76 Crew Cab 4x4 diesel build

[brothers69c-10]

Now that the project isfinally starting to pick up some steam and I ahve officailly caught the bug for driving diesels, I feel the project isworthy of a build thread. I bought a 76 crew cab 2wd from dieselwrencher and his brother 6lcummins. It is a really solid start only rust is on one cab corner. I'm getting a rust free box from dieselwrencher as well. I already have a 73-80 front clip at home, purchased some new aftermarket front doors, have rust free original rear doors. I already have a dana70 rear axle and a dana 44hd front axle. I'm going to use my 6 inch lift kit i had for my 78 for this truck. With some help I'm planning on putting a 12 valve cummins in the truck with a 3 speed lockup tranny. So basically i have all the big parts, just need to start working on the truck and putting it together. I will see if i can borrow some pics to show what the truck looks like at the moment and take some fresh ones this weekend.

[BLAZERMAN]

Looks like a really Cool build! and I'm sure your gonna get some first class help with that Cummins swap. Are you keeping it dual wheel or going single wheel?

[brothers69c-10]

I'm going to single wheel. I think with the lift, the truck will be big enough lol.

[TheManInBlack]

Subscribed, former Iowan here myself. I love all the big square bodies on this board.

[Dieselwrencher]

This truck should start to take shape soon. It'll be sweet to have a square with a cummins running around again! Have you decided on what color you want to paint it for sure yet?

[brothers69c-10]

I'm still leaning towards read down the middle and the rest black, and put all the upper and lower mouldings on it, but we'll see how funds do. I already have 2 green trucks, a black one, a maroon and tan, a white car, a blue car, had a red car, so its a toss up.

[brothers69c-10]

I bought all new rear spring and shackle bushings this week. Hopefully this weekend i will have time to get the spring hangers switched and at least get the rear springs in.

[brothers69c-10]

Gathered up a bunch of parts sunday for the truck instead of actually working on it. Here's ashort list of what i got.

Tan bucket seat and console
4 matching tan door panels
Rear bench seat
tan dash
tan interior cab trim
front shackles
power door stuff

I put two crappy front doors we picked up on the truck for the time being to keep the weather out and to help store the stuff somewhere. Makes a great storage unit.

Heres some crappy pics with my phone.

[brothers69c-10]

a couple more

[Dieselwrencher]

You're half way there if you want to lay frame with it.

[brothers69c-10]

Well did some more work on the ol truck this weekend. I got the front suspension mounts torched off the donor truck and the bed off the donor truck so i can get to the rear suspension mounts. Hopefully next weekend i can finish getting the donor truck stripped, then put some stuff together over my thanksgiving break. Should be able to make a roller prety easy. Decided for the rear suspension I'm going o do a shackle flip so its one less spring hanger to switch. May try and get some of the interior put together as well. Finally decided on colors i think. Going to do some sort of metallic blue with a light silver center.

[OLDIRON69]

subscribed

[brothers69c-10]

It's been a while since i have posted some progress. Over the last few weekends i have been speniding as much of my free time as possible working on this thing. I finally got most of the donor truck cut up and have all the spring perches bolted on my frame. Also started putting the front axle in and ryan and his brother set the box on this morning. Here's some pictures of the progress.

[brothers69c-10]

[brothers69c-10]

Had to put one of me in there for ****s and giggles.

[Dieselwrencher]

It's starting to resemble a 4wd buddy!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mattman2010]

Looking good brothers69c-10. One question, how many of the bolts lined up with the holes already in the frame on those front mounts?

[brothers69c-10]

The front mouns i have are off a 81-87 style frame. The front frame horns on the newer ones are alot straighter than the older ones. The 73-80 are more curved up. So what i did is i marked center on the 2wd mounts and set the 4wd mounts up there. The one hole that lined up was the bottom forward most hole. Since the bracket wraps under the frame, there was a gap between the mount and the bottom of the frame in the front since i used the one preexisting hole. I think this is right though cause it sits like its supposed and its in the correct location. I will try and get some pictures this weekend to help explain this.

To answer your question though just one hole lined up and i had to drill the rest. If your looking to put like a 4 inch lift kit on the truck your building and you start with a 2wd frame you could just do like dieselwrencher did on his ccsb.

[Mattman2010]

Yeah I was just wondering, I already converted mine, but I used 73-80 mounts at first and then changed to the correct 81-87 mounts but welded up the holes and messed up where I mounted the mount. So I was just wondering what holes lined up for future reference.
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[brothers69c-10]

Forgot tot ake a camera with me Sunday when i worked on it. The truck is now sitting on 4 tires and the suspension is about all buttoned up. Mat have to get pushed outside for a caouple weeks, since we will be hunting the next couple weekends, but then it will be time to hit it hard.

[Dieselwrencher]

This is what mathew wishes he could tell a chick instead of his truck...............................

"Get down on all 4!"

LMAO!

[brothers69c-10]

Thanks for the pictures buddy, at least i refrain from using peanut butter when i tell them to get down on all 4

[CowboyProtectionUnit]

hmmmm I like...

subscribed

[brothers69c-10]

Well nothing accomplished this weekend nor next weekend due to deer season. I'm on Christmas break starting Decempber 19th so hopefully byt the time i go back in january this thing can be mostly together. Not to worried about looks at the moment. I want to get it together first and get everything fabricated, then tear down will commence and begin to make it all pretty.

[Got Smoke?]

Subscribing...loving everything but the bias ply surplus tires...why not go with the radial 37"??