Once I dig in on the frame preperation and hours of wire wheel work and one ruined harbor freight POS sand blaster and a tremendous mess, I stumbled across another board member on here selling a SWB frame that already has the same CPP c-notch in it as I have on the shelf, and it has been sandblasted and powder coated....and he is ready to move it for a VERY reasonable price. I decided after a few texts and a change of plans...you guessed it, loaded up the trialer and headed 5 hours to southern Missouri to pick up this frame and "transpalnt the project to it. I was also able to sell him my new C-notch kit to help offset the cost a bit.
I got home and was looking through a few threads on here and came across another member that was going to bags on his ride and had a like new set of drop spindles, 3"drop coils as well as all of the disk brake conversion and 5x5 swap items I would need for the front end. We struck a deal and I decided at that time that I would put a 73-87 subframe under the front to accept these spindles rather than mess with my worn out other stuff. After a few deliveries, I had the goods....
While at the local parts store I mention that I am in search of a 73-87 2wd truck for parts and the kid there said he had one that was just a rolling chassis...perfect!! $100 later it is at my house and I had the front section out in about 10 minutes with a torch and continued on the the scrap yard and recouped $68 back...and did mention that it had ralleys on it!?!. I disassembled the cradle and prepared it for paint. I also found a set of loaded upper control arms on Rock Auto for less than I could have put bushings and ball joints in the old ones, so I sprung for those.
Now that paint is on, it was time to install it and mock up the UCA's. I have opted to use grade 8 on virtually everything on this truck thus far, but unfortunatly the washers were not grade 8 and they are silver..oh well, I am not out to build a show truck. I also mocked up the PS box off the 73 donor, and all went well. It is now off and prepped for paint.
I had to run to KC a few weeks back and made a stop at Classic Parts, they are some good dudes there. I picked up a new set of rear coil retainers and a set of 5" rear drop springs. I tried to get a new lowered crossmember, but they did not stocks any. I decided to order one from CPP...I am 3 weeks in and still no notice of shipping and shows back ordered...should have known.
So with no cross member, I could not mock up the trailing arms, so I just went ahead and installed the springs to the frame side.
