73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Members Rides => Topic started by: c0olburn3r on December 15, 2014, 09:39:49 pm
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About "Heavy"
I have bought this work truck back in 08, from a car lot where the old man was retiring and had this truck sitting around collecting UV rays and lots of dust.
Sold it to me for 1600 dollars cash with nothing working in it except the motor.
Tires were bald check engine light was on, didnt want to get something newer. Nope! I wanted to be able to work on mine, not paying 30 grand for p!astic and wires. No one works on this truck but me.
I have a thing about old trucks no matter how old they are they were made to last.
After hauling all the shingles for the roof new and old , dirt, gravel, stones, furniture, still was and is my daily driver ,and everything else you can think of I decided she paid her dues and its time to put her to retirement as everybody was using it as their personal to do list truck ,and just keep it to my self ( its a bond thing) .
Everything she has done was pretty much heavy so that's why I call her " heavy" as it rhymes really good with heavy Chevy, being a long bed 2 wheel drive and all she's about 6500 pounds.
First thing I did about 2 years ago in 2012 was to get rid of the stock exhaust and of course run headers and dual pipes with some 40 series thrusters that have that old vintage sound.
I know most people put flow masters on but I wanted something different for her cause she is special.
working my butt off for 2 years 14 hours a day all I could do is daydream everyday what I would want to do to her and everyday that went by I hated it cause I couldn't for one reason or another. She still is faithful tho and never let's me down so that brings me to last month where I had a chance to have 1 whole month off work and guess what I did. Pictures are to follow.
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when I first got her
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first thing I did was wax her by hand, took about 4 hours but well worth it.
I took the old trim that ran across the body, half of it was just flapping around and it was just crappy.
Took her to a friends shop and welded the mufflers and pipes, and that was it for the next 2 years.
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Took all the chrome rings around the rims off and painted the wheels black, after I dropped her down with some spindles , and a flip kit for the back of total 300 bucks including new ball joints. Painted the grill all black and added the bumper stops for 3 dollars at pull a part here in Charlotte NC
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So that was the easy part and then I woke up in the middle of the night last week and since I had a couple of weeks of I decided to take her apart from front to back ,and inside the cab and redo everything. took all trim apart inside, dash, door panels cleaned sand , back tailgate , back bumper, front grill buffer all lights with toothpaste ( it really works) , sanded everything by hand, from sun up to sun down, in a 10x10 shed..?Not a shop I'm not that lucky yet.
So here is the new and improved Heavy, and I'm done with her until spring, will start on her body then and get her ready for paint, and hopefully some nice rims.
I started work again on Monday and I enjoy taking a break and going outside and just stare at her, cause it seemed like forever to get her done, plus my coworkers and friends don't laugh at my piece of junk like they called her at one point. Now it seems they want a ride everywhere just to be seen with her. Nope ain't happening! Only one other person can ride with me.
If anyone wants any info about this model or any questions I do work at Oriellys and I can get a lot of info and specs for it, so please feel free to ask any time and don't forget its never junk, just needs a Lil TLC.
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Rear
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Inside
Changed the steering wheel for 21 dollars at pull a part
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more of the inside
Made some round boxes and attached them to the panels for speakers, took off the old little ones from the dashboard all together, and with some 12 in the back bench seat for now it kicks butt!
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took the bump stops out and made her even cleaner in the front.
All in almost a week and a half, with less than 100 bucks.
Christmas eve I'm opening my dash cover, and my tall valve covers and I will post those pics probably after Christmas .
Have a merry Christmas and happy holidays
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very nice and very sharp truck 8)
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Thank you flat black.
Happy Holiday's
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Truck looks really nice. I like that you painted the diamond plate on the rear bumper. I thought about this too but haven't seen one yet. Do you have any other pics of that, I really like it. Looks really clean.
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I will post some more pics when I put the dash cover , and the tall valve covers day after Christmas
cause I have to start on the engine compartment
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that looks great! Did you have to cut the metal on the doorframe to get those speakers in? I do not recall ever seeing 6x9 mounted in the doors.
