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

Link to the 4x4 build thread there in my signature.

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

This one needs a bump up anyway. So Kevin....... Just wanted you to know that I looked at the V6 in storage and wanted to let you know that it would need to be opened up and gone through and cleaned. I didn't sit the intake on it while it was in storage. Just wanted you to know the condition and to see if you even wanted to mess with it after all.

Randy S. Hager

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

Kevin- I know you haven't mentioned painting the step side in a while, so I thought I'd through this idea out there:

The "$50 Paint Job". I know there is a lot of back and forth on the subject on this forum, but this truck, and it's "story" seem to make it the perfect candidate for such a paint job. Combine that with your acute attention to detail, and the budget mindedness of your builds, plus all of us getting to follow along as you roller painted a truck. It'd make for some real fun.

Also, with your polishing skills, as demonstrated on the dually rims, I know you could get it to shine like a new penny. You'd probably have fun telling folks that you painted it with a roller for $126......

Just a thought, I thought I'd throw out there...

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

That would be pretty cool to go along with the cheap budget of the truck! ^^

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

I guarantee, whatever path to paint job that I take, it will be very low buck and non traditional. I don't know what yet, maybe Hot Rod Flatz or tractor paint or something. I figure maybe a 400 dollar budget all in for sandpaper, primer, paint and masking supplies.

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

excellent truck man

Could you provide me a part number or vehicle for the upper rad hose in your post #125?

I've had a heck of a time finding one to fit my truck without complete modification and yours looks the closest I've seen even digging through the local parts stores hoses

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

Yes and no. I can tell you that its a Gates brand hose that I bought from Rockauto. I don't know the number though. I've ordered from Rockauto once or twice per week for the last couple of years and have long since lost track of that order and specific hose. I'm sorry I can't be more definite.

And, a little update. Just because this thread goes dormant periodically, doesn't mean I've turned my back on the truck. My plan is to still slick it up this winter. I like to do one major project each winter. Last winter was the dually, this winter will be paint and body on the stepper.

In that vein, I found something for the stepper that I've been looking diligently for a long time for. Picked this up earlier today. Now I have all workable sheetmetal for when its paint and body time.

http://i276.photobucket.com/albums/k...ffa9ec646c.jpg

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

Can't wait to see the stepper all painted up.

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

:metal:

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

Another awesome build Kevin. I'm glad I found this one too. I had to chuckle when I read this:
Best quote of the day...week....year :)

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

Most mods done can be good if done in moderation my friends..... :lol:

My dually has those 'monster frame notches' that allow full frame strength @ my desired ride height & they'll be covered w/a raised/sectioned bed floor. I feel pretty confident I could still carry those doors hauled in 'Lemonade' or the tree limbs/brush hauled off by 'Hillbilly Deluxe'.

I could prob carry both @ the same time if needed.... even w/my tool box in the bed ;)

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

Scot, don't get offended, you know the type of trucks I was referring to, and it's not any of yours. I'm talking about the kind you can lean over the bed side and see the entire rear suspension right there in plain sight. Holes and gaps or just completely missing bed floors. That's no shop truck and it shouldn't be called one.

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

Definitely not offended.... I see those same 'shop trucks' w/sections of bed floor missing & scratch my head. Like you indicated, I build 'em to be low & functional.

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

Well now, this is an interesting thread.

Getting it done by getting dirty...

-W

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

Ok, its been legally off the road (paperwork wise) for half a day now, where are the teardown pics? :lol::chevy:

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

Soon brother. Soon.

I want to address the 4x4 for another few paychecks. I found a couple of little details to touch up, and I want to fix the AC on it. Then it will be stepside time.

I've got a serious list of stuff I'm gonna do to it. Its gonna get significantly lower, better engine, drastic change on the interior, probably paint and body work too. Its gonna be a very busy winter, but I will get it done, and I guarantee you I'll do some stuff different than most guys, and a couple of surprises in there too.

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

I remember when you hated this truck. :lol: Glad to see you have had a change of heart. :metal:

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

Sweet can't wait!

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

I still hate the truck. I'm just luke warm to square bodies in general. They're some of the poorer quality trucks GM built. I figure my overhaul this winter will have to address everything I hate about it.

