the cheap build thread

[Willowrun]

Love the 6 cylinder!

[daddyjeep]

Just curious...did you end up buying spring perches or just build your own? They are really easy to make out of some 1/4" wall 2 1/2" square tubing.

Truck looks good. I like the new stance.

[68Timber]

Nice stance and cool that you kept the 6-cylinder. The ones I've heard sound good with duals.

[Blessed66]

If I had a 250 or 292 laying around, I'd use it. They don't get the love they deserve, sometimes.

Cool build.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

Just curious...did you end up buying spring perches or just build your own? They are really easy to make out of some 1/4" wall 2 1/2" square tubing.

Truck looks good. I like the new stance.

I bought some spring perches, but now that you say that i could have just as easily made some up
Thanks for the compliments everyone! The exhaust does sound pretty good, but i'm running into a couple issues from leaks, i think i didn't fully weld a few joints. I'm pulling it off to inspect soon.

[rusty76]

Looking good

[cheap]

Long time no update!
I've been very busy with side work, but also kept up on this project. To recap, I had just finished up with a new inline 6. That went out the window, but first it got cut into a shorty.



This is freshly cut, all done with the ole reliable death wheel. I took roughly 14 inches out of the wheelbase here, and around 5 1/2 out of the rear,



The pieces took a little grinding to fit perfect, but it came out level and in a 1/16th of square.



I welded the joint on the outside, cleaned it up and fishplated the outside.



Finished product! not bad for what it is.

[cheap]

The next step was the engine. The old sixer was cool but just didn't have all the power I was looking for. I picked up a pretty clean 350 locally for a deal, so I spiffed it up and put in a few speed parts I had.







Headers and an intake wake up a stock 350 pretty well

[cheap]

Currently I'm prepping the truck for paint. I just started on the rockers an cab corners, and have the drivers mostly complete and the passenger just started. I've never done bodywork before, but it's interesting to learn and worth doing yourself even if it's not perfect.

[rusty76]

Looks like you are making head way.

[palposity]

I appreciate a good budget build. Seems that you are coming along well. Keep it up!

[daddyjeep]

For a guy that doesn't know what he is doing, you're doing a pretty good job on the rust repair. I'm liking the truck overall too. Keep it up.

[TrailerTrash]

Originally Posted by palposity

I appreciate a good budget build. Seems that you are coming along well. Keep it up!

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

For a guy that doesn't know what he is doing, you're doing a pretty good job on the rust repair. I'm liking the truck overall too. Keep it up.

I agree with post of these guys!

im really digging this build i remember seeing your first post but i must have missed the updates

as said above keep it up dude

[LT7A]

This is cool. Following along.

[moregrip]

nice build!!

[cheap]

Thanks for all the support guys! This is the first time I've done bodywork, I've been trying to take my time and do it right. Better to do it right the first time, right?



This was one dent that actually pulled out pretty easy, the whole piece was able to just pop back out



This one was a little more complex. I first had to grind out about a half inch of filler, and was able to pull it mostly out, at least enough to be able to fill out with a little bit of filler.

[Omegadog]

Looking great so far. I'm doing a cheap mild just-the-bed-off resto myself. I can't afford much into my project because I won't pull monies from our household budget. LMC and O'Reillys are still getting a lot of my spare change these days. I've sold guitars and amps and traded a '96 GMC Jimmy etc. to get me to where I'm at now. My '84 Silverado shortbed is ready for body work now after I sorted out a ton of engine(305) work so I will be watching this thread closely.

BTW...PLEASE keep the rally rims and center caps.


Here's a before and after of the engine compartment...

[cheap]

Looks great! Mine's on a pretty tight budget as well. But the budget has definitely made me learn a lot from having to do it myself. I plan on spraying primer before it gets too cold, and then deciding on paint when it warms up enough to spray again

[Omegadog]

Thanks Cheap Man! Shaved heads and valve job, new intake manifold, radiator, shroud, overflow tank, water pump, heater core, fan clutch, hoses, sparks and wires, t-stat and wiper motor. When will it end, when will it end? I plan on doing some minimal bondo and priming here in SC when it's not too cold too. Winters are unpredictable here. It can get down to 19 and up to 50 the next day. I plan to paint mine a charcoal metallic in the early spring. Here's a before/after of the rims I did last weekend. I spent a few hours doing them with Rustolium rattle cans and I have some SS beauty rims coming from LMC. A few runs etc. but I'll be repainting often I'm sure...

[vht]

Your doing great! I can relate to a budget build, my K10 project is exactly that. Sell, swap, trade and you name it. Wish I could afford to hire the block sanding out though.

[rusty76]

I am a low budget kind of guy. If you haven't checked out my low buck build threads thread then take some time. I am posting this one in my thread today. Awesome work and keep on keeping.

[friscobob]

Originally Posted by cheap

Well, patch panels are on their way and so the big steps are coming soon...For paint, is there a good way to do it without a spray gun? any aerosols that are decent? I have a decent spray gun setup if i need to, but i"d like to go the easiest route with a decent result.

Trim roller and foam brushes.

[friscobob]

" dual 2.5" exhaust "

You gave up some power there, the bigger the pipe the slower the flow rate. This is an area to trust the factory engineers, unless you go to a bigger engine or higher revs, best stick to stock exhaust SIZE tubing.
Bob

[SkinnyG]

Originally Posted by friscobob

Trim roller and foam brushes.

I painted my entire truck with Tremclad and a roller.

Three coats. Not thinned. Not wet sanded between multiple layers.

Enough orange peel to give you canker sores, but it has been super easy to touch up as the rust continues to work its way through.

Looks good from a distance, and was super cheap.

[cheap]

Originally Posted by friscobob

" dual 2.5" exhaust "

You gave up some power there, the bigger the pipe the slower the flow rate. This is an area to trust the factory engineers, unless you go to a bigger engine or higher revs, best stick to stock exhaust SIZE tubing.
Bob

Yeah, the duals on the inline 6 were wayyy overkill, but man they sounded good. From the research I've seen on Engine Masters and bu the Hot Rod staff the 'backpressure' and having too much exhaust stuff is a myth, but it's a moot point as I have a 350 with headers into dual 2.5" exhaust.

My local farm supply place has Vansickle tractor enamel for about 20 a gallon, so I think I'll make some test sprays and see how it does.

To SkinnyG, I really like your truck. Your website was my bible while working the shortbed swap I think the roller setup I just can't bring myself to do, there's too many hours in my bodywork for me to be able to have orange peel