'89 1500 build thread

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JurgenS

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Finally my build thread, I already started last year (actually November 2013) and still not finished....

It is an 89 Chevrolet (although it has a GMC grill), with a ZZ4, th700 and 2wd. It is lowered 2 - 4 and has 17" Boyd Rodders, they need to be polished again...

This is my truck when I started, it looked decent and no rust on the sheet metal. Only with the yearly inspection I got a remark that the chassis was rusted. It wasn't rot, it just didn't had any paint on it anymore. Initially I just wanted to remove the fenders and the bed and paint the rails but in the end I removed everything and had the chassis sandblasted.

I have to do everything on my driveway because my garage is too small. The truck just fits but than there's no place to do anything else. The only thing I could do inside, was pulling the engine and trans.

Some before pictures;

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Future plans:

lower 4-6 and box the frame
replace steering box with steering rack
lt4 hot cam and 1.6 rockers
ditch the carb and replace by a multi point fuel injection
1996 interior
 

JurgenS

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Started with the front and removed the radiator support.


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The bodymounts are gone, I was going to replace them anyway....


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Everything bagged and labelled.


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Removed the interior


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Old steeringbox has to ga as well, too much play (and has been adjusted before which only resolved it temporarily)


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Ready to pull the engine and tranny.


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Truck does fit in my garage but luckily there's a door on the other side :)


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Both engine mounts were torn. I couldn't remove them without removing the lower control arms.


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Back on the drive way with the engine and tranny removed. Now removing the axles.


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Not too easy when you have to do it all by yourself with just a jack and a lot of imagination...


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JurgenS

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Sandblasted the frame


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boxing the frame, all done in the workplace of the guy who did the sandblasting.


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Shortened the crossmember and welded back in place.


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transmission crossmember was pretty messed up. When I bought the truck, the transmission mount was loose. A shop fixed it for me only to find out now what a great job they did :hmm:


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In the back the crossmember was missing so I made a new one.


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JurgenS

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Progress on the back of the frame, welded a beam between the frame rails and finished the boxing.


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Notched the frame enough to flip the axle.


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next step is fitting the steering rack.


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jlcms2007

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Let me know how the rack and pinion works out


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JurgenS

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Let me know how the rack and pinion works out


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It is already in place and works but the sway bar just hits both ends of the rack. So either I have to drive without sway bar, mount the rack in a slightly different position, use another rack or just keep the old steering box.

There's no progress now due to the winter and the fact that my garage is too small. Need to wait for better weather....
 

JurgenS

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Long time no update but still there's some progress, although it is more a question... The cab and bed is back in place but they don't line up anymore. The cab seems to sit 1/2" too low and I have no idea where it could come from. Body mounts are new and bed is sitting nicely on the frame. it's the same on both sides.

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Any idea where this could come from, what did I forget or do wrong?
 

MYT HI

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I'd shim it up. If the body mounts are new and the frame isn't rotted on the mount I'd say it needs a few shims
 

JurgenS

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Everything was sandblasted so there's no rust. This is how the mounts looked like before...

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if i'd shim the body enough to make the body and bed level again, I probably need other bolts as well.
 
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