Project Physcobilly <shortbed build>

[Chlsnk]

I figure I might aswell start this thread by explaining the name . I'm always talking about what parts from other cars I could graf into my truck and I was told " boy by the time your done you'll have a physcobilly caddilac" (as in the johnny cash song) So thus the name stuck with me.

I've written most of this down in a note book and am just reposting it here for your enjoyment (hopefully) I listen to the radio while im workin so the song of the day comes from what got stuck in my head . (also wrote that down)
Mabey it'll ease the pain of reading through what i have to say if you can listen to what I was listening to at the time

YouTube - Johnny Cash One Piece At A Time, With...

<<<link to the mentioned song.


The truck to start is a 1984 shortbed with 355cid smallblock and 350th with stage one shift kit.


Project plans:

Floor shifter

Frenched in caddilac bullet lights for the tail lights and the light on the back of the cab (not sure of the proper name)

383 or big block down the line

Posi rear

Sport mirrors do away with big dumbos.

Flat black with gloss black flames with burgandy pinstriping.

15x 5 smoothies as front runners and 15x10 smoothie rears The smoothies will be powdercoated or painted burgandy.

Wide whitewalls ( I love big white walls!)

A stainless steel or alluminum tonnue cover like what was on DJracers truck
( http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...3&postcount=50 ) <<<< Tonnue can be seen here

Roll bar : not because its a super fast truck but jus added insurance incase of a roll over I value my life.

window tint

Mount my Chevelle buckets and a nice center console << again somewere down the line!

Shaved side marker lights and front wheel arch dropped 1.5 inches.
mini tub just too accomodate the wide rear meats.

Black carpet

have the truck sittin low on the ground not sure on the exact drop yet.


Let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Here are some pictures of cab rust .Just the normal cab corner/rocker rot.
I ordered my patch pannels from LMC truck seeing as they are a local company. (BTW some great guys work at the LMC truck city counter and always like to talk trucks with you)
My bed sides are real ruff to put it softly so repops were be accquired from Certifit (hopefully it won't end up being more like sortafit)

August 18th 2009 , Song of the day Alabama Roll on

YouTube - Alabama - Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)...

The day before I went and picked up some better mostly rust free doors I get them both straightened out and patched up .Doors came off of a blazer ended up getting them from a bodyshop i've visted a few times were my buddy works. Sorry no pictures

August 19th 2009 Song of the day Alabama song of the south

YouTube - Alabama - Song of the south

Both doors are on the truck not real exciting and no pictures taken.

[Chlsnk]

August 22nd 2009 Song of the day : Shinedown sound of maddness

YouTube - Shinedown - Sound of Madness - Sound of...

I really start diving into the rust! I start on the passenger side by replacing the rocker. I didn't know how bad the inner rocker was until I removed the outer rocker searched around and found some patch material from another truck I put patch pannels on. This really was a snag in my days plan it took alot longer than I thought it would and it was dark by the time the rocker went on and I wasnt able to get the cab corner on. Oh well.
Pictures posted of this !

*****I also had a few hail dents in my hood and a crease on the front brow of the hood. Using a stud gun I was able to pull all of these out and only needed a fine skim of putty cote to remedy this. ***

After

*****Also did I mention that all this work is coming from a 16 year old? Im flying solo on this one and just learing at I go******



August 23rd 2009 Song of the day Toby Keith - Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue. Glad I live in the USA

YouTube - Toby Keith - Courtesy Of The Red, White...

Got another late start today and noticed my rocker was on crooked so I had to cut all the welds from yesterday and start over again but I guess things happen this way and I would rather do it once and do It right. It really started rollin and the Cab corner was going on well until my uncle walked by and started to weld on it when I was inside . Not a good thing I come out to see a nickle sized burn through were he was welding had to fab up a small patch for it once again another unexpected hold up but hey what can you do?

I was alittle scared to be welding next to a gastank even though it is drained and not used .I taped up the openings and covered it in two welding blankets. ( I know risky but im still here and I advise any one else not to do this)

The cab corner goes on GREAT all my body lines match up. After I got the welds ground down I applied some plastic filler. I have found that I like evercoats RAGE the best and is worth every penny and would recomend it to any one , It also sands very nicely. If I need a final skim coat I use putty coat It is some damn good stuff too! I ended up using less than 1/2 pint of plastic filler to fill some low spots and even then most ended up on the ground.

It may be good to mention I use buff 2k fill urathane primer first then dupont gray epoxy laccuqure primer on all of my stuff soon.

Finished the say by shooting another thin coat of epoxy primer and block santed my drivers side door with a sheet of 180 grit wrapped around a paint stick this really gets you smooth!

After I was done working for the day I ran out to LMC to pick up my drivers side rocker I was going to patch it but it ended up the rocker was worse than I thought so I opted for a repop instead.

Also got a pretty cool shirt! http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=90 Its a 67- 72 shirt but Hey its a chevy truck !


Posted pictues of progress

[LiveAnimals]

I like your style man, most entertaining thread I've been in, keep up the good work

[Chlsnk]

Originally Posted by LiveAnimals

I like your style man, most entertaining thread I've been in, keep up the good work

Thanks!


****Also if you have a helpful hint or want to critque my work feel free!****


Some before rust pictures.

[Chlsnk]

Monday August 24th Song of the day : Grundy County Auction.

John Michael Montgomery Sold at the Grundy County... " title="John Michael Montgomery Sold at the Grundy County..." target="_blank">John Michael Montgomery Sold at the Grundy County...

