$hort Change

[Westcoastpainter]

hey c10 guys!! And gals for that matter! ok so I've been building a 70 chev for about 6 months off and on. Mostly off! but i will post some pics cause thats what matters! i started with a 70 gmc i found in a field. this truck is quite a wreck, but it is a shorty and was all there. where i live, theres absolutely never these trucks up for sale, in a short bed, unless they're already done. So i got it and hauled it to my lot at work. Which is a body shop so I am lucky to have a convenient place to put it. I hauled the box off it, got a used door and started on the cab corners cause they were lap welded and i wanted them flush. SO i plugged away on that gmc for a little bit, then i got a phone call about another c10, shorty for sale. Widow sale, ex body mans truck. New box, New tubs, pile of parts, ran, all sheet metal already bodyworked. which brings us to now! still have the gmc, but its in the back 40. I'm gonna try to post pics, not sure which order they come up in, or where for that matter! this truck is getting full extreme drop members, CPP big brakes, 6.0 lQ9 6l80e. accuair. so stay tuned!

[67ctener]

Solid start

[Westcoastpainter]

thanks 67ctener. I'm trying! hah. the truck is much further ahead now, just want to post pics from along the way.

[Westcoastpainter]

ok, so heres some more updates. i pulled in the 70 chev to my shop at home, pulled the full front end off, then got the cab ready to lay it back so i could start on the floor underside. it has had some patches put in it, i wanted to final weld them up/grind them and ready it for seam sealer/raptor guard.. so the oem cab floor undercoating is a PAIN to remove. i know u guys have been there.. wow it sucked! heat lamp, razor scraper, thinners, we got there. oh and beer to ease the pain! heres some pics. then i had to patch the lower firewall corner, which was a bit complex. bunch of angles and seams, got it done tho. was easier with the cab laid on its back. i will grab a pic of the firewall patch finished up. now the frame is ready for the next stage, so i called nathan at porter built. i got the complete setup, extreme front drop member, inc a arms, power rack, gas strut hood hinges, front tube x member, and rear extreme with inboard bags, outboard shocks so i can run some big boots out back. Now i patiently wait for the mail to do its thing! But here in Canada EH, I had to go claim it myself and bring it across through customs at the airport where i had it shipped. U guys who wait for the brown truck to arrive, have got it easy!!! haha
more pics to come

[Ghostryder79]

looks like fun...I'm in on this.

[Westcoastpainter]

alright, bit of a update...

lets cut to the chase. first off i wanna say this is my first c10 build ever. i don't have any experience bagging trucks or even doing a frame off build. I'm enjoying it though for sure. after cutting/drilling/air chisel all the stock x members are gone. my PB stuff is here and I'm prepping for mock up. i have already installed the dropmember rack notches and started putting the tubular cross members in.

also i deleted the factory frame curve for the fuel pump (i believe) thats what it was for, and made it flush. i later did more work on it and made it symmetrical to the other side . with a little radius to a point. I'm planning on boxing the frame upfront, and in back in a section. also recently i picked up a 6.0l truck motor and it is mated to a 6l80e. came with all the wiring, dbw, dash, seats, pile of parts.

i also started shaving my firewall and installed the porter built hood hinges.

more to come

[STOCKISH]

Nice work so far!

[Westcoastpainter]

alright, so i welded up the back notches, then cut the frame pieces out. buddy dropped off his 220 (250v) plasma for me so i used that. sweet timing for me cause a cut off sucked for the first bit. also i cut the low rise tranny hump outta my cab while i had the plasma. have to put in a high rise (4x4) tranny hup cause the truck is dropmembered. heres hoping the 6l80 clears that! That trans is a giant. i then boxed the notches with some 3/16 supplied by PB. nice kit to weld, big true steel. then i made a couple boxing plates for the front, then started making templates for the back end. got 3/16 plate and welded it in front and back in spots. trying to get it to paint I made a deadline and hunted it down. i took a few days of my holidays and brought the frame to a buddys shop and bodyworkd it and primed it. then i single staged it with endura black. haven't sprayed that stuff for 7 years but it dried wet (shiny) so i m happy with it. then also i sprayed two cycles of PB suspension. while i was at his shop i tried to paint as much as i could. trying to post pics and once again not working for me. ill get some up soon.


so I brought the frame home and put it on my frame table. Now in final assembly. i painted the parts with a single stage green, basf, just a chip i liked off the wall really. epoxy the bare metal parts and then sprayed the green.

anyways its startin to look like something

[Westcoastpainter]

here i was making the frame same as other side. i don't have any finished welding pics of the boxed rear, before paint. anyways u can see primer/paint

[Westcoastpainter]

ok i will put up some more pics of the paint progress. epoxyd the blasted frame, mudded up all the welds in the back end and smoothed them all out. then single stage black for the frame. (endura) I'm happy with it. now its home on the rack for final assembly.

