'72 Frame Up Rebuild

[scoyote]

OK, my turn I guess.

Here's a before photo and a few shots of progress.

I'll try to keep this thread updated as we go.

The "project" outlines for this stage of the build are:
Frame up - Body work to be done by Royce's Auto Detail here in Fort Collins
Mechanics, custom fab etc....performed by MTO in Fort Collins, CO
(I don't have the time, know how or room to do this myself but I can do all the clean up work on the frame, axles....I can do the dirty work ;-)

1. Dana 60 front and 14 BFF rear - no lockers right now, just getting the axles under is first. These are 411 gears which will be sufficient until I can afford to install the air lockers.

2. 4" lift with Skyjacker Softride kit....comfortable and capable...those are the keywords.

3. 383 stroker installed in front of 350 TH w/2,000 rpm stall converter and beefed up clutches. I STILL don't know what to do for fuel delivery. I want to get that Edlebrock Pro Flo Injection but that is around a $5,000 investment by the time it's installed and tuned so for now I guess I'm going to put a Holley Truck Avenger on it and wait until I have the money for injection.

But, I'm sure open to any suggestions....it's beating me up trying to figure out the best cost effective fuel delivery system for that stroker.

4. Cross over steering

5. 37 gallon tank with skid plate

6. Clean up the frame, axles and bolt the body back on.

7. Custom fab front and rear bumpers and if I have funds left I'll have the sliders fabbed and installed. Gonna wait on the winch until the next part of this project probably.

That's the build's first stage in a nutshell and I'll post progress pics as we go.

I'm excited.....and hope to have this on the road for summer....top off....and cruisin' ;-)

That's the basic outline for this first part of the build.

[vtblazer]

Going to be a nice build!
What tire/wheel combo are you going to run?
What's the focus of the build? Usage-wise?

My .02 would be, do something other than a huge fuel tank under the frame, it will really put the hurtin' on you when wheeling the truck.
If I wanted to expand my fuel capacity, I'd install some of those old school interior side tanks they made for our blazers back when.
(I know of a set for sale right now BTW)

2ndly, no need to spend 5K on an injection system for your 383, a factory TBI package that's tuned up with a chip & better injectors would serve you well.

Great to see another build start up!

You know the deal...keep us up to date and use lots of pictures.

[Big J]

Welcome to the board. You've got a nice ride to start with. You might take a look at dropin' in a 6.0 LS engine. Theres a blazer on here someplace with one. Its got a magna charger and makes some serious ponies. Keep up the good work. and more pics please, lol.

[scoyote]

Saddle tanks huh.....didn't think of that.

Where are those for sale?

All I know is that 16 gallons of gas won't work where I live, gas stations are too far apart. I'll still have to carry a spare 10 gallons just to be comfortable.

The build is supposed to be "comfortable and capable".

I have a jeep and a big Ford that I use for hunting and wheeling.

I'm sure I'll take it wheeling some, but nothing major.

I have trucks for the major stuff.

It's going to be my convertible trail ride ;-)

Here's my Jeep on Christmas holiday....snow was deeper than the tires are tall.

[vtblazer]

PM sent about the tanks.

Still haven't mentioned a tire size yet...
Matters for lift height & final axle ratio.

Best build to do IMO, building it to drive it.


Nice jeep pic, every jeep pic out wheeling looks like they expect and are prepared to be stuck.
They always run with the winch control up over the hood & a jerk strap hangin' out the back.

Not busting on you so much cause your truly stuck but it's an observation I've made over the years.

[scoyote]

Forgot about the wheels/tires

35" Pro Comp tires

That Grand Cherokee sits to low, only a 3" lift with 31" tires...it's easy to stick in the snow but is very capable on dry land....it's not a rock crawler though ;-)

[Chevyman63]

Looking forward to this one.

[scoyote]

OK, the boys at MTO have been busy....body is off and we are ready to sandblast the frame.

You will see blue tape on the front fenders, we are "trimming" the fenders to tuck the 35's under it with a 4" lift. I really didn't want smaller tires or a higher lift ;-)

I was thinking about using POR after the sandblast, thought it might be more durable than rattle can paint?

Anyone have any experience in that?

Was looking through LMC and now I'm wanting to put the Firewall Insulator Pad and EVA Sound Deadener and Heat Shield Kits on as soon as the body is ready to put back on the frame.

Was also looking at the Molded Industrial Polyvinyl Floor Mats because it's gonna be topless if not all the time, most of the time.

Not sure about the quality of any of that stuff.....anyone????

Now....it's just a matter of putting it back together huh....

[vtblazer]

got the easy part done.

Your shop?

[Big J]

The quality is fine but I'd bet you can get all of that cheaper through one of the vendors here on the board. Are ya sure you gotta trim? Usually 35's will fit with no trimmin'. I've seen 35's on one with no lift, lol. It didn't look like it rubbed either. I know 33's will fit with no lift. You might question them about. Looks like they checked in the pics but hmmmm. Nice progress though, git r done! Wish I had a lift, lol.

