Project '64 Cheapskate

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

Hey, you're kinda local to me! My son used to travel over to your area when his football team played Burroughs.

Thanks for the kind words on my build thread. It's been a really fun build, but I'm at the point of doing the really tedious stuff like wring and plumbing, and I'm getting tried of it. I have to keep my head down and continue to knock stuff off the list. I'm getting there, but I am really particular about the way stuff looks, so it takes me a little longer to get things done to a point where I'm satisfied.

The '83 went to a new owner in December. I just had too many projects, and I really needed to thin out the herd. It was a great project truck for the new owner, 100% rust and dent free, a shortbed fleetside, and a lot of added upgrades. I would have loved to have built it myself, but it was the right thing to do, and I actually feel pretty good that I let it go.

I think I'm OK for now on the slab leaks. We both know that the high alkaline soil and the small seismic activity we have in the desert is hell on slab leaks. Every few weeks, I go out to my meter and check to see if the meter is spinning, which will indicate a leak if everything in the house is turned off. So far, so good. If it happens again, I'm going to Pex the entire house.

Are you still considering swapping over to a manual trans? If so, I have a good buddy who is looking for an automatic column if you ever decide to sell. He's building a really nice '65, doing it all himself. He's had some medical issues lately, but he still continues to work on it. I try to help him whenever I can because he's a good guy.

Yes, I plan on doing a first fire video. I can't wait until this truck comes alive!

We can't wait to watch it!

[ol_skool_chevy]

Love this truck....it belong on the Bonneville Salt flats as a Pusher

[4mulaSvaliant]

Subscribed!!!!!!!!!!!

[Justin@EntropyRad]

diggin those tucked lines!

[Eric15chevys]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

That's actually pretty incredible. The CARB is a huge money-grabber, and they seldom side with the consumer. I can't imagine how much money MSD spent to convince the CARB of the obvious. It's sad that the State doesn't throw the consumers a break all of the time. We've always said out here that they should check the vehicle at the tailpipe only. To fail a vehicle because it doesn't have all the stuff under the hood even though it passes the sniffer with flying colors is absurd. They get you coming and going out here.

The next step is compare the cost of the MSD Atomic vs. an LS swap. Might be pretty close when you consider the hoops the smog Nazis will put you through on the LS swap. Those guys are actually pretty clueless, and they've been known to nit-pick engine swaps to death, trying to find fault wherever they can.

I don't understand how it even applies to a pre smog vehicles. Stupid CARB!

[Camuchi]

awesome work and great ideas, thanks for sharing.
12:30 am here in the hotel and a meeting in the morning. I dont think everyone will understand "I was up late reading about a guy restoring an old chevy truck in CA"
LOL well worth it in my book!

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by ol_skool_chevy

Love this truck....it belong on the Bonneville Salt flats as a Pusher

No, it belongs at the Hot Rod Reunion as a pusher! Get on the stick, Alex!

[chevyrestoguy]

I am on it! I have been doing a bunch of work on it each night after work, but I have not been keeping up with progress shots. I have been finishing up the last of the AC lines and the heater hoses. I have been working on whatever I can. The weather has been really crappy the last couple of weekends, but I have been doing work on the smaller items that I can do inside the garage where it's a whole lot warmer. The "To-Do" list is getting smaller!

Still need to route the taillight wiring, finish up the underdash wiring, finish the mods on the radiator shroud, make positive and negative battery cables, make the spark plug wires, install u-joints in the rear driveshaft, ........ok, I'll stop there. Still a lot to do, but it's a culmination of a lot of small jobs. Unfortunately, they are the ones that cost the most money and aren't fun.

[rusty76]

We'll be ready and waiting on you.!

[jonzcustomshop]

wow! just went through this whole thread, read/skimmed about a 1/4 of it, gonna have to check back a few times, lots of great tricks!

[rusty76]

One of the best for sure...!

[the hippie mechanic]

Subscribed! Can't wait to see some progress pictures!

[Low Elco]

Alex.... are you out there?

[chevyrestoguy]

I am! I've been working some insane hours for the past 3 months, but I'm working on the '64 as much as I can. I've got a LOT of stuff done, and I'll post up pictures soon.

I need an upper radiator bracket for a V8 radiator. Anybody got one they want to sell? It doesn't need to be pristine, I need to use it for parts.

[rusty76]

Glad to see you are still gettin at it. Can't wait on pics.

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

I am! I've been working some insane hours for the past 3 months, but I'm working on the '64 as much as I can. I've got a LOT of stuff done, and I'll post up pictures soon.

I need an upper radiator bracket for a V8 radiator. Anybody got one they want to sell? It doesn't need to be pristine, I need to use it for parts.

I bet Clem on here or Bomp does
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[Low Elco]

Good to hear from ya!
Posted via Mobile Device

[chevyrestoguy]

Been doing a lot of little jobs on the truck when I have the free time, and this weekend, I pulled the entire front suspension back apart for final installation and detailing. Everything on the front suspension is either new or rebuilt. I also built new brackets and mounted the trans cooler. It's big, kind of overkill, but it was an extra that I had laying around and I put it to use. It's mounted under the core support and tucked behind the bumper, so it's in the airstream but still protected. Also mounted the swaybar (1.25"). All the bushings are polyurethane throughout the suspension. It was a very productive weekend.

[Jason's '72]

Looks great, Alex!
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[likaroc13]

Good to see some new progress pics!

[rusty76]

Oooooooh an update. Thank you sir.

[chevyrestoguy]

This weekend's progress
The new aluminum radiator did not work with the upper bracket that I had previously modified for the original copper radiator, so I bought a used bracket from a member, Jonzcustomshop. I needed to gain an additional 3/8" in height, so the best way was to splice my original bracket and the one I got from Jon.



I will sandblast the part and do a little body filler on it, and it'll look like a factory piece when it's finished. I have spent a lot of time modifying every part on my truck to look like it came that way from the factory. .....and nothing has been left untouched.

I also cut and trimmed the radiator upper radiator rubber seal. It turned out really nice.


Still lots of little stuff to do!

[rusty76]

Thank you for the update. No matter how big or small!

[Palf70Step]

[Low Elco]

Oooh, pretty stuff! Thanks for the update. Aiming for October? (cough, cough)