"Big Al" '70 Long Fleet

[GAc10boy]

In what appears to be my never-ending saga of TADD (Truck Attention Deficit Disorder), I picked up this 1970 Chevrolet LWB Fleetside a few nights ago. The truck is my favorite color combo with the 538 Dark Blue and the white roof. The truck has super cool original paint patina which I really like. It doesn't necessarily have a cool story, nor can I document much of its history past about 6 months ago, but it was originally purchased at Paul Smith Chevrolet in Albertville, AL (hence the name). I'm suspecting it lived most of its life in and around the AL/GA line.

The truck is probably the most rust free and straight truck I've ever owned and has a really strong running rebuilt 307 with a th350. As for rust, it needs a driver's rocker, floor patch, front passenger cup and inner fender, and the tailgate is rusty at the bottom, but other than that it's in really great condition. I've never even seen an original paint, rust free rocker around here but this truck has it with the passenger side rocker. All the ones I've looked at have either been replaced or both were eaten up. The bed floor is almost perfect, too. The interior paint is very nice and dash is uncut but the seat, panels, and dash pad are all shot.

Here are a few pics. Stay tuned as I have some modest plans for it to make it a fun driver truck to cruise and haul stuff. I need to find a piece of drivers bed trim and one half of the tailgate trim but other than that it's all there and straight. First thing to go: the wheels. Then, add a sport bumper.

[flashed]

Robbie ,Big Al looks good ,you have almost caught up with me on trucks .My new one is still waiting for me to come get it.

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by flashed

Robbie ,Big Al looks good ,you have almost caught up with me on trucks .My new one is still waiting for me to come get it.

Thanks, John. I'm nowhere near you in the vehicle department. Go get that truck!

[flashed]

I may get up there this weekend to get mine home ,just have to wait and see how it falls in to place .Now what are your plans for this one ?

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by flashed

I may get up there this weekend to get mine home ,just have to wait and see how it falls in to place .Now what are your plans for this one ?

I hope you do. I'd like to see it! I'm thinking bags and big steelies on this one. It'll be a slow build likely but I'm planning to hang on to this one.

[cooperhw]

Very nice. I dig it.

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by cooperhw

Very nice. I dig it.

Thank you!

[GAc10boy]

To keep myself motivated on what will likely be a slow but rewarding build, I had Chad C. (Hellaflush3d) whip up some renderings of my vision. Let me tell you this guy works fast, is a great communicator, and I'm very happy with the result!

A few of my favorites:

[flashed]

I like it Robbie ,looks great .But then again the truck looks fine just as it is .I think it likes it up here ............................................

[GAc10boy]

haha! Thanks, John. It will definitely look better once I get up there and get the steelies on it. Thanks again for your help with the flat tire incident. I'll be up that way next week.

[flashed]

No hurry at all ,just bustin your chops but it does REALLY look good out there ,I think I could talk Joan into another one.Did I really say that ?

[kingNothing]

It looks like you have a nice truck there. I live in Boaz,Al its only about 5 miles to Albertville.The Paul Smith dealership has been gone awhile,but was well known around the area.I had several friends that worked there.I'll try and see if I can come up with a dealership tag for your front bumper.I'll be watching the build.

[flashed]

Robbie ,Indy just came home from getting the A/C repaired so you can see it when you come back up .

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by kingNothing

It looks like you have a nice truck there. I live in Boaz,Al its only about 5 miles to Albertville.The Paul Smith dealership has been gone awhile,but was well known around the area.I had several friends that worked there.I'll try and see if I can come up with a dealership tag for your front bumper.I'll be watching the build.

Thanks! I would love to have a dealership tag if you run across one. I'll even pay you for it.

Originally Posted by flashed

Robbie ,Indy just came home from getting the A/C repaired so you can see it when you come back up .

That was fast!

[Advanced Design]

Very nice! Holy envy Batman...how many trucks do you have?

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Very nice! Holy envy Batman...how many trucks do you have?

