Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

That's how I did mine. I was going to use ZQ8 S10 stops & based my dimensions off of them. I got everything installed & found the ZQ8 stops compressed WAYYYYY too much w/my heavy stuff on top. I switched to the poly 'cone' style stops from Energy Suspension. Same basic dimensions (approx3") w/much less compression. Then I just made up the difference w/a short metal extension (1").

For the record.... I don't recall if they were 5/16" or 3/8"....

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

When I did Korbin's '82, I welded in a 3/8" nut in the notch like you described. I used a Engergy Suspension stubby bump stop that I had on hand from the CPP blot in notch I used on my '65. It also had a 3/8" stud. Worked great....

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

What's up the artsy fartsy black and white photos?

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

While you are in the wrecking yard check for the rear bumpstops on superduty trucks, Ive got a set laying around after installing firestone bags on my brother in laws truck.

Attachment 1279514

Another option to keep it all GM would be the 90s rear bump stops off of chebby trucks... Its the one all the way on the left in this pic GM PART # 15712438

Attachment 1279515

looks like they are 12 bux new http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results...umber=15712438

or if you wanted a stiffer poly bumpstop you could use the ones off of a later model tahoe GM PART # 15023225 but they are spendy at 25-30 apiece

Attachment 1279516

Happy hunting. :metal:


edit: Btw, these arent my pics, just some Ive saved from researching online.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I personally like using the shortest Engery Suspension "hockey puck" looking bump stop for less compression.
And then I build an aluminum stand for it the correct length.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Probably a good thing you decided to go your own way on the rear suspension. I started my install yesterday and the trailing arm crossmember doesnt fit at all. Pretty dissapointed with that...

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Nice welder, and thanks for someone finally posting a MIG weld like I was trained to make in both Steel and Aluminum. Nice smooth bead, with a bacon fryin' buzz.

Notch looks good!

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Since its Friday, I wanted to spend some time running around and gathering supplies so I can work hard Sunday (I have to work at the fire station tomorrow).

First, I need longer u bolts. I'm going to be running a 2 inch lower bar plus a further 2 inch lowering block built onto it to bury the axle up into the notch. So, off to the spring shop.

Its a dark environment in there so my pictures aren't too awesome.

Racks of threaded wire which they use to make the u bolts.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...D9ECDC7051.jpg

This is the machine. It has a curved lower die that sets the diameter of the bend. In my case, he used a 3 inch die. You can see the selection of various sized dies hanging on the wall. The bin to the right is nuts and washers for different sized threaded wire.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...E3CB506722.jpg

The final product. I was in the place less than five minutes start to finish including paying the lady at the desk.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...316771A441.jpg

I posted these to illustrate to folks who don't know that there are local spring shops all across the country. They're usually in industrial areas and not easy to find, but every old car guy needs to have one in his arsenal of shops that he patronizes.

Border Collie photo bomb.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...cd50ecb5b0.jpg

After the spring shop I headed to the steel scrap yard. I found me a stick of 3/16 wall round tube for my stepnotch cross brace. And I found an entire dumpster full of these cool cut-offs or round pipe. They're 3/16 wall and 6" diameter. Perfect for c notches, or in my case, c notching my center crossmember. I paid 6.25 for the stick of round tube and the two cut offs of big pipe.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...2dc141447c.jpg

Then to the junkyard.

I wound up buying bumpstops off of the back of a Ford pickup.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...e55262f54b.jpg

They're about 2.5 inches tall.

And I also got a little power steering rack hardline I needed off a crashed Mustang.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...fc14c0c5c5.jpg

I gave five bucks for the bumpstops and hard line at the junkyard.

The reason I even need the hardline is that I bought a rack and pinion for my Porterbuilt Dropmember and it had a damaged line when I received it.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...4ddcb6edf1.jpg

I bought the rack off of Amazon and got the last one they had. It was 108 dollars total delivered. And there was no core charge. I couldn't figure out any cheaper way to get a reman rack than that. Even with it arriving with the shipping damage and needing the new hardline, I'm still way ahead of buying parts store and paying a huge core charge since I didn't have one to start with, or buying the new Unisteer that Porterbuilt recommends for 300 dollars

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

My plasma cutter isn't too stout actually. Its a Miiler Spectrum 375. I think it's rated to 3/8 or 1/2". I didn't want to spend more money to get a bigger one since effectively this 1/4" and 3/16" is about the thickest any car guy will usually deal with.

