72 SWB STEP "Army truck" Budget Build

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by hungarian1964

Love the Step Sides!!! Have you or anyone ever here of a company that sells Extended Step Side Fenders? Looking to put a little wider tire on my 68 and I need to replace my anyway.

Sorry, no
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[WIDESIDE72]

Here's a photo of the tach dash. There is a little cracking from aging on he bottom edge of the lense on the tach, where it reads "RPM X 100" but it is hardly noticeable. The tins and gauges were very nice. I think I got my money's worht for the $100 I gave for it. All of the gauges work too. All I had to do was clean it up, polish the plastic and install the new front surround. Nothing you haven't seen before...

[WIDESIDE72]

Yesterday I started trying to put the window regulators, vent windows and so forth in. UGH...

[WIDESIDE72]

I got the passenger side window in today, as well as the door lock. I don't have it hooked up yet, though. I also got the visor brackets painted and the driver door jamb vent, as well as the visor clips and dash vents installed (WOW, right?)

I ordered repro vent window assemblies as I was having trouble locating nice original vent assemblies to rebuild. I have several sets for sale in the parts forum as well as some tinted glass and other odds and ends to try and help finance Ruby.

[WIDESIDE72]

Oh, I almost forgot! I also polished and installed the glove box latch and primed and painted the dropped spindles I picked up from 70Flintstep. Sorry for lack of photos!

[WIDESIDE72]

I also picked up three (!) 15"x8.5" slot mags from 70flintstep. Now the adventure to locate one or two to match them. (There is no manufacturer name cast into them.) YOu can search my other threads to see photos of them. I haven't decided if I would run them on this truck or not. It would be cool to have three sets of wheels: the 15"x8" rallys in the photos, the 17" Impala SS wheels and a set of slot mags! Tires would be a little pricey for all three, though...

[WIDESIDE72]

I have been making slow progress.

I have gotten all of the window regulators and door glass in. Waiting on back ordered outer door handles.

I got the original Cheyenne door panels painted black

I had to pop for a set of inline tube repro rear axle brake lines as the old ones were junk. (The passenger side had been replaced and had a splice and the pass side was bent and kinked abeyond recognition.) I got those installed. I got the emergency brake cable attached.

I have a couple of cab wiring harnesses and I did some soldering and heat shrinking to any bad spots. I haven't decided if I will use them yet, as one is the original one out of the truck for idiot lights and the other is for gauges AND AC...I have another on the way from a board member that is for gauges and no AC.

[WIDESIDE72]

THis weekend I need to rebuild ANOTHER quadrajet as the last one got rained on (?) and start working on the brakes again. I have new front calipers and hoses to install but the body shop painted the old master cylinder body color without even knowing if it is any good.

I found one of the brake booster braces but the body shop lost the other one. I bought another one from a board member. ARGH!

I bought a set of front bumper brackets off ebay for $20. I need to clean and paint them.

I scored a stepside chrome rear bumper, brackets, tag pocket and light for $100 off craigslist for another truck.

[WIDESIDE72]

I did a few odds addends today. I got the flex fan swapped out for a factory clutch fan. I got the front light harness installed. I removed the power brake booster in order to install the rubber boot on the shaft that the body shop left off. I also had to drop the steering column in order to install the brake pushrod to the pedal. I also got the new tail light side marker and backup lenses installed. I am trying to decide what to do about a rear light harness. Mine is butchered up like most but a repro is $100 (!)

I have already had to buy new master cylinder to frame brake lines as the bodyshop lost those too. I have run into an issue with the line that goes into the rear of the prop valve. The hole in the valve is around 3/4 to 1"...I have another prop valve but it's a little different and it just has a 3/8" threaded hole that the brake line will thread in to. I wonder if the took the line out of the valve and lost more than the line. (?)
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[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by WIDESIDE72

I have run into an issue with the line that goes into the rear of the prop valve. The hole in the valve is around 3/4 to 1"...I have another prop valve but it's a little different and it just has a 3/8" threaded hole that the brake line will thread in to. I wonder if the took the line out of the valve and lost more than the line. (?)
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After looking back at the photos, I can see that there is a piece missing from the prop valve!

