Found a '74

[RandyP]

Going to look tonight. So far the owner is talking it up pretty well, but who knows. For the price it's worth a look though. All I know is '74 Chevy, hoping 1/2 ton but I could deal with a 3/4 ton conversion to 1/2 ton.

Only photo I have, will take more tonight. I'm excited to finally find a 73/74 though, and to use my shiny new car hauler.

[nbpro]

sweet looks good in the pic good luck
got interior needs? look here complete package Doors, dash, and seats

[RandyP]

You gotta change your name to Stitch's Pimp

If he just gave you a nickle for it every time, you'd be closer to that alcohol burning big block you (ok, me) have always been dreaming of.

Guy has told me good body except one major dent on the passenger bedside, good interior with a new dash that has been protected by a carpet cover and a bad transmission. No motor as he is pulling it to put in another truck, must be a supped up something or another. If he's not too proud of the engine we might come to a deal and leave it in there.

[nbpro]

The dents wouldn't be any problem in your line of work I wouldn't think. And looks like your experience with crate engines may come in handy if he decides he's too proud of the engine.
so we can look for a new Build Thread ? (aka Stitch's Pimp )

[Restrorob]

Stitch's Pimp ? . .


Looks like a nice score Randy !

[Stitch]

lol I'm not a Hoe anymore...I lost that name...

[joe231]

right on!
did you pick up those other trucks yet?

[RandyP]

Talk about out in the sticks, I heard banjos man!

Went and looked at it, not as slick as he made it out to sound, but for $350 I can't complain. He has a freakin' 396 in at the moment, told me to make him an offer with the engine. I guess I didn't offer enough and he said he'd just keep the engine. He's supposed to call when he gets it yanked out, we both agreed we were in no big hurry as long as I really would pay him (showed him the money) and he agreed to not sell it out from under me.

The interior is by far worn out, but it is by far in perfect condition. I would call it way above par for a 36 year old vehicle. Right bedside is wiped out, tailgate was butchered when someone tried to smooth it, but did not relocate the handle. Cab corners are gone, rockers appear decent though. Floors looked good from the best I could tell by getting under it in tall grass with the sun going down. Doors got a decent amount of rust down low, but I got a set a doors (sorry Joe!) assuming my suburban doors will actually work. I've heard the 76 down doors are a bit different, but I'm thinking mine will work since I have all the hardware and such. Fenders are a bit rough, but wheelhouses looked decent. Hood looked so so, usable I hope. Core support had some surface rust, but looked usable, especially around the battery tray area, seems that is most prone place for rust through. Grille looked decent and headlamp bezels can be refurb'd I think. Dash has an aftermarket radio, but it is a very old school one that did not require the dash to be hacked up.

I'm not going to get too excited about it until it's sitting on my parking lot, but I am a bit eager. I'm thinking about a 2/4 lower, shorten the frame about 2', finding a stepper bed and actually building a drive train instead of buying a crate motor. Best thing is I actually made a deal with the wife on it. If I get it and actually do what I want, I'll quit smoking and use the $$ I save from that ($200 a month at least) to put in to this truck over the next few years (might have to take a loan out against that $200 a month and pay myself back, ).

Guess we'll see. But hopefully my search for a round eye has come to an end.

[RandyP]

Originally Posted by joe231

right on!
did you pick up those other trucks yet?

Well, story on that one. I went and looked at them. Basically had one SWB that needed complete drive train, interior and all front sheet metal and bumpers. It was a 81 or 82. Had lots of body work that would need done as well.

Another was a SWB that had a cab sitting on it, with exhaust mocked up under it, nothing else but suspension. Bed for it was trash as was the front sheet metal. It was an 80 model. Again no drive train at all and no interior at all.

Other was a LWB with no front sheet metal at all, rusted out cab and the worst bed I've ever seen. It had 55 gallon drums dropped in it a lot during its life.

She wanted $700, I offered $500 for some stupid reason, but she turned it down (thank God). She called me the next evening and told me she'd take it, I paused a long time and she then added "if you're still interested?". I told her I was not. She called back and asked what I would offer, I told her $300 for it all if she could find titles for the 80 and 81/82 model. She informed me scrap price was more so I told her to get busy loading it up and hauling it off.

