I figured it was time to start a build thread. I've had several classic's over the years and a lot of trucks. I had a '77 supercab I sold for a down payment for my Mustang and regretted it since. I finished my other project car and started getting bored not having anything to tinker with. We moved over the summer last year and my wife gave me the blessing to get another project. Probably so I stopped bothering her so much. I found someone selling multiple dentsides locally on facebook marketplace. I looked at a couple but the 4x4 caught my eye. It was a little rougher than the other trucks but the short bed had me interested. This truck was the only short bed and the only 4x4 he had so I drug it home. My son immediately claimed it. I moved into a house on a hill so I anchored a winch to the floor of the garage, makes short work of moving cars that don't run around.






I broke my stupid foot shortly after moving so I didn't start working on the truck until early this year. First order of business was to see if it would run. It did but I couldn't leave well enough alone and ordered an intake and carb for it. I cleaned up the valve covers, put a fresh coat of paint on them and made decals for the covers and air cleaner. Next I moved onto the floor pans. I had to do them on the supercab so this was easier the second time around. After I got them burned it I painted them and put clear bed liner over that. Next I tackled the truck moving over the axle when the steering wheel was turned. I did radius arm bushings, axle mount bushings (probably not the technical term) and replaced bushings in the steering arms. The winch was extremely helpful removing and installing the radius arms. I went to a swap meet and found some wheels I liked and put those on. I also found a flawless grill shell that I haven't had a chance to install yet. I also have a passenger fender waiting to go on the truck, and I found a bed to replace the 90's bed someone put on.









This past weekend I installed a new fuel tank and got the truck running on it's own fuel supply, and replaced wheel cylinders and rear brake lines. I have to mess with the timing some and find why the truck won't start from the key switch. I'm trying to get this truck to move itself because I have another project lined up I want to knock out real quick.

 

LOL, I must try that !!!

The new wheels look really good.

The key switch itself might be faulty.

There's one or two benefits to having a 1'' carb spacer, or none at all, but in your case, one fitted would allow the HEI to sit with the wires directly facing the firewall, and thus neater.

Totally cosmetic I know, but I thought I'd mention it.

 

Subbed for this one Matt. Great work so far. Floor pans look great. And awesome to find a bed to match!!

 

I actually added one to help clear the dist. I didn't think to turn it for aesthetics, I need to tickle the timing anyway so I'll move it, thanks for the suggestion.

This weekend I put on some new brake shoes, adjusted the saggy drivers door, and made the truck start from the ignition switch. I tried to bleed out the brakes and see if I could yard drive it, but I couldn't get any fluid out the back brakes. I have a vacuum pump I'll try during the week.

 

I replaced the last section of hard line and the rubber hose to the axle and was able to vacuum bleed the brakes out. Still needs to be actually bled but my wife was unavailable. I wanted to clean the mess under the truck from months of work being done and the other side where I removed an engine and trans and didn't get a good clean up. The truck moved itself out of the garage under its own power.