Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

look'in Great! How do you plan to mount the speedometer in there?

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Lookin good. You make good progress, but when do you have "spare time"?Did you make your own battery box? Love the little rod.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

I hope to find out this weekend. I have a few different ideas and I will see what works and looks best.

Spare time, sure don't we all! I took the stock battery box and drilled out all the welds and then swapped sides and cut some, welded a bit and then just bolted it in.;) I will try and get a pic showing what I had to do to make it work.
This weekend I hope to get the wiring in the cab all finished up, mount the new wiper set up and get the gauges all in and tested. Then I will need to wire the rear end and test it all out:burnout:

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Making more progress! Worked on wiring today as well as the gauges.
I got the speedo all mounted but now I am waiting on a blue LED for the high beam indicator. It worked out really well I think for the price and the time involved to make it happen. The speedo centered up on the lip that is on the factory stamped steel face plate so all I had to do was cut a nice neat hole in the backing plate to allow the speedo to poke through. I just used the cardboard holder the gauge came in for the circle and then cut it out with a 3" die grinder. Then a small amount of cleanup with a flap wheel on the other die grinder and it was ready. This gauge has a cheap feeling holder ring that is made to tighten down on to what ever you cut your hole in and slide the gauge through. So I simply used the same ring but I spaced it up some so the cluster backing plate would sandwich it in place once it was all screwed back together. I made the mistake of using a raiser blade to try and remove the old MPH markings only to find out a small amount of thinner worked great with out the scratching. So now I need to polish it a bit before it goes into the truck.

Then I moved on to the new wiper set up. Talk about an easy up grade to do in an hour or two. It now has a intermittent setting that goes from about once every 15 sec to once a second and a half and anywhere in between. The it also has low and high speed that is more up to date with todays speeds. The system came ready to bolt in and just plug together BUT I had to change things up a bit for my tastes. After following the very simple instructions I had the motor installed and test fit the 2" cube wiper switch. I noticed the shaft extension that was on the switch was a bit loose once I installed the switch so I pulled it off and used lock tight on the threads for good measure. Then I also noticed the pig tail extension they give to plug it all in was not needed with my truck so I figured I would just not use it so I could avoid any extra wire under my dash but when I pulled the pig tail out I found that both the motor and the switch had the same male spade terminals so it would not plug into it self. So I just cut off the spades from the switch end as close to the spades as possible because I could not afford to loose much length off the harness. Then I just put on new female spades and added some heat shrink tubing to it and it was ready to install. The after running a ground and acc. Hot lead it was complete.

If you drive your truck in anything but perfect weather I highly recommend this up grade from NewPort engineering!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

More pics

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Now this set up is a very tight fit with vents and ducting but it does all fit, but may take some adjusting to get it all just right. But when said and done it is worth every cent and moment involved. With the 2" shaft extension shown in pic 1 you can use the stock knob and tightening nuts.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Ok I got it all up and running and let me tell you I thought my LT1 was a nice driver but this thing is just plain badd A$$ and so very smooooth! I put about 120 miles in it today in the nice rail we have been having and it was flawless. I was on a back road that is nice and strait and wide open so I went wide open and at 110 I let off because the truck was starting to feel a bit light. With the LT1 it would get to about 95 and just stall their like the wind was holding it back but now it was me having to back off. The power is so steady and pushes from Zero to were every you want to let off, it almost feels like the rear end want to push past the front with how long the power band is going.

Also here in sunny California I think the best mod I have done is the NewPort wiper set up with the delay box. I used the wipers today for 100+ miles of my drive and had it set every were from the slowest delay to High speed needing another higher speed because it was raining so darn hard but it was flawless and worth every cent for the system. I do not recall how much it was but I think around $300 for the full kit with the delay box and extension so I could use my stock nob. I will be ordering one of their kits for my sons F1 next week.

I will try and get a video of the truck Sunday that I can post to show how well it all turned out and see if I can melt away a few miles off the tires in the process:lol:

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Any updates? I`ve done a similar swap in my 67 GMC and was curious how the A.C. lines worked out with using the adapters that u have. I haven`t done anything with my AC yet and I`m not sure which route to go. Using the compresser that came with the LS will be cheaper, not if i have to trim the frame rail, kinda don`t want to.
http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/a...cation_kit.htm
this set up will let me reuse the lines from the old motor but its not as stealth looking.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Yep I have about 800 miles on the new set up and it works great. All my guys had today off but I still went into work so I broke out the shorts (not a good look) and took LowBuck to work. It was almost 100* this after noon and while I was sitting in 3:30 friday traffic I had to turn the A/C down a click as I was getting a bit chilly. The adapters worked great and they are a soft enough aluminum that after you bolt them to the comp. you can gently bend them up to where you want them.

