Ryan's 72 Build

[R.L.]

I've been trying to find the time to post my trucks build. Here's mine. I wish I could be more hands on with this but I'm working overseas and when I have the money I don't have the time. I hope I'm not breaking any rules with this but I'm going to give my mechanic's garage a plug, he's realy a great guy who does good work if your'e in south Ms. and need a mechanic give Wade Auto a call I bet they can fix you right up at a great price too.
This is the day I brought her home.


She had a 350 with a 700r4 and made the trip from Monroe La. to Pasgoula Ms. on one tank of gas. The gas guage did not work so I couldn't tell how much was left when I got home but I moved some things around the yard when I got in and it made the trip to the garage with out a refill. Had 5 gal's in the back just in case.

The rearend was worn so I had it swaped out for a good unit, new brakes, and the front end was addressed. I decided to go with a six in stead of the 350 for a couple of reasons. 1 I wonted something different and two I'm going to see what kind of gas milage I can get out of it. I'll keep the 350 just in case.
Here she is without her hood.

The 250
The trans

The truck came from Mo. and had some rust issues but it was priced right 900.00$ so I decided I would deal with it.
The bed had to go the cab had some work done to it before I got it. Some of it needs to be corrected but the truck was worth saving.

Once the bed came of and since the cab needed new cabmounts I was told the best thing to do was to remove the cab. So it was time to decide if I wonted to leave it a LWB or go ahead and shorten the thing, Well we lost 12" of frame.

[R.L.]

The cab had some rust repair done at some time and they didn't brace it befor cutting the bad metel out so it will need to be addressed.



More on this as we progress
.


Now a bed was needed to have all the big pieces so one was found near by. I was undecided on a step side or a fleet side so what ever came along was going to be good and I was expecting a fleetside but guess what showed up.

[R.L.]

[R.L.]

I hope Ya'll like it. I'm going for a little truck that will pull my motorcycle trailer and do domestic chores with out breaking the bank. I had a 56 Apachie and two 58s but I'm a little old to wrestle the steering on those straight axle front ends not to mention those drum breaks in todays traffic. If I have it I'll drive it, cross town or across country. I'm looking forward to a couple road trips in this one.

[Spray-Bomb]

Neat

[nuke1]

very nice, what are your plans for it?

[Puropedo]

Ryan, why didnt u cut the frame under the cab so u wouldnt had to deal
with the trailing arm crossmember?

[R.L.]

Originally Posted by nuke1

very nice, what are your plans for it?

I'd like to make a daily driver. I've picked up a new set of guages but aftermarket ac will be my biggest problem.

[R.L.]

Originally Posted by Puropedo

Ryan, why didnt u cut the frame under the cab so u wouldnt had to deal
with the trailing arm crossmember?

I thought that it was cut under the cab, thats where my mechanic said that he would take the material out, he's done this before he must have a reason so as long as it works I dont care.

[dubdeuce80]

if you took out a section under the cab, then the body mounts wouldn't line up...

[R.L.]

Originally Posted by dubdeuce80

if you took out a section under the cab, then the body mounts wouldn't line up...

We'll thats a good point and might be what my man was thinking but I saw on Trucks they recomended to cut the frame under the cab, didn't say why and I have a issue of CCT where they cut a 67-72 Chevy down and they cut it under the cab too.
But then again I know how he works and I don't think he cut it where he did with out a reason.

[Puropedo]

Originally Posted by dubdeuce80

if you took out a section under the cab, then the body mounts wouldn't line up...

Thats true, but in my opinion it is always easier to relocate the rear cab
mounts back 12 inches than to relocate the whole trailing arm crossmember,
but who cares, cut it as u will as long as it works!

[dubdeuce80]

Originally Posted by Puropedo

Thats true, but in my opinion it is always easier to relocate the rear cab
mounts back 12 inches than to relocate the whole trailing arm crossmember,
but who cares, cut it as u will as long as it works!

didn't even think about the trailing arm xmember, for some reason i was assuming he was going with a custom setup in the rear. but you would be relocating the cab mounts AND the bed mounts...good luck with your project by the way, it looks like you have a pretty good starting point

[R.L.]

Thanks guys I appreciate your coments.

[R.L.]

Got a update today and its the highlight of my day.
More bed shots, doesn't look beat up at all.


Those bed steps are going to look good cromed. I think I'm going to go with torch red paint and a white cab.

I wonder how well the bed strips would hold up under use cromed? Well after seeing a fellow members metal bed I'm leaning twords that but the crome and oak is a option any way.

[R.L.]

Wow doesn't that orange and silver look good on that black frame?

That took some work to get that rusty old thing to look that good,





I think I'm going Red with a white top, red interior with black upholstery.
Aluminun diamond plate tool box that fits inside the bed matching tail gate protector and side rail strips crome bed steps and a metel floor with a rhino bed liner repaint my trailer, with my black Harley and diamond plate toolbox on the trailer and drive it till the wheels fall of.

[thirdstreettito]

Lookin good! You gonna hop up that L6? I got a bunch of places with performance L6 parts saved!

[R.L.]

I wasn't going to thirdstreet but after seeing this...

[IMG]http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo68/twodl...

Wish I knew what size cam he's useing.

[IMG]http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo68/twodl...

Thats awful tempting, and he did a fine job on the rest of the truck too.

[R.L.]

I got a Merry Christmas e-mail from Shirley and Tim at Wade Auto this morning. Wow I thought it would be after the first before they would have time to start on reassembly. Ya'll look!

First the cab!





Now the clip.





Then the bed.

[R.L.]

Boy this is eating me up I'm not there doing the work my self but if I were I'd be broke. Well I guess thats just as good becouse I've been pricing all the little parts to make it nice and thats where the real cost will be when you figure how fast this stage of the build happened. Then theirs the reality of unseen changes later on, started with a work truck ended up with a show truck thing, Yeah right.
Hope you enjoy my build.
My self I'm living from one set of photos to the next, thanks Tim, thanks Shirley.

[nuke1]

that is awesome that they are posting pcs for you, what more could you ask for, you will enjoy it when back home.

[R.L.]

I sure will enjoy it when I get back home , your'e right I couldn't ask for anything better.

[72BlckButy]

Any updates Ryan?

[R.L.]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=318238