What would you do different....do's and dont's

[Raptor0206]

Getting ready to do my frame off build on the 66. I want to do everything right the first time!!!

List 5 things you would do again and 5 things you wouldn't ever do again!

This should get interesting

[akatc]

Originally Posted by Raptor0206

Getting ready to do my frame off build on the 66. I want to do everything right the first time!!!

List 5 things you would do again and 5 things you wouldn't ever do again!

This should get interesting

For us, one thing would be have a plan/goal in mind for the end project. I know things change but if i would've had a realistic idea of what i wanted i could've made things easier on myself.

Get things media blasted! we decided to hand sand EVERYTHING and i regret that.

Don't cut any corners, if your second guessing it at all. do it right, do it once.

Don't go cheap! you get what you pay for.

Rule of PI, plan on everything taking 3.14 times longer than expected.

If you see a little bit of rust, there's more.

When working on a part of the project try and get everything you need ahead of time to do it all at once.

We make lots of lists, thats helped out a lot.

Have fun and dont get overwhelmed. Take every piece of the whole project one part at a time. If you look at the whole project its overwhelming but broken down it makes it manageable.

[The Rocknrod]

Dont forget to build out before you paint and powder-coat.
Takes a step longer but you will ensure a properly engineered project, especially the chassis.

[Slik66]

All of the above!

And don't let friends or brother in laws talk you into something you don't want. Build the truck YOU want and you will not regret it.

Also, one thing I didn't realize.... when you media blast the truck, you will have to vacuum for days and weeks and every time you install a patch panel or beat out a dent, sand will rain from the heavens!! lol

[Clyde65]

One thing that kicked my butt was where did I put "this".

So make a list of parts and where you stored them.

I bought like 6 pairs of fender emblems because I didn't write down I already had them...

[Johns 66]

IMO here are some things to think about.
1. Decide what you want to do with your truck....by this I mean do you want a show truck, a driver truck, a street rod/restomod truck, or an all original truck or somewhere in the middle. I think that if you have an upfront plan it makes it a lot easier.

2. Know your limitations and budget...Unless you are Chip Foose or Dave Kindig and have their kind of money, resources and knowledge....just understand that things will definitely cost and it will definitely not be perfect. These truck were never designed or assembled to the standard we try to make them today. No matter how many times you build something you will always see something that you would like to do and do differently.

3. Keep the original body panels if at all possible....todays aftermarket part simply do not fit like original parts....sure you can make them work but it takes some time to get them to fit right which in turn costs more....I have done it both ways and trust me keeping the original sheet metal and just fixing the parts that needs to be fixed is a lot better.

4. do what you can live with....If you are planning on doing the work yourself and have those skills, a place to work on your project remember to take lots of pictures, label your parts and kinda organize them....trust me that 3 months down the road its hard to remember how something went together...pictures have helped me a lot.

5. My last piece of advice is really simple....Enjoy it...Enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Working on the old truck is sometimes a pain but it is so rewarding in the end. For me I had to realize its a 51 yr old truck...things break and don't work right but after a little trial and error you can usually figure things out.


When I got my 66 SWB Fleet a few months ago I knew it needed some work and before I touched the truck I decided that this would be a driver truck and my efforts from that day forward have been with that thought in mind...I have to remind myself that its a driver because the urge to rip it all apart and make it perfect gnaws at me. I am going to keep it mainly stock with a few safety items added plus an automatic tranny.

So enjoy your journey, post lots of pictures and have fun.

[Slik66]

Originally Posted by Clyde65

One thing that kicked my butt was where did I put "this".

So make a list of parts and where you stored them.

I bought like 6 pairs of fender emblems because I didn't write down I already had them...

Lol... I thought I was doing good with my bag and tag system but I am still missing some parts that I "put somewhere so I wouldn't forget them"

[Indian113]

One thing I would do if I was wanting a Frame off is I would buy a another Frame and rebuild it while I did body work and fixed small things on my driver. I see a lot of Frame Off's get sold because people get overwhelmed and lose interest. As long as I can drive mine while I work on it I keep my love going for it. I have a Whole Lot of Respect for the One's that can do a Frame Off and Finish it. I don't have the patience or the Money to go Gang Busters and Get er Done!

[LostMy65]

Read the heck out of these forums.
My first donor was a 79 Suburban.
Hindsight, there were so many things I should have kept, but I had no idea at the time.
Also, read up on what things are worth. I had one member try to pull a sneak job on me, and PM'd me to sell him my Rare 3-Speed Auto Transmission Column I found and asked a question about it in these forums.
He offered me $150. At the time I didn't think I'd ever need it, so I almost bit. So, read up in these forums before determining a direction. Hold on to parts until you're sure you don't need them.

[LostMy65]

Take lots of pictures.

[The Rocknrod]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

Read the heck out of these forums.
...

That's for sure.
Learn where the FAQ section is: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=646002
Learn how to conduct a "Search" using the upper right hand box on every page here, it is invaluable.

[shp4man]

1. It's way easier/cheaper to repair whatever mechanical issues exist and build a driver that build a full on hot rod/custom. But build what you like, not someone else's idea of a nice truck.

2.The whole "patina look" thing is a good because it would cost at least $5K to make my truck paintable-not perfect, just paintable.

