My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

So this thing became a distraction in the midst of my 1964 swb 'Recycle' project when the motor locked up.

I had done exceptionally well not touching much on this thing after I bought to help maintain my focus (& cash stash) on my 64. It's a 100k mile truck originally from the left coast. Pretty clean truck but was kind of 'cowboy'd' which is a no-can-do for me.

Initially it was a stock 7.4l TBI/th400 w/some glasspacks, 1/4 sleeper shell + running boards, & 'Limited Edition' interior mood lights (including custom wiring hazards). I promised myself I would not touch the suspension until my 64 was done but there were some other priorities that needed correcting before I could drive it daily:

I yanked the mood lighting to minimize the wiring hazards.
The running boards & sleeper were nixed (TY Jon).
The glasspacks & cowboy exhaust tips were cut off as quickly as possible.
Rear aftermarket bumper was nixed for a Burb/Blazer sport model.
Front grille was swapped for a tweaked GMC unit....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

That got me going initially. I purchased dropped spindles & a flip kit for it before it was officially mine knowing that the stuff would sit awhile before I would get around to installing it.

After driving it for about 6months, I started having issues w/water loss under certain conditions. I was trying to diagnose the issue when I ran out of time & the motor locked up. So despite my efforts..... the can of worms was inadvertantly opened.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Since the drivetrain was out to be rebuilt, there were only a few bolts in the way from yanking the OE x-member out & swapping in a notched unit in so the lowering commenced....

1.5" notched x-member
3" drop spindles
1-coil cut
Front end rebuild
Sway bar bushings swapped for Energy Suspension pols units
Bilstein shocks

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

It was around that time I came across a guy up north selling an old ART HD 4-bar set-up. It was missing items & was rough but the price was right & after research I knew tweaks would be needed before it would be installed so that I could optimize everything. The goal was 6/8-ish drop w/no bottoming out & improved ride quality w/o sacrificing the capacity.

I was working on it every chance I had but between 60-70hrs a week @ work, working weekends, and/or family obligations, fall soon became winter & the driveway thrash was hindered.

I was working on motor/transmission details & building the exhaust in the spring when my X turned my world upside down: "We are done. You need to move out". Obviously this tends to create a big ripple in one's 'mechanical momentum'.

So I had to relocate my possessions along w/my torn down dually.... my disassembled 67swb.... my 64.... & a 79 Malibu. This sort of killed my enthusiasm for a bit but I continued moving forward. I decided to upgrade to a GM based sepentine set-up that would be visually more appealing....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Yaay! A thread on the Dually we've all heard about! In like Flynn!

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Once the accessories were worked out, the brackets had casting lines removed, they were DA'd as much as possible, & then PC'd. So the project was relocated & then all the various parts had to be re-organized to resume the build.

About that time I won a pair of Slosh Tubs so I started working on that install...

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Cleaned & detailed the core support. Added a trans cooler. Relocated the auxillary cooling fan & made sure the trans & oil coolers were as symmetrical as visually possible while allow the most undisturbed airflow across the radiator & condensor....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

The motor is the OE assembly bored .030 w/some cast flat-tops vs dished pistons, a mild towing/RV cam, aluminum Edel TBI intake, 1 3/4" full length headers, dual 3"SS head pipes & crossover through 3" in/out turbo style mufflers to SS 2.5" mandrel tailpipes. A Harris Perf custom chip is in place to help optimize the combo....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

More exhaust/rear suspension shots. I wanted the exhaust all the way to the bumper; free-flowing, as quiet as possible, not be visible from under the truck, & look nice...
All goals accomplished.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Rear ART HD 4-bar w/some tweaks:

Re-made the front mounts to be parallel to rear end brackets & utilize spherical joints vs poly bushings or heims....
Re-located lower link pivot on rear end brackets to be equal to the uppers....
Fabbed my own upper bag mounts so the bags would be @ spec'd height @ my planned ride height....
Bulit an adjustable Panhard bar that was @ axle C/L vs the ART set-up above the differential....
Built rear shock mounts that optimized shock travel & angles; allow enough movement to accomodate the slight shift the Panhard bar allows during travel, & clear exhaust....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Installed the ECE hidden hitch from my old 68 & did the flip up license plate....
Mounted a couple 3gal air tanks, comps, & relays....
Routed air lines through heat shield & rubber hose into the cab area...

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Fabbed hidden paddle valve brackets & air gauge panel that are out of view when desired. Swapped in some burb buckets w/console, then did Boom mat panel deadening, MLV sound barrier, & fresh carpet....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Front a-arms still need to be built for the bags so here's the current ride height (actually about 1" above in the pic)....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Other things done:

Porterbuilt step notches....
Relocated the batt under the pass seat floor....
Relocated the hood latch release....
Relocated the wiper washer bottle & pump....
Relocated the radiator over bottle....
Nixed the OE hood springs for Gas struts....
Raised the rear tubs in the bed....

And will soon be back on the bed floor. Center step notch area is built but not final fabbed/welded in.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Everything looks great!!!

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Pics are deceiving.... It's low budget for sure ;) .

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Looks friggin' awesome, Scot!