I started on the drivers side rocker and cab corner and there is significantly more rust behind them than what was on the passenger side even though the outer rocker and cab corner was worse. Got a kinda late start since I had to go to school. Sure am glad I invested in the Harbor freight spotweld drill bits they hold up great!
I would recomend these to anyone! They make removing pannels much easier. I wasn't able to remove the rocker or the cab corner but I got a good start . I have found the best way to remove the rocker and cab corner is just pealing it away with an air chisle and small prybar.

Link to spot weld drill bit. : http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95343

*****Pictures posted of progress. ******

[LiveAnimals]

Me and you are in the same boat, just my cab corners aren't as bad.

[flamingbig10]

nice work

[shockermotorsports1]

awsome foundation the cab corners are a mess but brothersperformance.com has the cheapest parts for the square body trucks check it out.
and keep up the hard work

[Chlsnk]

******Project update****


Called certifit to order bed sides and they said they sold the last pair so It will be another 3-4 weeks before more are in because they have to have a $60,000 order before anything is shipped. What a bummer!





Thanks for the words of encouragement!

[justpball]

nice work! keep it up

[Damien]

I would try to fix the box sides rather then get new from "sortafit". My dad and I did the side on my '74 Blazer and had to strech the side about a half inch. I patched the passenger side and it has held up much better. The srplaced sid now has a rust hole about 2' in dia behind the wheel too.

[Chlsnk]

Originally Posted by Damien

I would try to fix the box sides rather then get new from "sortafit". My dad and I did the side on my '74 Blazer and had to strech the side about a half inch. I patched the passenger side and it has held up much better. The srplaced sid now has a rust hole about 2' in dia behind the wheel too.

Great news! (sorta) for $400 I found a rust free bed with out anywrok done to it my dad and I went to pick it up sunday and aside from a few dents on the crown of the bed. So no sorta fit for me and I actually came out alittle cheeper than what sortafit bedsides would of been.

The bad news is my tranny is goin out I only have 1st and 2nd gear. Hopefully I can get everying to put in a th400 to replace my th350. Im hopin I can make the swap in a day with out my parents finding out because they will be mad if they find out something else is wrong with my truck. (they always are saying "Well at least you have a solid drive train.") <<<<guess not

[Chlsnk]

Well I made some more progress ! I ground down the rear of the frame and shot some black rustoleoum and it covered great! I mixed in two scoops of metallic into the paint and thinned it 1:1 with laccqure thinner. I use a 1960-70's sears spray gun to shoot the rustoleum.

This all cost me about $20 . $15 in metallic $5 of thinner an the paint was free for cleaning a family friends buisness basement last year.

Got it Knocked out in an hour Blastin some Charlie Danials Band!

YouTube - CDB - Long Haired Country Boy

[BGRAFX]

Nice Build Thread!

[Dudewith4x4]

Looks nice dude. The WHOLE Rocker panel in my project has to be replaced. The floor needs some work too. I like the paint on the frame though. Looking good.

[Chlsnk]

Originally Posted by Dudewith4x4

Looks nice dude. The WHOLE Rocker panel in my project has to be replaced. The floor needs some work too. I like the paint on the frame though. Looking good.

Thanks! I actually got in a wreck on the 17th of november rearended and hit in the front (four car pileup) so I am busily at work fixing the front and rear damage.


*****EDIT******

Just ordered my parts for the new engine being built for the truck they include :

Profrom Alum Roller rockers
Proform pushrods
All king bearings
Felpro gaskets
Hyper .40 over flat top pistons
510 lift cam
bandit hei springs and weights
Comp valve and spring kit to freshen up my heads.


Next pay check I plan on buying a fuel cell and all the pumps ,sending units and fuel line.

[BGRAFX]

Good luck on the rebuild. I've got an 81bumper if you want it. also still have the rear leaf springs I bought from you 6months ago. let me know if you need them back. There is a front suburban clip for $200 on kc craigslist.

[Dudewith4x4]

Im doing all the work on my truck to man lol. Im sixteen also. It sounds like you need some insurance money to help pay for it.. lol

[Chlsnk]

Yeah I found my spare bumper from one of my last parts trucks so i'm good to go there. The insurance company payed out $1,030.41 so I have alittle cash to blow on my truck now!

I pulled out my old slider and installed a solid back window a few hours ago I put a 3% window tint on it so it looks pretty good. Ill take some pictures in the light tommorrow.

I up loaded two pictures from the wreck and then what I plan to do with my tailgate.

[Dudewith4x4]

Poor billet grille :/

[68Timber]

Originally Posted by Chlsnk

" boy by the time your done you'll have a physcobilly caddilac" (as in the johnny cash song) So thus the name stuck

But down at the courthouse they didn't laugh - to type it up, it took the whole staff - and when they got done the title weighed 60 pounds.

Thankfully they didn't change all that much from 73 to 87.

[Chlsnk]

I hand bent the grill back in to diveable condition and slapped a newer fender on.

[Dudewith4x4]

Nice dude.

[Driveway Dreams]

Grill looks like it came out pretty well. That window is FREAKIN' DARK!!! The trucks should run pretty good too with the engine upgrades. When should it be in?

[Chlsnk]

Originally Posted by Driveway Dreams

Grill looks like it came out pretty well. That window is FREAKIN' DARK!!! The trucks should run pretty good too with the engine upgrades. When should it be in?

Hopefully by the end of January I can have the engine built and mabey stab it in.