OK guys, here goes. This project has taken so many twists and turns before finally ending up on the road where I am now. I have had this truck stuck out back for some time. It started life as a 318-2v D-150 custom, an old mans truck. I bought it for $300 and it ran and drove, though poorly. Dang lean burn was hiding a 360 under it, though a regular 4-v didnt help solve the running issue. It was plain ole worn out.
Then came Mr. 400-2v. That was a fun and easy swap that I played with for awhile, but it had one problem, no reverse! I had planned to build a drag truck out of it, but it ended up simply being a test mule for some lowering parts and an axle flip. Kicked it out back and used it for parts storage for about 6 months or so.
This is where it takes another twist. I know, a lot of em huh? I decided to put it back to stock and use it for a truck. That was the plan. I pulled the rear axle out of my '88 shorty and threw some stock springs back into the truck along with some 5 on 4.5 rotors. I was going to run steelies all around, 15x8 Ramcharger wheels (I have a full set, no they arent FS!) out back and 15x6s up front. I also converted it back to PS.
Early on during the decision to build it back to stock I realized I didnt have a SB 727, as I was going to run a 318 in the truck. But what I did have was A-833OD parts! I had a cast iron version out of a '78 truck along with a V8 bellhousing and a 10.5 re-man clutch. All of it was gathering dust in storage. The tunnel was easy too, the '78 cab had a bolt in one and I also had the fiberglass hump from the same truck.
I did have to go to the JY and get the linkage and brackets, turns out in the mid 80s they used a universal Z-bar and simply spaced the ballstud out on a Slant. So, an '85 was the donor for the bar, the floor bracing, linkage, and the ballstud brackets, both of them. The pedals came from that '78 cab and the column came from another truck in that JY, an '81. All my JY parts were had for $20.
So, heres a round of pics. It goes from stock, to lowered, to back to stock again. There is more to this story ahead and it takes a drastic turn, which is par for the course with me.
Then came Mr. 400-2v. That was a fun and easy swap that I played with for awhile, but it had one problem, no reverse! I had planned to build a drag truck out of it, but it ended up simply being a test mule for some lowering parts and an axle flip. Kicked it out back and used it for parts storage for about 6 months or so.
This is where it takes another twist. I know, a lot of em huh? I decided to put it back to stock and use it for a truck. That was the plan. I pulled the rear axle out of my '88 shorty and threw some stock springs back into the truck along with some 5 on 4.5 rotors. I was going to run steelies all around, 15x8 Ramcharger wheels (I have a full set, no they arent FS!) out back and 15x6s up front. I also converted it back to PS.
Early on during the decision to build it back to stock I realized I didnt have a SB 727, as I was going to run a 318 in the truck. But what I did have was A-833OD parts! I had a cast iron version out of a '78 truck along with a V8 bellhousing and a 10.5 re-man clutch. All of it was gathering dust in storage. The tunnel was easy too, the '78 cab had a bolt in one and I also had the fiberglass hump from the same truck.
I did have to go to the JY and get the linkage and brackets, turns out in the mid 80s they used a universal Z-bar and simply spaced the ballstud out on a Slant. So, an '85 was the donor for the bar, the floor bracing, linkage, and the ballstud brackets, both of them. The pedals came from that '78 cab and the column came from another truck in that JY, an '81. All my JY parts were had for $20.
So, heres a round of pics. It goes from stock, to lowered, to back to stock again. There is more to this story ahead and it takes a drastic turn, which is par for the course with me.
