Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Yea this is a hard one for me, I am a major car addict and trying to go as Low Buck as posible is like asking a coke head to use flower to save money:lol: But it has been fun and sure opens my eye's to what can be done. Shoot I have more in the trim for my 71 (Slow Build) than I do in this entire truck. But I do have a stack of parts waiting to go on that will tip me into the 2k range with the drop spindles, front coils, hitch, gas tank and misc. I hope when it is fully built and ready for the mags (:lol: ) that I will have under 5K into it all together.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Man, that's sweet. Amazing work on the bed. Really makes it look simple.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

In the mags for under 5k is amazing i don't care who you are. Keven you are a real reality check to thoes of us who get over whelmed by mounting costs, and high dollar shop builds that run across the same mags. It also helps to see someone from home putting it down. (I grew up in Napa But i Spent most of my teenage years all over the lake, winters, ect...) i just might have to come by and say hi when i get back from my deployment...

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Please do I am easy to find!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

I couldn't agree more. It would seem many of those 'low buck' builds in magazines never really are. You do decent work too ;) .

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Decent?

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Did I miss where you lowered the rear sidemarker down? Or were you just waiting for someone to notice?:lol: I probebly missed it. I see you found a tank. I think this truck is going to turn out pretty cool for low buck. :metal:

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Started the flip kit tonight by grinding off all the old brackets and some that made no sence. This axel had a set of spring pads on it at one point that was set up for a spring under but they were not original and had been removed already. Then they had a set of bump stop pads and part of some other bracket that was half removed already. So I removed the old spring pads, bump pads and what ever was left of odds and ends.

I then made the start of my new pads. They are 7" long for now and are made out of 2x2x1/4" tube. I will cut the length down after I am finished with mock up. The old pads are set 1/2" above the axel tube but I made these 1" from the tube to the spring giving me an additional 1/2" lower then regular pads. Also the reason they are 7" long is because I had to get them in place and add the weight of the truck so I could check for the tire being center of the wheel opening. Guess what it wasn't! I will need to re-drill the center pin holes about 1 1/2" offset from center in order to shift the axel back to center things up.

I also removed the spring center pins and the add a leaf then I installed new pins from the top down so the new spring pads will have a good mount to center on. The new ones were a hole $2.66 for the set and came with new nuts as well. I also re-used the old U bolts for now but I will get new ones before I do any test driving.

So here is were things are tonight after 2hr 30min. I like the ride height so far but I will need to get the front done, gas tank installed and set back on the ground for a good look. Then once that is done I will pull the bed back off and set up the air bags and build the C-notch so I don't bottom out.

Kevin
LFD Inc.
$1188.64
73hrs

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Kind of a before and during shot.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Are you going to use round u bolts so that the plate and nuts will be on the bottom for clearance?

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Keep up the GR8 work! Cool lookin dog too. RJ22

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

No I am using the stock set up and since the axel is now on top of teh spring my plates will be on top and teh round bolts are squared off for spring fitment.

On a side note do you have any picks of your tank installed? Pics of mounts, filler neck and rear crossmember mods needed. This will help with the many ideas I have in my head right now.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

For those wanting to see more on the flip kit I will be doing a full pic write up after the mock up is finished and it goes back together with bags and notches! That way I can keep all the info (pin location, C-notch dimentions, shock mounts) in one section and not spread over a few pages. I will not be working on this untill next week so it will slow down for a few days. I am heading out to the In-Laws Friday night and to the GoodGuys show on Saturday morning for some part's hunting.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Kevin,
We spoke last thursday and since then you have come along way on project L/B. It looks great, as far as paint the Green/ white would look great.

Dan

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

It took 1 5/8" to get the rear end centered and it looks so much better now. I will pull the bed soon and notch, bag, weld and shaft teh rear end once the front is rebuilt and back on the ground.

I pulled the front end apart and I am glad to say I found problems:metal: It had a real touchy road feel that I did not like. It turns out the entire front needs a rebuild, from the steering, ball joints, and the worst part the A arm bushings. The driver side upper and lower arms will move front to back with just arm power:( I have all the parts that I need except for the A-arm bushings, they were used on a customer build last year (Trazer). This was about 2.5hrs of work tonight.

I will also be doing a full front to rear brake job before it is back on the road.

Well here are a few pic of tear down.

Kevin
LFD Inc.
$1188.64
75.5hrs

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Gotta love getting dirty and greasy huh!? How do you keep from getting too involved when you take the front suspension apart from sayin...let me just clean this here, let me just paint this here, I need to take this apart and clean this better, maybe I should just pull the motor real quick and hit the firewall with some quick color, man that motor is going to look like hell in there, let me take apart real quick and spray some color on it. Those valve covers look cheap now in that nice engine bay, etc. etc.:cool:

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Easy, I have Project Slow Build to remind me to never do that again!!

Plus the fact that this is Low Buck helps keep me under control. I will be bug bombing the front and rear frame with Rust Tough satin black as I go.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Amen! My Blazer next to my truck reminds me of that. What pisses me off is that I have built and painted so many vehicles and motorcycles but never my own. I am too picky about letting anyone else work on my projects to speed them up but this new shop I am at, the bodymen are freaking awesome with the bodyfiller work. One of them just hand made the left quarter panel lower extension on an 88 toyota pickup. I told him it was totaled because the part is no longer available and I could not find a used bedside. He started making it from card board and used a punch to "break" the bodylines and then started away with it. I told him to wait and let me get my camera because no one would believe this. I got busy and went to lunch. When I got back he was DONE!! You wouldn't believe it if you saw it.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Did you get pics of the hand made body part? What material did he use after the card board....sorry am I horing the thread? PM me if this isn't appropriate

Thanks!

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

He took an old hood and removed the inner skin and then used that flat piece of metal to work with, used a straight edge to mark the bodylines, the reason he used the chisel to punch the lines is because we do not have a metal "break" at work. He is from Honduras and said they hand made panels all of the time.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Wow, I've been looking at getting a flip kit on my longhorn but as far as I know they don't make them. Now I see why, It's a whole lot of work......but worth it.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

You know I think they do make them and even this route is not really that bad if you can weld and have some spare time.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Well I got all my front end parts today and got started tearing into it some more. I got the new A-arm cross shafts and pitman arm from Marty over at "East Bay frame & axle" in SanLeandro (510-569-4285). I have delt with this shop in th epast and they are all hot rodders. I went their last week to run my frame splice by them before doing the work and they said it was right on par. I will be taking Low Buck their for it's 4 wheel alignment and I will take my camera this time. They have a cherry fully rebuilt SWB chassie hanging from their ceiling in the main shop! Also Marty told me he would do a LWB to a SWB conversion for about 1k (frame and suspention only) if any one needs a place to go.

Then off to napa auto parts for misc parts I needed like new wheel bearing, seals, frame rebuild in a can (rust tough:lol: ), parts cleaner and new front brake lines. I had all the ball joints and steering parts from my other truck that have never been put on so now it is Low Bucks turn.

I spent 2hrs tonight pulling the A-arm shafts out and removing the ball joints. I used my elect impact to get the cross shaft nuts off and my grinder and air hammer to remove the top ball joints. I then went into the shop and put about 45ton's of power to the lower joints to pop them out. Then I went to the car wash and cleaned things up before starting to spray on some gloss black.

The susp parts that I already had with the steering parts were about $450 and the new complete cross shafts and pitman arm were another $321.57 and then another $55.21 at Napa. I hope to get some time on Sunday to put it all back together.

Kevin
LFD Inc.
$2015.42
77.5hrs

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

and~