2 for 1, My son's first Square Build

[Can't kech me]

Originally Posted by C15_Sierra

Wow! I'm back on the boards after a long hiatus from my own build and just caught up. This thread was in its infancy when I started my '80 (back in March 2011) and its been such a cool read to see the turns that this build has taken to get where it is now. It's given me a boost to get back on the horse to finish the '80, albeit less cool and custom as Korbin's new ride. Best of luck on finishing the final touches (or are any builds really EVER complete? haha)

That's exactly how i feel about it, it's never done. That only happens in tv shows. hopefully i will be at turkey drag tomorrow even though the weather blows. if i'm there i'll be with a black 2006 extended cab and a big red 2010 chevy on black wheels. it's all up to my parents at this point. i'd hate to miss the only big local show we really have around here.

[aggie91]

We have been driving it for just over a week now. I drove it a few days last week and Korbin has been driving it everyday since then. He took a short trip over to Tyler in it on Sunday. Said it ran well on the interstate getting over there. He and a buddy took it to Turkey Drag just for the day and ended up coming home with a Top 150 award. He was happy he went, but it was just too cold for me. We did not even have the interior in it...We need to get that done and the heat and ac installed.

[Low Elco]

Glad to hear he's back in the saddle.

[jitteryguy]

very cool, truck look's good. but in the last few page's most of the picture's don't show up .

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by jitteryguy

very cool, truck look's good. but in the last few page's most of the picture's don't show up .

mostly due to the fact that the last picture I posted was on Post #508.

I know,

I will try to do better.....

[1990SSchevy65]

I noticed that the last update was on 12-11-2013, has there been any other new progress made? I love reading about the build and hope to do something like this with my daughter some day.

[aggie91]

Nothing new done to the truck recently. We had to replace the column mounted ignition switch since it shorted out inside...

We did get the front sway bar before Christmas, just have not made time to install it.


Korbin spent a bunch of time cleaning it yesterday and then went out and took some pictures, here are some of my favorites:




Here is one he editted on his iphone:


We did find a used Vintage Air indash system and it came in over the holidays. We will get it in soon so that he has heat for now...I will get pics of it when we go to install it in the cab.

I hope to do an install how to on the front sway bar, at least I will detail it here...

[76stepside01]

Beautiful. Have you ever been pulled over for not having side mirrors?

[aggie91]

They are not required as long as the windows are not tinted...one a rearview mirror is required on the windshield.

[76stepside01]

Originally Posted by aggie91

They are not required as long as the windows are not tinted...one a rearview mirror is required on the windshield.

Interesting, here they are required. Window tint is also illegal where I am. Im just hoping that most cops won't notice.

[aggie91]

Korbin and I took the time this weekend to install the Addco swaybar from Pro Performance. This isthe 1.25" bar from Porterbuilt to fit his forward arms.

The installation was supper easy. We unpacked the parts and had this:




We started by getting the truck up in the air to let us get under it. We used some homemade stands under the front tires so that the suspension had the trucks weight on it while we did the install.

First we layed out the end links in the order they go on working from the lower A-arm up to the bar:


Next we assembled that on to the arm and to the end of the bar. We used a couple of jack stands to hold the bar inplace instead of bolting the bar to the frame first.



Next, we mounted the bar to the frame. We had one hole on each side that the front hole fo the bracket aligned with. We bolted each side on with that one bolt and then drilled the other hole with the bar mounted in position. Before making all the bolts tight, we measured and centered the bar side to side.



After drilling the holes, we install the last 2 bolts and made sure everything was tight. Set the truck on the ground and Korbin took it out for a test drive. He was very impressed with the improvements to the trucks handling. I just need to go drive it!

Next we need to work on the rear suspension, it is EXTREMELY stiff. I think we will take out one leaf and see where we are at...

[SCOTI]

Truck is looking great. You guys going to the Lone Star Throwdown?

[valyidol]

It's great work!

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by valyidol

It's great work!

Originally Posted by SCOTI

Truck is looking great. You guys going to the Lone Star Throwdown?