Haha! Thanks, AD. I moved my LS project on down the road so I'm down to two: Oaky the '73 and this one. I've had a history of throwing a bunch of money at one and not quite finishing it so I have a modest objective for both these trucks. Also, it's important to note that I've become a super deal shopper when it comes to these trucks. If I find one I like, I show up with cash and try to get the absolute best deal I can. On both the '73 and the '70 I was able to get them for REALLY good deals. All that to say, that was not the case with the LS project I had going so I cut my losses before I got too deep.

That said, I'm planning to get Big Al like I want him and hopefully head out on a leg of the HRPT next year.

We'll see...

[slowcpe]

Cool looking truck. Like the plans. You're smarter than me on wanting to keep it simple.

[flashed]

Tell me about the leg of the Power Tour you are planning ,sounds interesting.

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by slowcpe

Cool looking truck. Like the plans. You're smarter than me on wanting to keep it simple.

Thanks, Ryan. I've been learning a lot of lessons over the past few years messing with these trucks. The main one being budget and plan.

Originally Posted by flashed

Tell me about the leg of the Power Tour you are planning ,sounds interesting.

Not quite sure yet. Me and Number98 are talking about doing a leg of it next year. I think it's about 10 months away so I'm hoping to have one of mine ready to go for it. Have no idea what leg we'll do but would love for you to join.

[GAc10boy]

Just got my #416 casting 305 HO heads back for my 307 build and man, they look great! I kinda went overboard on them but I figured if I went through the trouble to find them and will go through the trouble to build the engine, I might as well get them in tip top shape.

These heads are what all of the 307 Chevelle guys swear by bc they are 58cc heads and raise the compression on a 307 to around 9.5:1 depending on head gasket. I found a set super cheap off CL but I took them to a local hot rod machine shop and had them hot tanked, decked, a Serdi valve job, hardened valve seats, and new Lunati springs and retainers installed to match the Lunati 60101 cam I'm planning to run. It's not the cheapest option but coupled with the other things I'm planning, the '70 should run on real well and get good gas mileage. And I wanted to build something different and more unique than a 350 or LS. You never know, Oaky might get the LS but for Big Al, a built 307 will do.

[Number98]

Originally Posted by GAc10boy

That said, I'm planning to get Big Al like I want him and hopefully head out on a leg of the HRPT next year.

We'll see...

Originally Posted by GAc10boy

Not quite sure yet. Me and Number98 are talking about doing a leg of it next year. I think it's about 10 months away so I'm hoping to have one of mine ready to go for it. Have no idea what leg we'll do but would love for you to join.

A leg.... Nope, we are long hauling it buddy!

Oh and those cylinder heads look sweet!

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by Number98

A leg.... Nope, we are long hauling it buddy!

Oh and those cylinder heads look sweet!

Oh boy!

[flashed]

Long hauling the Power Tour is on my bucket list but we will most likely take the Chevelle vert when the time comes as it has proven itself a few times .

[Advanced Design]

Originally Posted by flashed

Long hauling the Power Tour is on my bucket list but we will most likely take the Chevelle vert when the time comes as it has proven itself a few times .

Mine too guys. It will probably be a southern route next year is my guess.

Robbie, will you paint Big Al or run as is? Looking forward to your suspension plans too.

[GAc10boy]

Originally Posted by flashed

Long hauling the Power Tour is on my bucket list but we will most likely take the Chevelle vert when the time comes as it has proven itself a few times .

Looks it just got put at the top of mine. I know the vert can handle it!

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Mine too guys. It will probably be a southern route next year is my guess.

Robbie, will you paint Big Al or run as is? Looking forward to your suspension plans too.

That would be awesome if it was a southern route. One of the main reasons I bought the truck was the patina and color combo. I really like the looks of wet-sanded and buffed out patina so I'll be going that route. Number98 seems to have a good formula mapped out so I'm going to follow his lead on the steps o make it look right.

I've got a lot to do in a short amount of time and a need to fill the coffers as well but I think my plans are doable by next Summer.