 has a short 2 piece column-63 is one piece.
63 has a different turn signal cup.
63 column mounts to the brake support 1 3/4" closer than the 60.

After all that , I used a 64 firewall mount, a 60 dash/brake mount, the 60 column, a 63 column housing and turnsignal cup, and I kept the 3 on the tree shift mechanism from the 60.
I was able to weld a tab to the 3 speed shift lever, and it shifts through all the gears on the 4 spd auto!
The only scary part, is no reverse lockout, or nuetral safety switch....
I used a shift and turnsignal lever from a 56 chevy.
I used a 3" hole saw, and mounted the column 2 1/2" higher in the dash, and about 4" higher in the firewall.

now that everthing fits, I will have to take it all apart, and clean up extra holes on the firewall.

[kdrodworks316]

lookin good Jon, i will see you soon

[jonzcustomshop]

well these ten days flew by.
I have been working on all the mechanical stuff, wiring, radiator placement, interior.
I did take it for a spin around the block this morning!
here is a teaser photoshop of what the bed should look like.
I have been playing around with windows paint, adjusting the wheelbase, and different bed lengths.
I think this is the one I am going with: 7' bed, and a 115" wheelbase.
I also chopped and lowered it in the photo, to see how it would all look.

I will get some photos of the interior and mechanicals up soon.

[jonzcustomshop]

pics

[joe231]

nice work man!!
you work fast!

[TimE]

You have come a long way on the truck. Coupla questions for ya. How are you going to blend the truck body line(on the door) into the front clip? Are you going to make the bed wheel openings like pictured, match them to the front fender openings or run fenderskirts? Just curious. Keep up the great work!!

[kdrodworks316]

I am headed your way Jon, see you tomarrow. Hit runninlow up and maybe we will go to lunch or somthing.

[jonzcustomshop]

cool deal kd, see you tomorrow.
TimE:I will use the stock long fleet rear wheel openings. I might lower them if needed.
on the front I will use the rear half of a 60-66 fender, but retain the mopar wheel opening.
you can see in my profile pic where they almost have the same shape at the middle of the wheel well.
I will also use the lower rear half of a 60-66 hood to blend them together.

[scotts62]

Man thats looking good! Can't wait to see it put together

[Iron-Butt]

Wow! that is a lot of work. looks good.

[jonzcustomshop]

here are some interior shots.
Kdrodworks supplied me with a speedo cluster-thanks!
the steering wheel is a $1 yardsale find from my dad.
the pedal pads are 57 pontiac.
the shift lever is 56 chev.
I used the leftover gas tank groumet to seal the column to the dash.
the floor mat was decent & and is from the 63 parts truck.
the bucket seats are my $30 yardsale find- 64 T-bird.

[jonzcustomshop]

box side #1 done, halfway there!, then lots more welding....again

[FRENCHBLUE72]

That is killer looking congrats..

[TimE]

Man! You make me feel lazy.

That's some great progress. It's looking good!!

[1974k5blazer]

nick name it frankinstein!

[kdrodworks316]

Jon, I love this concept, but I have to say I am not feelin the bed, its not flowing with the nose. I just think it needs somthing...but I dont know what. maybe its just my eyes playing tricks. I will be up sunday afternoon and look in person.

[kdrodworks316]

Oh and I am bringing door poppers.

[RunninLo]

Originally Posted by kdrodworks316

Jon, I love this concept, but I have to say I am not feelin the bed, its not flowing with the nose. I just think it needs somthing...but I dont know what. maybe its just my eyes playing tricks. I will be up sunday afternoon and look in person.

No I see it too, but I think it's just an optical illusion because the rigs is so low that you're looking down on it in the picture and with just the one side on it appears to be really low. I think if it was a complete bed your mind would see the other side and it would look right. ( does that make sense?)

Anyway that's what my eye is picking up on. the top of the bed just seems a bit low. But once I remind my self that this is jon's interpretation and not a stock truck it makes more sense. The close ups of the body lines actually look pretty well lined up and I gotta say that takes a vision. Maybe it will proportion a little better once the roof gets a chop.

I also agree that I feel Lazy when I see the amount of work Jon is getting done. Heck my burb hasn't had a finger on it since I pulled the body over a month ago but that's mostly due to waiting on the big brown truck to arrive.

KD sorry i missed ya last trip but I'm off Sun. Going to try to hit the track in the AM but interested in getting together. If it works out I could get some groceries and BBQ and have Jon's bunch down too.

Josh

[jonzcustomshop]

Yeah I noticed the bed too, it is in the stock position in regards to the upper portion of the cab..
when you look in person It dosen't seem as drastic thin, I did a quick photo shop to see what the upper half of a suburban 1/4 would do for it.
also adding the door in the photo helps to balance it out alot.
I will wait till after the chop to see how all the proportions look, and then modify from there if I need to.

It is also a toss-up , with the piece I added, it kind of creates the illusion that runninlo said was missing..

I should have the bed all together tomorrow.