project drivabeater

[HectorM52]

Got a link to that Speedway rear disc kit? I'm curious!

[dusterbd13]

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/BOLT-O...FORD,5336.html

and theres also a post of mine in the disc brake section on this board. uses 80's eldorado calipers and rotors

[lower90xcab]

awesome project...

[HectorM52]

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/BOLT-ON-REAR-DISC-BRAKE-KIT-9-FORD,5336.html

and theres also a post of mine in the disc brake section on this board. uses 80's eldorado calipers and rotors

Wait, you said "cheaper" - than what?

Blazer rears = $200
Speedway = More than that by a lot.

Plus, now that you're driving a 5-speed you're going to want a parking brake. Which that doesn't seem to have. While it does take some ingenuity, the Blazer discs CAN have an e-brake. And I think you'd be able to get it working.

[dusterbd13]

speedway said that they'd sell me just the brackets for about 20 bucks. then, i'll go to pull-a-part, get some eldo rear calipers with integral parking brakes for 10 ea, and rebuild kits for 5 ea. new rotors (if i can find them at p-a-p are 35ea before my commercial discount.
so worst case that brings my total for new stuff up to 150, pads, rotors, fresh calipers, and all.

thats why i say cheaper, cause im fairly certain that i can find turnable rotors while im down there.

Michael

[HectorM52]

Ahhh, I see. That's definitely cheaper. You will definitely have to post up some pics if you go that route.

[dusterbd13]

first off, let me say that i lied. it was not food poisoning according to my doctor. it was some nasty stomach flu thing thats been going around.

budget: was 1296.29
removed rear pinion shims, as the new tranny (actually being bolted to the motor now!!) made the pinion angle right. so 1241.29.
the ball joints were 17 ea for the uppers, and 22 ea for the lowers.
25 worth of longer wheel studs, 10 in spacers, and another 8.62 in wiring supplies from radio shack for the gauge clusters.
grand total: 1362.91 not bad, but still more than i wouldve cared to put into getting to this point in the build. have to do what you have to do, though.

so, i got the UCA's swapped around. turned out that i had them on the wrong sides, as well as upside down. so i didnt actually need to grind or clearance anything, nor did i need the wheel spacers to fit my IROC wheels. did need them to clear my z28 wheels, though.
still have to realign it, but im MUCH closer to where i wanted to be with no shims now. amazing difference in initial negative camber and positive caster. should require less shims with the tall lower ball joint, or with more drop in the front. shimless specs are:

PS +1.6 degrees camber
DS +3.4 degrees camber

PS +2.6 caster
DS +.1.8 caster

i blame crappy GM tolerances forr these numbers big so far of side to side, as the arms are built exactly the same. or my trucks been hit sometime in the past. dunno. but it should align out nicely, with plenty of exhaust clearance. so ill finish aligning it, and make sure im happy, and then call UB machine and they'll start making and selling them.

i rebuilt the rear suspension while i was at it. the poly bushings with the 1.5 diameter from energy suspension fit the belltech leaves perfectly. they sucked to do, but worked out great. i also added some parts store coil overs i used to run on my duster while i was under there. really stiffened the truck up, and i raised the back about an inch in the process. finally levelled the truck out. its almost too stiff, but well see how it handles the next time i drive it.




next, since i really havent felt like aligning it yet, i worked on finally getting some working gauges in it. they all work (kinda) as well as the warning lights. i need to fix the ground at the sending unit for the fuel gauge to work, and put in the water temp sender for it to work. Ill do the temp sender when i do the radiator and port the intake.




finally, i put some new shoes on the old girl. a friend of mine gave me the Yokohama tires that were on his nissan when he upgraded. really pretty new (best tires ive ever had on this truck. they actually have some tread!!) 205/65/15. mounted them on the Z28 wheels that i was painting black. really gives the truck an evil look. and the mounting and balancing was free, as i have a friend that works at the tire shop. he did it one night after work.




and i also have to give credit where credit is due. i learned how to do my own alignments from david farmer, a friend of mine. i use this tool

bought from sears for 25.00 (tools i dont include in the budget)

thanks for looking, and ill update as i make more progress. the next event is a novice school at knights stadium march 14th, and i WILL be there. maybe even see some of y'all out there.

Michael

[Swiftandswank]

where did you get the spherical end links?

[dusterbd13]

the end links are actually ADDCO pieces that i pulled off a T1 corvette. they have a lot of play, ut they were free.

Michael

[Swiftandswank]

could you ask your friend to do a write up on alignments?

[dusterbd13]

www.davidfarmerstufff.com

thats his website woth a writeup if it still works.

Michael

[dusterbd13]

time for another update.



i realized my pictures in the previous post sucked. so i took better ones.









I got the radio reinstalled. had to trim the glovebox a bit in the back, and reroute the defroster hose, but it went in. currently held in with some self adhesive velcro that my wife had in her craft closet.







i changed alignment settings. 8 degrees positive caster, 1.5 negative camber, 0 toe. drives a bit better now.



also, i spent another 56 bucks. 50 on the seats, 6 on some steel down at AL lowders. with the economy in the tank, price of steel douns there had dropped a lot. at least theres one positive to the economy....









yes, i know thyer barney purple. no, theyre not staying that way.

yes, i know APC seats are ricer seats, and suck. No, i dont care. once i get a little more time, im building a set of lowered, fixed mounts for them out of the Lowders steel, and just swapping them in when im oing to the track or mountains. rocking the Blazer buckets for DD duty.



grand total is 1418.91 as i drove it to the lawnmower shop today.



also, got a noxice school thsi weekend. maybe i wont get rained out this time, and can get some pics of the cop truck on track.