[WIDESIDE72]

I got a little done to the truck this weekend. My dad came up to see us, but since he was here, I got him to help me pull the wasted 383 stroker (see my other threads) out of my Malibu instead of working on the truck. I am almost ready to drop the 355 in, but I could not find the internal balance flywheel. I did take a few photos, and had the neighbor snap one. ENJOY! HAHA

[WIDESIDE72]

Funny thing about photo #1. The truck doesn't have shocks on it yet, and when we sat on the tailgate (close to 600 lbs) the axle hit the bump stops! Good news is, the tailgate is OEM and passed the weight test without bowing. I would not have done that with a repro gate!

[WIDESIDE72]

The cowl panel had been mounted by the body shop, but since they had removed the wiper transmission arms, wiper motor and windshield washer nozzles, I had to take it back off (by myself with fresh paint) to reinstall all of it. I plan to have help putting it back on!

[WIDESIDE72]

Please overlook the Honda and Toyota in the photos. At least there is ne other Chevy present!

[Bomp]

Nice build.

[WIDESIDE72]

Hopefully I will have some updated photos this weekend. I have THurs Fri and Sat off but only work on the truck THurs and Fri. I installed a CPP 3/4 spring drop kit a few weeks back aas well as the rear sport bumper, and today I got the carrier bearing bracket removed and driveshaft installed, Lokar shift linkage installed on the 700r4/ tilt wheel, area between dash pad and windshield painted black (body shop painted it body color) dash pad and gauge sluster installed.

[WIDESIDE72]

I plan to install the new front brake hoses and get the brakes bled as well as install the radiator and fan shroud tomorrow. I picked up a refurbed Retrosound radio on Ebay and it arrived today, but I am going to hold off installing it until the hidden antennae and dash speaker come in. I really want to get the truck driving first anyway! Later I am thinking I will buy one of the powered sub woofers for under the seat and possibly a pair of the 6x9 speaker cab corner brackets and a small amp. I need to polish the grill surround a little more and install the inner grill as well.

[WIDESIDE72]

Photos from last weekend

[WIDESIDE72]

Sorry the photos are lo res from my cell phone

[WIDESIDE72]

I got the inner grill installed into the oem outer that I polished up installed in the truck this past weekend, but not much other progress on the truck. My brother happened to be in town so since I had help we dropped the 355 into my 79 Malibu, then worked on installing new lift cables on our hi Lo camper. I hope to bleed the brakes and fire the engine soon, but I have just (!) two days off this weekend and usually spend Saturday with the family, so we'll see how much the time change on top of my boss' great idea for me to go to work an hour early this week and next week affects my energy level!
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[WIDESIDE72]

Today, after 2 -1/2" years after she last ran, Ruby moved under her own power! I had to buy a new fuel pump, as the "old" (new) fuel pump I installed back in 2010 would not pump fuel (!) Wouldn't you know it had a 1 yr. warranty! I bled the brakes, but I still need to work on a bracket to hold the button in on the prop valve to bleed the rear. (I wasn't getting any fluid to the rear). I drove her down to my barn, and was adding ps and trans fluid, then she died and wouldn't start! I had to get the neighbor to pull her back up the hill to the carport (using my 2500hd 4x4 seen in the background) as I was running out of time to have to pick up my little girl from daycare. BABY STEPS!

[WIDESIDE72]

Im not getting any power to the dist. I am hoping it is a loose connection at the ignition switch or bad switch.
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[WIDESIDE72]

I figured out that the problem is either a bad ignition switch or loose connection at the switch. I unplugged the connector from the existing switch and plugged in an old switch I had and it ran. I never could get it to run with the existing switch, but haven't given up on it quite yet, as getting it out and the other in without scratching the new paint is a chore!

[WIDESIDE72]

Not much progress lately. I did pick up a complet Vintage Air kit for $700 from Capt68 here on the forum. I was holding off on instaling the heater box and related items for just such a reason. Unfortunately, work on the truck has slowed down as I am also working on getting my Master Electrician license. Management at work has waved the proverbial carrot of new "lead" positions with higher pay that will require the master license.

[WIDESIDE72]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

WOW, looks great !!!

Thanks for the compliment! That means a lot coming from you. I haven't seen your truck in person, but have seen several features here and on Youtube. Defintely TOTY material!