Updated Project Pics - '61 Vette Pick Up

[Frizzle Fry]

......

[72CSTC5]

Damn Frizzle, nice work. Good welds, looks like you are taking your time and doing it right.

[Frizzle Fry]

Thanks. Definately taking my time We'll see when it all comes together if I'm doing it right

[Hilandr451]

Amaizing Friz..... You're my hero dude.

[AesC10s]

Originally Posted by Hilandr451

Amaizing Friz..... You're my hero dude.

.....second that......

[JRB]

Cant wait to see it complete. Looks like your making some headway. Do you have an ETF time on it? ( Estimated Time of Finish)? I just picked up a TPI for an 86 Vette to put on top of the 327 in the 67. I am finding that isnt a cheap endeavor. But it will look great setting on top.
Later
JRB

[Frizzle Fry]

Thanks guys. More to come soon. Got all the louvers out of the rad support now.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Dude its so awesome to see this. Ive only heard or front end swaps. Your gonna have all the greatness on 99 vettes with a way cooler to say the least body.

[Hilandr451]

Originally Posted by JAMESCHURCH13

Dude its so awesome to see this. Ive only heard or front end swaps. Your gonna have all the greatness on 99 vettes with a way cooler to say the least body.

This guy's definately from Southern California.

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Originally Posted by Hilandr451

This guy's definately from Southern California.

Naw bro wrong coast. Ocean City Maryland. Curently on the West Coast of Japan with the Airforce. Surfing. I think the lingo is universal surf mixed with white trash. If I had to classify myself. Also a question for the master builder; what made you deside to use the whole vette frame?

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by Hilandr451

This guy's definately from Southern California.

The guy definately has good taste in trucks That's all that matters BTW I was in the Airforce from 95-99. F-16 Avionics.

Originally Posted by JAMESCHURCH13

what made you deside to use the whole vette frame?

There are so many options out there from custom, mustang II, vette front suspension, and four link, ladder-bar, or independent rear suspension, to boxing and modding the existing frame, to full custom chassis. Then there was the question: big-block, small-block, supercharged, nitrous, manual or auto? I spent a lot of time researching options and prices and decided I wanted to build a street machine with good handling and power, not just a strip rocket.

While searching for a Vette IRS for it I came across the whole package on eBay. Basically a Vette with no body, but all mechanicals intact (with some melted rubber and plastic). But hey, I wanted poly bushings and steel-braded lines anyway

I did a little more research on dimensions of the C5 vs the truck and decided it was doable. So I showed the toasty corvette to my wife (it had been torched) and told her I wanted to buy a package like that "someday" for the '61.

So I watched the item to the end just to see how much it would go for. I'm at work clicking refresh in the last few seconds of the auction and suddenly it says "You are currently the highest bidder." I'm going WHAT One more refresh and it says Congratulations...

My wife had bid on it from home. So I got the whole deal with chassis , front/rear suspension, brakes, LS1, T56 transaxle, plus some misc stuff thrown in like fuel cells, radiator, new intake, etc.... for $5000 delivered. All those parts separately would have been over double that.

Here's what it looked like when I got it:

[JAMESCHURCH13]

Here's what it looked like when I got it:[/QUOTE]

Right on man. I'm a crew chief on F-16s. Small world. So the all important question... Did you take the go-kart vette around the block before starting the build. Cant wait to see this project progress. Looks most exellent so far.

[PBFAB.COM]

Do you ever work on this thing????? I am eager for more pics.

[Frizzle Fry]

Ha ha... Glad your interested. I've been doing a few things to the engine, front frame member/horns and core support. Nothing jaw dropping. Now I'm working on the front inner fenders. The originals had to be hacked up to fit on the C5 frame, so I'm making some new curvy ones. Since you asked so nicely, here's some teaser shots. They're not pretty yet, but they will be (I'm holding them in place because they have to be tweaked a little). Recognize the donor?:

[PBFAB.COM]

Those "donors" were actually conceived and manufactured with the foresight that someday Frizzle Fry would be modifying them to fit in his ultra-smooth and clean 61 Vette Hybrid Pickup's engine compartment! I dig it.

[Woogeroo]

crazy... but very neat, lots of hard work and interesting thinking going on there.

I had wondered also why ya went whole hog with the whole c5 chassis, cool.

-W

[Hart_Rod]

FF,

Truck is looking great. This is one I can't wait to see finished.

Rob

[Frizzle Fry]

Thanks guys Here I am smoothing out the unnecessary stuff on the inner fenders. What the heck was that drivers side thing for anyway? I know the pass-side helps support the batt box.

So after I got the drivers side tacked, I went to change to lighter wire and jammed my welder Now I'm down awaiting a new wire guide for the next 6-10 days But I'm sure I can find plenty of non-welding tasks in the meantime

The pass-side is cut, but without my mig I can't go any further on it.

[Frizzle Fry]

More...

[70short/step]

Again I say "AWSOME"!! Love what you are doing here. Cant wait to see it finished! It is Great that you are posting all the pics as you go. You will have a great album when you are done!

[Frizzle Fry]

I posted this on LS1tech, but I'll show it here too.

I was sick of looking at the alternator in front of the drivers side valve cover. So I moved it. Had to remove the A/C compressor (not sure if I'll go with A/C anyway, and I'll use a smaller compressor on the opposite side if I do). I modified the A/C compressor bracket and made another bracket to mount the alternator where the compressor was. Then just figured out what length belt I needed and bought one (with P/N help from LS1tech).

For those with a LS1/GenIII wondering why I didn't just use an F-Body alt bracket: There's not enough room down there because of the vette steering rack.

First pic shows before, the rest speak for themselves:

[PBFAB.COM]

Looks good! Who needs a/c anyways!!!!???

[mbgmike]

man you like this don't you. Nice work

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by porterbuilt

Looks good! Who needs a/c anyways!!!!???

You definitely do! I spent 4 years at Luke Air Force base. Here in Oregon, I'd say there are a few weeks a year it comes in handy. But at this point with a lot of big ticket items yet to be purchased (shockwaves and air system, wheels/tires, Seats/Interior, Paint, Exhaust, Glass... The A/C is going to have to take a back seat. It is a hotrod anyway, right?

[Frizzle Fry]

Originally Posted by mbgmike

man you like this don't you. Nice work

What? The torture of a long drawn-out build? Actually, I do enjoy the process. It's an outlet for artistic creativity and logical problem-solving all wrapped up in one big cloud of tools metal and sparks, with the occasional complaint from the neighbors... I'm sure I'll enjoy it more when I'm driving it! But I garuntee the long drawn-out process will start over again with something else.