[Westcoastpainter]

ok so now it is really taking shape. recently got my accu air e level kit. 2x 400c compressors, one 5 gallon tank. now I'm having a hard time deciding on my fuel tank. ideally i want a boyds with in tank pump for a LS. i see they've changed to aeromotive pumps. any body have a opinion on them vs walboro? the problem with boyds is the $ for me. plus it has to ship to canada and clear customs, blah blah so in other words were talking around 869$ id say after exchange and shipping and duties. also i have the oem tank/pump that came with my 6.0/6l80e swap. ideally i would love to incorporate this pump with some sort of cell, but the boyds isn't deep enough. i was thinking a oem blazer tank and fabbing my pump in there somehow. my stock ls tank is running the return in the lid of the pump also.. as I've been told by a gm mechanic, not sure that makes sense to me but.. so anyone got any ideas for a rear tank? i started cleaning up my firewall also so heres a sneak peak. i have to trim a lot off my tie rod ends obviously, i threaded the ends on and its real toed out i must say! they're narrowed arms so i was aware to begin with they needed to narrowed. thats coming up soon. looks like i may need to trim around 2" off each tie rod. good times hah

ok some more pics, wish i could upload more than 5 at a time and faster lol.

[Bennett68C10]

Wow awesome job on the frame, the paint looks smooth as glass. I'm in for this build.

[Westcoastpainter]

hey keith thanks.

I'm happy with the frame it turned out pretty well. its cool to see some colour in there now with all my PB stuff. hows your paint process going? love your truck man, wish i had that front end and cowl hood! good luck with your paint job

[PBFAB.COM]

Love the attention to detail! Nice work!!!

Nate

[Westcoastpainter]

Originally Posted by PBFAB.COM

Love the attention to detail! Nice work!!!

Nate

thanks Nate

im liking your attention to detail also in all your products! i know that goes for all the porterbuilt fans on this site. glad you're approving!

[C10Greg]

Cool build! Any updates? Are you running the PB rear bridge with the inboard bags and outboard shocks?

[mooseknuckles]

looks awesome!

[mcbassin]

Awesome project! Love the contrasting colors on the chassis. Very original and very cool
subscribed.....

[Lokin4AReason]

keep up the good work =0)

[slowcpe]

Cool project. Always like watching PB and frame work as that's where I'm at in my build

[knomadd]

Your frame looks good. Any updates?

[Westcoastpainter]

hey gents,


thanks for all the compliments! i just got hitched a little while ago so that was keeping me busy for a few weeks for sure. trying to put in work as much as possible. ordered my new wheels and tires. I'm stoked to put this set up on the ground! 22x8.5 and 22x9.5. u will have to check back to see the new shoes guys!!
i put the complete rear set up in with axel to set up my rear bags. needed to mock up to find ride height, then determine where to put my bag mounts on the rear axel. threw fittings in the rear sleeve bags and actually cycled the suspension. that was pretty neat to finally see some working parts!! then i set up my pan hard with my PB kit. this came with the rear extreme drop kit, now the bracket needs to be welded in the rear driver side notch, pretty much where the truck is at ride height, the bar should be level. my problem is i didn't have wheels on the axel. so we measured, mocked up and measured some more. MY buddy came by who has experience in bagged trucks and showed me the ropes, since I'm new to this all together. got it all sorted. tacked the large bracket in place, then blew it all apart again for final welding for bag mounts and the bracket to the notch. sure was a shame to grind my nice black paint but i knew it had to be done, ran outta time in the summer when i wanted to paint the frame.
i will blow in the back little spot and you won't see the difference! also i have pulled the axels in my 72 5 bolt posi, in order to assemble my 12" rear disc kit. mocked all that up. its the cpp BB kit and i modified it a little, not to use these large band clamps that come with it to hold a bracket to the axel that the rubber lines plug into and the hard lines join to. i will post a pic when its painted i promise! mocked all that up, pulled the diff cover, banged some dents out of it and filled the rust pits, primed it and painted it. now going to POR15 the axel and assemble it real soon i hope.
Also been working on my motor a bit. got my F body pan in from states, mocked all that up, put on the new windage tray and took the pan to work to prep to paint. painted my 6.0, Acc bracket, valve covers, now just have to get a new gasket and put it all together. xmas is getting in the way right now. ha.


ok @ c10Greg yes i am running the IN board bags with outboard shocks kit. weld in kit. not seeing many guys welding in their rear kits. anyways its so i can run a big wide rear wheel someday when i can afford 12' wide billets. for now i am running 22x9.5 wheels, 295/30/22
they're on their way here now.

@slowcpe
hows your PB chassis coming? i will have a look!

[Westcoastpainter]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Awesome project! Love the contrasting colors on the chassis. Very original and very cool
subscribed.....

thanks Mcbassin
i really dig the green also, didn't think i would at first but its really grown on me. just something different! i kinda wanna paint the whole truck that colour but I'm sure i will change my mind a few times before that time comes.

[70LonghornCST]

Hot project! Keep up the great work.

[slowcpe]

Originally Posted by Westcoastpainter

@slowcpe
hows your PB chassis coming? i will have a look!

Very very slow. Just decided to bite the bullet on a mild dropmember and control arms the other. Gotta get through the holidays and then I'll get it on order. So I got time to finish the rear.