Project: "Home Grown"

[creepdogg]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

using the term "BUDGET" on one of these truck is about as funny as people that use the term "INVESTED" when they are talking about a car they restored....unless it is something super rare and desirable they didnt INVEST anything !! when i started i thought surely i could do EVERYTHING i wanted for $15,000....well 8 years later and i am still about $7000 away from finishing...and i have spent ALOT more than $15,000 !!! ITS A LABOR OF LOVE !

Yeah I hear ya there, It will never truly be done, anything I own I am constantly changing and making better, personalizing etc etc etc. Here's a pic of my last labor of love that started funding this build

[67cheby]

Clean , good looking car !!

[oldman3]

I lived in the suburbs of Detroit for 30+ yrs, before moving back to Missouri, so I know what you mean about rusty parts. We all go thru a period of to much money and time, have to work thru it. The rewards after your done make it worthwhile....Jim

[heeroyue2002]

i cant tell, is that the grand prix or grand am.

[creepdogg]

Originally Posted by heeroyue2002

i cant tell, is that the grand prix or grand am.

Blasphemy! Its a GP, Grand Am's are for girls Also much much smaller.

[heeroyue2002]

haha i have an N body.

[creepdogg]

Originally Posted by heeroyue2002

haha i have an N body.

Grand prix is the W body "wide body" ;P

[creepdogg]

Got my latches & trunions all blasted and etched up, primed em last nite

[creepdogg]

Made some calls today for powder coating, I think my next move is to

- Take the bed and ft end off of this frame, toss it on the donor frame.
- Tear down the c notched frame and send it out for powder coating.
- Remove the cab off and start ripping the rocker panels and cab corner off Start welding up firewall.
- Send cab out to media blasting

Hopefully then the frame will be done, get it home, re assemble, start body work THEN OFF TO PAINT !!!!

[creepdogg]

I think I am changing my mind on the frame, I know the truck will be blue, I want to paint the frame rails themselves black. I am now thinking of doing bolt on pieces either a charcoal metallic or liquid silver. I need some opinions, I am worried silver will just be too damn bright, but it will look great with the blue truck.

Also the tubular crossmembers to the frame, should I do those black as well? Or make them stand out cux they look so kick ass? I will do the c notches in black like the frame.

My guy gave me a quote of about 550 - 650 to do all this, seems pretty fair ??

Lastly, any of you powdered a rear end housing? What are my concerns about a full tear down and reassy of that rear end? I already have to pull the axles out anyways.

[heeroyue2002]

oh that is one nice truck

[creepdogg]

Nice!

[creepdogg]

Ordered up some odd's & ends from LMC yesterday. Most important pieces are the bed stake pocket fillers, I know I could make my own but they where like 6 bux, its like a sore d**k you cant beat it !

[creepdogg]

Got a lead on a SUPER deal for these today

http://*************/-63-87-fullsize-...ontrol-arm-set

[creepdogg]

Looks like I'm going to pull the trigger on the thorebeck arms, price was so good I couldn't pass it up, I really wanted to go with the mild dropmember from Nate, but its just not in the budget, I could do many other things that are higher priority.

So, out with the new and in with newer! Meaning ft drop coils out and new SS7 bags and thorebeck arms in

Plans for this weekend

- Remove body from frame
- Tear down rear end for powder
- Take cab off donor chassis, I think I lined up a buyer locally for it.
- Start tearing down frame for powder

I need some info on one thing, the trans x member I got from Nate, how is it installed? Do I need my engine and trans in to mock it up to drill holes?

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Good looking build keep up the good work I dont know how I missed it but im here now..

[creepdogg]

Well, just about finished the tear down on the truck this weekend with the exception of the Rt & Lt A Arm assy's, and the rear end. Had the little man on the scene, doing work !

[creepdogg]

Both frame rails are completely separated from each other now, ready to be repaired in a few areas before heading to powder coat. Crazy thing, I take it apart, i put it together, I take it apart again, I put it together, I take it apart! See a pattern here friggin nuts!!

[creepdogg]

So, I now have some schnazzy a arms to sell with all new cross shafts and ball joints, my new thorebecks should be here by the end of the week. I cant wait!

Ran into a major minor issue with the rear end tear down today. See the pic, looks like at some point in time the rear pinion must have came lose from the rear end yoke and started hitting the rear diff assy.

Other MAJOR problem, I cant get the damn pin out to release the axles, we removed the bolt, hit it with a hammer, a bigger hammer, then an air hammer, this thing is wasted, looks like it has spun and worn out on both ends, even though the bolt was in there to keep that from happening, only solution we have come up with is to torch it out, solidifying that I need a new rear end

So looks like I need a new rear end, how do I identify what gears this thing has? I took a pic of the info on the diff, someone know?

[creepdogg]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

Good looking build keep up the good work I dont know how I missed it but im here now..

Tks

[c10seconds]

looks like a 3.73 gear
41÷11
Posted via Mobile Device

[creepdogg]

Originally Posted by c10seconds

looks like a 3.73 gear
41÷11
Posted via Mobile Device

Roger that, I'm on the hunt for a diff assy now.

[creepdogg]

Had someone come out today to take a look at my donor trucks frame, its as good as sold! YAY, now just need to off the brand new ft coils, and my front control arms.

Spoke with Nate yesterday and my tubular trailing arms are supposed to ship this week, my thorebeck arms will be here on thursday.

Got some quotes on powder coating ranging from 450 all the way past 1000. Pretty sure I lined someone up about 45 minutes from here though So parts are off to powder likely beginning of next week.

[hgs_notes]

Why not just buy the posi carrier?

[creepdogg]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Why not just buy the posi carrier?

I don't know anyone with one, do you? I don't feel like spending a bunch of money on one either if I don't have to.