chop top convertable 72 pickup resto build!

[supersize75k5]

Hi there guys, I have peeped over here for a little while now and Yukon Jack said some of you may enjoy my build up. This is only my second frame off custom so bear with me on some things.

I purchased and saved a clean 72 service truck from a friend who was going to just take it out to the desert and run it over I had some cash and knew that finding a rust free cab and such a solid one would make a great buildup!

Here we go!




what I started with, aug-14th or so





towing her home and around..


new parts




disassembly, amazingly every nut and bolt came off with out any ordeal, even the break and fuel lines looked new, the only rust on the frame is in the front, I think the person who started the disassembly may have sanded it down so it rusted as a result.?






Chop chop...makes me feel like I did something wrong or am a bad person..








here is what I am aiming to acomplish..



I plan to use a t-400 I just picked up, after I have it rebuilt, for the motor I am using my 454 I had machined for my 75 blazer I just took apart. I also plan to keep it 3/4 ton..alot of you may consider that ugly or stupid but I like to punch it And I have a eaton and a 14 bolt both are locked and have 4.10's so it will take my abuse that it will see from time to time

I have the top, but weather I make it a cap that I cap bolt on depends on if I chop down the winshild frame or rake it back. I live in Arizona, and my 75 was a full convertabe so I know what I am getting into


Also I would like input on taking out a section of my frame behing the cab, I plan to remove 14.5 inches so I can fit my 95 step side bed on there, or a 67-72 stepside bed if I can find a nice one. For the front I am getting a cowl from ricks and using some 68 fenders I have, I have already bought a cowl from ricks for my 86 project..cool people and 3 miles away

Has anyone used a 73 and up step side bed? I know the fenders are wider but the bed it's self apears to be the same?

thanks for the great board too!

[68 Stepside]

I actually kinda like 'vert trucks, looking forward to seeing the progress on this one, you started with one hella clean truck. I think 60-87 inner stepside bedsides were all the same. I do know that you can use 73-87 inner sides and bolt on 67-72 fenders.

[Longhorn Man]

a member by the screen name of money pit has a 73 - 87 short step on his 68. (I think it was a 68) The bed box is almost the exact same, but the fenders look funny with the squared off hweel openings...much like the late model bed you are considering.
One quick question...WTH is up with the diff?

[supersize75k5]

I have this rear that is locked, but the truck had a boat behind it and only a jack and two stacked crossmembers to lift the rear..not to mention the u-bolts were too long and the rear axel needs the spring perches moved...I just needed the truck to roll....


hard core getto fab at it's best

[chickenwing]

Cool project!!! Don't feel bad choppin em. Just as long as you drive em when theyr done.
Rich

[jay6891]

Keep the pic coming. Looks like what i want to do, or just just chop and rake, havn't decided. I know where a Blazer half top is in a shut down junkyard if I can ever catch the owner. That is what I have in mind for my new top. You have done this before, have any problems with cab structure want to spread out after the top has been cut. Do you brace it, or just don't make your daily driver? Anyways looks great,looks like one more person gonna get finished before me again.

[Big J]

Lookin' good! Keep those pics comin'.

[dtlilly]

Welcome to the board, that should look nice when it's done. I also was wondering about structural integrity with the top gone.

[supersize75k5]

Thanks for the welcome, for the rockers I am going to cut them out and when I install my new ones I am going to build a box similar to the style the factory made for the full top blazers. I might also make a sub floor frame if I get the rotiseri finished so I can flip the cab around.

I could bend up some 1 inch 120 wall and use it to help suport the cab so the doors dont get funky on me.

Also I am considering not using the top of the windshild frame, I may cap the ends and leave the top open with just the glass between the two pillers, this would give it a 20's roadster look. If I go this route then I will have the glass cut down about 5-6 inches.

any thoughts on the exsposed glass?

Also if I do go the exsposed glass I would run flat stock all the way to the fire wall running down through the winshild frame sides if possable anyways.

[Palf70Step]

Welcome to the board from south Mississippi. Got a nice looking rpoject going on. It'll be great to see it down the raod a bit.

[RON WOODGEARD]

Supersize,

I sent you a PM...

[supersize75k5]

hmmm

I also cleaned up the 69 today and got to go for a early morning cruise by the lakes east of where I live, great weather

[Yukon Jack]

Glad you made it over here, this is a fun project to be watching.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Welcome to the board from rainy southern oregon.... Look's like you have a pretty killer project underway... Got anymore pic's of the purp 69??

