1972 Chevy 4wd Longhorn Project: Never Ending Changes

[coggonobrien]

did you end up keeping the 4 inch lift or getting rid of it?

[Dieselwrencher]

I ended up keeping it and probabaly will. I like the way it sits so far.

[Tex_50613]

looking good,
I may be calling you befor too long, I'm helping a buddy with the cumming conversion in his 79 F350 extended cab highboy showtruck

[Dieselwrencher]

Thanks Tex.

I did make some progress on the truck and hope to make more tomorrow. I removed the bumper, grill, and radiator support. Cut the old engine cross member out, repositioned the engine and trans. Installed the tcase for a test fit, and also got the rear drive shaft to see if it needed lengthened or shortened. Luckily it just needs shortened. I also found another trans cross member so I will have an option for clearance on the front drive shaft and exhaust if needed. I also put my modified exhaust manifold on and put my new turbo on to see if it would fit. It did, but unforutatley my smaller exhaust housing won't fit. I guess I'll have to run this one until after I get the truck running. I'll try to get some pics tommorow of the progress!

[propanemudtruck]

This truck should definitely be on the cover of my diesel power mag in a few more issues! I'll be looking for it in the next year or so! The only comparable truck I've seen in there is Matt (UFC Fighter) drawing a blank on the last name but he has a 65 GM with a Duramax,

Hughes! Matt Hughes!

[Dieselwrencher]

Thanks man! I don't know how soon it'll get pretty. I will get it running and driving and then see if I'm going to build a crew cab for it or not. More to come once I get the pics to upload..............................

[Dieselwrencher]

Here is a more detailed progress report. This past weekend was pretty progressive. I dug my NP205 out of the snow and put it on the trans to mock up the engine this time. Man that SOB was a PITA because I left the carrier bearing cross member in the frame. There isn't a lot of room for the tcase to go straight up, then in. You have to put the tcase up and rest it on the cross member first, then lift it up and stick it on the trans. I had to get my brother to help me the second time.

Next up was to build a new engine cross member. I used 4" C channel and boxed the ends. I added a 1/4" plate on the top to attach the channel to my old cross member mounts in the frame. Welded it all up, ground it, and primed and painted it. I wish it went as fast as it reads. Next I had to drill out my axle housing vent because coming back from KC last fall, my old cross member was too close to the diff and smashed the vent. It broke the end of the fitting off in the housing. I got it drilled and tapped, now I just have to get a new fitting.





I installed a different exhaust manifold and put my new turbo on. I don't like how close to the heater box it is, so I'm thinking about going a different route. I'm thinking about going back to the industrial manifold but I will need a T4 to T3 adapter.

I also had my brother help me put the 04 dodge seat in the cab. It actually fit better than I figured it would. I will have to modify the brackets so i can get the seat where I want it.




One other thing I did do last week and I haven't posted the pics of, is the emblems. Here is the RH fender. I haven't done the LH yet.



Now for the good bad and ugly. My drear drive shaft will only need shortened and maybe a different weldment installed for a bigger rear u-joint. My front shaft from the 92 dodge is really bad. It will need totally rebuilt. I have one from a chevy but it will need to be lengthened. The real bad deal lies in the transmission. I decided to go ahead and have my Dad rebuild it. We tore it apart, and it is a good thing we did. The trans was initially assembled incorrectly and did not have enough end play. This caused the front drum to put a lot of pressure on the intermediate shaft and it ruined the intermediate shaft and thrust washer. The low/reverse clutches are fried, and numerous other thrust washers are worn severely, a sun gear and drum is bad, and 2 planetary assemblies are bad. Yee haw.

[y5mgisi]

All you guys with your awesome 67-72 projects have really got me wanting to get one!!!

[Dieselwrencher]

Here we go! The long lost vac tach cluster. Wait a minute, it only goes to 4,000? What the heck?

[Dieselwrencher]

I only have 2 of these 67-72's. I'll sell you my 2wd.

[y5mgisi]

As much as it sucks, I can only seem to get myself to own 4x4's! The fact that your in Iowa dont help much either. On the other hand, My name is Mitchell. So i could fit right in out there? Maybe?

[Dieselwrencher]

Yes, I'm sure you could.

[Dieselwrencher]

This morning it was dang cold in the shop and took a little while for the lights to kick on. I had to open the walk in door for some light, so needless to say I didn't get much done before I had to come to work. Once it got warm enough in there for my compressor to fire up I did get a little done. I cut the seat brackets on the dodge seat, and I removed my gas tank. I'm going to take the tank down and have it checked and cleaned before I try to use it. I thought it had to be half full with as bad as it smelled of varnish. I was wrong, it was empty. Tomorrow I'm going to try and get the seat brackets welded and get the seat bolted to the floor. I also need to try to get my green seat belts out so I can decide if I want to use my black ones or these green ones. Big decisions.

