Noob with Questions

[Project]

Ok first a little history, when I was 16 I bought a 1969 short wide base model with no options. I drove that truck daily though out H.S. Well like many others life happened and I had to sell that truck. Im now looking at another 1969, my question is what newer 1988+ chassis has similar wheelbase?

I know the 67-72 wheelbase's were 116,127,133, Right?

I think that the 88-98 3500HD were 136,160,184.

Are these chassis worth it or should I go to the next generation chassis like drewskiren has?

Im wanting to build a reliable truck with classic looks on a "modern chassis" , I like the looks of the 1 ton stuff. So thats why Im looking at 1 ton chassis wheelbases.

I have looked but haven't seen any body who is reproducing the 9 foot beds, are these something that you either find or make your own?

Thanks for listening to a Noob rant!

[drewskiren]

I'll jump in and say make it reliable and comfortable so you enjoy driving the truck. Then all your hard work will have been worth the effort, because you will want to keep it because it is such a great driver. I've built toys in the past that were just that, toys. I was young and active, but they still kinda beat me up driving them. Don't have a single one of them now and I wish I could have all the time I spent on them back. I hope I am building what I think is right and end up finally keeping one for a long time.

[gcburdic]

first off....HELLO and to the boards Project

67-72 wheel bases that I know of are 115, 127, 133

I know I have seen several guys convert to the newer chassis....there's a guy on here with a burb on I think a 88 chassis....

If you want to stay with a 1/2 ton chassis, maybe think about adding a 4.8 or 5.3 or even a 6.0 LS motor....not as much work and adds reliability

I've seen the 127" beds and the 115" beds, so to go longer, it'll have to be custom.....

Hope this helps out a little, and I'm sure others will chime in

[Tx Firefighter]

If I understand you correctly, you're talking about building a 1 ton. That gets my attention. I have 3 duallys right now.

First off, I'd build off the stock early model chassis. It will fit the truck properly. It's been my experience when swapping different era chassis that the frame rails don't usually hug the bottom of the cab and front clip as well as the original.

If you use the stock era chassis, you can bolt in swap later suspension all the way up through 91 models. You get large disc brakes, swaybars, power steering and all that. It's all easy bolt in with few holes to drill.

In the rear, you've got plenty of options to choose from. Dana 70s are common and so are 14 bolts. Either option has great ratio availabilty so you can choose one for your specific build configuration, ie. whether you're running overdrive trans or not and tire height.

[Project]

Thanks ever body.

I guess I should have given more information on what I'm wanting.

1. A dependable daily driver
2. A truck that I can pull a trailer or what not with no worries.
-Many of my friends are into 4x4's and are breaking them often.-
3. Modern ride quality
4. Decent mileage
5. Has to be a manual trans
-This one I will compromise on-

[Project]

Originally Posted by gcburdic

first off....HELLO and to the boards Project

67-72 wheel bases that I know of are 115, 127, 133

I know I have seen several guys convert to the newer chassis....there's a guy on here with a burb on I think a 88 chassis....

If you want to stay with a 1/2 ton chassis, maybe think about adding a 4.8 or 5.3 or even a 6.0 LS motor....not as much work and adds reliability

I've seen the 127" beds and the 115" beds, so to go longer, it'll have to be custom.....

Hope this helps out a little, and I'm sure others will chime in

The 115" is a short bed and the 127'' would be the 8' foot bed, but what about the 9' "longhorn" or "camper special" bed?

[Project]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

If I understand you correctly, you're talking about building a 1 ton. That gets my attention. I have 3 duallys right now.

First off, I'd build off the stock early model chassis. It will fit the truck properly. It's been my experience when swapping different era chassis that the frame rails don't usually hug the bottom of the cab and front clip as well as the original.

If you use the stock era chassis, you can bolt in swap later suspension all the way up through 91 models. You get large disc brakes, swaybars, power steering and all that. It's all easy bolt in with few holes to drill.

In the rear, you've got plenty of options to choose from. Dana 70s are common and so are 14 bolts. Either option has great ratio availabilty so you can choose one for your specific build configuration, ie. whether you're running overdrive trans or not and tire height.

The reason for wanting to use a "modern" chassis is it give me all of what I'm looking for already together and not need to "piece" it together, but it's definitely an option to keep in mind.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Project

The 115" is a short bed and the 127'' would be the 8' foot bed, but what about the 9' "longhorn" or "camper special" bed?

Yep the Longhorn beds have a section added at the front of the bed to get the added length and if you were to take a good look at on you could probably figure out real quick how to make a "Longhorn" any length you wanted.

I see a 71/72 running around here once in a while that has a longbed fleetside box with stepside fenders on it to run dual wheels on the back. I've never talked to the guy to see exactly what he did and it is a bit rough around the edges but it does look like a proper 71/72 Dualie would if one had been built.

Get the tape measure, note pad and camera out and spend a bit of time measuring the models of trucks that you think might be good doner candidates to see what you can come up with. A guy could probably find an early 90's dualie with a sad body for a reasonable price if he looked a bit.

Probably too far from you but the price is right http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/2237820541.html And enough stuff to sell to get most of and probably more than the original investment back.

[Project]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Yep the Longhorn beds have a section added at the front of the bed to get the added length and if you were to take a good look at on you could probably figure out real quick how to make a "Longhorn" any length you wanted.