But, the other day I was considering trading it to a guy for an S10.

Who knows.

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

You have your priorities all out of wack! S10's are of the poorest quality truck GM ever made. Also, if you were going to build a 4x4 it should have been a square body (straight axle) and the late model truck should have been your lowered 2wd.

You know what they say about opinions... Everybody has one! :lol:

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

The reason I want to build an S10 is because that's what my dad drove before he died. He left the truck to me and I was gonna build it, but I had to sell it in 2001 to pay for fire academy tuition. I've wanted to build one ever since.

A little white square body S10 with cowl hood, lowered on car rally wheels with fat tires underneath it. It's my vision. I need to build it before I lock up my tool box for the last time.

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

What would you say is poorer quality about these trucks?

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

Body panel fitment. Doors, fenders, etc. It takes a real jedi to get one set up with proper gaps and everything sanitary. Remember, there was a time when GM was building these trucks that there were guys on the assembly lines having to use hammers to beat them into shape. Stacks of shims stuck here and there to get them lined up. Keith Seymore can verify this. I will say though, I do like the 81 and up front clips much better because they fit better and work well. The hoods line up well, they work well overall.

Mechanically, they are great trucks. Great suspension. Great steering. Great brakes. Common powertrain parts.

As far as the build goes, I'm waiting on Porterbuilt to call me back. I want to explore going down that road. We will see what they say. If not, I might just wind up sectioning the stock crossmember and using air bags.

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

I think it is just part of their charm.

I see lots of the newer trucks every day, and I think they are lower quality in general. Of course, they are the bulk of what we work on, so the numbers are skewed that way. The other thing for me is that as a crusty old man in training, I don't like anything new. I recently bought a new car- it's a 2005.

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

Jon, that's probably what it is for me. I'm a mechanic. I think a pretty good mechanic. But, I'm not really that guy when it comes to fussing over panel fitment and such. It doesn't take too much time trying to adjust fitment before I lose interest and start dreaming of changing ball joints and fixing leaks.

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

Panel fitment hasn't been much to brag about until recently. When I got here in 2003, we were fixing a pretty large front end hit on a new Suburban. I thought the fit was horrible until I compared it to the ones on the lot. All of a sudden, it wasn't that bad.

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

I didn't fuss over panels on my C10 when I painted it last year either. All the panels were dent free and original GM factory installed, so I just scuffed it all up and shot the John Deere paint on it. None of the panels line up great, but it's not a show truck anyhow. It's my get stuff done truck.

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

I agree the panel fitment is poor on these trucks, but that being said, for a driver if the door's main body line is even at the cab and the fender and it shuts well, then I am fine with it. If the gap around the edges is inconsistant but it funcitons correctly then I have no problems for a driver.

It takes A LOT of time and paitence for panel fitment to be spot on and consistant. Thats best left for a SHOW vehicle...IMO

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

Well I'm fixing to order a Porterbuilt member today. I guess y'all can guess which direction this truck is going now.

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

Oh Snap!

That is a BIG step in the other direction from your start on this one...Can't wait to see what else your going to do...

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

Daaaang!

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

I just hope I can get the damn thing installed in some sort of reasonable time. I want to build the truck over the winter, hence ordering the crossmember right now to allow for lag time. But I don't want a drawn out project. I want to get it done. I can foresee me selling some stuff to get the funds to buy all the air junk for front and rear.

I talked to Travis at Properformance. He answered my hillbilly questions in a language I could understand. I'm ready as soon as he calls me back.

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

Well Travis called me back and the Porterbuilt dropmember is on order. As long as it takes them to build these things, I don't expect too much to happen for a while. There's plenty of learning for me to do in the meantime anyway.

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

Oh man......this is going to be fun.

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

Congrats on ordering the Porterbuilt stuff!

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

Congrats on ordering PB ! I want to order PB stuff for my 86 one day! Anyways can't wait to see it all together!

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

Did you just order the dropmember and plan on using your stock control arms or did you go all out and get their a-arms too?

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

Cool! Will you keep 15" wheels?

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

You know..... assistance is in your hillbilly area as well.

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

Looking forward to what you will do on this on. Like the work on the others.

Dwight