1970 cst lwb project "Cheap Build"

[Hottrucks]

Well today it hit the road for the first time..I drove it to the exhaust shop on just the headers...its only about a mile but it fought me the hole way!!! we got the new exhaust up between the frame rails I need to move a few small things like some wires and raise the fuel line but its quieter than the old 283 and I reused the same mufflers??? go figure??
Once it was quited down you could hear a bad skip that was worring me pretty good but I got it back home reset the timing and put the plug wires on in the correct order??:duh: it fired right back up..found out the vacum leak on the booster I bought was way worse than I thought so I'm back on maunal for now....once running I heard a tick coming from what I thought was a Valve so I popped the valve cover (DS and I didn't have to remove the power brake booster either)fired it up and painted the bay with oil which pissed me off since it was just painted??? come to find out that the oil dip stick was hitting he crank..whick I was warned about when I had to swap holes on the block for the rear sump oil pan!!

The two short trips I took I tried to go easy but man this thing is GREAT!! gobs of power..and yes it will roll the pro street up pretty easy....I'm going to take her to dinner tonight pick up some fresh oil and do a hot drain tomorrow...also this block sat around awhile so I have flushed the rad 3 times already and it keeps coming out full of rust colored water..I'm going to keep doing till I feel its all out then back flush the system and give her some decent rad fluid...on that note temps seem to be fine with the 3 core rad a flex fan and a stock shrowd cut down about 1 1/2" shorter to clear the A/C and PS pully

I hope that you guys following along are getting a kick out of it and all this helps someone some day...on a scale of 1-10 I would call this a 8.5 if you do it yourself but only a 7.5 if you have help..its 90% bolt in and drilling a few new holes..I think a front suspention swap is about the same work

[VA72C10]

glad it's up and running. Get it all ironed out and then we expect some burnout vids

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

glad it's up and running. Get it all ironed out and then we expect some burnout vids

Thanx I couldn't have done it wth out this board and help from the caddy board guys......this truck has gone tough alot since the 1st post last year..Hows your projectS coming

On the other note I hope to get it to the track for a little testing

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

Thanx I couldn't have done it wth out this board and help from the caddy board guys......this truck has gone tough alot since the 1st post last year..Hows your projectS coming

On the other note I hope to get it to the track for a little testing

have you checked out my "finishing touches" build recently? It's painted and I'm assembling now...

keep the slips so you can post them here...

[bigguy69]

man that is awesome!!!

[The_BullDog]

nice build. i got a 472 gettin ready to move into my 82. any advice for the switch?

[Hottrucks]

do your home work!!!

what I did was took out the 283 and kept the TH350 for a guide, the pins will line up but not the bolts..( pull the clip too!!) once you have the motor pushed tight to the trans adjust your mounts ( Be sure to mark center on the front X under the fan before you pull the old engine this will help a ton on linEig things up) Once you have your mounts in tack weld or get a good bolt in them....remove the caddy and th350 and drill and bolt your new frame mounts where they need to be and trim them for steering clearance ( at this point I power washed and painted) then put the th400 for the caddy in I pushed the trans mount back but your linkage will be a good guide.....I put a floor jack under the trans and then put the caddy back in once on the new mounts adjust the trans and get it bolted up..( your carb/trans linkage and trans lines will still work without mod ) move the x member under the trany and finish bolting it up too...

When you get ready I'll give you my # and if you have an issue you can call me..but for the most part its pretty straight forward..the key was using the TH350 as a guide....

[averagejimmie]

Great project. I'd appreciate hearing more on the front spoiler from the '99 F truck. Is that possible? - averagejimmie

[Hottrucks]

Apparently I need to do as post or 2 about this Air Dam thing....so here goes

the air dam was laying around off my diesal F truck...it's really a pretty easy,its about 2 3/4" long on each end so I just trimmed and sanded the edge to give it a nice shape to follow the wheel opening..I drilled a couple holes oin the front bumper supports ( it might be the frame I would have to look) and then a hole in the bottom of each fender pocket....Ummm Ohhh...if you drink a few beers you can make it into a bigger project than it is I think I have and Hour in it

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

Well in a few I'm heading off to go play with the forein jobs...yep taking my truck to a low show you know the ones with about a million jap cars with fart cans...I'm thinking I need to take about 10 feet of chain and if anyone gives me poop I'll hook it to there rad support and show them the differance between 2 point nothing liters and 8.2....should be funny to see my truck there with all the compacts running 18's all I have to say is I thought you ment wide not tall!!!

