66 pro-touring build

[66shortwide]

Hey guys, been lurking around for a couple of years and finally decided to post a build thread for my truck. Its a 66 short fleet that will be built for autocross and an occasional track day. It will have a ls motor, 4l60e trans, C4 corvette suspension front and rear - hoping it will be fast and low. I'm using a flatout engineering front crossmember and will be doing the rear set up myself. Currently I'm finishing the trans tunnel and about the only thing left on the chassis is brake lines. I plan on posting up pics starting at the beginning and going to where i am now - that way it actually looks like i'm making progress!

So here is the pics of when I started taking it apart.

[Shooters_7]

Hurry up! Power Tour is just five months away.....there is always next year as well! Can't wait as I like to see what others come up with! Remember "slow and steady" but don't burn out like others have done!

[Shooters_7]

What are your plans for the suspension, engine/transmissoin?

[66shortwide]

Well, didnt take long to get it blown completely apart and find the expected rust surprises. Also received a few of the components for the build. Keep in mind this was a couple of years ago when this "never ending" build started.

[Ta2Don]

Love the plan, can't wait to see more pics... Subscribed!!!

[66shortwide]

After seeing how bad the cab was rusted out, I was on a search for a usable cab. While looking at the price on 4 wheel disk conversions, plus suspension rebuild cost, dropped springs and shocks - i ended up picking up a font and rear clip off of a 94 corvette for $1400. Figured it can't be that hard to install that on my 66 frame. Found another cab that looked pretty good, but of course once i bought it and got it home, the area above the windshield was rusted out. Since i was going to have to replace all that metal i decided might as well shave the drip channel off while i'm cutting and welding.

Around this same time i picked up a 5.3 and 4l60e with a supposedly 75k miles.

[66shortwide]

Ordered a front cross member from flatout engineering - looked great, fit good, looks much cleaner on the front end than the original suspension. Just had the rear wheel wells sitting there to get theme out of the way when i took the pictures.

[jimmydean]

Nice build!

I was going to do something similar and bought a whole Vette to use engine/trans/suspension off of, but I drove it for a month and fell in love with the damn car.

Mine will be close to Vette, but not quite. But I have a Vette for that now.

[Jeff La]

Looking forward to the build. Where bouts is alligatorville??

[66shortwide]

I'm in Hammond, i get down your way to no problem about once a month to play.
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[Jeff La]

you in my backyard, I know a bunch of the guys that go race. Got one of my parts trucks from a little north of you around Amite

[R.A.D]

Eyes are peeled
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[66shortwide]

So finally finished up the front suspension install and started working on the rear. Flatout engineering had told me they were working on a kit for the rear, so i had been just waiting around and not really doing anything with the frame. Finished replacing the above windshield metal and was getting ready to put the roof back on. Also replaced both rear corners of the cab as they where beat up and had multiple holes in them - looked like this cab had a dump bed on it. Decided to not wait on flatout engineering and started "engineering" the rear set up myself.

[R.A.D]

There you go. And remember we want more
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[66shortwide]

put the cab back on to check the fitment for the engine, finished all the engineering for the rear set up. It took lots of measuring, cutting, welding then undoing then redoing. I think i finally got everything like i want it. I smoothed the frame were the original front shocks mounted and the emergency brake cables came through.

[66shortwide]

also got the cab top back on and finished shaving the drip rails. All of this took a while considering i was only getting a couple of hours a week to work on it. A new baby, crazy hours at work, and trying to keep the honey-do list to a managable level does not allow much shop time!!!

[66shortwide]

got all the suspension stuff worked out and mocked up, mounted the engine and transmission, put the cab back on the frame. Moved the engine back a good bit, so had to clearance the trans tunnel and firewall - decided the easiest thing to do was just to cut it out and start over on a smooth one. first time it rolled out of the work shop for a couple of years - was thinking the hard stuff was out of the way, not.

[Narxoleptic Customs]

I dig it!! I hope u make the Tour. We r running the Texarkana to Memphis portion. Look us up!!
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[66shortwide]

so, finally after it seemed like forever with the fab work, i finally rip everything apart and start prepping the frame for paint. I smoothed the sections where the shock and emergency cables mount as i will not be using them, i also had completely boxed the frame from on front of the front suspension to right behind the step notch. Also, ups started bringing me some nice little upgrades.

[66shortwide]

My goal is to have it running and driving for cruisin the coast 2013(oct). Probably wont have the paint work done, but hopefully everything else.

Anybody have any suggestions for a name? I've tried to come up with something clever, but am just drawing a complete blank. Maybe after my brain fart goes away I can come up with something.

[RANDY COX]

Hmm,Corvrolet
Chevy-Vette
C-Vette
Sting-Ray
Pro-Nasty
Pro10
2Low4me
Draggin-Low
Best I can do for now...

[Bomp]

Your not messin around. This is full ON
Oh yeah I'm watchin.

[mud.man.rj]

Your really movin on this build, looks like a real nice project. Not sure on a name, thinking.

[Dinos63]

whoa!!nice work!!

[jimmydean]

Looking good.

My daughter names all mine.