I`m glad you did.

 

Well, Thank you for your service and support to this GREAT COUNTRY!! If we lived close enough we'd all jump in and help while you're gone and while you're there. You should have been at the GSM. Lance help tune our carbs and tell us what we needed to get them runnin right and Hammered told us what we needed in the suspension dept too. What a family!!

 

Happy New year everyone!!! 2012..is this really the end? i hope not, this truck needs to see the light of day!!

so update update update. Just got back from the maiden voyage of my new ship, well it's the nations newest warship. google her and check it out


USCGC Stratton, here's a link to a YouTube video

Coast Guard shows off state-of-the-art National Security Cutter - YouTube

By far the most fun I've had since i joined! USCG finally updating our ever aging fleet. Just arrived in our homeport of Alameda, CA Dec 19, 2011 after being gone since July. And i left Jan 1, 2012 for three months of training in FL. A vacation I guess, so far no chicks in bikini with the rainy weather

On to the truck! Spoke with a really good body shop by me. the over the phone quote was 3-5k to take her, strip her down to bare metal, fix all the rust, weld new corners on, bondo, basically the whole nine yards. not sure what I have in mind for paint. i was thinking a classic rat rod look. Even thought about a shiny red paint, but everyone has that. If you have ideas please send them this way. price will be affected depending what I would like. They will cut me a deal since I will leave it with them for 3 months while I'm gone again in a few months again ( US Coast Guard keeps me really busy) so it's a project for them also.

Now comes to the engine, I know it has to be taken out, cleaned and rebuilt. but at that point I might as well purchase a new 302 from Kragen or Autozone. Though some members on here have complete setups I am very interested in. Rather by from other members than a big company.

after research and calling, taking the current engine out, adding basic parts, cleaning etc would cost about the same. Though i would get peace of mind from a completed engine.

that brings me to the current delay. Suspension.....

do i just buy new front and rear lowering springs and shocks or get a new drop axle up front and leaf springs out back??? Both look to be the same unless I use the stock springs and remove every other one...

How does this affect ride being stock? the new one's ride much better i'm told and lower between 3-4 front and back...

What's everyone's 2 cents on leaf springs, and drop axles?

I think I will have the bosy, engine and suspension done just in time to spend the days of august driving around the ocean and checking out the ladies.

Thanks everyone for your help, advice and support to our country!

 

I have decided after spending almost a year of thinking, what i would like my paint to be.

I have been told by many that the paint looks good as it stands, so with that i'm going to have it smoothed out a little, rust repaired, the dents will stay but the body shop is going to put a treatment on the bare metal to prevent rust and other elements from happening. I have two ford and one GMC ( i know, it's not a ford) pictures of how my red paint would look, and of course i'm going with smoothie and white walls!!! the first two are of my truck FYI

 

Finally back and enjoying a week of time off.

Lot's to update abhout! Most important I movbed the truck down to my dad's house and we decided to work on the truck as a father son project. Going ot be a long year but working on it will be a good break in general.

I will post photos in a few seconds. this is day two of 6 days of work while i'm down.

Day one I took off the rear fenders, bumpers, tail lights, and 90% of the truck bed.

Today's focus will be the front end with the whole clip being taken off.

Photos to follow!

 

Here is the progress so far. The fenders and truck bed are in good condition minus the fenders has major rust rot where the running boards attach. Nothing some sheet metal won't fix!

 

Front Fenders off, wheel well's off, and hood.
alsmost forgot the windows front and back

 

A big thank you for serving this country ! Glad to see there will be another 53 joining the ranks.Hope you can find the time money and support to build the truck you want .I have a 53 too and it is almost done.(they are never done.) I was just going to get mine running ,but it has turned into a ride to be proud of.With the support of my wife and a few friends I have built the truck of my dreams.The only problem I have with it is it is not running yet. Its been years in the making but worth every minute of it.Good luck with yours amd may the good lord watch over you when your away from it.I can't post pictures of it but there are some in my gallery you can peek at.

 

My first idea was to throw a few hundred in and hope she ran. that was shot down with major setbacks. now it's best to just take her down to frame, condition he parts i can, buy the parts i need and work with what i can. between my father and me, we are budgeting 4.5k each over the next year. while i'm gone for a few months he will be sending out the parts to get media blasted, see what needs to be fixed, fix then wait for me to come back and put together.

i'm really excited to work on the suspension when i come back. keeping it mainly stock, but removing some leaf springs, flipping the axle in the back on top, maybea dropped axle in the front (1-2 inches)

and of course install front disc brakes and run all new lines. this should be a weekend task.