Project: Crew'd Attitude

[Devillusion]

Originally Posted by Towstrap

nice looking truck how mach time you got into that dash

More than it's probaby worth...lmfao!

I started the truck about a year ago, and have been working on it off and on...so not really sure to be honest. But it has been a fair bit of work, especially when I seem to be so damn picky. I could have left the body as it was for the way I plan to make it look, but wanted to preserve what I had so that it would last.

[Devillusion]

Okay, finally said "F" it and sat down this weekend and put down some ideas on paper so to speak. This is what I come up with thus far....

[mrhino]

Very cool!

[mooseknuckles]

awesome rendering!.....I like it!

[Devillusion]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckles

awesome rendering!.....I like it!

Nowhere as good as the ones you pay for, but should do the trick I guess. For an amateur....lol.

thanks..


Hoping to get the axle out, grind off the old perches, set the pinion angle, weld on the new ones, and finish up reinstalling the cables and brake lines.




What did everyone else do about the ebrake cables after shortening? Is there a part number? What did you do Joe, or has anyone even bothered to hook it up?

[joe231]

Nice!!

I dig it!!
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[Devillusion]

Anyone have any input on finding a shorter ebrake cable after the short box conversion? Have any of you used a half ton spring in place of the one tons? Did it lower it, better ride?

Any help is appreciated...

[rs72z]

Don't hold me to this but I think the half ton springs are shorter. I haven't done anything with my brake yet.
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[Devillusion]

Anyone have a rocker measurement on their half ton conversion? Would like to know if it is going to be beneficial to swap to stock half ton, or to cut a ring or just leave the tons in it.

[Devillusion]

Considering these wheels......also think I am reverting back to a tan interior. Think it will look more a less period correct and hope to give the seats a worn/patina look as well. Spoke to a buddy of mine who pulls lines with an old school talent. Will add some browns and white and blacks to the dash (that will be crazy) and to a few spots like the hood etc.

Wish I had of ordered tan carpet now instead of grey...and black...lol. Will use the grey in the 4x4 version at a later date. But black will get sold I guess.

The wheels will get brushed with whatever grit works to give the worn/aged look. And might look at putting some GM centercaps on them....we'll see I guess.

Headed out to the shop again this afternoon for a bit, got the axle flip all put away to bed, original perches removed, new ones installed, chassis paint (3 coats) on the differential/drums/and frame. New brake lines to be plumbed tonight I hope, and finish up the rear except for the bolt in notch that I still have to order up. Any suggestions on place to buy from??? Singel wheels are on (factory steelies...looks funny). Frame inside plates made, and bolted in place with grade 8 NF bolts and stove lock nuts to be extra sure. Only had one cab mount give me issues when I had to remove it for the plates....so cut a section in the floor to stabilize the dreaded cab mount nut in place. Figured it was going to happen...

Let me know what you think? I'm starting to lean towards this rendering just because the smoothies are getting played out....not here locally at all, but in general. We'll see what the options are when time comes to that point.


...off to work I go!

[joe231]

I like those wheels, but I think white or creme color smoothies would be better.
Have you thought about a white front bumper with some slight rust showing through on the top?
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[Devillusion]

Originally Posted by joe231

I like those wheels, but I think white or creme color smoothies would be better.
Have you thought about a white front bumper with some slight rust showing through on the top?
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The only issue I can see as of right now Joe is that the rear cab and chassis (narrow) dually rear differential has large/long rear hubs in which with the smoothie wheels I don't know if I can make things work, and I really want to keep this girl a one ton if at all possible. And don't want to have to pay to narrow a single rear wheel 14 bolt. Though eventually that may happen, just wanted to avoid that for right now. This differential is only 63" WMS to WMS and would provide substantial clearance for at least a 10" wide wheel, even with a nice offset for some nice hot rod lip. In which the other Centerlines will provide a hot rod appearance, kind of towards a slight look of the old Hildabrand wheels of the 50s/60s era and center cap "should" provide coverage for the hub. I'd love to do the smoothies, but not sure if I can make them look proper without alot of headaches.

...nothing ordered yet, so we'll have to see. Alot of work to do yet.

As for the bumper, ya my plan is to find a rear bumper from a 69' Camaro, or a front bumper from a 68', and stretch it, shave the bumper bolts, and put a roll pan on the front possibly with some driving lights in the pan (kind of like the 69 Camaro's. Thought I had found a few sets, but they were all fronts from a 69' and curl up at the ends. Need something narrow that will just come around the corners at the same plain as the front section. Still working on finding other candidates with something that will work, or I will start trimming and sectioning the factory bumper....THAT aught to be fun

[crewcabshorty]

inline tube makes custom length e brake cables .

[Devillusion]

Originally Posted by crewcabshorty

inline tube makes custom length e brake cables .

Sweet, thanks! Have you used them before? or?

[joe231]

I wonder how the latest wheels would look white or creme colored?

Bumper sounds cool!
Chrome or painted?
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[Devillusion]

Originally Posted by joe231

I wonder how the latest wheels would look white or creme colored?

Bumper sounds cool!
Chrome or painted?
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Thinking the slotted wheels wouldn't pull off a paint color....just my thinking though. Being that it will be staying 8 lug, my viable options are somewhat limited to what will look right and work at the same time. Don't want to just toss on anything...

The bumpers will mor than likely be painted either white or silver with some rust break through here and there to tie in with the body.

