Awesome. I would love to get a classic pickup on day!

I've never rebuilt a Chevy before.  It has a 283 small block and a 4-speed manual transmission.  This winter, my wife and I are going to do a frame-off resto on it in our garage - I'm currently looking for a decent MIG so I can teacher her how to weld patch panels in the body (after I teach myself how to do it  ).  All original, from Utah - everything is OEM and needs updating.  going to replace the single-circuit, 4-wheel drum brakes with discs and lower it 3" in front and 4" in back.

Like the stance to be like this:


Nice thing is that chevy small block parts are abundant and cheap.  Everything up to a 400 small block looks like the 283 that is in there.  I plan on installing a built 383 (350 block w/400 crank) and trying to find old speed parts to keep it looking "correct".  If I can find a certain single-plane intake, I can hide fuel injectors under the runners and use an old quadrajet as a throttle body.

A 4000lb truck should scoot well with 400hp / 420tq (if I can manage to design a decent spark controller).   

Should have bought a Ford 

I think Stacey David built Project Copperhead on "Trucks." 

I don't watch tv any longer but I did follow that buildup.  Lots of cool ideas and parts went into that build, may be worth referencing. 

Good find!   

Edit, here it is:  http://www.staceydavid.com/projects/copperhead.html

Update!
Radiator is hosed, so I took a friend's advice and bought an aluminum one from speedway. 
Yanked the old radiator out, expecting a simple swap and of course, that wasn't the case.   


^^^ Lookit that front crossmember.  Remember how I said that frame was bent?  Looks like the truck was also winched or towed by the center of the front crossmember.


^^^ Out and on the ground.  You're looking at the front of the crossmember - see how it's all twisted?



^^^ Oh yeah, frame needs a bit of work...



^^^ Wire brushed and ready to work on.



^^^ tacked this on to assist in bending it back to the correct shape



^^^ as straight as I could get it


^^^ Cracks welded & ground




^^^ Paint!



^^^ Size difference in radiators.

Tomorrow I'm going to continue on the frame and get the rad mounts mocked up.  grabbed some 22 ga sheet and will also build a fan shroud for the electric fan I have.

D-NaSty313 wrote:

Very coool scot,  That front crossmember looks awesome

Thanks Hon!

I broke my harbor freight bench vise squeezing the last bend.   


When do you turn 21 so you can come over and I can teach you how to drink Pabst and hit stuff with hammers? BTW, give Stu a text - today is shawty's birthday.

Hey you must have a lot of time...  Wana restore my nova... haha.  It would be cool to got fuel injected on the motor but the harness would be a nightmare...

joenova1030 wrote:

Hey you must have a lot of time...  Wana restore my nova... haha.  It would be cool to got fuel injected on the motor but the harness would be a nightmare...

Joe, if you're serious I think I could help you out in that area - fuel injection wise.  I just bought this to upgrade the wiring and circuitry in the 66:
1994 Saturn underhood fuse block

I am just going to run the wiring a bit more modern and add electric fan control, but getting a wiring harness / ecu out of a vehicle might work in your case.  Wiring is certainly easy enough to trace / change if you're patient enough (and have a large area you can spread it out to work on )

Hoagie wrote:

About 15 years ago I had a 66 6cyl 3 on the tree that was the same color. Loved that truck. Awesome project.

Thanks Hoagie - have you noticed what clean "old" trucks are pulling in these days for $$$?  It is ridiculous.    Your truck sounds like the perfect daily driver I was looking for.

scot_douglas wrote:

Hoagie wrote:

About 15 years ago I had a 66 6cyl 3 on the tree that was the same color. Loved that truck. Awesome project.

Thanks Hoagie - have you noticed what clean "old" trucks are pulling in these days for $$$?  It is ridiculous.    Your truck sounds like the perfect daily driver I was looking for.

I think I paid about $250 for it, drove it problem free for a year, and sold it for the same amount.  It wasn't bad except the heater fan didn't work. Also had some air vents in the floorboard.

great truck and project!

Yes.
I need to clean my garage.