In memory of Tom Bowlin: the little green truck build
 

Some of you may have been following along my other thread on the little brown truck located here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=415708

I have decided to end that thread and open a new "build" thread. Tom, the original owner of the little brown truck (and a close friend of mine) has just passed away this last week at the age of 79. He ordered the truck from the factory and owned until I bought it in 2010.

I bought the brown truck from him 4 years ago and drove it daily until last April when I got into an accident. Since then the truck has been completely disassembled for restoration and has been sitting the past 6 months. Now that Tom has gone, I am making it a goal to have the truck back together by next summer so that his wife Lynn and I can drive the truck to the ocean to spread his ashes.

I'll post just a few quick pics to get this thread going.
Sometime around 1979-1980
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps73423a72.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps2f777518.jpg
The man and his truck
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...pse80e1bec.jpg
Sometime in the early 80's after sleeper conversion and lowered
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps91d4db09.jpg
New wheels, late 1980's
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps9911bae2.jpg
And what she looked like the day I bought it
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...1/SDC15796.jpg

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I swapped in the 73-74 grill in 2012
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...k1/jan28_1.jpg
The last stance before the accident
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps039960bb.jpg
The accident
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps89a46a7f.jpg
Last day before torn apart
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps716edf7a.jpg
As she sits today, waiting for her next life
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...psd68e7cd0.jpg

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

So the ultimate plan is to restore the truck back to her late 70's glory with the mag wheels and blacked out headlights. If anyone knows what accessory he was using to make the headlights blacked out, please let me know.

First thing on the to do list is to repair cracked frame around steering box and repair passenger rocker and cab from the accident. The truck is about 90% rust free so a little bit of rust repair and then it is prep, prime, paint, and re-assembly. It will be a slow process at first but will gain momentum when the weather gets better this next spring.

Please feel free to comment, ask questions, and always give advise if you have it. I have restored many vehicles, but I am always eager to learn new tricks I might otherwise not have found out about.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Subscribed. Nice truck. Condolences for your friend.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

how about a set of these.. don't know if GTS was available back then but they make some now.. and if you dont like the White lettering on them they peal off easily enough.
http://www.sfxperformance.com/mmy/19...~Covers/search

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Are you going to put the Vectors off of your green truck on it? That would be a nice touch. Glad to see a build thread on it; I followed the other thread as it went along. I have always liked this one!

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Yes, the vectors are going on it with Cooper Cobra 275/60-15 tires.

Thanks!

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Hmmm…the pics don't show a square body?

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I had smoked lexan headlight covers on my '77 back in the day. They attached with Velcro. I thought I saw them in the LMC catalog.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Here we are

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Found them!
http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cc/full.aspx?Page=100

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Subscribed.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I;m in,, always loved tha look of this truck

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Can't wait to see how it goes with this go around.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

lurk

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I'm in as well. I think I'm the only person besides Cort who digs the 5.7 diesel!

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Been thinking about picking this up. http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/ctd/4779400088.html

The bed looks really sharp. One of you die hard 5.7 D boys should get this!

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I'm in. Great story behind this little guy.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Hey Cort - I saw that the green truck was for sale. Are you selling it to fund this build?

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Yup. I need to get the brown truck back on the road before summer. But I'm still mulling over selling it with the engine. I don't know if I have enough components to build another 5.7.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Thanks for all the interest guys! This project should be getting underway by mid January.

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I'll be watching! Love the brown truck. Sorry to hear that you have to sell the green one...

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

Are you contemplating re-installing the 5.7 in the brown truck?
Also did you buy one of the frame braces for your steering box? Before you do make sure you look at all the vendors, I think they are only made by one manufacturer, but the prices vary.
Sorry to see the sale of the green truck. I thought both were running vehicles so what would hold you back from having two rebuildible engines?

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

The engine that was in the green truck when I bought it was the original D block with the early heads and injectors. I pulled that engine and kept the short block but tossed the heads and injectors. The engine that was in the brown truck is the stronger DX block and later heads and poppet injectors.

I have another set of later heads but I don't have a complete set of poppet injectors. I think I am also missing the air horn for the intake on that engine. And maybe couple other things like accessory brackets that are all hard to find.

It would just be easier to take the engine back out of the green truck and have a spare long block for later.

As far as the steering bracket, I haven't bought it yet but that is one of the first items on the list. Thanks for the heads up!

Re: Official Build of the Little Brown Truck
 

I've made some process yesterday:
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...psb868c9e0.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...psec81d8e6.jpg
http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/e...ps64eb849f.jpg

Now it's time to start pressure washing and cleaning up the frame. I will not be going through every detail on the frame but I will be addressing the cracks on the driver frame rail and replacing all fuel components. Since the suspension is already all brand new, I just have to clean and paint the rest.