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

It's getting there. Front bumper was dropped off last week for re-chroming & N2Billet feels it will buff out nicely. It really needs a bath!

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Nice, your work looks great as usual. Glad you made the thread finally, ive been curious how this truck had been doing. Sorry to hear about the bumps in the road along the way.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Nice to see a build thread for this thing. I'll have to come check it out in person ometime.;)

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

great build so far

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

I've seen this in person and it's extremely well thought out.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Nice build so far. With your bags located where they are would you be able to put 4 semi wheels back there without any rubbing? The porterbuilt notch you're going with, does it put the bags in the same place or inboard of the frame?

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Everything looks very nice & well done!

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

I don't know 100% if 4 semi wheels would not work w/my set-up. Most of them I see have the bags placed under or inside of the frame when going that route. I considered that but then where does the other important stuff like exhaust go? Stability & full exhaust were my priorities. The bags in the OE leaf position offered the best stability & made it much easier to fit the other stuff inside the rails & allow the exhaust to run all the way out back.

The Porterbuilt notch doesn't change the position of the frame rails. It slips over the existing rails for positioning, you tack it in, then weld the outside edges, cut the notch area out, clean the rails where they were cut so the 'caps' for the inside of the rails fits flush & then weld the caps on. I opted to build my own notch crossmember to tie the sides together simply because I already had the scrap material.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Glad to see that you finally put this in a build thread. I have been hearing all this stuff about the dually, but you know what they say, pictures are worth a 1000 words.

You work looks great and well planned out. Hopefully we can get together over the fall/winter and see this thing in person.

BTW, we just moved into our new house and the boss says I can start building my shop as soon as the updates to the house are done! Ordered the door yesterday for one room and hopefully the carpet and laminate flooring this weekend...

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

just noticed something...

The wheels changed between post #1 and post #13. What's up with that?

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Thanks to everyone! I appreciate the nice feedback.

I finally got the extra set of a-arms back late last night. I knocked one of the bump/steering stop pads off @ lunch today. I'll get the 2nd one done after work & start the slicing & dicing.....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Scoti has a thing for Alcoas. He just doesn't like them.

Scot, what master cylinder and prop valve did you use? You did do discs on the rear, right?

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Yep.... I've never cared for the small hole 16" Alcoa's. My buddy had these on his 94 but the fronts were pretty rough. I DA'd the snot out of them w/some 80grit to remove the heavy gouges & then just started sanding them w/finer grade paper until running some ScotchBrite over them. Haven't decided if they'll stay. If so, they'll get polished. I did consider Eagles 20" wheels but tire sizes for them are limited & to do 22's would require more $$ than I wanted to spend on a shop/tow truck (wheels, adapters, tires, widening the fenders, & repaint adds up quickly).

Or...... (wait for the shocker......).....

I just might run steelies. Some close to me might say I should change my NET name to N2Steel since I tend to stick w/low budget OE type steel wheels :lol:

I stuck w/the OE drum set-up out back so it's just a master cyl for a 75-79 C20 app Burb w/13" vac brakes & uses the stock prop valve. I considered the disc swap based on the cost factor since I had to replace just about all of the parts but in the end I really felt the big arse drums on these things would suffice so I kept it simple. The OE bias valve for the rear brakes was removed.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

I liked the current wheels because of the caps. No scrubbing between the lugs....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

I kinda like those with the caps, bet they would really pop with some polishing...

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

looks pretty awesome man. My buddy with a 86 crew cab dually would be pretty jealous, especially it being red too and all that suspension work you've done.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

I appreciate the good vibes guys!


So I got the a-arms back late Wed night. I started cutting the bump stops off Thursday as well as laying out my cut lines & Friday I picked up the re-chromed OE front bumper.

Today I chased down all new bumper bolts as the ones that came off had seen better days. Once back @ the shop, I got the bumper back on but it will need to come back off again to open up some holes & allow adjustments (needs to be pulled back 1/2" on the pass side to equal the driver side).

Then I moved on to the a-arms.
Drilled holes for the corners to minimize stress related issues....
Cut the spring pockets out....
Cleaned everything up & removed the remaining shock gusset on the bottom....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

One almost done. The inner structure is welded on the outside seams now. I dropped it back into the 'pocket' & everything still fits well. This allows the front bags to be @ their spec'd height (~6") with the gap currently between my current lower a-arms & the bottom of the x-member @ ride height (~4.5-5"). There's approx 1/2" clearance between the bag & the sides.....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Looks goood to me! Please continue, we all enjoy it.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Since you asked..... 2nd side prepped. They're ready for welding this weekend.
Now to research sway bar options....

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Scot,... can you run an "end-link" style sway bar (Addco), by welding a tab to the front side of your control arm?

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

That's the plan. Fab a mount the can be welded inside/outside of the arm w/end links vs the OE bushing arrangement. I was looking @ Addco & RideTech as possible replacement sources.

*Edit* It appears the largest bar Addco offers for the 73-87 square body is 1 1/8". I'd prefer 1.25" as the minimum.

Re: My 89 CC Dually: Double Wide
 

Check this out-Might help

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...563833&page=49