Hard decision...

[ng64]

I have a 64 short stepside. As i mentioned a couple days ago i bought a 67 short step that has 5 lug disc on front and 5 lug 12 bolt rear. I was wanting to use the 5 lug pattern on my truck. But after looking at my truck the PO spent alot of time on the frame and front end has all new bushings looks great. I wanted discs on front and 5 lug for the ease of finding some nice wheels. but now i really hate to disassemble the front end. Is it worth doing this conversion? And at the same time im thinking i cant part out the 67 because i dont have the heart to part it out and scrap whats left of it. I would rather keep it for my next project. Thought about putting a power brake booster on my 64 and have power drums. All thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[markeb01]

It really comes down to what you want and how you’re going to use the truck when it’s finished. Do you want 5 lug wheels bad enough to make the change? Is it going to be a weekend hot rod or something you plan on taking on long trips, or a daily commuter? Is it going to be a parade restoration? It will save a lot of false starts if these decisions are made before developing a plan on how to build the truck.

Drum brakes and manual steering worked fine for decades because that was (with a few exceptions) all that was available. The difference being that 40-50 years ago most cars weren’t tightly packed together going 70+ miles an hour every day in commute traffic. Drum brakes with or without power assist continue to work, they just don’t stop in the distances that most people are familiar with today in lightweight jelly bean cars with power discs. So a big decision early should be - do you want to get use to leaving a lot of room in front of the truck, or upgrade to something more efficient for panic stops. And just a note - back in the early 70’s I commuted across the Oakland Bay Bridge every day and quickly discovered that if I left an open car space in front of my vehicle, 4 or 5 more cars would cram into that space. It demonstrated being a defensive driver didn’t always work. If most of your driving is on country roads this may not matter.

If you decide you want or need disc brakes and 5 lug wheels and the 67 is too nice to chop up, just look for something else. A complete parts truck is usually less expensive that buying a piece at a time from the local wrecking yard. And if everything in your suspension is rebuilt, maybe you don't need all that much. Perhaps just a disc brake swap in the front and 5 lug axle kit for the rear would be a more efficient way to go.

If you haven't looked through it yet, be sure to check out all the options available shown on this thread:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=367260

[ng64]

Thanks for your input. Its not that the 67 is too nice because someone tried to chop it and messed it up so it needs a cab but the front clip and bed are in great shape. I just have the problem of wanting every old chevy out there. So i guess i will use the disc front end and 12 bolt rear for my 64 and save the bed and front clip and proly the dash out of the cab; its an a/c dash. But i still second guess myself. I keep looking at the 67 thinking all it needs is a cab. I paid $250 for it so either way i guess im ok. Thought i would post pics of my trucks as well maybe im just blinded by rustic beauty.

[markeb01]

I can see why you'd want to keep it. Looks like someone might have put a lot of work in that truck. Too bad they didn't get an extra cab to practice on, or to chop separately and then swap bodies.

[BR3W CITY]

Put it all on the 64.
At one point I thought "I won't touch this part, since the PO did a nice job" on a few areas of my truck....only to find out that it didn't end up being all that great, or just didn't fit what the project needed. Besides anything you didn't touch yourself, is one thing you can't account for....and is usually the one thing that brakes on a road trip, leaving you in a lurch.

I literally have re-done or handled EVERY single part on my truck, with the exception of the steering rack and tie rods.....and thats just because we haven't done the alignment yet