[1tonchevy]

very nice! what are the seats from? a Chrysler? why do ppl always paint beautiful orange trucks ugly colors? (not directed at you directed at the guy who painted it white)

[FrankieD]

Originally Posted by 1tonchevy

very nice! what are the seats from? a Chrysler? why do ppl always paint beautiful orange trucks ugly colors? (not directed at you directed at the guy who painted it white)

Probably didn't want to look like part of the highway dept

[Devillusion]

Originally Posted by 1tonchevy

very nice! what are the seats from? a Chrysler? why do ppl always paint beautiful orange trucks ugly colors? (not directed at you directed at the guy who painted it white)

Seats are out of a 2000 Chrysler Concorde, power, leather, heated, memory....all the goodies. And they are damn close to being a bolt in set. Used the factory Chrysler rails, tweaked them and just made a couple brackets. Work excellent in my opinion. Going to use them in my other crew project as well.

Not sure on the color change, but the company that bought it from CN rail had all the work trucks painted white. I'm not a big fan of the CN orange/yellow. Bit gaudy to me..but everyone to their own.

[1tonchevy]

Originally Posted by Devillusion

Seats are out of a 2000 Chrysler Concorde, power, leather, heated, memory....all the goodies. And they are damn close to being a bolt in set. Used the factory Chrysler rails, tweaked them and just made a couple brackets. Work excellent in my opinion. Going to use them in my other crew project as well.

Not sure on the color change, but the company that bought it from CN rail had all the work trucks painted white. I'm not a big fan of the CN orange/yellow. Bit gaudy to me..but everyone to their own.

call me crazy but i love the orange that's the color my truck will be when im done.

none the less love what your doing to your project looks good!

[Devillusion]

Well, got the axle flip completed, new perches welded on, old ones off, new U bolts, knocked off half the spring pack and left 7 leaves per pack, single wheels on, inner frame plates on and bolted (what a pain), rear frame is painted with chassis paint (3 coats)........then moved on to the front to do the SRW swap, got the rotors off then realized that my donor rotors were pretty much toast. CRAP! So went to order some....my cost at NAPA was $147/rotor, Piston Ring was $130/rotor, and GM was....get this....$900/rotor!!!!!! I kid you not! I had to ask 3 times if that was right...and the parts guy swears that this was the price. I think I pee'd a little when I heard that...I burst out laughing in his ear.

But...on a lighter note, got the AIMCO part number from Piston Ring and looked them up on Rock Auto. Ended up getting a set that they were blowing out (last 2 in stock) for $34.92 each. WHOO HOO! So ordered up 2 of those, some new HD brake pads and with shipping only came to $127.33 TOTAL!!!!

Made me very happy....haahaha.

Tonight ordered up the new carpet (again!) due to deciding on the tan/saddle colored interior. I initially ordered up the grey carpet, and one of the trucks I picked up had brand new black carpet. I'll use the grey carpet on the 4x4 crew/short I plan to build later on and just sell the black stuff I guess. Also ordered up some new door strikers as I noticed mine were pretty worn.

Plumbed new rear hard lines for the brakes as the old ones were pretty brittle and rusted. Just bought the ones with the factory rock guards and bent as needed. Worked out well.

Should have my rebuilt hinges back this coming week, and got a text from my buddy tonight as well that my driveshaft is ready to rock. Shortened it 15" as the tolerances were pretty close when stock and felt the additional inch would be a good direction to go to rectify it. Cost....$52.00!! Was glad to hear that one as well. Now just have to get some new joints and we're golden. Back end is all back together after that and fully functional again. One less thing on my to do list.

...pictures to ensue this weekend.

Plan to tear into the front end again this weekend and get some things painted up, and shorten the front coils another 1/2 coil to drop another inch or so. Hoping that will be enough...I think I took off a 1/2 coil before..going to have to go back on my own thread to be sure...ahhahaha.

[Devillusion]

Single rollers back on till the 10" wides arrive


Frame plates in place and bolted together with grade 8 NF bolts and stove locks



New brake lines plumbed as the old ones pretty much shattered when I bumped them. Figured might as well replace it all.


Starting to swap the front end, but realized my donor rotors were pretty much fubar'd, so ordered some new rotors/hubs and pads yesterday.


Driveshaft shortened 15"s

....also ordered up new door strike pins, and tan carpet today from LMC. Decided to do the tan interior in the end. Wanted to do the lipstick red, but the wife wasn't feeling it and it was just a deciding factor. I think the tan should work with what we have planned. Will work the colors into the signage and pin stipping when all is said and done. Spent the evening sand blasting buckets of bolts so that I can get them all painted and they will be good and dry when put to use. Meticulous but makes a big difference during assembly and the final look.

[Devillusion]

Managed to make some progress this weekend...fenders on, box in place, rear driveshaft installed, and pushed it outside to get some better pictures.

...don't mind the farm fresh rims/tires, though they really kill the looks of the truck don't they...wow! hahahaha....

[Devillusion]

Well to my dismay, after looking at the dash a bit closer there was some small dust particles that just were....well, irritating the hell out of me. So the dash got sanded down, and problem areas repaired, then sprayed AGAIN. Only problem was that my HVLP gun decided to have a temper tantrum, and screw up the second shot at a good looking dash......GRRRRRR! Had runs everywhere. So, you guessed it...........sanded down once again to prep for the final shot at doing a good job of the dash. This thing was NOT going to beat me a 3rd time round. As you can see below the dash turned out near percfect, and this time I added a bit more flattening agent.....which I like alot better. So that being said, the dash is complete to this stage and I can actually start putting some things together for a change. Will be a nice change of pace for a bit. Then the outer shell is going to get some PPG Delfleet as well.






Decided to make my own column shifter delete as trying to find one out of a factory truck is near impossible, and I'll be damned if I'm going to spend a grand on a chrome one. Nothing some epoxy resin, some filler, primer and paint won't take care of.

[Devillusion]

Some progress...........dash is painted, mixed up my own paint color to match the factory replacement carpet.