Jessica, my 86 lwb

[notrailerqueens]

hey guys im new to the board but i figured id post up my project.
im in the process of finishing the build of my 86' chevy lwb. my project started when i bought a 78 lwb "heavy half" off my best friend for $50. however she was just in too bad of shape to save. the cab was toast entirely too much to fix if i had gone to replacing panels i would have ended up replacing most of the cab, she had a blown 350, and the frame was very compromised due to living most of her life next to the ocean and not being maintained. but i found my 86' cheap on craigs few miles from the house and the project was on. it all started as a simple drivetrain drop, just get her on the road and driving and then progressively do the rest. and it quickly progressed to 2 yrs later (partly cuz of working 7 days a wk and little money) into the full blow over the top project she is now.
the motor is a 383 out of my buddys street stock slightly modified lol
i wont tell all but im sure yall can pick out a couple things from the pics. shes got a 750cfm double pumper on top, cold air intake (couldn't help myself) and some def other performance mods. mated her with the turbo 350 out of the 78' (yes def parts of her are still living on i couldn't bear to let all of her die) with the stock 308 gears (did find out on her first run that she is a posi cuz it was smoking both lol) she is destine for bigger and better gears though most likely 373's. but with money short shes gonna roll like she is for a bit. im sure yall can understand.
next up she getting some wiring work, she was a burn truck so there is plenty to be done, that and the further i have dug the more wire nuts and twisted and taped connections i have found but what can i say not everybody does everything right. im still pretty new to the whole wiring concept so yall will prob see some questions out of me on that one. also a new tranny cross member is in the works due to a clearance issue with my headers. re-jet of the carb is coming soon also cuz she is fat as hell right now.
the direction of this build is constantly changing cuz (here ill say it for yall) im a woman and i cant ever make up my mind lol. a 2x4 drop is somewhere in her future i believe, still aint made up my mind, lots and lots and lots of body work to be done (again new to this too so yall will see questions there too) but all and all shes comin along. took her for her first drive two weeks ago and it was (as always when you drive something you built) the greatest feeling in the world.
hope yall like the build. i will update as i get more done. sorry im bringin yall in so late in the build but like i said im new to the board.

heres a few pics of when i first brought her home. ill try and find all the pic i have that follow the progression of the build up to this point.

[palposity]

Welcome to the board! Looks like you have a good start!

[notrailerqueens]

thanks yah i got a pretty solid truck ill have more pics up later of the motor drop.

[notrailerqueens]

ok finally dug around and found some pics from the beginning of the build. heres a few i found from when i first started building the motor.
heres what i started with. this is my motor the day i pulled it out of the street stock and brought her home to clean and freshen her up. started pretty rough. installed a new cam, lifters, fuel pump, couple coats of vht rattle can (couple dif shades i was working with what i already had) and a dress up kit to add some shine.

[72longhornTX]

Looking nice. I myself have been working on my 79 getting it going. In the same boat as you. Work a lot with little money. haha.

Where in Spring are you? I live in Cypress.

[notrailerqueens]

thanks @72longhorntx. yah shes def a shoestring budget build lol.
i live over on the east side of spring. by carters country if you know where that is.

[72longhornTX]

Oh ya I know where that is.
Did you build that gauge cluster? Or did it come like that? I like that look.

[notrailerqueens]

no i didnt make the cluster it came with the truck that way. it looks ok from far away. like it looks pretty good in that pic but when you get close to it and actually pull it out and look at it its not put together very well. the kid that did it hacked up the original dash pannels really bad and the wiring well thats a whole nother story. lol

[72longhornTX]

Oh I know how that is. My old 72 had a heck of a lot of wiring issues. To many for me to figure out how to fix it. I ended up buying a EZ wiring harness.

[notrailerqueens]

well im hoping i can save whats left of mine and not have to put a new harness in it. but theres some wires that are burnt up from some crap the guy who had it before me did to it and the wiring in the cab is pretty scary. lol ive found idk how many wires that are wire nuted and taped together in there. i need to pull the dash but im kinda dragin my feet on getting into all this wiring cuz im not the most versed in it but hey im always up to try my hand at something new

[72longhornTX]

I feel you on that. I printed out many wiring diagrams before I tackled anything. Just jump in head first lol

[notrailerqueens]

yah somethin tells me im gonna get a babtisim by fire when i tear into it lol but hey can be that hard right

[72longhornTX]

haha. You will figure it out once you start blowin fuses

[notrailerqueens]

lord i hope not. lol im gonna try and avoid blowing fuses if i can lol but just in case i got a pretty good assortment

[72longhornTX]

haha that always helps

[nbpro]

Welcome to the board! Looks like you have a good start

[notrailerqueens]

thanks nbpro

[Restrorob]

Welcome aboard from hurricane heaven !!!


Nice job so far....

How you keep your nails lookin so good workin on a grungy ole truck ?

[notrailerqueens]

lol tricks of the trade
hey how many girls you know can strip down and rebuild a motor with their nails did?

[Restrorob]

Hahaha..... I don't know any that could with their nails un-did !

[notrailerqueens]

lmao there are a few chicks out there that are gear heads. not many of us but we do exist. im still blowing peoples minds being a part sales'girl' for peterbilt. lol i go with what i know

[Hottrucks]

I think I'm in Love.......

take that dash out buy a new stiff wire cup wheel (2") and with some time you can do a nice spun aluminum dash....works best with a drill press but with some patience you can do it with a hand drill

[notrailerqueens]

*blushes* well thanks

yah i been playing with alot of ideas for the interior. im all strung out over some CRAZY wiring right now.

more than anything though i just wanna patch her up (fixing the electrical first) tune her out (new jets and such) and put her multicolor butt on the road!

but all in good time lol

[notrailerqueens]

oh and btw hottrucks....i LOVE your stance

[Hottrucks]

Well I have a thing for low budget builds...and pink nail polish...And Peterbuilts!!.....lol

the quickest/best way to fix that would be have someone parting one out grab the dash harness and maybe a stock dash ..then it will be plug and play

then you can work on the other stuff like gathing up some A/C parts also ditch the spacers and that 750 its to big for that motor all its going to do is give you a PIA you'll never jet it low enough to get everything out of it...

Ditch the thought of a kit too...I would do an axle flip on the back ( just buy two spring saddles and weld them under the old hangers) and then Just cut 1 to 1 1/2 loops off the front..I'll get you the monroe shock # and you should be out of it in less than a weekend and for under $75

remember this info isn't free but then again I'm Cheap!!