Plans for Rebuilding
Since I will using this truck as a daily driver, I need to rebuild the truck so that it will be a dependable ride for the 2 to 3 hours of driving per day.

FRAME

I will be converting the truck from manual to automatic. To do this, the cross member will be replaced with one from an automatic truck. There is small bracket on the frame just under the brake master cylinder that can be removed as the automatic linkage will not need it. The truck also has an early 67 frame, which does not have a curve in the front driver side frame horn to accommodate a power steering gearbox. To fix this, I will use a torch to heat up the area and hammer it to create a dimple so that the gearbox will bolt up without hitting the frame. (Chevy changed the frame later in 67 to accommodate the gearbox). I will also remove the carrier bearing bracket, as I will be using a single drive shaft. Then frame will be sandblasted and painted using Du Pont VeriPrime primer and Du Pont Chroma One Gloss Black. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

BRAKES AND REAR-END

The front brakes will be converted from manual drum brakes with 6 lug to power disc brakes with 5 lug. This is done using new drop spindles, rotors and calipers from a 72 to 87 truck (make sure to check rotor thickness as Chevy went to a thinner rotor in the later years). The rear brakes will be converted to five lug power disc brakes via a Ford nine inch rear-end from a 75 Lincoln Continental. The rear-end has disc brakes, and a 5 on 5 lug pattern, so only modification is remove Ford locator brackets and weld on Chevy locator brackets. Right now, the gears in the Ford nine inch are 3.00. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

SUSPENSION

I will replace all of the suspension with new parts for a 1975 truck, including a 4/6 inch drop kit from EarlyClassics. The kit includes 2 inch drop spindles, 2 inch drop front springs, 6 inch drop rear springs, Nito-Drop shocks from Bell-Tech, new adjustable Pan Hard bar, and new locator brackets for the rear shocks and Pan Hard bar. I will also add a front sway bar from a one-ton truck. All of the suspension parts will be painted with aluminum paint and/or the Chroma-One gloss black. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

TIRES AND WHEELS

I will be using Chevy 15 inch by 8.5 inch Truck Rally Wheels with new Corvette 3 inch trim rings, and center caps (Note: the Chevy bolt-on caps for truck rallys are HARD to find in excellent shape.) The tires will be 265/50/15 BFGoodrich Radial T/A. The rims will be powder coated a bright powder blue. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, AND EXHAUST

A new crate 350 engine rated at 250 horse from Chevrolet will be used. The engine will be left basically stock (remember, I am building a commuter truck!) but I will use an Eldebrock performer manifold, 650 Carter AFB polished carburetor, Mallory Unilite distributor, and Sanderson shorty headers. Engine will be Chevy Orange in color, and use chrome Chevrolet valve cover and air cleaner. The transmission is a rebuilt 700r4 from a 1997 truck. A mild shift kit was added. A B&M torque convert lock-up kit will allow use of the 700r4 without installing a computer. Drive shaft will be a single drive shaft. The duel exhaust will 2 1/2 inch with Magnaflow. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

GAS TANK

For the gas tank, a tank from a 65 Chevy suburban will be used. This is a simple bolt-in that will go under the bed at the back of the frame. Because my truck had been converted to propane, there was no tank in the cab. I will be using my truck everyday, and do not want the filler tube to come through the bed as seen in most of these conversion. I have finished making the fuel filler, located now at the top of the rear stake pocket in the bed. I was going to have it located behind the taillight, like a 57 Chevy, but I decided that was too much work. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

INTERIOR

The interior will redone with a new bright powder blue paint job and cloth has well as recovered bench seat, recovered door panels, new carpet, and new dash pad using both vinyl and cloth. A factory air-conditioning dash will be added. A reconditioned gauge pack including Tach, will keep me informed of the vital signs of the truck. A tilt steering column from a Chevy van will be modified to fit, and will be topped off with a stock Custom/CST steering wheel. I plan on going overboard on soundproofing the cab as I don't enjoy wind or road noise. I will have a stock AM radio in the dash, for looks, and then I will add a new stero/cd changer/ amps, etc using a truck speaker box behind the bench seat. The new stereo will be housed in a custom box mounted to the bench seat. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

BODY MODIFICATION AND PAINT

Starting from the front and heading back, the passenger fender, the radiator core support, both driver and passenger side floorboard, and both rocker panels, are being replaced due to rust. The tailgate is also being replaced as it is banged up beyond repair. The original dash is being replaced with an air-conditioning dash, and the fire wall needs to be modified as the heater core openings are different on air cabs and non-air cabs. The stock gas filler hole is going to filled. On the bed, the stake pockets will be filled, and the front stake pockets will be removed all-together. The driver side rear stake pocket will be modified to fit the gas filler tube. The fire wall, and openings around the doors, will be filled and smoothed just enough to hide all of the factory spot welds. Unused bolt and screw holes on the bed and doors will be welded using a mig welder. The rear cab seem filled, and the pinch welds on the bottom of the cab will be shaved so the fender, cab, and bed bottoms all line up. The van tilt colunm will be modified and shortened for more cab room. And of course, I will do bodywork to every panel that needs it. After bodywork is done, I will paint the truck in the bright powder blue. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

BED

For the bed, new bed strips will be powder coated the same blue as the rest of the truck. The old pine wood will be replaced with Teak wood that I order from East Teak in Washington. Very good looking wood!!! Once the Bed is painted and assembled, I will locate and drill the final holes, and then start varnishing the wood. I already cut the edges using a table saw and a router. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

CHROME, TRIM, AND EMBLEMS

The bumpers will be replaced with new chrome ones. All new body molding will be used as well as all new emblems. The grill chrome trim, and windshield chrome trim will be polished and re-used. I will try to modify a set of rear window trim to fit the small window of the 67. Chevy did not offer bright trim of the small window, so I am not sure about this one. NOTE A rear large window gasket and trim was be modified to fit a small window. THIS STAGE IS DONE!

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