Project "Second Chance" - Hot Rod 66' GMC

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I've always used high temp paint, which will hold up for a long time if the tube is prepped well. I prefer abrasive blasting. For the paint, having worked in the wood and pellet stove industry for many years, I use Stove Bright paint made by Forest Paint in Eugene. It comes in many colors too. They now have a primer as well.

Thanks Captain.

After it's all together I'll pull it, blast it and paint with your suggested route. I assume blasting with sand will be okay so long as I cap the sub ends prior?

[Cape Codder]

Hi, I'm new to your build thread but much impressed with what your doing with your truck. Lots of neat ideas and putting together something a little different. The fact that it is your old truck makes it even better. Hard to believe someone else had the truck that long without changing anything.

[Captainfab]

Yep, that should work just fine.

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Thanks Captain.

After it's all together I'll pull it, blast it and paint with your suggested route. I assume blasting with sand will be okay so long as I cap the sub ends prior?

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by Cape Codder

Hi, I'm new to your build thread but much impressed with what your doing with your truck. Lots of neat ideas and putting together something a little different. The fact that it is your old truck makes it even better. Hard to believe someone else had the truck that long without changing anything.

Thanks for the comment .

Funny enough after 7 years I bought it back for less than I sold it by about $500. So I guess he paid me to store it for me for awhile . . . and perhaps drive it occasionally.

[TJ's Chevy]

Looking nice!

[siggyfreud]

Thanks TJ!

[siggyfreud]

5/27/14 - Working that rear

Started on the rear today. I picked up a 12-bolt from a guy locally from a 69 suburban. Supposedly had a 3.73 with posi. Got it for $150 which I thought was great assuming it's a posi. Drums were seized to the shoes, so no way to rotate it on the spot, and no posi tag on there.

I opened it up to see what was inside, and to verify axle tooth count to ensure the conversion axles would match. Looks like a posi to me, though I'm not sure how to tell what gear ratio it has until I take the drums off all the way.



The plan is to clean it up, then take it to a guy locally to have new bearings and seals installed, along with the new conversion axles. Then I'll get it back and put on Capt Fabs disc conversion gear.

Next I'll position it under the frame, center it, set the angle, and tac in the leaf and shock mounts. Then I'll pull it, finish welding, paint the welded area, and install it.

Here are a few shows of me removing the old brackets. They were two inches too far in . . .





Forgot to take a photo, but all the brackets are off now.

Cheers all!

[Captainfab]

The tooth count is stamped on the outside edge of the ring gear. There will be the part number, a date code, then the gear tooth count. Then divide the two to find the gear ratio. IE: 41 11 = 3.73

And yes that is a posi.

[Cape Codder]

Looks like a good score on the rear end. A three pound hammer applied liberally to the drums should get them off. Personally I think disc rears are way overrated as the park brakes are usually weak and the rear only does thirty percent of the braking anyway. Just my opinion ,I like what your doing though.

[siggyfreud]

Thanks again Captain. I'll check it out and report back.

Cape, I was able to get one drum off, but man even beating the snot out of the other I cannot get it off. One shoe seems disengaged, but the other seems really tight to it. I don't disagree that drums in the rear would be sufficient, but after many years of having all drums I absolutely hate drum brakes, working on drum brakes, and the way they feel.

In addition, I plan on running some larger rims (18's most likely) and would rather see disc through them than drum.

Relative to the overall cost of the restore adding disc in the back is fairly minor.

[Ta2Don]

Nice score on the Posi...

Love following your build...

[siggyfreud]

6/13/14 - Rear end work

Hey all,

Been awhile. Been busy with work unfortunately.

I took the 12-bolt to a Diff shop in Portland with good reviews (Paden). I asked them to remove the drums, and inspect the diff, along with installing new bearings and seals. They called me a few days later and said that it appeared the ring and pinion was worn, as they weren't able to get the backlash (I think) set right. In any case, they said they had a lightly used set of the same ratio for $100, so I said go for it.

Got the diff back, and started cleaning off the grease. I had sandblasted right before dropping it off at the shop, mainly because I didn't want to unload it, paint it, and then reload it to take it in. I don't have a truck, so each run means I have to run to my dad's and borrow his.

De-greased:



Drying out:



Primed and painted:



Then I got to installed Captain Fab's D52 brackets. I had to check his thread to ensure I was putting them on correctly, but it was simple enough.





I didn't paint the diff cover, as I'm going to order an aluminum Moser cover from summit that provides the additional cap bolts to strengthen the rear more.

Next step is to get it under the truck with springs, set the angle, tack in the new perches, pull it out, and weld it up. From what I've read, the best approach is to weld as you would a body panel . . . little spots at a time, so as not the warp the tubing.

Then I'll also weld in the new shock mounts, get everything in, and then it will be time for wheels and tires!

Cheers all!

[markeb01]

Man that is a thing of beauty. I really enjoy well prepared major components. That's going to look great hanging under your truck.

[bj383ss]

Great Job. Those CaptainFab brackets look awesome. Can't wait to see it under the frame.

[Palf70Step]

Love your build.

[Captainfab]

Looks good!

[Zane M]

Things are coming along nicely!

[siggyfreud]

Thanks guys!

6/15/14 - Exhaust

Worked a bit more on the exhaust today. Got the passthroughs cut and welded pipe in:











Then I start fabbing up the driver side more. I think I'm going to put the flex pipe right after the frame hole, and then the muffler, but I'm still working it out in my mind. I'll keep enough space so the system can flex and not butt up against anything, but a lot of that flex should be absorbed by the flex pipes I'd imagine.





That's all for now!

[RANDY COX]

Wow just looked at your build everything is lookin Great.....I think it's awesome to get your truck back after you sold it....

[siggyfreud]

Thanks. It's actually still weird in that I sometimes forget it was ever gone. I'm just excited to get it fired up again . . . hopefully at some point.

[bj383ss]

Originally Posted by siggyfreud

Thanks. It's actually still weird in that I sometimes forget it was ever gone. I'm just excited to get it fired up again . . . hopefully at some point.

Keep putting along. You will be firing it up soon! Exhaust looks awesome!

[siggyfreud]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Keep putting along. You will be firing it up soon! Exhaust looks awesome!

Thanks buddy. I like what you're doin over in your build. Nice painting on all those components!

[Jeff La]

Coming along great. Love how the exhaust is coming out.

[siggyfreud]

6/18/2014 - More rear end work

Received the new diff cover today and installed it. Looks excellent IMO!

Here is the old vs. the new:



And here it is on the 12 bolt:



Then I started getting the leafs back into place:





I also received my shocks. Decided to go a little cheaper than planned so I could splurge a bit more when it came to wheels and tires time. Went with some KYB Mono Max shocks. The fronts came with new top studs, which at first I rolled my eyes as I had ordered those separately.

But after looking at the rear studs and how the threads are stripped, and how the diameter is smaller than the shock eye hole (which could cause some unnecessary noise, I decided to cut them off, and will open the hole and put in the 5/8th studs in the rear.



Lastly, I touched up the frame where I cut holes for the exhaust.

[Captainfab]

That cover does look good. A Moser rear cover is one of those items on a long list of must have's.

The way you have the shackles positioned, will the springs touch on the web part of the shackle when they are compressed? I can't really see in the pics how close they are.