my 65 fleetside build

[allaboutchevelles]

Hey Flips, That seat looks very nice. Look better setting in my truck though! LOL. Looks like your coming along nicely on your truck. Did you check your power steering box yet with the adapter plate to see if the box hits the frame? Keep up the good work.

[Dinos63]

truck looks killer always such nice work!! AND THAT SEAT IS PERFECT!! you nailed it!

[65Custom]

Sweet, I love the seat. Looks great.

[flips72]

Originally Posted by allaboutchevelles

Hey Flips, That seat looks very nice. Look better setting in my truck though! LOL. Looks like your coming along nicely on your truck. Did you check your power steering box yet with the adapter plate to see if the box hits the frame? Keep up the good work.

thanks allabout, i did check my box but, i didnt have any clearance problems it does lay right up against the frame, but its not in a bind.

Originally Posted by Dinos63

truck looks killer always such nice work!! AND THAT SEAT IS PERFECT!! you nailed it!

thanks dino, i only wish my truck would turn out half as nice as yours always do.

Originally Posted by 65Custom

Sweet, I love the seat. Looks great.

thanks 65custom, kind words are always appreciated.

I have been like chad, working alot so theres not been alot of progress on the truck, i did start it the other day for just a minute, just to here the cam and it sounds awesome, no radiator on it yet but the inner fenders and radiator support are ready to mount. maybe things will slow down a little so i can get something done. saving now to buy a champion 3 core radiator, mine is new but i am afraid it wont cool the 406.

[CRGRS 66]

be prepared to do some modification to the upper and lower cradles if you go champion. I sent mine back and got my original re-cored, cost a bit more, but worth it in the end. I am sure you can get a multipass core soldered in between your original tanks.

[sunjester60]

Gents, I need a new front end. Should I rebuild the stock 60 or go with a newer 74-87? If I go newer, what kind of cost am I looking at? I do not have the tools or garage space to even try it myself. Any threads, websites, or other recommendations are welcomed.

[flips72]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

be prepared to do some modification to the upper and lower cradles if you go champion. I sent mine back and got my original re-cored, cost a bit more, but worth it in the end. I am sure you can get a multipass core soldered in between your original tanks.

was the tanks too wide or what was the problem?

Originally Posted by sunjester60

Gents, I need a new front end. Should I rebuild the stock 60 or go with a newer 74-87? If I go newer, what kind of cost am I looking at? I do not have the tools or garage space to even try it myself. Any threads, websites, or other recommendations are welcomed.

not sure on the 60 model since its torsion, if you are going to 5 lug the truck i would change the whole crossmember out with a later model and get everything at one time, you can start with 71 for a disc brake set-up, and i am sure ther are alot of shops around that would do the wrenching for you might get a little expensive though. i am sure there are numerous threads on this subject i just dont know how to post the ones i can find but there are alot of guys on here that do. go back to the open forum and start a thread and you will get alot of hits, i am sure of it. good luck.

[CRGRS 66]

Originally Posted by flips72

was the tanks too wide or what was the problem?

Both tanks were what I would call too deep, front to back. The rad wedged into the bottom cradles, and would not go all the way down. The top bracket would not go over the rad at all. I would have A) had to cut some steel from the inside of the bracket, and B) shave the rubber to get it to go over. The rad was also somewhere in the area of 3" too narrow, and had to be set closer to the passenger side as the inlet interfered with the cradle. Outside of the fit, I was also not happy with the look. The welds were cheesy looking, and the tanks were not particularly straight... you get what you pay for it seems. On top of that it was made in China (American Eagle, ya right). I ended up supporting my local economy, and kept my original rad. The cost to me was an additional $150.00, but I am so glad to have kept the original look.

Posting 2 pics, one more to follow.

[CRGRS 66]

last picture is with the re-cored rad installed (excuse the stains on the shroud I will clean it up and paint it this fall when I tear the front end down).

At the end of the day I am just really glad that I don't have to look at that chinese piece of #### everytime I open the hood.

[198plus]

You truck looks killer, what a great job you have done !!!!!!!

[flips72]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Both tanks were what I would call too deep, front to back. The rad wedged into the bottom cradles, and would not go all the way down. The top bracket would not go over the rad at all. I would have A) had to cut some steel from the inside of the bracket, and B) shave the rubber to get it to go over. The rad was also somewhere in the area of 3" too narrow, and had to be set closer to the passenger side as the inlet interfered with the cradle. Outside of the fit, I was also not happy with the look. The welds were cheesy looking, and the tanks were not particularly straight... you get what you pay for it seems. On top of that it was made in China (American Eagle, ya right). I ended up supporting my local economy, and kept my original rad. The cost to me was an additional $150.00, but I am so glad to have kept the original look.

Posting 2 pics, one more to follow.

thanks craiger, i decided to go with a griffin radiator , we ran one on a malibu one time with no issues although i did have to fab up some brackets.

Originally Posted by 198plus

You truck looks killer, what a great job you have done !!!!!!!

thanks ronnie, it will never compare to yours though.
i have been working on the truck a little lately, finally got below a hundred degrees and its hot in my shop , no air conditioning. i mounted the innner fenders and the passenger fender is bolted up and drivers side is just hanging to get it out of the floor. driver side door is ready for paint, again, radiator is mounted and transmission cooler is mounted, i had to make mounts for it as well and went with 6an fittings on the transmission lines instead of hard lines looks a lot cleaner, battery cables are made and run, steering column is in and wired she starts and runs and i drove it out of the shop, yehaw. still no belts or hoses so i cant run it but for a minute but its sounds awesome,tried to make a video but i cant even seem to post pics here lately.

[chad64chevy]

, just playing! glad to hear you have been getting some work done!! it has been really hot here too!!

[flips72]

some pics

[flips72]

oops, for some reason i cant upload pictures, i guess thats what happens when your computer illiterate.

[Alan's Classic]

Still waiting on the pics. congrats on the progress!
Posted via Mobile Device

[flips72]

some pics

[flips72]

a few more pics

[flips72]

and a couple of the dash, everything is extremely dusty as you can tell in the pics

[likaroc13]

looks great! noticed your CAT battery...my dad has worked for CAT for 20(+) years...i worked for them as a summer student worker during college

[Dinos63]

truck looks killer , engine bay a engine are super clean nice work!you are building a awsume ride!

[Dustin07]

beautiful, really nice work!

[chad64chevy]

flips, the truck is looking really good, now when you get it running long enough to make a short video we all would like to hear it, that red is beautiful!! looks like it wont be long and you'll be done, and driving it by the time it starts to cool off!!

[flips72]

Originally Posted by likaroc13

looks great! noticed your CAT battery...my dad has worked for CAT for 20(+) years...i worked for them as a summer student worker during college

i have worked for a cat forklift company for the past 16 years, pretty good place to work and good fringe benifits

Originally Posted by Dinos63

truck looks killer , engine bay a engine are super clean nice work!you are building a awsume ride!

thanks dino, means alot coming from builder with your skills.

Originally Posted by Dustin07

beautiful, really nice work!

thanks dustin

Originally Posted by chad64chevy

flips, the truck is looking really good, now when you get it running long enough to make a short video we all would like to hear it, that red is beautiful!! looks like it wont be long and you'll be done, and driving it by the time it starts to cool off!!

thanks chad, i tried making a video but with the open headers its just a lot of noise cant really tell much about it, i will try again though.

[flips72]

windshield is in now and belts and hoses are done, my fan and shroud came in yesterday just have to cut out the hole and mount everything up. heres a few pics

[flips72]

a couple more