66 Pro Street Build (Domeringer)

[Modges'66]

Your welding skills are making me look like a hack!!
Nice ARB, I need to find one similar for my build.
Do they make many sizes?

[Gary V]

Hey Modges... thank you! Your welding skills are excellent!

The Bear's stuff is a little pricey and this is their Pro Mod bar. Most race shops just use a a length of 1 3/8, 1/8 wall-4130 tube and sell a kit to weld up the arms etc. With these heavy trucks you need a pretty stout bar to cancel body roll. I Started to make my own 4130 version and then came upon this gem. Had all of the bearings and ends... they ended up fitting this Bear's bar. So just had to buy the bar and arms.

Ok to answer your question yes they do have different lengths that will fit. Take a look see Bear's

The second bar that I was looking at that looks really stout is this one from David Lemmond's I've read a couple of good reviews from truck drag racers using it.

Your truck is looking awesome! Keep up the great work!

[Bomp]

Great info. and Solid Build

[Modges'66]

Thanks for the info Gary!
Yeah, I am not so sure that I need anything this extreme for the street. it is kinda pricey.
I think that I may just make my own from 4130 DOM.
I am sure that I can machine up some really cool arms, and put something good together this winter when I am bored...
BTW, I am not a welder, I just pretend to be one in my free time! LOL!
Thanks again!!!

[Gary V]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Great info. and Solid Build

Thanks again Bomp!

Originally Posted by Modges'66

Thanks for the info Gary!
Yeah, I am not so sure that I need anything this extreme for the street. it is kinda pricey.
I think that I may just make my own from 4130 DOM.
I am sure that I can machine up some really cool arms, and put something good together this winter when I am bored...
BTW, I am not a welder, I just pretend to be one in my free time! LOL!
Thanks again!!!

Nor am I! Welding just for fun now a days. The ARB is pretty much just for drag racing. It will be disconnected on one side for street cruising.

[evan396]

looking good gary. my dad and I went to the 100 ft drags in Waterford at the speed bowl. maybe will see you there some night with your truck. evan

[Johnny_Lamebridge]

Hey Gary V,

I'm in... I want to see more awesome fab work! It's been a while since I've seen a Pro Street build.

I found your rear axle housing fabrication especially interesting. Many years ago I distorted the crap out of a late 50's nine inch housing while stick-welding ladder bar brackets on. It was definitely a learning experience.

Keep up the good work!

[Gary V]

Originally Posted by evan396

looking good gary. my dad and I went to the 100 ft drags in Waterford at the speed bowl. maybe will see you there some night with your truck. evan

Hi Evan, Thank you! My friend runs a dragbike there quite often. I will try to get up there next year... he says it's a blast.

Originally Posted by Johnny_Lamebridge

Hey Gary V,

I'm in... I want to see more awesome fab work! It's been a while since I've seen a Pro Street build.

I found your rear axle housing fabrication especially interesting. Many years ago I distorted the crap out of a late 50's nine inch housing while stick-welding ladder bar brackets on. It was definitely a learning experience.

Keep up the good work!

Thank you Johnny! I've been there with the arc welder. There is nothing that compares to the penetration you get... but hot. I love arc welding and will defiantly use that art later in the build.

Ok this ARB has been quite a project! Had to fab and machine the spherical bearing housings and brackets etc. Do you think I can route an exhaust system through the maze? I think yes! Very pleased with the way it came out. Going to be a bit till I post again with progress. I'm moving to a new shop! Cool old brick building! Was an old railroad equipment repair building right on the tracks. Will post pics when we get situated. For now here's some ARB install pics...

[timmytimm3]

Great build so far! I'm from CT too.

[aggie91]

Looks great! Can't wait to see the front end...

[Gary V]

Originally Posted by timmytimm3

Great build so far! I'm from CT too.

Originally Posted by aggie91

Looks great! Can't wait to see the front end...

Thank you guys!