[supersize75k5]

i can snap some pics today

[jay6891]

The only part that should "spread" is the rear of the cab, right? It just seems to me that the firewall side should hold up. You gonna put the braces in the cab corners to floor? Front to back, side to side? Both? You are going to build a box behind the rockers. Would just a heavier plate between the cab supports and behind the the rocker work? Sorry for so many questions, but I gotta know. Just started working for the railroad and gotta figure out how to spend all this extra money

[supersize75k5]

I need to learn how to photo chop....


anyways, for the cab support I am now thinking about bracing the door piller to the rear of the cab, I think I can pull it off cleanly if I use the same supports for my speaker location, this would hide any bracing and provide mounting as well. I think the main concern area will be the door piller trying to pull in or out, thus causing the door to sag or to not close the way it should.


I am open to ideas though, I also plan to beef up the rear of the cab somehow, and relocate the gas tank to the frame

I will get pics of the 69, I was busy all weekend shooting the paint on my 86

[71 Blazer CST man]

Uh that section you cut off looks like a good candidate to be used as a 1/2 top......ahem.....

[supersize75k5]

I have moved and have not been onthe computer muchand still have not got a new one, but progress has continued...




blasted, etched/primmered.....

I cut the front of my 71 frame off, and took the rear of a coil truck I had and joined the two, now I have a short bed frame, I also braced the frame, removed the 4 speed tranny x-member too.


update 10-14-04
The frame is now painted, cleaned, shortened ect. The fuel, brake and all steering and suspension parts are new as well. The front is a a drop spindle from early classic ent. that converts my 8 lug to a 5 on 5 lug set up. The springs a 2 inch drop springs from ricks pickup parts, the rear is a 5 inch drop spring. The rear eaton will be swapped to a 12 bolt, with a selectable or racheting locker..I dont know yet.

The motor is a fresh 454 that is now 30 over,all the alternator will be switched to a 120 amp I have and the waterpump, and power steering pump are new, as well as the cam and I had the crank turned.

The tranny is a t-400 I had rebuilt, the tq is a 1800 stall that I had but I may change that once I run the truck a couple a times and see how she does.

The big plan is to later build a 468 and try to get the truck in the low 13's...or so I hope.









and the body is still not started yet and nov 20th is the dead line.....doh





what do you guys think? Also, any thoughts on side pipes?

[krue]

Looks good! As far as the later model (73-87) stepside beds, the box is almost the same and can be slightly modified to use with 67-72 fenders and steps. Just have to fill the old fender holes, drill new ones and ass a little to the sides where the steps mounts (older steps mount lower down than newer ones). I have a bed I got from Palf70step that has been modified. I'll get some pics if you want. Palf had some on here a while ago.

[MOTHERTRUCKERS]

I'm pretty sure the bed cross members on 73up need to be moved to fit the 67-72 frame also. COOL PROJECT! On the back wall we used 1 inch square tubing formed around the top lip inside and a piece straight accross from pillar to pillar and 3 downtubes to 3/16 plates on the floor then we spot welded angle accross the back wall and between the down tubes to make the speaker shelf. Next we welded 1inch square tube from the back wall to below the 59 Impala dash tapering down and back up to form the console, it added strength and a good spot for switches,gauges etc. Never finished the project the guy got a divorce, BI!CH wife had it crushed.

[Palf70Step]

As far as cross members, you'll need to have at least the front one from the a 67-72 if you want to use the steps. the 73-87 do not have the mountings for the step brackets. You will also need the rear crossmember or mounts from a 67-72 bed as the bolts mounts are longer on the 67-72 beds.

You can see what I did to the bed Krue has now on my site, it might explain it more.
http://myweb.cableone.net/wpalfrey/bed/bed_01.htm

[purple gas]

side pipes rock, If there the right style on the right vehichle.. mid sixties 'Vette one would be sweet I bet.. maybe someone in Photo shop coould whip you up a sample pic.

[supersize75k5]

Originally Posted by purple gas

side pipes rock, If there the right style on the right vehichle.. mid sixties 'Vette one would be sweet I bet.. maybe someone in Photo shop coould whip you up a sample pic.

Thats kind of what I was thinking, at first I ran into problems when I wanted my exaust while trying to put it figure how to run it through the frame on the inside.

So now I am trying to figure the out the side pipes and if they would look good or not, I feel I should wait to see how the overall look of truck is when it is done.


as for the supporting the cab,

thanks for the idea's mothertruckers,

now I am thinking of bending a piece of 1 inch tubing and doing some thing similar, also I am thinking of adding tubing between my front pillers and into the frame of the windshield to help support the cab and stiffin it up.

the ideas are flowing


what do you guys think of a chrome sinlge hoop roll protection right behind my head? similar to the cobra's of the 60"s?