3. The thing with everything costs 3.14 times as much money and time as you initially figure is true.

[ffshrek]

1. Something simple that helped me a ton was putting the tool back where it goes as soon as your done using it, I cant tell you how many times I looked for a tool before I started doing this.
2. And like said above, do not try to save money on parts, especially air ride stuff, you will end up re-doing it.
3. Even if you only have an hour, try to get something done.

[bonehead]

My 5 big hitters for building a fun daily driver truck-

1. Have a plan and stick to it, or you'll end up with a truck you won't like and you'll waste money redoing stuff.
2. Do not be a slave to, or fall for the latest trends, build what you like, see number 1.
3. Big wheels and low profile tires look cool but result in a rough ride, (my opinion FWIW), run a more normal size rolling stock and cruising will be way more fun.
4. Make sure your cooling system is up to snuff, sitting steaming along the road is no fun.
5. If your going to do a static drop, do not go too low, or drivability will suffer.

Opinions will differ, MOFWIW

[dodgiesdad]

When I built mine I started to get overwhelmed and frustrated because I was not meeting my goals. So I changed it up I started setting small reasonable goals for a day or a weekend. I was amazing how much better everything worked. The rule of PI is so very true. Build what you want not what others say it should be. Take your time and enjoy the process. Pictures and drawings of everything no matter how small and simple it may seam will be you friend. Don't be afraid to ask questions or seek help, someone has dealt with the same problem you are having before.

[Tx Firefighter]

1) Keep your work area clean. Only chumps try to do good work in a pig sty. Tripping over stuff and having to search for things is counterproductive and lowers your motivation. If you start with a clean shop and work all day, you should be able to clean it back up in short order before you turn the lights off for the day. Personally, 15 minutes at the end of my work day returns the shop to tidy and leaves it ready to start another day fresh.

2) Seldom, very seldom, is any part better than a genuine GM part. A slightly shabby GM part is better than a new aftermarket part.

3) Have all your hardware replated. It's cheap. Buying new hardware is foolish when you have an original item on hand. You can replate every piece of hardware on your truck for 100 bucks. Hardware store stuff isn't as good as OEM GM specialty stuff.

4) Budget for shop supplies and consumables. In my case, I figured out a few years ago that I spend at least 100 bucks per month on shop stuff. Some months way more than that, but virtually never less. If you're going to do good work you need to keep loctite, greases, cleaners, wiring supplies, sandpaper and abrasives, grinding wheels, welding gas, cotter keys, masking tape.

[63frankintruck]

Where do you get your hardware replated?
thanks

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 63frankintruck

Where do you get your hardware replated?
thanks

Arrow Plating in Fort Worth.

[63frankintruck]

Nice! Do they clean up your hardware or do you have to have it bead blasted/cleaned prior to letting them do it?
Is it very pricey?

Wish I had known this when I built my Chevelle.
Wonder if they could do hood hinges.
Thanks for the info!

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 63frankintruck

Nice! Do they clean up your hardware or do you have to have it bead blasted/cleaned prior to letting them do it?
Is it very pricey?

Wish I had known this when I built my Chevelle.
Wonder if they could do hood hinges.
Thanks for the info!

They do chemical prep when they coat it. If my stuff is particularly greasy I will soak it in some solvent as a courtesy to them before I drop it off. If the stuff is too rusty I will wire wheel the parts I want to be particularly nice.

If you look at the stuff I showed above, none of that was prepped prior to dropping it off. I just threw it in the box and dropped it off to them.

It's a buck per pound to do the plating, with a 25 dollar minimum. As you can guess, that box was maybe 7 pounds, so I paid the 25 minimum.

They can absolutely do your hood hinges. Size is no issue to them.

[The Rocknrod]

Good info Tx Firefighter, I will be sending them some product soon myself. Thank you.

[Captainfab]

Wow a $25 minimum. The plater I use has a $75 minimum, but I can get a lot of pieces plated for $75. It is still cheaper there in Texas.

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

They do chemical prep when they coat it. If my stuff is particularly greasy I will soak it in some solvent as a courtesy to them before I drop it off. If the stuff is too rusty I will wire wheel the parts I want to be particularly nice.

If you look at the stuff I showed above, none of that was prepped prior to dropping it off. I just threw it in the box and dropped it off to them.

It's a buck per pound to do the plating, with a 25 dollar minimum. As you can guess, that box was maybe 7 pounds, so I paid the 25 minimum.

They can absolutely do your hood hinges. Size is no issue to them.

[ls60apache]

I wish I hadn't blown my truck completely apart.it looks like a daunting task afterwards....and can get discouraging at times,its a slow process for me but its coming together. I wish I would have done sections at a time where as I could drive a little in between to keep up the morale.

[The Rocknrod]

Originally Posted by ls60apache

I wish I hadn't blown my truck completely apart.it looks like a daunting task afterwards....and can get discouraging at times,its a slow process for me but its coming together. I wish I would have done sections at a time where as I could drive a little in between to keep up the morale.

I did the same thing. - eh-be awright.

[Prflyer1]

Do's

1. bought the truck
2. do as much as you can yourself
3. have fun
4. build it like you want it, not someone else
5. bought another

Dont's

1. bought one with less rust
2. less rust
3. less rust is good
4. when you think rust is cool, kick yourself
5. Did I mention less rust?


Have fun!
Dan