Rattle Can Kustom!..A 12 week build..Can we do it..

[**grumpy**]

First, a disclaimer..
We cant compete with the majority of the awesome builds on here, and this is a excercise in "what can be accomplished in a short time with no money and done mostly by a 15 year old..".

Ive been off work for longer than I care to discuss, and will be having a fairly serious ankle surgery soon. So with my limited help and constant supervision, my 15 year old son has undertaken the bulk of this build.

We got this 64 short fleet on Feb. 12th.

The motor was all torn apart. And it hadnt moved from PO's garage in 4yrs.

The PO said his buddy tore the motor apart because it seemed weak, and didnt have much power, BUT sounded super good thru the headers and 3" dual exhaust...?!

I had 4 old chrome steelies, and a dude I know needed them, so I traded them to him for him putting the motor back together.
Hes younger and alot skinnier, so he climbed right in and knocked it out.

Heres my guess as to the "weak powerless motor" theory.

It wouldnt roll at all......
So after getting 2 of the 4 locked up wheels to turn freely, it rolls great..Hmm..
Then its a 86 305 SBC, and it has a horrible 2bbl carb with many many vacuum ports, places where electrical crap should be plugged in etc..
Along with the HEI that should have some sort of Dinosaur computer running it.

Well, wheels free...check
Rolls easy...check
Replace old castiron 2bbl intake and crap carb with old aluminum 2bbl intake and old rochester 2bbl carb....check
Replace crummy HEI that rotor was stiff to turn, with old 70s HEI...check

Set timing...fires right up and sounds good...WooHoo...

Still havnt driven it because has no brakes yet. But seems like it should be ok...crossing fingers...

So turned my son Brad loose on outside. We got bed off with help, hes been working on sanding and scuffing, and painting body.
Hes taped it off, removed grille, bumpers, etc

***We havnt really done any needed bodywork yet. The idea was to get it one color, and in daily driver status, then pick at body later.***

So he has been going at it at least 4 days a week, and this is where we are as of tonite.

I wont even have 35 dollars in paint or materials to this point......

I sold the ralley wheels to a board member here, and plan to use what you see, the 15x6 and 15x8 steelies, and 1957 chevy 150 poverty caps.

Cuz that's how I roll!

I have about half the needed stuff to bag it, if time, money allow it. It'll be lowered either way.

Im all about beat-up old grunge trucks, so this will get the "weathered" treatment, and some cool old lettering etc.

And as for the 12 week build, we're in week 5, so the plan is to be done and driving it by the local swapmeet in early May. So 7 weeks to go!

Stay tuned!

[**grumpy**]

More pics for ya!

[**grumpy**]

Last for today.

Hes been soaking all rear suspension bolts with PB Blaster and has most of the bolts broke lose, so we're prepping to start lowering it soon.

[RAYDAY]

AWESOME TIM! cant wait till my kids are older and can get in to my builds!

[Pop's C-10]

wow..body looks solid..what kind of rattle can paint you using?

[chevyrestoguy]

That is awesome! Your son will always remember the time when he was building that truck. Those memories last a lifetime, and the "sweat equity" he has earned will pay off in spades.

Good job, Dad!

I can't help but notice how big he is for 15yrs old. Is he playing ball? He's still got about 4 years of growing!!

[losthope]

Sweet! Looking good I dig the built in paper towel holder..
Posted via Mobile Device

[McMurphy]

Right On !!

[**grumpy**]

Thanks guys.
He's a great kid.
He knows more about mechanical stuff than most kids his age. He's been working with me on cars/trucks since he was 8.
There's always kids here having him build them custom speaker boxes for their cars and wiring in stereo equipment.
I know nothing about amps, crossovers, and all that stereo crap. But he does and sets up systems for kids all the time.

As for him being big kid. He's 6' and 210...the football coaches beg for him to play but he's too busy chasing girls.
I can't keep track of the girls thru here...seems a different one weekly. My wife always said she'd have to worry about him way more than our 19yr old daughter...haha

As for the paint....Ya'll are gonna laugh. I got a weird thing for the light blue colored trucks. So I found this paint at a local Ollie's Bargin Outlet.
Its striping paint used to put lines on the ground...!
It was 1.99 a can on clearence. And its a big can. We used 8 or 9 cans to paint whole truck. So under 20 bucks. Its the perfect color to me.
It has a primer feel to it. So we'll see how it wears.
I want a weathered look so maybe that'll play into it.