[jbclassix]

Hey, I finally got around to digging the wheels out from under my burb. Turns out the ones on the 91 square are the same as IFS trucks... I have 4.25 back spacing and 2.25 front... both are 16X6.5

[Dieselwrencher]

Thanks. I need to remove 2 of my wheels and see what they are.

[Dieselwrencher]

Yesterday I started making my 04 dodge seat fit in the 72 cab. I cut the bottoms off the dodge brackets and used some original bolt holes for the seat and started building the brackets. I have half of the LH side done. I'll have to remove it to finish weld it all.




Rear seat brackets

Front

[y5mgisi]

Looks really good! They look like they fit well and the frames look stout!

[JHT67]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Yesterday I started making my 04 dodge seat fit in the 72 cab.

So glad I clicked on your build. I have an 02' Dodge as my DD, and wonder'd how the seat would look in my 67', because I really like the storage space, and that the middle section folds down to an arm rest. How do you like the headrest on there, do they seem like they are in the way? Also are you planning to recover them? Sorry for all the Q's, it's just kind of exciting to see something that you want to do will actually work.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by JHT67

So glad I clicked on your build. I have an 02' Dodge as my DD, and wonder'd how the seat would look in my 67', because I really like the storage space, and that the middle section folds down to an arm rest. How do you like the headrest on there, do they seem like they are in the way? Also are you planning to recover them? Sorry for all the Q's, it's just kind of exciting to see something that you want to do will actually work.

I like how the seat fits in there with the gas tank in, but I liked it better with the tank not in there. 2 things that suck about the tank in there with these. I positioned the seat as far back as I could so I can try to get the maximum leg room because I am 6'2" tall. The head rests rub the rear window, and the console won't flip up all the way. The lid will open with ease, the whole base won't flip up. But for me this is ok because I will be getting a cup holder that attaches on the front of the console and I won't really be flipping it up a lot any how. I do plan to recover these seats at some point, and I actually thought about removing the head rests. I was thinking about having these recovered to mimic a Cheyenne super rig, but if I ever get a suburban shell, it will be a crew project so IDK for sure what I will do at that point. The head rests don't seem to be in the way and I might actually like them once I start driving the truck. I have a 97 dodge front seat set up in my 95 F-350, and the brackets are going to be more involved in that than this.

[chevy_man5]

Seats look good in there!!

[coggonobrien]

as far as hanging the suspension to your frame were there any existing holes to use as starting points or were all holes added by yourself? I will also be using mid 70's 3/4ton chevy 4x4 gear on my 71 swb 2wd frame.

Thanks,
David

[Dieselwrencher]

Thanks guys. I wasn't happy with how far back I couldn't get the seat due to the gas tank. But for now I will have to keep the in cab tank until I do my crew cab build. Then I plan on putting a big tank under the cab and box mid frame inside the frame rail.

David, The only holes I was able to use were the radiator support mount holes and the shock mounting holes. All the shackle mount holes I had to drill. You might be able to use some stock holes for your engine cross member, but IDK since I built a different one to fit my engine.

[coggonobrien]

as for the shackle mount holes what's the best method to find their home? have the cab and front clip on and center in the wheel well? didn't know since my frame is completely stripped.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by coggonobrien

as for the shackle mount holes what's the best method to find their home? have the cab and front clip on and center in the wheel well? didn't know since my frame is completely stripped.

When I did this truck, I used 73 up front springs. I placed a front axle under the springs and mocked the shackles in coordination to my marks from my 72 Blazer frame. I ended up moving the holes back about 1" so the shackle geometry was better. I can measure mine for you if you'd like.

[Dieselwrencher]

No real great progress this week. I have been busy with the super cold weather, work, and I got a cold that has been slowing me down. But I did manage to go get some paint for my gauge cluster needles. I tore apart my cluster I got from Toomuchstuff. He included some nicer gauges than what some of the ones in the cluster were. I cleaned everything up, and man were the tins nasty due to a leaking oil pressure line. I had my wife paint the needles while I repaired my odometer. She even painted the red line areas because they were faded really bad. She did a great job! Then I polished the lens a little bit. I tried not to ruin the markings on it because I'm pretty sure no one has any of these in stock anywhere. It came out pretty good. i will install my new repop wood grain bezel when it gets here and then this cluster should be done until I get some LED bulbs for it.

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