48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by lower50's

I totally agree Doug. Connecting with other old truck lovers, helping, sharing. Everyone on this forum is so positive, love it.
Keep up the good work.

Lower, you are so right. We can connect around the world and help or encourage each other. Kees in the Netherlands, you in Canada, Marc in Michigan. All good.

Speaking of connecting, we need to keep those folks impacted by the fires around Fort McHenry in our thoughts and prayers. Members here have lost all possessions. Check out the general discussion area if you haven't.

Lots of yard work with the wife between rain storms so only had a little shop time Sunday afternoon. Finished the trans crossmember mount and moved to notching the crossmember the drive shaft would hit when aired out.

Rummaged through neighbors collection and swapped for some large diameter pipe.

[Advanced Design]

Marked out the cut for the pipe notch. And yes, my plasma cutter is in a little red wagon.

Cut out the notch, threw the drive shaft back in then raised raised the rear to the bump stops to check clearance.

[Advanced Design]

The notch worked, the plasma sliced like going through butter, the pipe section fit and the welder burned in wire very smooth. This was all a rarely achieved zen like state....hmm...

Next week end should be back on the exhaust.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

Nice work Doug I too find a rare occasion where all of my efforts go well and smooth but when they do they sure do work

I agree with your words on the fires my Fiancé has family from there who is directly impacted and are currently displaced and have no idea if their home is gone. It makes you think of how fragile and fleating a lot of our "prized possessions" for now all we can do is pray for wisdom of the men and woman fighting the fires and for rain and lots of it to stem the flames

[youngrodder]

The notch looks good Doug. Nice work....
Late Sunday was good for me to get in a little garage time as well..

Marc

[Coach529]

Great looking notch. It sure is fun when it all goes good.

[rkn463]

Hi AD,

I've been reading this thread for a week now since you posted on my c50 build. I wish I had your body working skills, you do great work! I've always loved this series of chevy truck and the burb is just that much more cool. Thanks for sharing your journey, your life and your faith with us.

-Richard

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by Valarius_Starchaser

Nice work Doug I too find a rare occasion where all of my efforts go well and smooth but when they do they sure do work

I agree with your words on the fires my Fiancé has family from there who is directly impacted and are currently displaced and have no idea if their home is gone. It makes you think of how fragile and fleating a lot of our "prized possessions" for now all we can do is pray for wisdom of the men and woman fighting the fires and for rain and lots of it to stem the flames

Thanks Val...sometimes it goes right. The fires in Canada are terrible with so many lives uprooted and changed for ever. Wish the rain we have been getting was there instead.

Originally Posted by youngrodder

The notch looks good Doug. Nice work....
Late Sunday was good for me to get in a little garage time as well..

Marc

Hey thanks Marc. You did real good work for late on a Sunday. I start running out of gas. Way back, a buddy and I would work on the race car all Friday night and head for the track in Frederick, MD to drag race on Saturday. That was 25 years ago though.

Originally Posted by Coach529

Great looking notch. It sure is fun when it all goes good.

Thank you Coach. When it was going smoothly I was thinking of your build and how the welding was going smoothly...then how the front suspension and one of the rear knuckles really fought you.

Originally Posted by rkn463

Hi AD,

I've been reading this thread for a week now since you posted on my c50 build. I wish I had your body working skills, you do great work! I've always loved this series of chevy truck and the burb is just that much more cool. Thanks for sharing your journey, your life and your faith with us.

-Richard

Richard, thank you for your kind words. And for hanging in there through this long journey of a build thread. You have some very creative ideas going with your build and I love that. And the Lord has worked in our lives in amazing ways. I give Him the glory.

Wife and I went to the shop for a bit this evening. I had to make sure the drive shaft really would clear the notch. Whew...

Then I stared at the frame and exhaust pieces for like a half hour thinking...some parts are slip fit, some butt weld, and it all needs fabricating together. How do I position the pieces to lay them out, measure for needed cuts and support for welding? Came up with an idea I will try next week end. If it works I will share it and if it doesn't we will pretend it didn't happen.

Yeah, I am overthinking this one...

[lower50's]

The notch looks good and strong enough for what it is. For the exhaust I would start at the front attach and tack weld as you move back. That is how I did mine, just make sure you can remove it before you weld to much in case you need to add a flange.

[Number98]

I have been slacking on this thread, I had to go back and read several pages and get caught up. Looking good AD!

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by lower50's

The notch looks good and strong enough for what it is. For the exhaust I would start at the front attach and tack weld as you move back. That is how I did mine, just make sure you can remove it before you weld to much in case you need to add a flange.

Thanks Lower, I think it will be strong enough for the loads it will have. Yep, planning to start at the front and work my way back with tack welds. I need to position the X pipe where it needs to be and work back to it. Then a very short run to mufflers and a 90 out to the flex pipe and running board outlets.

