Project: Recycle

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by watahyahknow

the reason hot rod garage did it was because the front and rear suspension from a crown vic was a lot better than the original 60s suspension . it had rack and pinion steering , it had the gearbox (forgot if it was a gearbox or automatic on the show) with the overdrive gear in it and the engine was stronger / better / more fuelefficient too

They do that to older Ford trucks because the Ford front suspension was CRAP! They used a twin i-beam design. The Crown Vic swap changes it from the twin i-beam to a control arm setup very much like the GM trucks had from the factory. So the Ford guys do that swap to get to the same point the GM trucks had when new (with obvious exception of the rack).

You can also buy kits that allow you to install a rack and pinion steering to the old GM trucks. No need for a full swap to do that.

[aggie91]

Progress looks good Scoti. Don't forget I would be interested in that extra LWB frame if you don't need or want it...

Looks like you could make it to C10's in the Park if you keep making progress like this...

[SCOTI]

Bumping this one back up. Took some time off from this thing while researching plans/options. Measurements indicate my factory 12-bolt will be too wide w/my current wheel set-up & the narrower 9" I have will be too narrow. Been investigating possible wheel choices to allow using the 9". I know exactly what I want but it's hard to pull the trigger when that money can be used toward the big picture (never know when I'm going to come across that future gearhead optioned home within my budget so I have to always be ready).

So, I turned my focus to other items. I have everything set-up for bags on this thing but really have been leaning toward changing to coil-overs. Since my rear shock set-up utilizes the G-body (Monte Carlo SS) shock arrangement, that was pretty easy to solve. The front set-up is an early version of PB's Dropmember. I spoke w/PB & they don't make an upper C/O mount for my 'older' version. Of course I could update to a newer unit that is C/O ready but I'm not spending the $$ over again. I built the rear suspension set-up so I'm pretty sure I can fab a new C/O friendly upper mount for my older Dropmember. I need to reach out to Ride Tech about shock lengths/spring rates that will work for my set-up & use that info as I design the mounts so I can optimize the shock travel (I want the longest travel possible).

Beyond that, I finished up the cab floor mods. With the cab now on the new chassis I could verify clearances. Everything cleared as hoped but the bellhousing was too close for my comfort level. The 2pc high hump cover allowed minimal gap @ the bell housing on the 700r4 (I couldn't slide my finger-tip through). I decided make the 2pc set-up a 1pc unit & remove the flange area where the clearance was the tightest. Then I needed to finish out the area cut out for the T/A x-member hoop extension (I'm running a 1pc drive shaft so clearance was necessary). I decided to flange the sheet metal cover & bolt it in like the 'high-hump' bellhousing cover vs welding it to the floor.....

[SCOTI]

Now I need to rearrange things & get rid of some stuff in the shop (2nd SWB bed + 2 extra white tailgates for my 99). I need to make room for pulling the cab back off & welding up the notched cab support underneath.

[watahyahknow]

maibe mount the 9 inch with a set of spacers for now and have the 12 bolt shortened

[lolife99]

Everything looks good!
Glad to see you back on this cool truck.

[jhrusk]

Nice

[northern 85]

Looking forward to seeing this one!!!

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by lolife99

Everything looks good!
Glad to see you back on this cool truck.

X2!

[aggie91]

Finally! Glad to see you back on this one. I might know someone that could use that extra bed and the extra LWB frame if you still have it too...

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Finally! Glad to see you back on this one. I might know someone that could use that extra bed and the extra LWB frame if you still have it too...

OE SWB truck......
No extra bed. SWB frame.

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

OE SWB truck......
No extra bed. SWB frame.

Even better for the frame...LMK

[SCOTI]

Blowing the dust off....

No progress on the decision about swapping to C/O's. I mulled it over but haven't decided so I moved to other things on the list.

I was going to get Precision Rubber to do the rebuilds on my vent windows a while back but they stopped offering the service. Then, they started up again. By the time they did this, my $$ was allocated elsewhere. I'll just do them in-house over the holidays @ this point.

