Project "Moonshiner" Bagged & Z Frame 63

[Popcorn W]

Well, guess I'll jump in with a build.
I picked up this 63 short fleet, big back window for a candidate.
I got it from a garage/junk-yard for $800
Here's pics from the junkyard and after I got it home (Toyota wheels and all)

[Popcorn W]

The original 6-cyl supposedly ran when it was parked 4 years ago, but a SBC is in it's future.
The cab is actually in pretty good shape. I have some good usable front fenders to replace the ones on it. The bed's not real bad. Needs all new wiring. I found some original wheels for it on Craigslist, so on they go and into the garage.

At some point in it's life (looks like a long time ago) it was in a front end collision. The frame was straightened but the front horns were torched off about 3" short. There's some fairly nasty frame work that went on, so this seems like the perfect candidate for a Z by someone who's never done one.

[Popcorn W]

I picked up step notches from Suicide Doors so I started there first.

[4shongo]

Nice project!!

[Popcorn W]

I ordered heim joint bung ends to build a panhard bar, and shocks are gonna be last.

[Popcorn W]

Getting ready for the Z cut. Since I'm working by myself, I figured a engine hoist with a leveler would be the easiest.

[Popcorn W]

I'm going to add a fish plate on the inside of the frame too. I just haven't done it yet.

[Popcorn W]

Front part just tacked on now until I mock up the front sheet metal to make sure its in the right spot.
Notice the front frame horns? At some point in it's life, from the repairs I'm guessing a long time ago ,this truck was in a front end wreck. Front horns were torched off and one frame repair was done with very sloppy stick welds. I cleaned up the weld the best I could and rewelded it. You can see it a little in this pic just behind the steering box.
The angle iron on the front was just to keep the horns straight so they could be put back on both at the same time.

[Popcorn W]

I wish I could have at least pressure cleaned the frame, but by the time I got a chance to start on it, it was already getting too cold out. As soon as it warms up I'll pull it back out and clean the frame.

[Popcorn W]

One of my LCA's caught a manhole cover or something. A 4-ton porta power fixed it pretty easy. I thought I had a picture of that but I guess not.
Got the bump stops off.

[Popcorn W]

Originally Posted by 4shongo

Nice project!!

Thanks!
I guess it's just you and me, huh?

[DPowers]

Just saw this. Looks good. Where is Paint Bank?

[Popcorn W]

Originally Posted by DPowers

Just saw this. Looks good. Where is Paint Bank?

Craig County, in SW part of the state right next to the WV state line.

[chevyrestoguy]

I like what you're doing, Popcorn. I was going to suggest an easier way to position the front suspension after you cut it out, but man, you work fast! We built a jig that went from the floor to the frame while it was in the stock location. After the front and rear cuts, we stacked some 2x2 square tubing under the jig and was exactly where it needed to be.

If you have any questions, PM me. I might be able to give you some tips I learned during my "Z".

Keep up the good work!

[Jeff La]

Good job, work is coming along nice

[Popcorn W]

Thanks guys! Haven't gotten anything done in the last few days. It's just been too cold to heat the garage.
Thanks for the offer Chevyrestoguy I may have to get some tips from you. I checked out your build and I like that jig idea.
I noticed you only had to use one u-joint on your steering shaft. I'm gonna end up using two because I'm using original non-power box in original location.

[ProudSoul]

Sweet truck! Can't wait to see it layed out and I'm diggin' the name too

"Popcorn said............well you know"

[sambrutay]

Great start.

[Vics63Chevy]

You don't waste any time! Nice truck, keep it up.

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Z-chop turned out nice!

[chevyrestoguy]

Originally Posted by Popcorn W

...Thanks for the offer Chevyrestoguy I may have to get some tips from you. I checked out your build and I like that jig idea.
I noticed you only had to use one u-joint on your steering shaft. I'm gonna end up using two because I'm using original non-power box in original location.

My steering system is a hybrid of old and new. I used the power steering box from my '79 Suburban donor and mounted it with one of Capt. Fab's adapter plates. I wanted to use a factory rag joint, so I used the collapsible intermediate shaft from the same '79 Suburban, but I modified it by cutting off the factory u-joint. It's the set-up that looks like a bell with a boot on one end and a clamp on the other. My column is also a hybrid. I used a factory '65 automatic column, but because I wanted it to have the ability to collapse in a collision, I used the steering shaft from a '68 column, thereby making a "short" column, compared to the original factory 4ft shaft to goes from the steering wheel to the steering box. Once I had the column's length defined, I knew how long the intermediate shaft had to be. The factory shafts are a slip fit with plastic shear rivets that break during a collision, allowing the shaft to collapse. I got a tiny drill bit and drilled out the plastic rivets. In order to get the shaft to my required length, I pulled out the mini sledge and a 4x4 block and smacked the end of the shaft, shearing what was left of the rivets and getting the shaft to my exact length. Then, I bought a Flaming River steering u-joint with a 3/4" D-D on one end to match the factory intermediate shaft and a 7/8" smooth end on the other to match the column shaft. With this set-up, I have a collapsible column, a rag joint for vibration dampening, and a single u-joint. I measured the clearance between the steering shaft and the upper control arm at full system compression, and it was really close, even though the a-arm snubbers were removed and the suspension would never get that far compressed. As an added assurance, I marked the spot on the upper control arm and heated it with a torch and got a thick walled impact socket on a long 3/4" extension and laid it over top of my mark and smacked it with the mini sledge. It left a perfectly smooth radius for the steering shaft.

Hope this was helpful.

[creep]

Looking good! Looks like a decent truck for a junk yard find.

[Popcorn W]

Thanks everyone. And, chevyrestoguy, I went through a lot of the same double-d mods with a frame swap I did a few years ago. I had a spare S-10 column that I used for parts and bought a new plain DD shaft from Speedway for extra length.

[4mulaSvaliant]

I like where this is headed! Ill be watchin' fer sure! Carry on...carry on! Hahaha

[Popcorn W]

For the front I'm trying something completely different. If it works, great. If not I'm gonna be the Forum Idiot.
I got this idea from a post that Chevy Mike had about a truck he had. I asked him about it and these LCA's were made by a company in CA years ago before drop spindles were available. He said they worked okay except if you hit a hard bump it would damage the upper ball joint because of the extreme angle of the upper control arm.