Originally Posted by Number98

I have been slacking on this thread, I had to go back and read several pages and get caught up. Looking good AD!

Hey 98 good to see you back. I've been enjoying Betty's updates and I ...for a second...thought I was on the wrong build when Nsane was posting pics. Imagine they will do a great job with the metal while you redo the engine.

My AADD was kicking in and I stopped to look at this one. No powertrain installed and has new paint and decent chrome for $3k. Retired new car dealer had a guy do paint and body. He wasn't happy with result so stopped the restoration. Thinking it is perfect for my next LS swap project.

[Advanced Design]

Great starting point for LS install...possibilities here. CFO green lighting the idea too.

[Advanced Design]

Until I crawled underneath...stupid Midwest road salt rusty truck...yeah it can be fixed and there is probably a bunch of ugly under the new paint. Pass.

[youngrodder]

I don't like the idea of you toying with the idea of picking up another project. if I'm going to finish 3rd on the Suburban build off it could really put my strong hold on 3rd place in jeopardy...

The notch looks like it worked out well...

Marc

[joedoh]

yeowch, I love the 67-8 front ends the best too.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

Definitely pass on the truck there's better opportunities out there Doug

[Iceburgh]

One thing is for sure my next project will not be a vehicle from the east or Midwest.
Southern and west cars are just head and shoulders better. The Burb was bad enough but the 56 is just getting old cutting and replacing metal. Not to mention $$$ on trim

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

I don't like the idea of you toying with the idea of picking up another project. if I'm going to finish 3rd on the Suburban build off it could really put my strong hold on 3rd place in jeopardy...

The notch looks like it worked out well...

Marc

That gave me a smile and chuckle! Truck could have been a good possible to have on deck after the Burb. I think the notch will work too. Kinda copied Old n slow.

Originally Posted by joedoh

yeowch, I love the 67-8 front ends the best too.

They do look good. Yeowch is right.

Originally Posted by Valarius_Starchaser

Definitely pass on the truck there's better opportunities out there Doug

For sure Val. Eventually the right something for the next build will fall in my lap. Knowing this retired dealer and his cars, I figured this one had to be rock solid before he spent money on paint...nope. Always pays to look.

Originally Posted by Iceburgh

One thing is for sure my next project will not be a vehicle from the east or Midwest.
Southern and west cars are just head and shoulders better. The Burb was bad enough but the 56 is just getting old cutting and replacing metal. Not to mention $$$ on trim

You and me both Iceburgh. My 48 truck was rock solid and was a pleasure to build. This Burb was decent though not perfect. Next one has gotta be nice. Something like this one...http://ls1tech.com/forums/conversion...onversion.html

I think I asked before, do you have a build thread going anywhere on your 56?

[RockinKees]

Notch came out good!

Shame you had to pass the C10, from the pictures it looked like a real nice truck.
Something you would find overhere, then you look underneath....

I think you guys have a lot of space to think about another project, while the other isn't finished yet
Wish I was in that position.....

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Notch came out good!

Shame you had to pass the C10, from the pictures it looked like a real nice truck.
Something you would find overhere, then you look underneath....

I think you guys have a lot of space to think about another project, while the other isn't finished yet
Wish I was in that position.....

Thanks Kees! We are fortunate to have a lot of space. That is one benefit of living in a rural area.


My exhaust platform idea worked...it's a start. Now to find fairly short mufflers to be able to make the 90 to the exhaust outlets in the running boards.

The pipe clamp shown in the picture came from Stronghands and it worked extremely well for holding the pipe sections being butt welded. Very well made quality clamp for like $38 from Amazon.

[Advanced Design]

My TIG welding skills are not there yet to be able to tack weld the butt connections. Without going into details, it was pretty much a Three Stooges episode. I was laughing at myself.

So I resorted to the MIG for the tacking needed. That worked!

Now, to put in about 100 hours practice with the TIG...it is always rewarding to learn a new skill.

[99 to Life]

looks killer, great jig you made. I bet you could make a set of those clamps rather easily.

[Valarius_Starchaser]

Originally Posted by 99 to Life

I bet you could make a set of those clamps rather easily.

I was just thinking that any chance we could get a closeup of them? they appear to have some sort of roller maybe?

For $38 though I don't think its worth converting a $32 pair that one would already have to make them unless you could make it more of an attachment

[youngrodder]

Looks great Doug.....I could have sworn I saw these photos before??? Must just be me.

Nice pipe hanger/support set up.

Marc

[Advanced Design]

Thanks guys. Yeah 99, you could probably make a set though these are very smooth and stable. By far better than any clamp I have ever used.

Val has a good point and per his request here is a better pic.

Marc, you must have seen the preview!