So laugh away at our paint choice.....
Posted via Mobile Device

[Pop's C-10]

I like tha blue..maybe you can get a small can a rusto white & roll tha top in while..that would look sweet..

[losthope]

Haha I knew it was stripping paint because your boy is spraying the bed and has the can upside down and also have used it manytimes at work ,r u using some type of spray handle to spray with?
Posted via Mobile Device

[**grumpy**]

Originally Posted by losthope

Haha I knew it was stripping paint because your boy is spraying the bed and has the can upside down and also have used it manytimes at work ,r u using some type of spray handle to spray with?
Posted via Mobile Device

We switched the nozzle on each can to a typical spray nozzle from other paint. And just used one of the snap on spray handles.
And youre right, you have to spray with can upside down. Wont work right side up.

Not sure how its going to hold up, but since I want worn out look anyway...
And the beauty is, if ya scuff it and mess it up, wipe it down to smooth it with thinner, and just shoot over and it blends perfectly. Cant see where ya fixed.

[chevyrestoguy]

It's striping paint, it should hold up great. It's designed to driven over the top of and last a long time in direct sunlight, it should be durable. If not, it'll patina perfectly.

Should have got the reflective stuff with the crushed glass in it... That would have a cool effect!

[VA72C10]

Cool build. Love to see kids working hard with/for their parents
Posted via Mobile Device

[**grumpy**]

Got alittle side-tracked.
A local photographer who did my daughters senior pictures asked me to use my rickedy old garage as a backdrop for a photo shoot for some local band called White Cadillac.
So I had 2 days to throw my truck together enough to resemble a driver. He wanted it and my buddys shoebox ford as props.

So we threw the hood, grille and front bumper on real quick, cleaned it up alittle and said F@#& it, good enough.

So today at 11am, they showed up. He shot them in the garage with my workbenches and wall art junk as backgrounds, then them in cab and in bed.
Then pushed it out and put my buddys ford in, and another session of pics.

2 1/2hrs later, they were gone.

These are my cell pics. He said he'd forward me some of the pro shots when theyre done.

I never heard of the band, but found a video on Youtube of them..not bad.

[Corts60]

That truck is looking great Tim. Great story too. I would love to be able to set a timeline on my build(s), but gotta wait for that steady paycheck.

[Fleet '66]

Good One! I always like to see the youngsters getting involved in the builds too. Thats great.
Looks like you had a fairly solid ride to start with. It will make a nice driver.

[creep]

Looks great!

[gostranger]

truck looks great!

great to see your son is so involved and interested that is an awesome story!!!

[McMurphy]

Coolness on the photographer and shoot!
How did he know about your garage, or did he do your daughters shoot there as well?

[**grumpy**]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

How did he know about your garage, or did he do your daughters shoot there as well?

I know this is getting off build subject, but since Im a picture whore...

He did my daughters pics at my buddys house.
Here are a few of the proofs. He took 127 pictures..

And he was at my house when her graduation open house was being held at church across the street.
He mentioned how he loved my old beat-up 1935 garage. And during her grad party, my driveway, yard and both sides of the street were packed with hotrods.
He said he'd remember that if he needed a cool old background.

BUT back on subject...the truck is back in garage with bed off getting ready for rear chassis work.

[**grumpy**]

Just a minor update.
We needed to drill the holes in the frame for the upper bag bolts and air fitting, so I let my son use my monster Milwakee drill for first time.
Im a big guy. 6'1 340+ and Ive had this drill twist me into a pretzel.
So I was alittle concerned.

And consider we use turned down lathe bits in that drill.... It doesnt take much for that drill and 1-1/8th bits to do damage.

He did great. I kept cutting oil on the bits, and he drilled all 4 bolt holes and both big fitting holes in 16 minutes!..



So bage are in and bolted up.

That was enough for today...

Oh, and he had time to paint a diecast truck he's building too. Its mocked up in this pic.

Love that kid

[C@rnut001]

Wow, great looking truck for a rattle can job...Keep it up!

[ChiefRocka]

Rattle can build ..... Sick !!

East bay customs Nor Cal, huh ?

Posted via Mobile Device

[**grumpy**]

Originally Posted by ChiefRocka

Rattle can build ..... Sick !!

East bay customs Nor Cal, huh ?

Posted via Mobile Device

I think my wife bought him that shirt 2-3 yrs ago at Old Navy...