[Stitch]

I scrapped two truck frames, two cabs, and two beds and only got $160...no way she's gonna get $300...she might be calling you back Randy...lol

[joe231]

the newer doors will work, but you can't use the original door panels from the '74.
no worries on the doors, i might be looking at another parts burb in the morning

[RandyP]

I'm waiting on the CL ad under free stuff for "previous renter left this junk, come get it". I probably could have parted out the wheels and both cabs and the two good doors and tons of small misc stuff and made some money. But I don't really get in to that and don't have a huge back lot or anything to keep it on.

[RandyP]

Originally Posted by joe231

the newer doors will work, but you can't use the original door panels from the '74.
no worries on the doors, i might be looking at another parts burb in the morning

Do the doors have different inner structure or something? Or is it because the trim panels are like half panels or something? I took photos, but have no way of downloading them to the pc here at home. I'll look them all over tomorrow and post them up.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by RandyP

Do the doors have different inner structure or something? Or is it because the trim panels are like half panels or something? I took photos, but have no way of downloading them to the pc here at home. I'll look them all over tomorrow and post them up.

both, the window regulators are totally different and the 73-76 doors were manual only.

[RandyP]

Well we might be repairing the doors then. I really wanted to keep the crank windows for simplicity sake. Same with the door panels. Debating on the A/C and stuff, would look cleaner w/out all that under the hood.

[nbpro]

Originally Posted by Stitch

lol I'm not a Hoe anymore...I lost that name...

so that would be a name change to protect innocent

[RandyP]

Photos as promised.

[RandyP]

More. Now it's time to dig my 87 outta the shop here and go do some errands in it and see how it runs with a good gas tank.

[nbpro]

not bad at all

[Davidmichael]

pretty good for the age.

[79gmcclassic]

not to bad

[RandyP]

Finally got the call from the ol' boy, he had the motor removed. I was very fearful he'd be harsh on the engine removal, but appears he did it right. Got out there this morning with my trailer, a pair of come-a-longs and some chain. NEXT THING ON MY "TO BUY" LIST IS A WINCH!!! Jeesh.

Got it to my shop and unloaded without killing myself or damaging anything. Had my boy with me so did not take time for more photos or anything, will do that tomorrow. I did show the guy today though that his "perfect dash" was a cheap cap someone put on it, oops. The old factory dash cap under it is fairly cracked up.

I'm not going to do much of anything right now except remove the grille and stuff and put it somewhere very very safe. Will start tinkering with it this winter maybe and figure out what I want to end up with. She's my first round eye.

Did I mention I gotta find a winch for my trailer? That come-a-long crap is for the birds!!!

[Stitch]

make sure to get a good winch...I went out with a comealong the other night because a buddy of mine went to get his daughters car of the side of the road and the piece of junk winch he had locked up on him...so we had to do the comealong shuffle even though he had a winch...

[RandyP]

Trying to talk my dads 1/2 brother out of one he has, it's an older 15,000 Ramsey. He's awfully proud of it so far though, still trying to see if he'll realize it is not worth 1500 bucks. I think he's lost it mentally a little bit, maybe I need to call his wife and see.
I think we even thought up an easy way to make a winch removable on the trailer, so I don't have to worry about thieving wieners. (my lot has been broken in to a lot lately)

The winch was really sounding nice though, especially after we had it about 1/2 way up, blocked it to rehook, and it rolled over the blocks.... Had to start over at square one! From then on we just tag teamed it, once one comealong was at the end of its cable, the other one was rehooked and ready to take over.

Bad thing was, after we got it loaded up the guy came over and said "I guess I could have pushed it up there with my tractor, it's behind the shop".

[Stitch]

that's what we call the comealong shuffle...lol

and doh about the tractor...that woulda been nice...yall even could have strapped it up and pulled it up with another truck...we woulda done that, but only had about 3 feet left to go...

a Ramsey is a good winch, but $1500 is new price...or more than new price for a Ramsey...I think you can get a good Warn NEW for around $1200 but you don't need all that...you only need like a $8000 winch and a doubler...you'd be good to go...