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Cools sounds good!
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CVBEAR what I did was cut some MDF board to the size of the speaker mounted in the door panel to make the difference between the speaker and the door. I have a different design that Im going to do soon which is these pictures you can do yourself. Credit goes to a guy on youtube that goes by the name agearhead4life, he has a video on how to do it, but since I was running out of time I made mine temporary.
Let me know what you think
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I like the speaker mounts. Look good. The whole truck looks bad. I'm a fan.
ROCKBOTTOMC10👎
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With it lowered, can you haul as much?
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Yes, I'm still using factory specs for shocks, all I did flipped the rear end with this right here http://www.ebay.com/itm/73-87-CHEVY-GMC-TRUCK-REAR-AXLE-FLIP-KIT-5-DROP-/201278367469
Very easy to do and keep everything the same, and no extra add one to buy. I have read that installing shock extenders will help even more but I'm not going to do that until I get new shocks in a couple of months, cause I'm going to drop her some more in the front with drop spring coils, as long as you don't go any lower then two inches on the coils you can still keep factory shock specs. Even tho I dropped her with 3 inch spindle already doesn't count for thee spring height.
I've haulled about 500 pounds with ease and and she drove even better.
I have been busy for the past 3 weeks with her, due to bad weather I haven't had a chance to take pics of the engine compartment. Will post pics probably Sunday , but I did change push rods, and lifters, new distributor plugs , wires, fuel injectors , rebuilt and modified the TBI , readjusted the valves, set the timing perfectly , new coolant temperature sensor, new ignition and timing module, cap, and rotor, for all 200 bucks. Employee discount ( thank God)
Took her on the highway and just cruised for a little while and as soon as I got some clearance I laid on her to see what she would do. Well the only thing I can say , she put a big smile on my face, and she picked up a lot of speed really quick, and I had to let off the gas at that point cause if I didn't I would probably would of gotten a huge ticket and a very pissed off look from my honey at home.
Next project
Got the new seals for the AC, have the freeon , but have to wait for warmer weather to change, so far she's holding vacuum on the compressor.
Pics Sunday.
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So here is the engine compartment half way done.
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Finally got the AC working, converted over to 134a total 60 bucks with freon and new orings.
Blows really cold it was about 82 degrees outside today.
One less step to getting her done for a truck show.
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Here is the latest on project heavy
On the outside
Added the lower springs, drop shocks front and rear, ball joints, etc. Wheel alignment so as it stands 5/6 . rides like a dream.
Put a cover on the bed huge difference on drag and gas mileage.
Took stock wheels 15x8 and replace them with 17x8 rims and new tires
New tail lights, side marker lights, took bumper out (heavy as heck) replaced with roll pan.
Chrome tailgate protector
New gas tanks, including pumps strainers selector valves etc.
New outsice cab light
New windshield
New grill
Tint windows
I probably forgot something but will remember later to add to it.
On the inside
New gauges
Trim around doors and dash
Gauge face cover
Accelerator brake and emergency stainless steel covers
Chrome drive shifter
New bench seat cover
New cab light
Of course new radio with all the modern works
New side view mirror
New power window motors
New side vent window latches
New keys from factory for ignition and door locks
New dash cover
Engine
All new sensors.ALL NEW SENSORS
Wiring
Alternator
New headers
Transmission
New chrome oil pan with drain plug (what a relief for the next filter change)
Waiting on the new vss adapter to arrive so the over drive will kick in
New seal and fluid on rear end
Other stuff
New rotors, brake cylinders, drums , thermo quite brake pads ( they make a huge difference)
Lets not forget the 4 hour by hand wax job.
And most important the personalised licence plate with her name on it
Pictures are coming as soon as I convert them over to web site specs.
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It has been a while but Im finally abke to fix the small stuff where is presentable nohttps://youtu.be/2-pLR0aSk0k