Michael

[796spdbu]

I got a pair of those APC seatsin my 72'chevelle,I dont think they were that bad for the price.I'm 5'10" 175lbs. and they support me fine.Im sure the more expensive seats do a better job of supporting a person,but for the price I couldnt beat them.I just needed some seats when I bought my chevelle out of a barn. I love your truck. I had 91' sonoma with a 4.3 and it handle well with 17's and bell tech springs front and rear. Good luck with your build!

[Code Red]

not bad man I wouldnt mind a first gen s-series for a beater

[796spdbu]

Good work. Im digging it!

[dusterbd13]

thanks for the compliments, guys. i was about to quit posting progress updates over here, as most seem to ignore the trucks.

michael

[dusterbd13]

yeah. im hoping to get out the middle of the month to an SCCA event before blowing it apart for paint.
thats if work and the wife let me.

its getting to be track season, so my shop is picking back up, and the economy being in the tank always keeps us busy at mental health.
Michael

[jackfrost]

definitely keep posting updates here. this is a great project.

[dusterbd13]

1804.87 is the new grand total at the moment. 366.70 for paint, 19.26 in exhaust supplies.

since the last update, ive painted the truck, swapped on some 245/50/16 BFG G-Force KDW's, refinished the IROC's, and put the blazer buckets back in, alson with some interior work.

in the interior, i traded my black handles and cranks for some chrome, finished dying the arm rests, a-pillar trim, dash cap, bpillar trim, etc. reglued the center pod from where my hot glue didnt hold, and am planning on finally covering the headliner soon. 2.50 for fabric from wal mart. ill add that in when im done.

the body work was supposed to be a deal from a buddy. i was supposed to buy the clear and a case of beer. i wound up buying base, clear, tape, paper, and PAYING him by the time it was all said and done. not what i was expecting, but still a hell of a deal. just more money to get me to the challenge, which puts me out of tall lower ball joints, drop spindles, C4 vette front brakes, IROC rear disc, and headers. so i wont be that competitive. but i think i can still go.

i still havent got my brevada grille back from the painter. he forgot about it. thats why it currently rocks the oversprayed sonoma grille.

also, the rear axle in it is ****ED. so this weekend im swapping in the axle from the parts truck.

pics:







and some pics of parts for after the challenge:
50 dollar hedman long tuibes:

c6 Z06 brake cooling ducts: 14 a pair from GM

IROC rear disc. 50 bucks, with caliper rebuild kits, metal lines, and a five gallon bucket. lots of extra bolts were included free!!


and lastly, my new axle:

[dusterbd13]

heres the budget spreadsheet i just worked out. my daughter helped.

please check it over, anddouble check me.

Budget for truck.
Purchase price:15
Plugs, wires, cap, rotor, PCV, fuel filter, seafoam 53.00
Seafoam:10
Wiper blades 20
Ignition module 26
Interior door handles: 15
Traded away , used parts truck. Traded parts truck parts for chrome

Seat belts: 22.74 didn’t use
Blazer Seats: 45.24
Door panels: 26.12
a-pillar trim 8.38. didn’t use
taillights: 39.22
fender flares: 20.00
headliner: 10
carpet 15
weatherstripping 15
sub box 37 took out
door panel clips 2.99
console 20 took out
front sway bar 10
front sway bar end links 12
springs 75 coils off, minus 30
AC kit 35
69 fuel pump (didn’t need, was wiring)
6 spray paint back of frame
Steering linkage 83.20
Shocks 40
Steering shaft 9.81
Blazer bumper 38.20
Brevada grille 23.76
Trailer hitch 25.22
Sunvisors 9.58
Fan control switch 20
Rear sway bar brackets: 14
Rear sway bar: 10
Headlight adjusters: 5.00
Paint and tape: 5 sanded off
Pinion shim 45
Irocs with tires: 170 tires-50
Manifold gasket 16.99
Valve cover gasket 9.99
Belt 15.99
Steering box 32
Exhaust 71.96
Batter cables and terminals: 32
battery tray steel 10
Lca bushings 53
Window weatherstripping 2
Parts truck 200
416 sold

Sold stock wheels and tires from good truck for 125
Traded wheels for wheels and tires which I traded for tires
Clutch and leaf spring bushings 141.13
Flywheel resurface 35
Interior dye 7
Trans bearings 15
Trans input grease seal 5
Labor for bearing 5
Gauges 102
Lexan 9
Lca and ball joint press 45
Upper ball joints 34
Lower ball joints 44
Studs: 25
Wheel spacers 10
Wiring supplies: 8.62
Apc seats 50
Steel for seats 6
Lowering blocks 30
Paint and body 366.70
Exhaust pipe: 19.26

Total recoup 541 (331 too much)
Total as truck sits: one APC seats no apc seat steel, no spacers, no new fuel pump, no sub, no paint/tape, no shims, no front coils, no trailer hitch, no seafoam, no seatbelts, no interior door handles, no wipers, minus 50 for tires sold from irocs,
1839.52

170 left!!!