[Gary V]

We had what I think was the first spring like day since winter. Really hard to get motivated... just felt like standing around . Pulled the frame out and started working nonetheless. I picked up some really good saw horses at Lowes today with a 1200 lb cap for $30.00 a piece, was going to make some but for that price it was a no brainer... adjustable height and they fold up to about the size of a 2X4X4! (Blue Hawk Folding Steel Adjustable Sawhorse)

Hadn't tried to find the frame number until now and was pleased to see that it matched the vin number. So here's some pics to getting the frame rails ready for the C4 Flatout splice... lots of work to do boxing the frame rails and getting rid of holes that will not be needed.

[Gary V]

Little update... spent the day readying the frame for sandblast. Welded a new radiator cross member support in and added some angle to keep the frame square and parallel during the process. Off to the sandblaster Monday... hopefully back for next weekend so I can finish boxing and cleaning the frame.

[Gary V]

Frame getting prepped for the next step... coat the inside frame rails with POR 15 and box with 10 Ga. 1008 steel sheet.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Nice progress.


I like the frame rack...
I need one of those.

[tinydb84]

I love how clean this is!

[Gary V]

Originally Posted by tinydb84

I love how clean this is!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

Nice progress.


I like the frame rack...
I need one of those.

Thank You... does make frame fab setup a lot easier.

Some more progress... still need to install rack cutouts, shock mounts and finish weld. Hope to get this front end setup by weeks end. Very impressed by how accurate the Flatout crossmember is fabbed up... makes it almost simple

[Modges'66]

I just don't know...
This thing looks almost too sanitary...Even by my standards! LOL!
Keep it up!

[Gary V]

Originally Posted by Modges'66

I just don't know...
This thing looks almost too sanitary...Even by my standards! LOL!
Keep it up!

Hey Modge... keeping it up and clean

Fabbed in the rack cut outs and finished the remaining weld work, this completes the major crossmember install. All that remains weld wise is to install the shock brackets. Need to do some mechanical stuff before I can do that task.

Very pleased that in spite of all of that welding with the front frame being totally unsupported... everything is very rigid and spot on dimensionally!

Sure is nice to get back to some mechanical stuff! Took all of the front end parts I've been collecting out of the boxes and put it on the table. Will post later this evening with details.

[66-PMD-GMC]

WOW!
That's some nice xmas presents on that table. .

[mud.man.rj]

Front to back what a killer build, well thought out, thanks for sharing.
Mudman.

[Gary V]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

WOW!
That's some nice xmas presents on that table. .


Funny just kept getting what I needed looking for deals here and there over 9 months. Finally getting it all in one place is really like having Christmas in July... I really needed that after all of that fab work.

Originally Posted by mud.man.rj

Front to back what a killer build, well thought out, thanks for sharing.
Mudman.

Thank you Mudman!

[northern 85]

Wow this thing is insane!!!

[Gary V]

Ok here's the program for the suspension and brakes. I will list all of the parts and part numbers for the brake and suspension in pictures.

Picked up an 87 C4 complete crossmember last year for cheap and salvaged the pieces I needed.

Disassembled the control arms and glass bead blasted them. Not a big fan of urethane bushings having ridden in quite a few squeaky cars that had them installed... cars shouldn't squeak. Going to give these Global West Delrin/Aluminum bushings a shot.

For the upper control arms decided to use SPC adjustables so we can set up alignment any way. Can always go back to the C4 stock arms with urethane bushings if they don't work out

The brakes... big almost 13" disc C5 Z06 conversion. Went looking for C4 brake improvements and came upon this write up C5 Brake Upgrade and that was it for me. Excellent write up! So here are the parts.

Machined some adapter brackets out of tool steel on the CNC to increase and space out the big Z06 calipers and pad brackets to fit the C4 suspension.

Other parts needed

Flatout Engineering supplied

Will post more pics and info as I start to assemble this stuff. Happy 4th of July!

[Gary V]

Picked up a set of inexpensive Ebay Vette front wheels for mockup purposes. I have a set of Darkstars for the rear already, but wanted to be sure of the backspace and tire diameter before purchasing the more expensive wheels for the front. Blended the lower control arm forging flash and glass beaded the arms again to get them ready for paint once everything is in place. Installed the ball joints and lower control arm bushings and had time to take some picks before continuing. Pics!

Next finish the shock upper mounts, brake mockup, install the brake lines and get busy setting up a front sway bar.