Project: Slow Build

[Rokcrln]

While working on everyone elses trucks it has gotten me motivated to start back on mine as well. As teh name say's this will be a slow build due to my main focus needs to stay on customers trucks first. Right now I have one current customer and 3 waiting in turn for their trucks to be worked on. But I figure if I put in a few hours here and their it will get done some day. So here we go.

I bought this truck over 7 years ago and it was in great shape but mostly stock. The cab had alot of hidden rust that I did not see untill after I had it for abit. It was a totaly complete great driving solid truck. The first mod was an engine swap from a 350 to a built 327 I had from a past porject. The second thing to be done was the air ride Tech kit. Keep in mind this was 7 years ago and most car guys had not clue what air ride for a car was. Then I decided I wanted to put in a 700R4 and new gears (from 4.11 to 3.43's) and that led to a C notch. This was before notches were made for our trucks. Then I decided I better drop the front some more to match the back so 3" bell tecs went on and that put the front cross member on the ground and the rear still up in the air.

So to fix this I cut off the rear frame and did a 2" or 4" Z-step, its been to long to remember. This is when I started finding all the rust in the cab so off it went and I got a new cab from Early classic. It is a completly rust free cab, but does have a few dings and dents. So once the frame step was done and had the new cab set on it and was all back on the ground I had a problem. Their was a 2 1/2" gap between the gound and the bottom of the cab. So as only a normal thinking person would do I cut up a rust free cab and body dropped it 2". Now this with the stepped frame caused a small problem with the bed floor. It needed to move up 4" or get areal big cut out in the floor. I opped to raise the entire floor up 6" (2" extra for added room) by sectioning 6" out of the sides and the head board. I wanted the tail gate area to be at stock height so I came in 6" from the gate and angled the floor up 45* to meet the raised floor. Oh did I mention I wanted bigger tires out back so I bought a set of Dodge Vipper 335/35/17's and had to do a mini tub job to fit them. So this gave me two strips of bed floor that I cut into small pieces and filled in the bed ribs running up the 45* angel.

Next was the 93 LT1 vette motor and custom built 35 gal SS tank from Fat Fender Hot Rod that is set up for the vette in tank pump with a full sump cavity baffle so I won't runn out of fuel slidding onto the freeway. I slid the motor back 2" tward the firewall for a tighter look.

This is where things were left off about 6 1/2 years ago. I had been throw together twice for a trailer ride to new houses as I moved from a rental to my first house 5yrs ago and then to my current house last year. Since then it has been rolled round the shop (25x45) a few time to get it out of my way for other project but that time has come.

So anyways I have almost everything for the truck now but not much time so it will be a "slow Build" and remember it has not been worked on in over 5yrs now so some of the work done on it is not up to my standards today but is still well thought out and better then mosts trucks coming out today. So if you see a few things that does not look like my normal quality of work just remember we all have to start some where!

I hope you all enjoy as I tinker along.

Kevin

[Rokcrln]

And

[Rokcrln]

The last one for tonight.

Kevin

[phantom dually]

You have some AMAZING SKILLZ!!

[gferris5]

Cool stuff-
That install looks really clean with the Vette motor. How does it run after sitting this long?
Also, how well does that anti-sway bar work? I've never seen one in that location.

[Rokcrln]

Not sure how the motor will be after this long but I will probably get it running then pull it apart and put in new bearings, rings and a GM hot cam kit. As faras the bar I have not driven it this way but it is a thicker bar then normally put on a rear end because it is half way up the trailing arms. I forget who I got it from but this is their old design. The new design is smaller and hooks to the rear end and extends out back tward the spare. With my rear tank I could not use that one so they bendt me this one up. I also have their front bar and I did drive it with that one and it was night and day.

Kevin

[Canadian694x4]

You Got Mad Skillz Yo! Slow progress is better than none...Keep the updates a comin'.

