Well, this will be the beginning of a long list of parts that will be cleaned up. Dad sandblasted and painted a pair of wheels that were in the truck. (Thanks) See, it's baby steps. :) They will be fitted with a pair of used tires, size to be determined. Looking for some 285/60/16.
The big thing on my mind right now is drivetrain. I know I want to put a 350 in it, but the choice of transmission has got me perplexed. Auto or manual? I want a manual 5 speed to give me better highway mpg, and I also want it so it sounds good. An auto does not let you celebrate the exhaust note like a stick! :) But putting and automatic in it seems to be simpler. There is a lot more parts to deal with and modifications to figure out with the manual, but if this is going to be a hotrod wouldn't it make more sense to be a stick??
I am feeling a bit(completely) lost when it comes to this modification/decision.
The more I read, the more it looks like an S10 T5 will do the trick. Some have concerns that is is not stout enough to handle the v8 torque. Others say the AX15 5 speed will work, but I don't know... this is new territory for me. Anybody want to help me out with this? I'm looking forward to spring and finding a swap meet or two to talk to other builders to learn and get ideas. The upcoming 3-day weekend looks to be warm and dry. Hoping to get the front end off by Monday afternoon. Wish me luck!
Today marked the first attempt to do more than get the doors open. I started with the drivers fender knowing I was not going to keep it. This gives me the opportunity to hack it apart without compromising anything I may need to reuse. Once I see how something is put together, it's always easier to work through the next one. It was also helpful to have the new cab there to go examine when I could not see how an element was laying together. Today I was able to validate a few things. 1) This is going to be a long process. 2) I can get rusty bolts off if I'm patient. 3) How I have things planned in my head are not how things will play out.
My efforts today yielded half a dozen parts removed.
As I'm looking online and reading about other builds, I see one thing. The options are so vast that I will change my mind on many things, many times before this is over. I should not be looking at wheels right now(it's going to be a long time before I need them), but I can't help it! :) As of now, I am drawn to the five spoke style wheels. I also like the rally style. And then there is paint. Which color, colors? Glossy or matte? Ratrod or show finish? It all gives me a headache and makes me smile at the same time. One thing is for certain, this is going to be fun.
This blog allows comments, so make good use of that feature if you have something to add. I'm open to suggestions.
Today I went to Bend, OR to pick up a cab and some other parts. A friend and I left at 5:30 a.m. and got there in good time but had to take our time coming back. If you don't live in the Portland, OR area here's some back-story. Ok, it's Jan 11th (winter). Bend is 167 miles away and the first big storm of the season is headed in... there is a mountain pass between here and there. It made for fun and an adventure coming home.
With the cab coming from high desert, the rust isn't too bad. It's still a little rough in places but I'm happy to have it and the price was good. Thanks Rob. Now I need to get to work stripping it down to the frame.
BTW - Thanks Dave for your mad skills as co-pilot and cameraman. There's no way I could have driven and taken pictures of the snow! :)
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
After a couple of days, I got the drivers door open... The pictures will tell you why I was not troubled by opening it like a can of tuna. The rust was so bad that the bottom of the door did not even exist and all of the screws on the door panel were frozen. The door latch was completely corroded and rusted to the point that I had to drive the latch into the open position once I removed the door skin.
What I have discovered is that the holes in the roof have led to a lot of cancer in the cab. It has rusted through in the low places in the cab inner liner and has run down the pillars and through everything. The passenger door looks to be salvageable if I can get it open without damage. I've got some ideas. :)
With this discovery I went looking for a cab and actually found one from a 61 in decent shape. The only catch is a 3.5 hour drive. It now looks like this will be a complete frame off rebuild. I will strip everything I can out of the old cab and likely use parts of the old cab to patch the donor.
I have found a truck site that looks like it will be a great help. I hope that once I've gotten down the road with this project, I can contribute back. For now daylight is fleeting and for the winter months it will be a weekend only adventure. I am looking forward to longer days so I can tinker in the evenings.
