Project Pancho Villa - 1978 SWB

[v502]

Very nice project i dont know how did i miss it and congrats for getting it done.

[shenk10]

I was wondering where the kick panel speaker holders came from, dont really know what to call them since they arent really the kick panels. Thanks

Jordan

[shenk10]

oh and i was wondering about the one piece windows, was that hard to do? And around how much did it cost, sorry if i missed it in the build. Thanks

[BruthaMan]

The kick panel speaker mounts I picked up form Captain Kaos, a forum vendor.

One piece windows from Captain Kaos as well. The driver side door was hell (for us). Something isn't quite right with that door because we had hell with it on other things as well. The driver side went in relatively easily. Took a few hours, but the driver side took a couple of days of throwing every curse word in the book at it, before it yielded to our mighty grasp of southern speak, so to speak!

Guys, just wanted to give an update. The truck is currently at a specialty shop, getting looked over by some very skilled classic car builders. Specifically, there were a couple of leaks that they are addressing, followed by fine tuning the motor, check geometry on the tranny cable, getting the AC system checked and filled with R134a, etc. Just some specialty things that I really wanted "professionals" to handle.

Hoping it will be finished by late this week, but still waiting for the call for the estimate.

I did get it tagged and inspection sticker! Got a cool custom plate: "Oldies"

From there, it will head back to the paint shop for wet sanding and final polishing. A few touch-up "nicks" that liked to have broke my heart! Fixable though!

Probably two weeks, maybe in time for Christmas.

Once I get it back in perfect form, I plan to take it out for some photo shoots and will post up some final pics. One thing this project has taught me is PATIENCE, though I admit, at this point in the game, it's awful hard to "hurry up and wait," but it's for the best. Too much time, money, blood, sweat, tears and emotion have been expended to take any shortcuts now.

I'm going to be posting some "left over" parts over in the 73-87 parts section. Have some pretty cool things you might be interested in, so check 'em out!

Edit: Here's the link for some extra parts I have:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=3660846

[JohnC]

Man I'm glad your getting close. That's a good idea to have it all double checked. Better safe than sorry.

Can't wait to see the pics.

[BIG10]

Great thread, beautiful truck.

[JohnC]

OK man it's been a month, and no updates!!

We need updates!!!!

[BruthaMan]

Waiting patiently to get it back. I sent it over to a specialty tuner shop about a month ago. They are going over everything for me, fixing a few things we didn't have the skill set/tools to do and dialing it in for performance.

Hoping to have it back in the next week, then she goes over to the paint shop for wet sanding, a few "nicks" to be taken care of, and final polish.

It's a never ending lesson in patience! I did order some custom Lloyd's Matts that came in, and finally found an NOS 78-80 Silverado dash insert. Man, those are hard to find!

I'm just ready to get it back, fully dialed in and ready to stomp!

[menace121978]

we're gonna need a video of the stomping!!!

[JohnC]

Holy cow man I thought you took that thing on a cruise and haven't came back home yet! Glad to see an update!

Keep us updated, and tell them to HURRY UP! We are waiting!

[dieselarmy13]

Can't wait to see it!

[big10ratrod77]

the truck is turning out awsome man!

[JohnC]

Come on Brutha it's been forever since an update, and even longer since pics!

[BruthaMan]

It has been a while, John. Spent some time in the shop getting some tweaks that were beyond my capability.

I sent her back to my painter a few days ago, to add some silver metallic rally stripes down the hood. I went back and forth on whether to do it, but it's something I always thought made the old muscle cars and trucks stand out.

So, hopefully by the end of the month, I will have it back and put half a dozen coats of Zaino on her, then time for final pics!

Been a long journey!

[JohnC]

Originally Posted by BruthaMan

It has been a while, John. Spent some time in the shop getting some tweaks that were beyond my capability.

I sent her back to my painter a few days ago, to add some silver metallic rally stripes down the hood. I went back and forth on whether to do it, but it's something I always thought made the old muscle cars and trucks stand out.

So, hopefully by the end of the month, I will have it back and put half a dozen coats of Zaino on her, then time for final pics!

Been a long journey!

Cool man can't wait to see it. I think the silver stripes will look sweet!

[smokedat]

looking good. I like this proprtion valve were did you get it and how much?

[BruthaMan]

All of the brake parts, including the proportioning valve, came from Performance Online.

Here's a direct link to it:

http://www.performanceonline.com/sto...at=1085&page=2

[3r!c84]

trucks loooking good!

[Zane M]

Fabulous job! kudos to you!

[BruthaMan]

Thanks Guys!

I"m so looking forward to getting it back and enjoying it. I sent it off to get rally stripes on the hood about a month ago along with some other minor touch ups, including the top of the cab.

We never could get the fenders lined up "just right," they were after-markets. The driver door was gapping also. Part of me wanted to enjoy it, the other part (from years of my wife politely reminding me to have patience) of me said "we've made it this far, let's hold off a bit more and get it perfect."

I scored some NOS inner fender wells, NOS fenders and NOS doors. Couldn't believe it was all together! Was on Craigslist out of Des Moines, Iowa. Kent (my friend that's been helping) made the trip from Amarillo to Des Moines this past week to pick everything up.

Painter is delivering truck tomorrow and will start on those items this week.

I had installed Fat Mat in the truck originally, but after the little time I've spent in it, decided that was not going to cut it.

I ordered some Damplifier and Luxuary Liner from Second Skin that is sitting, waiting to go in. About two hundred points worth of sound deadening material!

Hoping to do some disassembly this week, pull out the interior to lay down the additional sound deadening. Lost a blinker light in the dash bezel, so have to replace that.

It's like the project that never ends!

[menace121978]

it'll get there buddy! its the fine tuning and tweaking that takes the most time and patience cant wait to see her all done!!

[electrician42]

great build man .. lot of work done and in the end it will all be worth it ... i went through almost every post and love dit ... what are the tire sizes... i know it was there somewhere but must have over looked it ...... great ride ....!!!

[78BO]

I would hate to see the price sheet for this restore! But if you can't spend your money on something you like what is there to spend it on? Sure would like to see a video of that truck moving though.

[BruthaMan]

Originally Posted by menace121978

it'll get there buddy! its the fine tuning and tweaking that takes the most time and patience cant wait to see her all done!!

I think I underestimated that that by a factor of 10

Originally Posted by electrician42

great build man .. lot of work done and in the end it will all be worth it ... i went through almost every post and love dit ... what are the tire sizes... i know it was there somewhere but must have over looked it ...... great ride ....!!!

Thanks! Tire size is 275/60/15 all the way around. I added 1.5 inch spacers all around as well, to kick the wheels out to the fender lip edges.

Originally Posted by 78BO

I would hate to see the price sheet for this restore! But if you can't spend your money on something you like what is there to spend it on? Sure would like to see a video of that truck moving though.

It's scary, 78BO! I've kept receipts on all the big stuff and I'm in the 30k range. I never would have thought it would go that high, but it adds up.

I do plan on some good photos and videos when it's done. I romped it for the first time, right before I sent it off for the rally stripes and touch up paint. My wife was riding in passenger and I thought she was going to come unglued! It's a beast!

[78BO]

I know what you mean, I'm at 8k and I still don't have the drive train done! Do you remember what post has the states on the engine? If I remember right, you had that built?