Thank you.

I'm still back and forth on the gas tank deal. I'm stuck in cheap mode and don't want to spend any money that I can avoid. I keep hoping something will fall out of the sky for free. Patience usually pays off in saving money on purchases though so I just sit back and stew on it.

Two reasons. One, I think it lends more clarity and definition inside of my dark shop. And two, paint will be forthcoming and I want to keep the final color choice to myself until I'm ready to debut the finished project.

That sucks. I'm kind of down on mine right now too. I won't deny it, overall I'm off 1/8" here and there. My truck had been rearended in the past and I had about half an inch of bow in the frame from the axle back. I had to work around that when I did the notch. Lots of leveling, jackstands and such. With cutting for the notch, I got it back pretty close I think. Everything falls within the bubble on my long level any place I check it. I hate to admit it because I know Scoti built his truck on a frame table and I know his final product is probably true to within a 32nd of an inch or better.

I was taught to weld in airplane mechanic school. My instructor was a real bastard. He wouldn't tolerate any funny stuff or bad technique. He always told us to get a game plan, get set up, and pour the coal to it nice and hot and in one motion.

I love this welder. I bought it off Craiglist for 960 dollars a few years ago. It still did/does have the original spool of wire in it. The plastic wrap was still on the welder and the little paper warning tags were still hanging on the knobs. He threw in a 60 foot gigantic extension cord, a box of good welding vise grips, and the original receipt where he paid 2600 dollars for it. It's been money well spent.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

The notch looks good! I think you are doing really well. I don't know crap about air but it looks good to me.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

You better have worn a ski mask when you picked up that welder- you stole it. Nice job!

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

The guy had listed it up on Craigslist for 1000 dollars for welder and an empty bottle. So I grabbed my hood, a piece of steel, and one of my full bottles and went running as fast as I could.

When it welded fine I offered 900 dollars. He told me he had already turned down 900 twice that day already. I don't know who those two people were, but it was worth full asking price. I'd never have walked even at 1000. Anyway, he told me he would take 900 for it, but only if I bought the extension cord along with it for 1 dollar per foot. We measured it out to 60 feet, so I gave 960 dollars for the welder, a hood, a little bottle, extra liner, vise grips, and a big ass 60 foot long cord with 50 amp ends on it.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...laneous037.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...laneous036.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...laneous035.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...laneous034.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...laneous033.jpg


I'm still plugging along on the truck every day I can. Today I focused on boxing in the notches, cutting the frame away, and finishing up some welding. Still more boxing to go though, so no pictures of that.

I did change gears for a few hours to break the monotony and notch my center crossmember for driveshaft clearance.

I used one of those six inch diameter tube cutoff I bought at the scrap metal place.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...2dc141447c.jpg

I did a poor job of cutting the center crossmember to fit the pipe into it, so I had some problem solving to attend to.

After fitting and welding the notch I made cardboard patterns and cut out some 3/16 to make a full box job out of the pipe notch.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...b0e25564ff.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...e6b10c8c82.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...aef0d8d7f3.jpg

The final product is way secure and strong. Its level, plumb, centered and such, but I did slip my mental clutch when I fit it in place and wound up getting frustrated trying to fit a half round pipe up into a channel factory crossmember. Not my best day in old trucksville. I ain't proud of it, but I'll be honest and show my failures along with my wins.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

TX I have one of those Millermatic 250's. What size wire are you running in yours?...and yes u did get a deal on it.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I'm running .035 wire. It came with that big spool when I bought it, and I'm still using it.

I also have a smaller 110v Lincoln welder that I use with .023 wire for more petite work.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Everything is really looking good. I'm impressed. Killer work.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Looks good!