I see a 71/72 running around here once in a while that has a longbed fleetside box with stepside fenders on it to run dual wheels on the back. I've never talked to the guy to see exactly what he did and it is a bit rough around the edges but it does look like a proper 71/72 Dualie would if one had been built.

Get the tape measure, note pad and camera out and spend a bit of time measuring the models of trucks that you think might be good doner candidates to see what you can come up with. A guy could probably find an early 90's dualie with a sad body for a reasonable price if he looked a bit.

Thank you the info on how the factory built the 9 foot bed. At the moment I'm thinking about a SRW but that voice in my head is saying "If you going to go 1 ton you might as well build a dualie. It's not that much more work."

That voice may get me into T-R-O-U-B-L-E

[05crewcab]

Originally Posted by Project

Thanks ever body.

I guess I should have given more information on what I'm wanting.

1. A dependable daily driver
2. A truck that I can pull a trailer or what not with no worries.
-Many of my friends are into 4x4's and are breaking them often.-
3. Modern ride quality
4. Decent mileage
5. Has to be a manual trans
-This one I will compromise on-

Welcome to the board! This place is hands down the AUTHORITY on 67-72 trucks you've come to the right place!

I'm going to play devil's advocate...

The list above sounds like you should buy a late model Dmax dually with a manual trans.


By the time you go to all the trouble of converting a 69 (and doing it well enough to satisfy your requirements in a rig) you could probably buy the dmax for work and also a pretty nice 69 to play with...

I'm just saying make sure you weigh all your options before you commit. If you do decide to build one though make sure you start a build thread!

[Project]

Originally Posted by 05crewcab

Welcome to the board! This place is hands down the AUTHORITY on 67-72 trucks you've come to the right place!

I'm going to play devil's advocate...

The list above sounds like you should buy a late model Dmax dually with a manual trans.


By the time you go to all the trouble of converting a 69 (and doing it well enough to satisfy your requirements in a rig) you could probably buy the dmax for work and also a pretty nice 69 to play with...

I'm just saying make sure you weigh all your options before you commit. If you do decide to build one though make sure you start a build thread!

Thanks the last thing I need is that voice in my head being spoken by somebody else. lol

Did chevy ever build a Dmax with a stick?

The idea of the Dmax is nice but I don't think I need it. I think I may be better
off money wise buying and turning a 6.0 or even a 8.1.

Hmmm...more things to think about.

Tx FireFighter has got me thinking about just swappin parts onto a 67-72 1 ton frame instead of swappin frames but being one of the few on a hydro-formed frame has me wanting to go that away. So many things to think about.

[05crewcab]

[QUOTE=Project;4521743]Thanks the last thing I need is that voice in my head being spoken by somebody else. lol

Did chevy ever build a Dmax with a stick?

The idea of the Dmax is nice but I don't think I need it. I think I may be better
off money wise buying and turning a 6.0 or even a 8.1.

QUOTE]

Hey, glad to mess up your head more! Ha!

I dont know how many dmax's got the ZF-6 6-speed, but it wasn't a whole lot, like maybe one manual to every 20 autos...

In Minnesota at least the diesels hold their value WAY better than the gas trucks. I've had my diesel for 3 years and put 40K on it and it blue books out today at what I bought it for.

I would think you'll be way more money ahead flipping a diesel than the 6.0 or 8.1, especially the 8.1...that thing is a complete pig. It gets worse mileage than the old carbed big blocks...something like 10mpg empty if you are lucky...I've heard as bad as 4mpg towing...yuck!

[Project]

QUOTE]

Hey, glad to mess up your head more! Ha!

I dont know how many dmax's got the ZF-6 6-speed, but it wasn't a whole lot, like maybe one manual to every 20 autos...

In Minnesota at least the diesels hold their value WAY better than the gas trucks. I've had my diesel for 3 years and put 40K on it and it blue books out today at what I bought it for.

I would think you'll be way more money ahead flipping a diesel than the 6.0 or 8.1, especially the 8.1...that thing is a complete pig. It gets worse mileage than the old carbed big blocks...something like 10mpg empty if you are lucky...I've heard as bad as 4mpg towing...yuck![/QUOTE]

Good to know on the 8.1 .

Is the ZF-6 a F**d based transmission, I thought the Dmax/stick combo was a rumor.

After looking at the cost of a good donor truck, this truck will probaly be a gasser unless something falls into my lap.

As of this moment, and this WILL PROBABLY CHANGE, I'm looking a building a dualie long bed (8') 2wd and 5 or 6 speed manual. Thats the only I have set in stone. Well sandstone.

But most importantly I already know what the color scheme will be.

[05crewcab]

A version of the ZF-6 was used in Ford trucks as well as the Corvette in the 90's and the Dmax and 8.1.

It's kinda like the 2500hd AAM rearend which is the same as the one in the dodge ram, or the older Dana axles...everyone is in bed with eachother on certain drivetrain parts.

[Project]

Ok cool, I learn something new everyday from this site.

[Project]

Today I bought a cab from a borad member here, It needs lots of work. Rockers on both sides, driver cab corner, driver front floor, driver a pillar support thing???

Im not sure how to load pic's but I know you guys love your pics!!!

THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY SO BUILD.

[gcburdic]

use the board gallery...here...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=449588 to upload your pictures then attach to this thread