[twotons]

looks *****en man

[Rokcrln]

My plans are to build a roll around dolly that the cab bolts to that can also be tipped on to any side with out the cab touching anything. Then I can get the cab finished up and fire wall smoothed. After that I will run all the brake lines, fuel lines, exhaust and get it running then tear it all apart and finish the chassie. Once that is done and rolling I will paint the inside of the cab and door jambs, install windows, interior and what not. Than it will just be a matter of finishing the bed and sanding down the rest of the body parts for a new paint job and trim. I plan on this taking the next year to complete due to other projects being done as well. I think the only thing I am still missing for the truck would be the windshield, body rubbers and the material for brake and fuel lines.

Kevin

[jsbgump]

Man your just an awsome fabricator.

[meathead95]

where did you get those wheels? what size are they?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by meathead95

where did you get those wheels? what size are they?

I had them made in Stockton 5+ yrs ago. They are 17's x 9 and 11. And please do not ask the back spacing, my sumtimmers is starting to kick in!

Kevin

[CPNEJR]

man that thing is SWEET!!!! you are an awesome fabricator! cant wait to see that thing when it is done

[Frizzle Fry]

Looks excellent. It's easy to sit back and take it all in at once, but I know we're looking at many hours of work. What are the notches in the cab corners for? And what brakes are you running in the rear?

[Rokcrln]

The notches in the cab corners are left over unfinished work from the body drop. The black paint accross the rear of teh cab had a 2" section removed out of it and then welded back together. The rear brakes is a set up I build using 1/2ton front 4x4 parts.

Kevin

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

The notches in the cab corners are left over unfinished work from the body drop.
Kevin

I see now. Nice! That's a clean way to do it!

[powell72]

I can't wait to see that off the jack stands with a bed on it, looks good.

[Rokcrln]

Here is a pic before and one as of today. I worked on it for an hour or two just to strip it down. I also worked on the crew cab for a bit and then started on my new cab dolly. Once it is done I will be able to bolt a cab to it and rollit on to any side to work on. So if I need to coat the bottom of a cab or what ever else it will be easy to do. The dolly is built perfictly flat so once the cab is bolted to it it will not twist or rack while welding rockers or anything else.

Kevin

[LUV2XCLR8]

[taylorde]

That is a excellent job on all of it. Can't wait to see it done. SCRAP IT EASY !!!!!!

[Rokcrln]

Well I have the cab ready to come off this weekend and get bolted to the Tip & Flip dolly were it will stay until the frame is done and the cab is blasted.

Well I just picked up a 70 2wd blazer that is my next company build. We will be doing a DVD how to set. I talded the two builds over with the wife and this is what she wants to do,

Take the 71 truck sheet metal and put it on the 70 blazer because. She likes th elook of the 71 grill and the blunt front end goes with the block style of the blazer. Then she wants a 67 front end on my 71 saying it will flow better with the look of the truck.

So what do I do? I like the thought of the 67 front end on the blazer since they were no built untill 69 for 4x4s and 70 for the 2wds. But if she shows and interest in the projects and like what we are doing than I think I will give this one to her and go with it.

Anyways it will be time to start completing the frame and running gear in the next few months so stay tuned!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[vk_chevy]

i really dig your wheel/tire combo

[Yukon Jack]

Looks like a great project - do keep us posted on this one.

[Karl Hoh]

Kevin, all your work is totally amazing!!!!!!! Note: I have found that if my wife is happy about something I'm doing, my life is soooo much easier.

[Rokcrln]

Well any progress is good! Cab came off tonight and it all got shoved in the corner untill I get some more customer work done and get the 55-59 dolly built now that the cab was dropped off. Funny thing is the customer I am doing the crew cab for keeps finding me more work that takes away from completion of his project But I sure can not complain, he is helping bring me more buisness and lets my do alot of cool stuff on his truck!!

Thanks EXTD56!

Kevin
LFD Inc.