What I did today...

[TimE]

Cool Joe. You shoulda built 2 and sent me one. That's just what I need!

The vice grips were a necessity! For some reason those 275/60's didn't want to budge any other way.

Well, no updates for the evening. I watched the kids until about 2 and went outside, not considering that a "cold front" had come through. It was 75* yesterday and 45* today. Call me a wuss, but it was just too d@%$ cold for me today. I hate cold weather!!

I did take a drawing of the motor mounts to my brother-in-law though. He is going to get a friend of his at work to make me some and also see if they have any 2"x2" square tubing to make some blocks for the rear.

[protrash64]

..........Ive been checking in just waiting!!! I finally posted in the 'mutt in yer truck' thread after Joe harassed me months ago. I just havent felt right until today.

OK TimE, we better get some pics of those mounts.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by protrash64

..........Ive been checking in just waiting!!! I finally posted in the 'mutt in yer truck' thread after Joe harassed me months ago. I just havent felt right until today.

OK TimE, we better get some pics of those mounts.

i posted over there too!

[TimE]

Well, I didn't have much time to work on it today but I did manage to get the OG tranny x-member out. Oh yeah, and I took pics!!

Here's the crossmember that I removed. I ground off the heads and then used my "steering tool", AKA vise grips, clamped to a punch and they popped right out!



Here's the auto crossmember that I am going to use. I pulled it out of a 66 parts truck that I had but I "think" it is originally out of a 73-up. Anybody know?



Here's a sideways shot of the rusty, crusty frame.



The retired 250 soldier...



Two pics of the donor truck...

I would say under the hood but...


Cab area...


That's all I've got to show for now. More tomorrow...

[protrash64]

Nice job......that x-member looks pretty solid. Not sure what its out of.

I dont know if I want to know the story on that donor!!

[TimE]

Originally Posted by protrash64

Nice job......that x-member looks pretty solid. Not sure what its out of.

Thanks. Believe it or not, the holes on it line up with the original holes on the frame.

Originally Posted by protrash64

I dont know if I want to know the story on that donor!!

I'm not positive of the whole story, but I know the truck had rolled before I got ahold of it. A sawzall is a wonderful toy!!

As is sits right now, I have completely gutted the interior(except for the carpet) and most everything else that I could remove from the truck. Once I finish with it, I will roll it out in the sun, get some better pics and post a little more info about it.

[scotts62]

Damn dude hope the donor didnt have a donor come out of it... that things in bad shape.

[4dranch]

Originally Posted by scotts62

Damn dude hope the donor didnt have a donor come out of it... that things in bad shape.

[TimE]

Originally Posted by scotts62

Damn dude hope the donor didnt have a donor come out of it... that things in bad shape.

I was told that the couple that was in it were treated and released. Very lucky...

[scotts62]

Originally Posted by TimE

I was told that the couple that was in it were treated and released. Very lucky...

Yeah id say

[TimE]

I managed to modify the wooden dolly that I already had so it would work with my cab. Got the cab sat on it and rolled it around to the bay where the '03 had been sitting for the last few months. Here's 2 pics of the cab on the dolly inside my shop/shed.






I am trying to get everything arranged/moved around so I will have room to work on the cab in one part of my shop and be able to do the chassis in the other part. I am also still waiting for the guy my brother-in-law works with to make the motor mount adapter plates. Hopefully I can get them the first of next week and set the motor in the chassis for initial fitment. Don't want to be pushy as they are going to be "donated to the cause".

[scotts62]

Sweet dude im liking the wheels on that!!!
You can roll it around and a pennie on the floor wont hold up the process!

[TimE]

Yeah, at one point we were kickin' a 3 wheel motion. The drive by the building is not very level so when we made the turn...

They work really well!

[joe231]

sweet progress!
what is the truck in your avy?

[TimE]

Thanks Joe!

The truck is a '55 with a '58/'59 fleet bed on it. I sat the 454 out of the old dually I told you about in it and it is patiently waiting on me. I was planning on piecing it together for a yard truck and then I decided to bull ahead with the '64 and stay with it until I get it back together. I'll either do it or my '55 sedan once the '64 is out of the way.

The blue truck in the background is my '65 lwb bbw that I put the I6/3 speed into last summer. It's my old beater/parts chaser for now.

[joe231]

man i'm jealous......you have so much shi.....err i mean stuff

[TimE]

Your first descriptive word was closer to the reality of the situation.

I've got too much shtuff, not enough time/money! Story of my life...

[joe231]

[LILRED66]

Here's the auto crossmember that I am going to use. I pulled it out of a 66 parts truck that I had but I "think" it is originally out of a 73-up. Anybody know?




That is a factory automatic transmission crossmember for a 4-5-6 Chevy truck. There are factory holes in your frame that will accept that crossmember.

[jason65]

Thats the same one I got in mine. But I don't know about the year. Mine came out of a 65.

[TimE]

Cool! Thanks guys.

The reason I thought it was non-original is because the parts truck was a pieced together POS. It had a 360/904 combo out of a 78 Cordoba installed and some other odds and ends just to make it all work. The crossmember was not in the stock location either, so I assumed it was out of a later model. Thanks again!

[Captainfab]

Those trans crossmembers were used from the mid 60's all the way thru '87. and they all look the same to me. There may be some minor differences, but I haven't noticed any. Whenever I've put an automatic in a '63-'66 truck, I just use a crossmember like this which can be found quite easily. No need to buy an aftermarket one when a trip to the boneyard will get one for less $$.

[joe231]

progress????

[TimE]

Originally Posted by joe231

progress????

None...I haven't been off (except for the night/day turnaround) since last Thursday. I plan to spend some quality time with her this weekend though!

[gulfcoast66]

Nice.. Man i dig them big wheels... on that dolly..... gets the job done....Chris...