Lately, my time has been spent focusing on the bed layout so I can finish the SS exhaust & bed floor. Since my drop method was done via 'backyard-engineering', it took some thinking to figure out the floor & bed mounting. The dimensions for relocating the mounting points were easy. It was the mounting methods (bed structure as a whole assembly & bed floor/tubs) that took some thought.

My rear wheels will be @ least 10" wide so I require stretched tubs for clearance (the current old-school set-up is ~13" wide w/no weight on the wheel/tire). Add in the fact that the bedside 'crease' (the bold, recessed bodyline on these trucks) is the top of the tire height @ ride height so the tires/wheels need to be tucked w/o being excessive & still clear during travel. My OE tubs are fairly beat up so I looked on C-list for alternatives & then to the WWW for re-pops.

Like my Dually, I decided there needed to be some sort of compromise as this truck was not planned to ever be anything more than a cool driver. I adjusted my plans to keep things simpler & have moved forward. I bought aftermarket widened tubs & will roll w/them. I also purchased wood locally since I need to tweak the layout for my needs there as well.

The vent assembly's staged for some finish prep, epoxy, satin black color & the stretched aftermarket tubs......

[SCOTI]

The floor cross-sills have been mocked-up to define clearances of frame & exhaust. All as planned there. Since I was originally planning on a steel floor (remember... this project is full of recycled parts from other projects), I had to change a couple things because of the wood floor. After thinking through the adjustments, I'm moving along.

My plan is a modified version of an OE 'look'. I'm doing a GMC look for the inside of the bed vs. how Chevy did them. It keeps the floor & tubs easier & relatively worry-free vs. higher end choices. This is how Chevy did them:

[SCOTI]

And...... GMC:

[SCOTI]

I'll go w/the GMC scheme for simplicity, costs, & ease of upkeep.

Here is the cross-sill layout while checking clearances & verifying one of the mount location changes required because of the frame Z & raised floor.....

[SCOTI]

The floor 'assembly' will now mount above the bedside flange vs. how it was from GM (cross-sills & wood below the flange). I'm building front & rear 'sub-frames' for the inner bedsides that will add more structure & put the cross-sills @ the required height to align the bed to the rest of the body.

The sub-frames are started & I'm in the process of finishing them up now. I changed some things for better visual alignment & those I've shown liked the layout. We'll see....
The cross-sills are 6" higher than OE. The floor is 7" higher.

I borrowed a table saw to play w/some wood for the floor & have some offers to assist there as well from others w/more experience (I'm not a wood worker). Should have more progress pics after the holidays.

[likaroc13]

Glad to see you back at it!

[aggie91]

Scotti, Glad to see you back on this project. I guess I am not seeing the difference between Chevy and GMC beds in the pictures, you might have to explain it to me sometime...

[SkinnyG]

Is the difference the tub colour?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Scotti, Glad to see you back on this project. I guess I am not seeing the difference between Chevy and GMC beds in the pictures, you might have to explain it to me sometime...

Originally Posted by SkinnyG

Is the difference the tub colour?

From some researching.... GM did the beds differently. GMC's apparently got the floors/tubs done (assembled & painted) separately & then bolted into the bed structure. Chevys were assembled w/the floor painted then masked off while the body & tubs were sprayed.

GMC's had black floors/tubs.
Chevy's had black floors & body colored tubs.

I'm not going to try & re-create the patina of the inside of the bed. It's will be black paint on everything new (tubs, strips, & wood).

[aggie91]

I see now. I was looking for some type of structural difference, not paint colors...

[SCOTI]

I've been working & trying to make progress. Seems there's not much to 'show' vs. the effort & time

It was only temporary, but it's progress regardless. The bed dropped over & onto the rails w/o issue. It allowed me to get the rear bed positioning validated 100% as well as verify there were no unforeseen issues. The body lines looked good & clearances under the cross-sills looked right. I have a couple of tweaks to make that I was expecting so all in all I'm happy. Special 'Thanks' to my good friend Jeremie & his boys (No.1 & No.2) for their company & assistance! It's good to have great people in your life!

The truck is mocked up @ ride height in the pics (4.5" @ the front cab mount; 5" @ the rear cab mount; hub C/L @ approx. 15"):

[n2billet]

Nice work Scoti!

[aggie91]

Progress is progress, no mater how much.