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12-20-2013, 10:11 PM
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#1 |
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and a few others
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains of VA
Posts: 5,638
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Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
OK, some threads have been done in the past on the topic, but I want to throw a new twist on it... this is for everyone, but more for the flat broke crowd.
Many of us have a holiday time-off coming up, and we might even get some quality truck tinkering time. Assuming you aren't doing booring crap like replacing the bolts that fell out of your fan clutch, you probably want to do upgrades, restoration, or simply, modifications. But what's a broke SOB to do? I'd like everyone to list favorite mods for under $50. I've always said, one man's budget bolt on, is another man's budget. A very common area that this is true is when someone wants a simple 2 inch drop. Guys come out of the woodwork saying how 'affordable' drop spindles are... or drop springs. I haven't priced them for a few years, but I think they are 200-ish and 100-ish for those 'affordable' pieces. Chopping the spring is free, and despite common opinion, perfectly safe. Now, lets set some ground rules for what is considered a $50 mod. Obviously, a person with a pole barn packed with a lift, $25,000 worth of tools, a plasma cutter and 220volt miller MIG welder can get anything done. They have the tools to take junk metal and turn it into a one off treasure. Same with the guys who can paint like Chip Foose. Lets keep this simple. #1... 50 bucks is 50 bucks. Not 50 bucks plus this $300 piece "I had laying around" Now a $300 piece that you scored for $50 on Craigslist or at a flea market is fair game. #2... Cheaper is always better.... free is best. #3... Hand tools only. If you used air tools to make/modify something, then it is out. HOWEVER... if it could have been done with hand tools, then it's cool and it is back in. #4... Lets keep it simple, something the average moron with little tallent (like me) can do. #5... a quick overview, or a link to step by step instructions is best, so this thread doesn't become a 30 page thread that you have to sift through to find that trick you need. With any luck, this will be a cool list of tips and tricks that we can refer to for years to come.
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Bill  US Army Vet -193rd InfantryBlueRidgeMuscleCars.com “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” Gandhi |
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12-20-2013, 10:31 PM
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#2 |
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Post Whore
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 10,384
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Well I thought I would throw this in.....kick me out if anyone thinks the tools I used are unfair. Here it goes.....I bought a lokar throttle pedal for my truck...it was $50 for the pedal and cable....well come to find out I needed to buy a mount also so that it would mount on the fire wall right. Make a long story short....a mount costs $30 plus or minus for some dinky little 1 inch piece of chrome metal. Well since I didn't want to spend that much money on a darn mount I made one.....now a poor dude should at least have an electric drill and electric sawza right??? I mean c'mon if you don't have one!!! LOL!
 Anyhow...I had this 3/4 inch hunk of iron sitting on the shelf and thought...heck....if I just cut this into a square, drill two holes; I'll have a FREE mount! So I did....Didn't take any pictures prior to installation...but here is a picture of the install. Thanks and hope I stayed in the rules!!!
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1966 Chevy C10 "Project Two Tone" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=596643 1964 GMC "Crustine" semi-build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=665056 My youtube channel. Username "Military Chevy": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_h...fzpcUXyK_5-uiw |
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12-21-2013, 01:39 AM
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#3 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 348
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Getting a new windshield and had to fix some rust issues soooo - $6.00 for sand paper, $6.00 for primer, $15.00 for 2 cans of spray paint and have a new dash!
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12-21-2013, 01:40 AM
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#4 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 348
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Primed!
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12-21-2013, 01:42 AM
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#5 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 348
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
And painted!
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12-21-2013, 01:45 AM
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#6 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 348
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Get er done!
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12-21-2013, 03:35 PM
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#7 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Edmond, Ks
Posts: 595
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Best "mod" I did so far for under $50.00 is a can of Herculiner for the floorboard hump. I will do the rest of the floor soon.
I beat the dents out with a hammer, polished the rust off with a wire brush on a drill, and herculined with a brush. Touch up will be a snap. Feels great on the bare feet too! 
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Step by steps: Remove primer to reveal original paint Rebuild a carburetor See My Build - Cecilia!  Some people are like slinkys. Not worth much but funny as heck when pushed down stairs. |
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12-21-2013, 05:09 PM
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#8 |
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Senior Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Spokane Valley, WA
Posts: 8,356
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
That is very cool! Thanks for sharing.
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My Build Thread: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=444502 |
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12-21-2013, 09:06 PM
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#9 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: menifee california
Posts: 788
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
doe's free work??? traded a short bed bed to delmo for a disc brake ,swaybar dropped spindled front end with dropped springs and dropped shocks. only took hand tools to install??????
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12-21-2013, 09:08 PM
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#10 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: menifee california
Posts: 788
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
best thing done to this truck. swaybar and disc brake . truck drives like a new one.
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12-22-2013, 04:10 PM
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#11 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Coquitlam, British Columbia,Canada
Posts: 135
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
The Altman latches where very easy to install, even thou their instructions are just OK. If you go to their website (Trique Mfg) you can download the instructions and see the pattern used for the cutout.