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

love this build, subscribed.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

It looks awesome. I can't wait to see what you do with the cab.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Great work, nice score on the Miller Welder. I have a Miller 250X that I got at a steal too. Mine needed a new torch lead and did not have a bottle or the other things you got with yours, but I am still very happy with mine.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

The 250X that you have is a better welder than the plain 250. The 250 carried a common complaint of poor arc starting. Mine does it too. The complaint was so widespread that Miller shortly thereafter introduced the 250X with changes to address the arc issues. Mine definitely does it. The first second or so of a fresh arc is erratic and hot. I usually go downstream about a 1/4 inch from where I want the bead to start and do a quick squeeze to get it established then whip up to where I want to be to really start laying the bead down.

Funny thing is, I had to put a new torch lead on mine too. I damaged it through carelessness and put a kink in in and split the sheath enough that the gas leaked out. I wound up upgrading to a Bernard torch which is significantly better than the Miller torch. eBay is full of surplus Bernard torches, brand new for cheap. Only thing is, they have .045 liners in them. So I bought one of those and a .035 liner and had a bad ass new torch for about 175 dollars. The glut of new torches with .045 liners is that there is some industry that buys new welders and outfits them with some kind of feeder or something, thereby making the factory torch unneeded so they surplus them on eBay brand new in the box.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Looking good Kevin, nice work on the driveshaft tunnel :metal:
What do they charge you for those longer U-bolts?

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

They're proud of their u bolts.

15 bucks each.

I guess I can't complain though. Back in the early-mid 90s I was paying 27 dollars per pair for u bolts when I'd put lowering blocks in and need a longer set. That's not too bad for inflation over the last 20 years.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I fixed that for you, Kevin :lol:

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I respect Scot for being that guy, but I just don't have the motivation to go to that level. I'm not going to let scope creep set in on this one I swear. Get it good and solid then move on to the next task is my motto on this build.

I'm actually pretty bummed this morning. I've been working and my brain is always churning when I'm out in the shop so I called Dave at Porterbuilt to discuss with him about engine location changes due to dropmember. Its widely known and publicized that the DM moves the engine up and forward. He couldn't give me any specifics but he told me that the fan shroud is a goner. Must run e fans. And he told me I'd have to cut the floor for a high hump. I knew this was the case for 72 and earlier, but several 73-87 guys I've spoken to first hand did not do any floor mods during the install. High humps for square bodies are pretty freakin rare. So that means my virgin factory floor mat is toast and I'll have to rip my entire interior apart, do the cutting and welding, then buy all new floor covering.

If anywhere, there was a halfway decent guide to the dropmember and some details about stuff like this, I'd have just sectioned my crossmember and not had to lose my fan shroud and cut my virgin floor.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Don't get to bummed on this now. Since you seem to have some conflicting info on the cab floor mods and you are not planning to lay frame, just wait to get the DM in and worry with engine/trans placement then.

Just move forward with the rear part while you wait for the DM to come in.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I guess I'm mostly annoyed at the phone conversation. He never asked what engine I'd be running, what trans, nothing. I won't bother to call back that's for sure.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Scot definitely has an eye for details, for sure. It really makes it nice coming in behind him, though. I wish I had that kind of patience. I will be doing good to get mine running.

I wouldn't let the DM get you down. It will be a nice piece when you get it.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

You'll have this in the bag before long. Get the DM in then see where everything hits. You don't know until you try it and I'm sure there is a thread on here buried deep that has some of the info you may be looking for. You just never know.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Your PB conversation about the cab floor had me thinking that I had seen something about that in another build here on the forum. I found what I remembered Crawdadfox's build thread of his old 77:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=317834

Post #114 shows some under hood shots with the SBC installed, and in
Post #147 he states "No cutting on the cab at all..."

Check it out, he could give you first hand answers to what he did.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I've been closely emulating this guys build. He didn't even pull the engine as a matter of fact.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=332365

And in this post specifically, he shows his engine compartment with stock fan and shroud intact.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...7&postcount=44

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Really??

Guys, guys, guys.... It's 132nd's of an inch w/one eye closed & the other squintin' through the magnifying glass.