I'll take some pics..like a bull in a China shop....lol

Chalk one up for the Us Ole School Guys......I ended up winning best under constuction.....and measured up a 7.5" to the door bottom the best car was 5" and the S10's with a big hole in the bed got 6"....I figure the 2 1/2" drop spindles and my 235/60/15's ( instead of the 31x18x15's) so that my truck will lay into the C notch should get me close....I didn't take any pics but when they get posted on Facebook I'll copy a few!!!

[Hottrucks]

Also I did myself bad on the rockers I was checking oil flow though the push rod tubs aparently when I was puting it back 1 must have got cought on the valley instead of going on top of the lifter and pushed a valve into the piston ( I never started it..it just felt funny going together) now the old girl has a skip from that hole......

Ok the good news I scored another engine ( should be here tomorrow) I'm going to power wash it grab the rattle gun and the heads will be off in 15 min..I plan to go inspect them give them a quick lapping and clean up the bowls a bit should free up a ponie or two put a set of guide seals on and new lifters then swap them out!! I need the truck for a show this saturday so I better get going!

[eightbanger]

Congrats on the swap Jeff, as I said before "your an inspiration" a job well done mate and all the more satisfying as you did it yourself.

Can you do a little vid of her running?? that would be cool.

[ripdog28]

Dang, just when your feeling good that happens... Well now you have two engines, id take the other heads and get them ported while the new one is in.

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by ripdog28

Dang, just when your feeling good that happens... Well now you have two engines, id take the other heads and get them ported while the new one is in.

you read my mind!!! I'm going clean up the bowls and runners clean up the intake and gasket match everything....

problem is that head gaskets are $157 plus $30 for the intake and $5 a lifter...thats $260 I dont have!! reg is due on all my vech and since I can find a job to save my F'n life all of this may have to wait on top of that my F truck the A/C condenser in the dash is leaking for a total of $285........I'm going to put my old motor on craigslist to see if I can free up some $$$ to get something running???.....Oh and I can post pics or vids because my lap top Sheet out and I may as well chisel my posts in stone for as long as this thing takes to post

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

I may as well chisel my posts in stone for as long as this thing takes to post

.....A stone mason as well huh!

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by eightbanger

.....A stone mason as well huh!

Hey Eight have you seen my body work????

[Hottrucks]

Ok the old girl is back together and has good oil on top!!! YEA!!! I think the old lifters just wheren't getting it done....came in to chcek mail and wash up then I'm going to take her to do some running around...another 75 miles!!! Next project is Bigger fule lines!! then I'll be able to give her a work out

[ripdog28]

Glad to hear it...

[Hottrucks]

thanx I'm not saying its better but I'm going to rotate my rear tires????? I need a posi??

[eightbanger]

You got a posi lined up mate?.....or just saying it's on the wish list?

[Hottrucks]

Its on the wish list?? if I don't come up with something it will get a Lincion locker!!

[eightbanger]

All i've heard is horror stories about those, you'll be entering a world of hurt with broken welds & busted drivelines. What about a spool?

Your not going to try this type of L.L...

[Hottrucks]

we'll see I need to swap out the 3:73's for the more BB freindly 3:08's anyway...now that I feel more comfy about the engine i want to make a couple pass's and get some #'s I'm sure that the 3:08's will give me better all around use of the truck and the amount of torque is ungodly anyway......eventually I plan to make it a bottle baby!! It's just tough building a bad Azz street truck driving it everyday as a TRUCK and only using left over parts bought with spare change.....so far I'm very happy with $$$$ vs results if you stop to figure out the out of pocket expence you'll see that I'm sticking to my LOWBGT build..now if I had to figure in labor......I don't even want to know!! but since its more of a hobby that keeps me out of trouble and my hands and mind busy its all worth it!!

[VA72C10]

glad it's getting better oil and you're enjoying it again. Keep at it!

[eightbanger]

Talk about ungodly torque mine has 4.11's with the BB, I'd love to rework mine in favour of highway driving but unlike yourself I haven't the resources here in the U.K to find rear ends and the like, not to mention Engines. You've obviously got your ear to the ground as far as getting a hold of good serviceable parts for your build and at least from this end...as tough as it seems for you, you are achieving your goal, and like you say the labour don't come into it...it's for love not money. I may regret this, but what's a "bottle baby"? not familiar with that term.