Post your best budget mods! ($50 or less)

[Longhorn Man]

OK, some threads have been done in the past on the topic, but I want to throw a new twist on it... this is for everyone, but more for the flat broke crowd.

Many of us have a 3 day weekend coming up, and we might even get some quality truck tinkering time. Assuming you aren't doing booring crap like replacing the bolts that fell out of your fan clutch, you probably want to do upgrades, restoration, or simply, modifications.
But what's a broke SOB to do?

I was everyone to list favorite mods for under $50.
I've always said, one man's budget bolt on, is another man's budget. A very common area that this is true is when someone wants a simple 2 inch drop. Guys come out of the woodwork saying how 'affordable' drop spindles are... or drop springs. I haven't priced them for a few years, but I think they are 200-ish and 100-ish for those 'affordable' pieces. Chopping the spring is free, and despite common opinion, perfectly safe.
Now, lets set some ground rules for what is considered a $50 mod.
Obviously, a person with a pole barn packed with a lift, $25,000 worth of tools, a plasma cutter and 220volt miller MIG welder can get anything done. They have the tools to take junk metal and turn it into a one off treasure. Same with the guys who can paint like Chip Foose.
Lets keep this simple.
#1... 50 bucks is 50 bucks. Not 50 bucks plus this $300 piece "I had laying around" Now a $300 piece that you scored for $50 on Craigslist or at a flea market is fair game.
#2... Cheaper is always better.... free is best.
#3... Hand tools only. If you used air tools to make/modify something, then it is out. HOWEVER... if it could have been done with hand tools, then it's cool and it is back in.
#4... Lets keep it simple, something the average moron with little tallent (like me) can do.
#5... a quick overview, or a link to step by step instructions is best, so this thread doesn't become a 30 page thread that you have to sift through to find that trick you need.

With any luck, this will be a cool list of tips and tricks that we can refer to for years to come.

[Beat68CST]

Anyone call you a genius on the forum yet? :P


Great thread idea, hope to see it prosper and give me some ideas!

[leddzepp]

Andy- You need to post up the no-cost sidemarker french mod you did a while back. That was one of the best free cool mods I have seen in a long time.

[67chevy1series]

i think if you found them for such a price buddy buckets would be the best mod for 50 or less if you could find them

[wild4wheels]

I think this counts I hope, but on a 71 or 72 using the smooth 67-70 "no signal hole" bumper and using Visibolts (@ $30) for your blinkers. Very clean look.

[TrkEnvy]

Originally Posted by wild4wheels

I think this counts I hope, but on a 71 or 72 using the smooth 67-70 "no signal hole" bumper and using Visibolts (@ $30) for your blinkers. Very clean look.

Nice!! im gonna do just that with my 71..

[tantrumpipeline]

I'm in this is a great thread

[Jobe72]

$50 will get you some sandpaper, can of primer, can of black and a can of chevy orange.
Time will get you cleaning up your engine compartment. With some left over for a six pack of your beverage of choice and a bag of chips.

[tantrumpipeline]

$50 on eBay can do wonders, I got myself a full tail light and deluxe marker kit with lenses, bezels, and gaskets with shipping to canada for just under and although they are repro they look super nice and I traded the fleetside tail light setup for a case of beer. I find that patience and upping bids by $2.75 over a round common number can be just enough to steal an auction

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by Jobe72

$50 will get you some sandpaper, can of primer, can of black and a can of chevy orange.
Time will get you cleaning up your engine compartment. With some left over for a six pack of your beverage of choice and a bag of chips.

Originally Posted by tantrumpipeline

$50 on eBay can do wonders, I got myself a full tail light and deluxe marker kit with lenses, bezels, and gaskets with shipping to canada for just under and although they are repro they look super nice and I traded the fleetside tail light setup for a case of beer. I find that patience and upping bids by $2.75 over a round common number can be just enough to steal an auction

These are both great points.

For a cheap facelift...


On a 69-70 grille, clean it up and then mask off and re-paint the black and that really dresses up the front end. To take it a step further if it's dull....use drain cleaner to strip off the anodizing and then polish it and then paint the black and clear over all of it.

One thing I like on a 71-72 with a cracked inner grille is to glue the pieces together and spray it with a satin black paint. Adds a custom look and hides the cracks.

On a 69-70 grille, clean it up and then mask off and re-paint the black and that really dresses up the front end.

On a 67-68 painting it white is a nice way to accent it if it's painted body color or repainting if faded...