A drill and a cutoff wheel are pretty much it for required tools. Lots of adjustment and fairly easy to get working well. Your existing panel overlaps the new panel from Altman so you shouldn't have any issues. They were a little expensive but one of the best mods I have done and reminded of it every time I close the door. Check out the Honda weather-strip, another break through moment. |
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12-22-2013, 05:06 PM
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#12 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: San Jose NOR*CAL
Posts: 3,080
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
a few budget mods that I have done in no particular order
1) Headlight relay upgrade 15.00 2) Dual master cylinder .fittings,and lines 35.00 3) Land Rover seats 50.00 (Craig's list) 4) Parking lights that are on with head lights .50 5) Electric power antenna 25.00 6) Tail gate chain removal free Gate Latches for tail gate 15.00 ( home Depot) Tail gate cables and pivot mounts 15.00 (pick and pull) 7) Steel heater hoses 15.00 (swap meet) steel upper hose 5.00 (Craig's list) 8) Custom "bee hive" rear turn signal lenses 10.00 9) Rear Jeep springs 15.00 I have some other under 50 buck mods that I still need to do Lokar gas pedal 25, Billet gauge insert 50.00 ,20 gal aluminum gas tank 50.00 ....
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1960 Apache long bed fleet L6 250 Clifford intake 2 bbl carb. Langdon cast headers with dual exhaust and bellflower tips. T-5 5 speed, power steering and power disc brakes. "Over, Around or through it... " |
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12-22-2013, 05:13 PM
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#13 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Bangor, Michigan
Posts: 375
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Uhh, the best one I did was a unity s-6 spotlight off of ebay for like $45.00 with all the mounting hardware. Also, a wiper motor and extra fusebox that had the clips I needed for adding my radio/cb installation (not anywahere close to 50 bucks for the two radions mind you) and the fusebox/wipermotor cost 30 bucks. Oversized mirrors for around 30 bucks too.
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That's the thing about a Chevrolet, no matter how they look, whether it be a trailer queen or a good ol' used farm truck, no other truck on the road will always look that damn good wearing a Bowtie. |
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12-22-2013, 06:28 PM
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#14 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: central California
Posts: 2,733
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
2 sheets of 9 ft exterior plywood (longbed), split down the middle hidden by the bedstrip. Hardware store fasteners and Rustoleum paint.
Last edited by AcampoDave; 12-22-2013 at 06:44 PM. |
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12-22-2013, 06:38 PM
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#15 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Oregon
Posts: 3,303
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
88-99 chevy truck seat off craigslist or bone yard, blanket had laying around.hog ringed it to the seat so it doesn't move around.
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GOD BLESS AMERICA! |
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12-22-2013, 08:35 PM
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#16 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Brownsburg, IN
Posts: 18
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Mine was a free mod! But I guess I can include the price of a red scuff pad at ~$2.00 just a little time getting the cluster out and some elbow grease.
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06-13-2014, 10:50 PM
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#17 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: cortland, oh
Posts: 792
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Quote:
We don't count elbow grease time, or else it'd be "post your best mod under $5K" 
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Project "i'm just going to clean up the interior and the engine bay": http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=550931 |
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10-02-2015, 11:26 PM
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#18 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: San Jose NOR*CAL
Posts: 3,080
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
bump
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1960 Apache long bed fleet L6 250 Clifford intake 2 bbl carb. Langdon cast headers with dual exhaust and bellflower tips. T-5 5 speed, power steering and power disc brakes. "Over, Around or through it... " |
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12-23-2013, 01:03 PM
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#19 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: WNC
Posts: 226
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Home made a short throw for my T5 by milling a spacer out of a 3/4" thick piece of polyethelene I already had, then redrilled for the shifter pivot pin 3/4" higher up the shaft. Cost: virtually zero
Bench seat from Pick-A-Part. Cost: $37 (OK, so it's from an F-150) Class 3 trailer hitch Cost: $10 It came from a Toyota pickup and I had to narrow it and fab frame brackets. It has the rearward bent tube so I can fit a spare tire, which is secured by a chain style spare tire winch that was free for the taking at the scrapyard. Sorry, pic is on another computer. Volt and Oil Pressure gauges fit into the orig. panel by cutting windows that match the gas and temp gauges then RTV gluing the gauges to the backside. Cost $28 |
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12-23-2013, 03:10 PM
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#20 |
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Post Whore
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 10,384
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Also I installed an Auto meter tach....price was $40 or under if I remember right! LOL! But I am SURE it wasn't $50!
__________________
1966 Chevy C10 "Project Two Tone" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=596643 1964 GMC "Crustine" semi-build:http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=665056 My youtube channel. Username "Military Chevy": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_h...fzpcUXyK_5-uiw |
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12-23-2013, 03:54 PM
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#21 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Illinois
Posts: 15
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Ok, here are my cheap upgrades - (67 CLSSICK)
1 Liter - Jack Daniels Bottle as the over-flow. Jack Daniels Belt Buckle as the gas pedal. Red Water Spigot as the air cleaner nut/bolt. |
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04-30-2014, 11:28 AM
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#22 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Worcester, MA
Posts: 42
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Quote:
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Daily Driver: Dodge Caliber SRT4
Sunday Cruiser: '69 Camaro Convertible Project Car: '62 Panel Build Thread |
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04-30-2014, 12:48 PM
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#23 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Scott city, ks
Posts: 301
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
I dont have pics on this computer but i did the dome light switchs in the door opening. So when i open my door the dome light come on. only thing it cost me was some wire.
And believe it or not im in the middle of converting my rear leaf spring to trailing arms. so far i have $50 in the axle seats and the trailing arm bushings. A buddy had a long bed frame laying around. So i was able to take every thing off the frame i needed for free. A lot of work with those gm rivets but for free i can do the work. And for the pan hard bar he had so heim joints and a bar i traded for!
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1964 
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04-30-2014, 12:51 PM
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#24 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Scott city, ks
Posts: 301
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Quote:
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1964
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10-06-2015, 02:35 PM
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#25 | |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 52
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Re: Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)
Quote:
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