My "New" '76 2wd TOY...currently un-named

[nlped]

Well, I have the rear about done. It got dark on me, so I had to give up on the final little bit. I still have to tighten the shackle and spring eye bolts, bleed the rear brakes (after installing new M/C & P/V and gutting the stock p/v), and just go over everything in the rear.

I now have to get started on the front. It's a bit lower than I expected, but I do kinda like it. I guess the front will have to come down about 6-7" from where it is right now.

Here are a few night pics of the rear and a pic of how it sits now...Kinda comical.

[VA72C10]

looking good. a little difference between front and rear

[bluex]

I like it, tucking just a little bit of tire. How much room do you have before the axle hits the floor or frame?

[MI2CHEVYS]

Cool man keep up the good work.
Kind of reminds me of me I wanted one in high school too, and when I bought mine it looked like a 4wd Blezer 33's and all.

[menace121978]

looking good Ed! keep at it... i wanna see the front done by the time i get home from work!!

[nlped]

Originally Posted by bluex

I like it, tucking just a little bit of tire. How much room do you have before the axle hits the floor or frame?

From the floor... A lot of space, from the frame... About 3 1/2 inches. That's about how much space I had on my old '87 SWB, so hopefully it will work for now.

Originally Posted by menace121978

looking good Ed! keep at it... i wanna see the front done by the time i get home from work!!

Unfortunately, I have to work too . I won't be able to work on it again until this weekend, then I don't have a day off for 11 days. That's why I worked on it so much at night the last 3 days. I hate working on a gravel driveway...HATE IT!!! But until my "Man Building" project is resurrected, this is how it's gonna be.

If I get home in time this evening, I will try and get a few more shots of it.

[ECU PIRATE]

Looking good. Gives me some hope once I can get my drive train issues straightened out

[68Timber]

Wow! Looking good! Those Outlaw rims and All Terrain BFG's should sell for a nice price and help with funds. The rear disc brake set up looks good peekin through.

[blu-by-u-2]

Sweet tuck!

[nlped]

Did I mention that I have to work on this d@mn thing outside in a gravel driveway...And with the heat index, it's 106 degrees! Just jacking up the front end and pulling the wheels and I am absolutely sweating to death. This sucks, I hate humidity!!!

[nlped]

Well, I got the front suspension totally removed. What a PITA!!! Did I mention it's raining pretty steadily & between 90-95 degrees out, so it's awesome to work out in the driveway...NOT!!!

I got everything out except the d@mn brake hoses, but I'll get them tomorrow evening. After I started taking things apart to clean and repaint, I realized that the D/S Lower Control arm is slightly bent. It looks like someone attempted to replace the bushings and didn't do something right, because that's where the arm is bent. It's like they didn't get the bushing started squarely and bent the POOH out of that area. There are no indicators that there was an accident or anything of the type. I just know I now have to locate a replacement D/S LCA...D@mn It!!!

Here's a pic just to show the damage. See the difference in the right upper bushing area vs. the left upper.

[N2TRUX]

Nice progress. Too bad about the A-arm, but I'm sure you can find a donor for cheap. Your like a freakin mail man, be it heat, rain, or dark of night you will deliver...

[nlped]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

Your like a freakin mail man, be it heat, rain, or dark of night you will deliver...

I want to drive this thing with a suspension that doesn't try to throw me off the road, so I am going to get 'er done. I foresee it lookin' so cool, and riding so much better that I really want to get it right the first time. I have wanted one of these since high school (circa 1985) so I am going to build this the way I envision it.

But now I am contemplating putting tubular upper & lower control arms on it so when I finally do the frame off, I can put the Porterbuilt dropmember in and have the control arms in place. I WILL be bagging this at some point in the future, so I may as well spend the money once, right?

[joe231]

Nice work!!!
What size tires are you running?

[nlped]

^^^Thanks Man, and the tires are 255/50r18's (28.2" tall)in the front and 295/45r18's (28.8" tall) in the rear. Toyo Proxy's. Can't wait to get the frontend back together!

[bluex]

No updates on this thing yet???

[Mello Mel]

any updates ?

[nlped]

I admit that I'm draggin a$$ this summer, but I am in my last semester of college (my midlife crisis is to get a college degree so I can hold it over my kid's head) and will be graduating in 22 days . And the weather has been nothing but MISERABLE down here! Remember I am doing this in a gravel driveway behind the house, so the motivation to sweat like h%ll isn't very high when you have to drag a floor jack through the gravel.

I did finally get a new D/S LCA, knocked out/cut out all of the upper and lower ball joints and removed the oe control arm bushings...absolute PITA (the bushings), got them sandblasted and repainted them with the same chassis paint I used on the 12 bolt. Now I just need some cooler weather, a couple of days without any school or work conflicts and I will get the frontend put back together. I plan on trying to get the front end back together this weekend if the weather permits.

Oh BTW I'm also about to pull the trigger on some of Nate Porter's parts for a later time in Da' Bull's future . I can use all of the stock parts that I have rebuilt on the 'burb when the time comes.

[nlped]

Finally, a small update. I got all of the front end parts put back together and painted, so this morning I decided to try and get at least one side put together before it started raining. And I got the passenger front all put back on, minus the brake line 'cause I am going to replace all of the o.e. hard lines w/ S.S. and get rid of the stock proportioning valve since I have the corvette m/c w/ the p.v. attached. I hope that won't be an absolute PITA too .

I stuck the front wheel on it and lowered it down to see how it sits before any settling occurs and it's just a fuzz higher in the front than the back, so I should be all good after a bit of driving.

Here's a few pics, sorry for the obscured view but I'm working in the gravel driveway, which sucks btw. Well, whatcha think?

[joe231]

Badass!!

[nlped]

^^^Thanks Man! I can't wait to get to the other side and finalize the brake system. I'm gonna drive the snot out of it...for a few days at least...then it'll be time for the 6.0L/4L80e swap

[menace121978]

looks awesome!! very sweet buddy!

keep in mind the ls motor will be a bit lighter so the front will raise up some when you do the swap... might have to wack 1/2 coil off. i know i'm going to have to do that

[68Timber]

Whoa! Altitude adjustment! That looks great.

[nlped]

Originally Posted by menace121978

looks awesome!! very sweet buddy!

keep in mind the ls motor will be a bit lighter so the front will raise up some when you do the swap... might have to wack 1/2 coil off. i know i'm going to have to do that

Thanks a ton! Means a lot to get props from you! Silver is lookin' absolutely fantastic!!!

If it settles out like Bob did, it should be about 1/2" lower than it is now, so I think it will actually look just right once I put the 6.0L in it. I keep looking at it and the front is actually a good bit lower than the rear, so I think I will be able to afford a bit of additional height.

Originally Posted by BRUISER

Whoa! Altitude adjustment! That looks great.

Thanks Man!!! I still have to get the left front suspension and all of the steering stuff on it, then at least I can roll it around. But until I get the brake lines, M/C & booster replaced it's just going to be that...A roller .

Soon though!!!

[Mr Pops]

Very nice!