[prairewolf]

Rustoleum " Hammered texture ". .... it says on can.. " can be applied directly over rust''. I can attest to that.... it turns my ''fifty footer'' running boards and hitch into 20 footers.

[splehigh]

Good thread. Lets hear some more.

[FLDBRED]

Great Thread! I bought a sanding disc.for my 3/8 electic drill,some Por-15 and did the bed in my 71,came to around 50 bucks,but gave me a lot of piece of mind!

[Hottrucks]

I have to say the best $50 I have EVER spent on my truck was adding power brakes....Bought a used booster and bracket and its a simple bolt on

[71meangreenc10]

Less than $25, you can get wiper delay that is simple to install and works well. I have used them in two trucks.....Love it.....

All you need is wire crimpers (or vise grips for those who prefer) and a drill to mount it.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/windshield-...wx?filterid=j1

Smitty

[96blazr]

My Battery disconnect and Kill Switch.

[chevy72pu]

I'm subscribing to this. Great Idea.

[cdowns]

if it is a moving part first spray the heck out of it with WD40 to clean out the old dirty petrified crap , they spray with lubriplate or other lasting lubricant for longer lasting protection
TOTAL COST ABOUT $10

a piece of sandpaper a wire brush needle nose plyers and some dielectric grease to clean up and tighten up electrical connections
throw in ground wires from the bed to the frame and cluster to firewall
TOTAL COST LESS THAN $5

[dan42]

Originally Posted by cdowns

if it is a moving part first spray the heck out of it with WD40 to clean out the old dirty petrified crap , they spray with lubriplate or other lasting lubricant for longer lasting protection
TOTAL COST ABOUT $10

a piece of sandpaper a wire brush needle nose plyers and some dielectric grease to clean up and tighten up electrical connections
throw in ground wires from the bed to the frame and cluster to firewall
TOTAL COST LESS THAN $5

This is actually a very good one - who doesn't have parts on their truck that couldn't stand to be cleaned up/lubricated to make them work better? These should actually be the first improvements we do - and they're very cheap as is stated.

[lakeroadster]

Here's one for the stepside guys....Radiusing The Rear Bed Rails.

I saw this idea and decided to give it a try. I used long radius 1-1/2" pipe elbows, $20 each.

The radius looks good 'cause it is visually similar to the fender radius. Look at the last 2 photos on post 114, see how the roof radius, fender radius and now the bed rail radius all look similar... makes it look like something GM should have done, back in the day, IMHO.

[big_al_71]

Replacing the side markers that look like goldfish eyes for some van side markers total price $0.00 got them for free and two minutes of my time......

[tantrumpipeline]

Originally Posted by lakeroadster

Here's one for the stepside guys....Radiusing The Rear Bed Rails.

I saw this idea and decided to give it a try. I used long radius 1-1/2" pipe elbows, $20 each.

The radius looks good 'cause it is visually similar to the fender radius. Look at the last 2 photos on post 114, see how the roof radius, fender radius and now the bed rail radius all look similar... makes it look like something GM should have done, back in the day, IMHO.

You wouldn't have a more in depth write up on this would you? the box as a whole looks great and although mine is a 68 I am going to follow this route now for sure with my series stepside

[LONGHAIR]

Originally Posted by lakeroadster

Here's one for the stepside guys....Radiusing The Rear Bed Rails.
[INDENT]I saw this idea and decided to give it a try. I used long radius 1-1/2" pipe elbows, $20 each.

The radius looks good 'cause it is visually similar to the fender radius. Look at the last 2 photos on post 114, see how the roof radius, fender radius and now the bed rail radius all look similar... makes it look like something GM should have done, back in the day, IMHO.

This only comes in at under 50$ if you already have a welder, or at least access to one.

[mightyatom]

My favorite so far has got to be the door panels. For $10 vinyl paint and $15 material they came up like new with only a days work. Even have enough material to cover my bench seat so once done I will include that in the $50 budget.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=428373

Jay

[TobyArnot]

I may have posted this inside another post, but here's my less than $15 throttle rod. (2) 1/4-28 Female Rods Ends (3.99/surplus), 12" of 1/4-28 all-thread ($3.49/Lowe's), Couple of jamnuts from the junk bin and a length of 1/4" rubber hose. Couple of quick bends for offset, cut to length, silicone the hose and slid it on. Add a few pieces of (new!!!) hardware, and bingo. PO had a piece of crap. Finally got rid of that.