1983 Chevy Stepside - Keepin' It Old School

[69byrd]

Its a little hard to tell from the picture but is your rear bumper tucked up against the body?

[silvrbreez]

If you think it does, then I'll say yes.






No it isn't.  I just wanted to get it put on this weekend and get it out of the way.  I'll probably be tucking it in sometime in the future though, probably using your post on it as a go by.

[69byrd]

Its not all that hard just make a few measurements,drill a few holes and trim a little off the inside bracket. Its time consuming but you could do it in a few hours. If you were closer I'd help you out.

[silvrbreez]

I'm tackling my suspension drop and restore this weekend.

Here is a rundown of everthing that's going on...

Front
Upper/lower ball joints
Inner/outer tie rods
Inner/outer wheel bearings
Upper/lower control arm bushings
McGaughy's Drop Spindles
McGaughy's Drop Coil Springs
Belltech Street Performance Shocks

Rear
McGaughy's Flip Kit
McGaughy's C-Notch Kit
New stock rear shackles
Belltech Street Performance Shocks

So far I've got the flip kit on and have begun cutting on the frame for the notch.  I'm hoping to have the back wrapped up tonight and possibly get the from torn down so I can start working on swapping the control arm bushings and ball joints.

My wish is to finish the back tonight and get the front done tomorrow.  After that, my plan is to keep the truck up on jack stands and spray the wheels red.

Any pointers on removing the balljoints and bushing would be greatly appreciated.

[silvrbreez]

UPDATE:

Rear is completely done.  I think that the frame may have sagged slightly when I cut the notch.  It's hard to tell now with only the rear sitting on the ground, but I may have to shim the front of the bed to make it level again.

The front is completely broken down.  I've reassembled one sides rotor, wheel bearings, and drop spindle.  I've got a buddy taking the upper/lower control arms to his shop today to swap out the old and in with the new bushings and ball joints.  I'm hoping to reassemble the front with all the drop stuff either tonight or tomorrow.

Should be ready for an upcoming show this weekend.

[oldwhity]

Sweet, did you take pics along the way?

[silvrbreez]

Not as many as I should have.  The underbody was filthy and I might have broken the camera with all the gunk on my hands.  My wife took a goofy pick of me after I made the first cuts on the frame.  That's about it.

[69byrd]

Glad to hear its progressing along, I cant wait to see it.  Sometimes its hard to take pictures while your working, just dont think of it until your done.

[69byrd]

UPDATE:
Should be ready for an upcoming show this weekend.

I know the feeling we bolted on my bed, front clip, bumpers and bled the breaks on Thursday night and took it for its maiden voyage around the neighborhood around 9:00 that night.  On Friday went and had the frontend aligned and buttoned up everything so we could go to a show on Saturday. We had a blast and you will to. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything so enjoy every minute of it.

[the dan]

UPDATE:
Should be ready for an upcoming show this weekend.

I know the feeling we bolted on my bed, front clip, bumpers and bled the breaks on Thursday night and took it for its maiden voyage around the neighborhood around 9:00 that night.  On Friday went and had the frontend aligned and buttoned up everything so we could go to a show on Saturday. We had a blast and you will to. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything so enjoy every minute of it.

that about sums up my life, never genna forget the night i finished my trucks 350/4spd swap, went up to the local strip, it was a warm summer night and i felt like i was someone out there ripping threw the gears

[silvrbreez]

This thing just keeps dragging on and dragging on....

So I got my upper/lower controls arms back from a buddy yesterday with the new ball joints and bushings pressed in and assembled.  I thought I was ready to go.  I get home and install the upper control arms and hook the brake line bracket back up to them.  Then I roll under the truck to start hanging the lower arms up by those U-bolts and find out that they must have bent slightly when I took them off...they won't go back in the freakin' holes.  The U-bolt at the threaded end appears to have widened, and this is the case at all but 1 of those U-bolts.  I sourced some new U-bolts out and I'm going to pick them up today.  Hopefully tonight I can get the lower controls arms hooked back up, install my new tie rods, and then mount the new springs/spindles and install the rotors and new wheel bearings.  Should go smooth once I get the lower control arms bolted up.  (***crosses fingers***knocks on wood***)

[choptop]

I ran into the same thing on my tan truck with the lower arms. I have learned in the past that when the ubolts arent tightened up evenly, they have a tendency to spread like that. Put the nuts on them, and chuck them up in a vice to bend them inward. Just a little at a time, it doesnt take much, but can be done.

[slammed79]

Are you photoshopin for money? I'm a gimp with that and would love to see my truck gloss black, fully dropped with the caddy taillights in the stepside fenders

[silvrbreez]

I was able to beat the u-bolts in and they straightened out.

The entire front end is back together now except for the tie rods being hooked up to the spindles.  I'm having a buddy who has done plenty suspensions before come over and give it a good look over for me to make sure things look good.  When I get the thumb's up, all I have left to do is tighten down the spindle, tie rod, and caliper bolts/nuts and slap on my steelies.  I'm getting anxious.  Hopefully an alignment tomorrow.

As for the photoshop, I usually don't charge people as I enjoy doing it in my free time...but my free time has been few and far between lately...and shows no signs of opening up with my wife due with our first child in 4 weeks.  Lots of people say I should charge, but I never have.  Send me a good high resolution photo of your truck and I'll see how long I think it might take and get back to you.  If the photo is good enough (angle, clarity, resolution, background), it should be pretty simple.

[slammed79]

I don't have my stepside bed on yet... still rockin the fleetside. Let me see if I can find a good rear 3/4 pic of a stepside. Good luck with the free time, I know that is a precious comodity best spent workin on personal projects.