[scoyote]

I WISH that was my shop.

That is MTO 4x4 here in Fort Collins.

I don't have the room to do that and frankly I don't have the time or knowledge for most of it.

So....I just get to go there now and then and check status.

I'll get to do the fun stuff like painting the frame and axles....that "no brainer" stuff that can be done on weekends.

As for the 35's, we put them on to check with the existing 4" lift and they will fit but not when it gets bumpy and here it's called the Rocky Mountains for a reason, it's gonna get bumpy when it's off road.

It was too close, didn't want any tire rub so trimming was the option I took.

Now, which vendors should I be looking at for that stuff?

[vtblazer]

Originally Posted by scoyote

Now, which vendors should I be looking at for that stuff?

One vendor list coming up:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/links/browselinks.php?c=2

[LUV2XCLR8]

Looks good so far

[72Levi]

Nice build going on, what color are you going to paint it? My wife wants to know and so do I Same orange?

[scoyote]

Same color orange.

Here in Colorado we call it Bronco Orange ;-)

I like that color.

Front and rear bumpers, roll bar and rock sliders will be black for contrast.

Black bikini top....And...top off.....probably all the time, well.....that's the plan right now.

[scoyote]

Wow...I was looking at serpentine kits and couldn't believe what I was seeing, like a thousand bucks????

I thought I saw on this board ,or another one maybe, where someone was using parts from a V6 Pontiac .....???

I know others have done this, is there a cost effective way to get it done?

If not....that's gonna have to wait!

Hey VT, thanks for the vendor list....I knew where that was already.

My question was WHICH vendors are selling what I'm looking for, I don't have the time to click and search each one when LMC is so handy. ;-)

But, I'd be glad to support these vendors if I knew who was selling what.

[Yukon Jack]

I sure enjoy dealing with Tim Christian at Christian Classics. You can't go wrong with him, Wes at Classic Heartbeat is knocking himself out helping get Blazer stuff reproduced and Paul at GMCPaul's is a great guy too. Those are the three that immediately come to mind when I recommend vendors.

Those three can get anything LMC has and I beleive you'll find they can beat LMC's prices and the service and knowledge they each have is top notch.

[scoyote]

Thanks for the info Yukon Jack, I'll take a look at those guys and see if we can do some business.

OK....back to the build...finally.

Got the frame back from the sandblaster and it's beautiful. Tomorrow I am going to use POR and "paint" the frame with it.

I was reading the instructions on that stuff and it sounds like I'd better wear gloves, respirator and some old clothes.

I particularly like the part that says not to get any paint in the grooves on the can or the can will be "permanently sealed"....that was worth reading.

The MTO guys are working on the axles, I've got a factory 1991 TBI on the way and a serpentine belt setup on the way so we are about ready to start putting this thing back together.

The body is still on the trailer so I gotta get that in the works but there is time....lots of things to do before it's time to bolt that back on.

No pictures right now, just got home from the shop, but I will post some tomorrow afternoon.

I'm excited to start getting it put together!

[scoyote]

Got some before and after pics on the frame.

That POR is amazing stuff.....definitely oil based and when they say Permanent...I think they mean permanent!

I'm going to get it another coat tomorrow.

The frame and gas tank only took maybe a hair more than a pint but less than a quart for one coat.

I'm planning to do my axles after they are prepped.

I was ready to POR anything in sight today ;-)

Also a shot of my new "naked" 383 stroker sitting next to my old 327.

Not going to put to much effort or money into the axles, just clean them up, check seals and wear...replace what is necessary and leave it at that because the next phase will be ARB lockers so I don't want to put too much money into them right now.

And...I would LOVE to do a disc brake on the rear....maybe next phase.

Anway....here is the frame as it sits right now.

[Skirkpat]

Nice project, POR 15 is the way to go, and the late model serpentine, and Fuel Injection is what I would use also, that aftermarket stuff is too expensive...and they did not engineer it like GM did. Alot of it does not work right.

[Yukon Jack]

Frame looks great - engine looks great too!

[70rs/ss]

Looking great!! I live to South of you, and would love to wheel in the Rockies, i am kind of close to Moab as well, would like to do both, but me $x rig isn't what I'd call trail capable, YET, your's looks like it should be able to get the jobdone, you'll love the 383, lots of torq down low in the RPM range, which is REAL handy in 4 lo!

[BLUE THUNDER]

por looks great. I might have to go and get some.

[scoyote]

More progress pics.

37 gallon gas tank installed (POR 15 on it even though it was new)

Dana 60 with cross over steering getting ready to bolt on

Rebuilt the NP 205

It's getting closer, but still a long way to go and money is running out ;-(

BFF is in the works for the rear and should be done this week.

[vtblazer]

What did you come up with for a tranny and gears?

Tire size?