Thanks guys!

Scoti - we have not really talked about going, its only 3 hours away from us. Who all do you know is going? Ya'll going to stay at the Fairfield Inn?

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Thanks guys!

Scoti - we have not really talked about going, its only 3 hours away from us. Who all do you know is going? Ya'll going to stay at the Fairfield Inn?

Keith, Roger, Ken, me & a couple other non board members that I know of.... I'm trying to finish up the dually.
One of my buddies drives a flatbed so he said it's going done or not.....

[aggie91]

Does not look like we are going to make it to the Throwdown later this month. Too much going on here. We are shooting to attend the GG's event at TMS in March.

Thanks for the invite, it would have been at great time to hang out with you guys!

[aggie91]

Couple of more of my favorite pictures:

[aggie91]

cropped the last one to focus on the truck...

[made2drag]

WOW! Awesome!

[Claytona08]

Looks like someone has been doing some burnouts there Karl.

[aggie91]

yup, I know that they are not all his...

Its a local business park near our house. Just down the street is East Texas Muscle Cars. They do a lot of testing there....

[GAc10boy]

Such a cool truck!

[aggie91]

Well we went and pickked up the other truck that started this deal off. Go back and look at the white truck in post #1. Those pictures are dated 6/28/2010. Mr. Kilgore has been a great guy and kept that truck on his property this hole time. His wife was very happy to finally see it go. We got there about 2pm yesterday and got started moving it to get it on the trailer. 3 of the 4 tires where completely flat. We got a tow strap around the rear bumper and used our 2006 3/4T 4wd Duramax to pull it from it's spot. I swear it was in the exact same spot, exact same condition as the pics in post #1. We got it out in the open area and away from his tractor. Swapped the strap to the front and pulled in up to the road, during that time, those 3 flat tires broke the beads and we where just rolling on the rims. I did not take any pictures of our efforts, but lets just say it was not pretty after this point.

Everything went to crap at this point. We had brought along a trailer and dropped it to move the truck around. Well, we needed to move the trailer to continue to get the truck where we needed it to be to load it up. Korbin moved it and after I got the trailer unhooked, he yelled out of the cab that he was leaking something. Killed the big truck and sure enough there is fluid pouring out from under the engine. A quick check and it is power steering fluid. I get in and move the truck around and it completely dumps ALL the fluid out of the pump, No power steering and No power brakes!! Well thats just great...

So Korbin calls a buddy of his to come help us out. While we wait for him, we swap front wheel on the truck with 2 that I brought along for this reason. We guess what, the studs on this truck are metric and the wheels I brought take a small hex lug nut because the lug hole are so deep, the lug nuts we brought to use with the wheels are 1/2"-20 thread. Well crap again... We use the lugs that where on the truck and get this hand tight best we can just to roll this thing on the trailer...

[aggie91]

We finally get it on the trailer and start heading out to get home at 6pm. Korbin's buddy Drew is pulling the white truck and trailer with his ford super duty and I am driving our thru with NO power steering and NO power brakes.

We make a short stop at the DQ for something to drink and took a few pictures of the white truck on the trailer.









We make it home without any issues other then my arms are worn out from driving that big truck home...I put more old fluid in the pump to find the leak, all I see is a big stream coming out of the back of the pump housing. Could be a split line right at the pump, could be the pump, oh well its got to come apart to fix it. Thats for another day and the parts stores are closed anyway.

Take a look at that last picture. The spid says it has a 3 speed auto with a 4.3 V6. I figured with as a TH350 before taking that picture. That sure looks like a TH400 to me. I would have never thought that GM would have put those two together in 1985. This truck appears to be all original except for the paint.

[aggie91]

After we got it home, Korbin wanted to give it a quick wash before Mom got home so it did not look to bad sitting in the drive way. I was too worn out to unload it yesterday, but I did help him and Drew give it a wash with Dawn soap and a gray scocth bright pad.

I think it looks worlds better:



We will get it unloaded after work today and get started on the power steering pump replacement...