Gotta get it right. It's all in the details!

:lol:

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Now now.... before you get too down, let me add a little clarification and give some insight that will better explain your conversation with Dave earlier today.

I have installed Dropmembers in 73-87 trucks while maintaining the factory floor... no large hump required (all SBC/TH350 combos). Depending on which transmission you are running it might or might not fit without modification OR the need of the large hump conversion. However, from a business standpoint, knowing that there are a couple transmission combos that WILL require a large hump, it is standard protocol for us to tell people when they call or email that we "recommend" a large hump trans tunnel. We would much rather hear the feedback "I have plenty of room and didn't need the large hump" rather than "you told me it would fit and it doesn't". I hope you understand the reasoning.

We have been making this recommendation for several years now. It is in our instructions (which will be posted on our website for all to see here shortly). They are and have been available by request through an email.... or as you found, even a phone call will yield the information... albeit it wasn't the information you wanted to hear.

With that said, there is a good chance that you will be just fine without cutting up and tossing out your "virgin" goods. I would proceed as the others recommend and move forward with a test fit of the cab to see if yours will yield adequate clearance.

Since you "won't call back for sure" because the information I made standard protocol for Dave to give wasn't what you wanted to hear.... I understand. In that case you can always shoot me an email tech@pbfab.com as I personally respond to them. :)

Nate

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Nate, try not to be offended by my words. I'm not a good communicator. I'd have felt a lot better if he'd have said "maybe yes, maybe no depending on your specific combo". When he didn't ask what engine or trans I'm running, I just had the perception that he threw out his answer to expedite the conversation without getting into it any further. I can easily grasp a "maybe" answer since there so many different variables.

I'm sure the new website will go a long way towards clearing up some questions folks have.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Trust me... NO offense taken. I don't believe it a matter of Dave trying to expedite the conversation, just a matter of protocol I implemented a while back after getting a nasty phone call from a customer who took my "maybe" as a yes.

At times we all lack on the communication end.... it happens, we are human. One guy takes a "maybe" as "you told me so" another guy takes it as a "you said it would never work".

Since at times there is ambiguity when it comes to this custom stuff, we have learned that it's best to error on the side of caution when making recommendations.

With that said, we are always looking for ways to make communication more clear on all ends. Our new site will be a huge help as we are in the process of revising all our install guides where than can be accessed on the site, along with a FAQ section. It's in the works.... just taking a bit of time.

Do me a favor and follow up with me as progress continues and I will do all I can to help provide you with all the information you need. Even if it means giving a sliver of hope with the word "maybe" attached. ;)

Nate

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Cheese and rice this truck is straight up ill'n.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Not sure how I missed this build, but I like it.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

I've been putting in the hours lately. The rear suspension is basically complete. All I have left to do is build lower shock mounts and set pinion angle and burn the saddles in place. I'll wait to do the pinion angle and saddle deal until after I get my dropmember in place since the engine, trans relocation will come into play there. At that time I'll set the angle then remove the entire rearend for welding and clean and paint it also.

Today I built a rear crossmember for my air supply stuff. The tank mounts to the front of it and the compressors sit on shelves on the rear of it.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...4dcc233be8.jpg

I did throw the cheesy Viair rubber grommet vibration mounts away and ordered some proper bolt in vibration absorbing feet from McMaster Carr.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...576338bb4f.jpg

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...ac5f8e02ea.jpg

I got my panhard bar parts from Speedway Motors. Good pricing there. I built a stud into the left side link bar and welded brackets to the right frame rail. My goal was to have the bar be close to horizontal at ride height and as long as possible. I think both goals were pretty much met within reason.

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

That is super clean!

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Very nice work, as always Kevin. You are really moving on this truck!

Re: My daily driver/beater : How I turned lemons in lemonade
 

Looks great!
I'm pretty sure you could sell that air tank/compressor crossmember.

Here's a few pics of a slammed stepside and the mods they did to tuck a BIG wheel.
The bed was raised and the fenders were stretched.
I seen a few other builds like this.
That's why I had concerns for your stepside bed.
Obviously your total tire height will be less than this one.