53 3100 - complete rebuild and upgrade . . . .

[big_dan]

Originally Posted by dsraven

just looking at your tail lights and it reminded me of some I have seen with integrated back up lights. might interest you so less lights on the back but still fully functional.

https://www.grote.com/signal-lightin...rated-back-up/

good thinking on the engine lift. looks great.

Those are interesting for sure. I'm most likely going back to a stock location, though. Those mounted in the rear bed crossmember were from the last build of this truck in the 90's.

Dan

[big_dan]

Originally Posted by youngrodder

Dan

It always feels great to get back on a project after a break. Look n good..

Marc

You are correct, sir. Especially with all this ridiculousness going on currently. So, my response to this virus crap? Take a week or two vacation and lock myself in the shop one day, hit the bass lake the next, repeat.

Dan

[youngrodder]

Originally Posted by big_dan

You are correct, sir. Especially with all this ridiculousness going on currently. So, my response to this virus crap? Take a week or two vacation and lock myself in the shop one day, hit the bass lake the next, repeat.

Dan

I hear ya..I'm kinda of a home body so I don't mind being locked up at home. I have said when this started that is has made for some good garage time.

Stay safe and have fun with the garage/fishing

Marc

[slammed57]

looking great, nice frame work!!!

[dsraven]

a covid update
it seems there are a few thing we can do. like don't share stuff. some cases have come up where the shared utensils at work have passed along the virus. like when you have a meal together and everybody uses the same utensil to load the spaghetti on their plate. the utensil was handled by everybody so the germs are on the handle. same for the lunchroom table, phone receivers, computer terminals etc. anyway, something to think about.

[joedoh]

congrats on getting back to it!

[LOW A D]

Your truck looks great! I like your shop, I cant ever keep mine that clean!!!

[big_dan]

Thanks for the comments fellas.

Marking up the firewall for cutting and slowly digging parts out to get everything assembled for mockup.

Anyone have any input on the Vortech kits? Positives or negatives?

Thanks for looking -

Dan

[big_dan]

Still tinkering around on the 53. Im building this truck to handle, so my goal is to set the engine/ trans as far back as I can. Initial mockup showed that the truck oil pan was way too deep for ride height, so I picked up a Holley 302-1 pan kit for a few more inches clearance. Then a little firewall surgery . . . no turning back now! Thanks for looking -

Dan

[joedoh]

keep it up!


I am very interested where your motor ends up. I am helping a guy with a 52 MII and 6.2, and from what I can tell he is screwed. his motor is mounted low and forward, not out of necessity but out of laziness of the shop that did it, the exhaust manifolds want to occupy the space of the frame and for the life of me I cant see how a steering shaft would even begin to fit, even with 4 u joints and a heim. they used ford style outrigger mounts. I told him the motor needs to come up at least 2" and back another 1 or 2. we are trying camaro manifolds next week but I doubt it will help.

[dsraven]

Mr48, how about removing mounts etc from engine and suspend in the space. Use a broom handle or something for a steering shaft, with duct tape to hold together where joints would be, then block engine firmly where it needs to be. Fab new mounts from there. It's worked for me a few times. Manifolds and starter attached as well. For the the full meal deal.
You've been around the block, I'm sure you have your own methods. Lol.

[big_dan]

Slowly but surely . . . Home projects going on too so I grab an hour or two when I can. 4L60 is attached, starting roughing in drivetrain position. My goal is for the crank pulley to be at the front axle centerline, so we'll see if we can get there without getting too crowded in the cab. More later-

Dan

[big_dan]

More progress. Finished fabbing motor mounts, so that's another item off the list. The block portion are Scott's pieces, the frame portion mine, 1/4" mild, will be welded to the frame. Currently waiting on a poly mount for the 4L60 then I'll whip up a crossmember. Header fab, steering column, bed mounts, e.t.c after that. And for those that were curious on engine position, here's where we're ended up. Front of the crank pulley is behind the rack, where I wanted. I'd like it a little lower, but this gives about 6" from the oil pan to the ground. Set the angle at 2.5 degrees. Thanks for looking -

More later -

Dan

[mongocanfly]

I was gonna ask about the engine sitting so far back..I know itll be good for weight transfer, is there another reason.?....its all looking good..!

[e015475]

FWIW - I pushed my engine back about 3.5" into the firewall and put a 'doghouse' in the cab. I'm 6'3" and it didn't seem to take enough room out of the cab to matter any.

Here's the new firewall cleco'd in

The doghouse on the inside of the cab looks like this..


Your engine sits quite a bit lower than mine. I jacked my engine up to get the headers to fit better


A LS truck motor in an AD truck is a little bit of 10# in a 5# bag. In addition to moving the engine back, you can get another 1.5" or so in front of the engine with an accessory drive that uses the Corvette dampner. I've seen a few trucks that ditch the cross bracing on the radiator support and push the radiator into the support to gain another inch or so.

[big_dan]

Thanks for the input fellas. Yes, I've got the engine down and back a good bit, both to improve the handling and try to get the weight off the nose and to make room for possibly running a Vortech / centrifugal blower of some sort later. I'll probably warm the engine over a bit (cam, reworked heads, intake, headers) and get all the bugs worked out then add the blower after. The engine is low, yes, but the sump is 1" higher than the running board brackets so I should be ok.

More later -

Dan

[big_dan]

Continuing along during this Corona BS. Finishing up little tidbits around the shop so had a wire-biter buddy come over . . and . . now the Clausing mill is operational. I live 10 minutes from Lake Chickamauga, so plenty of bass chasing going on as well. On the 53, I pulled the cab after reinforcing it a bit to get my transmission crossmember fabbed up, then it's on to headers and firewall. More later -

Dan

[big_dan]

Taking my time working on my transmission crossmember the last few evenings. Here's a work-in-progress pic, and yes, it'll be removable. Nothing fancy, but I do enjoy this part. Moving along.

Thanks for looking -

Dan

[big_dan]

A little more crossmember work. Still have to get some slugs turned up and threaded to bolt it through the chassis, but one day at a time!

Making progress . . .

Thanks for looking.

Dan

[8man]

Cross member looks good.

[joedoh]

looks like a great stiffening crossmember! tall and beefy!

[oldman3]

Nice job...Jim

[big_dan]

Thanks fellas. I'll work on getting it bolted in the next few days then it's on to headers.

Dan

[big_dan]

Spent an afternoon playing around with ideas for bolting in my crossmember. Decided against just drilling holes in angle iron and went a different route. Turned and threaded up all my slugs to weld through the chassis also. More later -

Dan

[big_dan]

A little more progress on the trans xmember. Still a little rough but we'll refine it a bit later. Moving along -

Dan