The power this truck has is crazy being it is a stock set up. It would have eaten my old LT1 for lunch and still been hungry. I am going to have it dyno tuned but mainly for the trans settings and the DBW throttle so I can have full throttle at idle!

Kevin
LFD inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Thanks for the info and the pics.
I`m going to Super Chevy in 2 weeks, so I`m trying to get the ac hooked back up before then. First time towing with the new set-up, excited and nervous, lol.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Well I had LowBuk at the dyno shop getting the computer and trans tweaked a bit. They changed the shift points and adjusted the fuel curves and DBW % @ idle and it all helped to make this truck like a factory 2005 hot rod. He then asked if I wanted to do a dyno pull for HP and what guy would say "No thats OK" Well not this guy and I was pleasently surprised at the results of 259.3 HP at 4750RPM's and 304.6 Ft-Lbs @ 4000RPM's The cool part is the Ft-Lbs was almost a steady 300 from 2000 to 5000 RPM's. This is all rear wheel so motor they put at about 311Hp and 365 Ft-Lbs and for a bone stock motor with manifolds and the stock air intake system I was very happy.

Only thing left is to get the CC working (need a different turn signal stock) and add power windows.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Sounds like great HP and torque numbers! Jealous

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Nice numbers for a stock engine for sure. Nice to see the numbers in an all stock configuration with just a tune.

Are you planning on building your own power window setup or installing a kit?

I have a spare set of 67-72 doors and a set of extra square body power window doors. I am planning on removing the skin from one of both and seeing if I can make the square body power window & power door lock parts fit the 67-72 door shells.

I just finished gutting the good power window doors I have that are going onto my 78 K20 and the parts are pretty thin and fairly simple. I think it can be done.

Power door locks would be pretty easy as long as there is enough depth. We will see.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Just go to Summit racing and buy a set made for the 67-72 from Electric life. They bolt in and work great. I bought a set for the Tahoe I was doing and turned them into the 3rd and 4th doors. This is how I will be doing mine some day.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ELI-GM49-K/

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

What do you need power windows for this is a work truck! You need to get some new licence plates made! This thing is no longer low budget! Very cool Kevin! Thanks for everything!:metal:
Tony from Norcal
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

That would be the easy way. Thanks for the link and the product review.

Now I know what to look for when I get to that point in my project.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Kevin, Is that a GPS speedo? THe truck looks great. Did the tune make a noticable difference to you? I'm working my AC lines right now, have the same Docs Blocks fitting. Gotta go into town today and get some more fittings at their office to hook up to my oldsmobile accumulator and an orifice tube repair kit as well. Its nice their located right here, and make most of the parts they sell in Arkansas. Again, trucks looking good, But you really need to paint that center circle on the speedo orange to match the other 2 big guages. Sorry, hope that doesn't drive you crazy. LOL. Jim

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Soooooo I've been reading this thread this week at work and I just have to say what an amazing truck. It looks great clean simple with your own touch. It was nice to read and I will be reading more of your builds.
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

This truck is bad @$$! Kevin is a talented dude! I hope to have him work on my truck soon? I see Kevin romping around town all the time in this truck! It sounds mean you wouldn't think it had a newer fuel injected motor in it.
Tony from Norcal
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

I'm sorry if this is way off the subject but i just started reading your build. You do some awesome work! I'm up to the point where you installed the van tilt. Do you remember the year model or do you know what year models will fit our trucks? Thanks!

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Ditchdigger, I don't know the exact years, but they were used in vans up until the late 70's or early 80's

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Anything new Kevin? How's the new powerplant working out for you?

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Runs great, not a single problem (knock, knock) to speak of. My wife and son drive it more than I do and she loves it. I think I have about 5-7k on the new set up and it has been from the coast to lake Tahoe and you can't tell other then the scenery! I would run this set up in just about any vehicle that I would build. Now that being said I am going to swap over to the new Coyote for my next build:devil:


Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Next build????:chevy:

Re: LFD's low buck truck build!
 

Just something that has been in my head for years and I have finally begun the build process. All hand built and designed, their will be 5 different versions. Here is a pic but I will not be going into detail or doing a build thread so save you questions:waah:

Kevin
LFD Inc.