Officially starting my build

[PaulColt]

Finally found someone here in NB that sells the steel for mu frame.
I now have 2 pieces of 12 foot steel asking to be cut up! Time for research,research,and a bit of research. Very exciting day.

 

[Spanky]

Nothing is more exhilarating than seeing a dream become reality!

 

[tfeverfred]

Cool! I look forward to your progress.

 

[PaulColt]

Thanks

 

[HenrysT]

I used CCR's plans, straight forward, easy to follow with full size patterns. You can also look up Youngster's plans but some say it's a little bit narrow (because the frame gets narrowed [pinched ] in the front, some times hard to fit fuel pump or low mounted alt.) but it's nice looking and different. I don't know what the main rails start out as (width) but you can bump it out 2"? so you can still have room in front.
Free T Bucket Frame Plans: the "Youngster" T Bucket frame by Ron Young

 

[PaulColt]

I just printed out the Young book. I will look at CCR. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[DonnyRay]

I am looking forward to following your thread.

 

[PaulColt]

I am looking forward to following your thread.

Thanks. I will make sure to take lots of pics.

 

[Lake Modified]

Look forward to watching...... lots of pics...

 

[PaulColt]

Well i finally have my donor vehicle in the garage. 2005 Silverado. Gonna strip anything remotely useful. Built a frame mock up from 2x4's (great idea from who ever told me) using the Youngs guide. Seems the kick up at the rear seems way to small. Glad its only 2x4s. Lol

 

[EX JUNK]

Well i finally have my donor vehicle in the garage. 2005 Silverado. Gonna strip anything remotely useful. Built a frame mock up from 2x4's (great idea from who ever told me) using the Youngs guide. Seems the kick up at the rear seems way to small. Glad its only 2x4s. Lol

2x4's are definitely cheaper than the steel tubing. That is exactly what I used in my build and it worked out great as I used 1 1/2" x 3" x 3/16" tubing. I also made plywood cutouts of the OD of the tire diameters front and rear and placed them at their respective elevations in relation to my proposed chassis ride height. Mind you, this was all done with the body being there and blocked up on the 2x4 dummy chassis. That way I could stand back and see how everything was going to "profile" which I feel is VERY important in ANY car build.

Jim

 

[PaulColt]

Thanks for the idea on the wood wheels. Great tip. Still a few weeks away from having a body here but i have lots to keep me going until then.

 

[Gary49]

Before I actually started I downloaded a set of Youngster's plans and looked them over. Then I got a set of CCR's plans and knew that was the way to go. If you do use CCR's plans, make a copy of the full size drawing of the part you're making, spray the back of that sheet with adhesive and stick it to a piece of poster board. You can cut along the lines and you have a template to transfer to your steel. For the frame brackets, motor mounts, etc. I marked the plate with soapstone and cut a little outside the lines, then put the template back on and traced around it with a fine sharpie marker. I took the part to the grinder and ground it to the fine line. The center lines are accurately marked on CCR's drawings also. That way you can center punch through the template for you hole locations too. It's best to double check those measurements but I found them to be very accurate. There are probably better ways but that worked for me.
Something else to think about too is that not all bodies fit all frames so it's best to get an idea of whose body you like and build the frame to fit. I do know the CCR frame is 26 1/2" wide from front to back.
I hope this helps,
Gary

 

[PaulColt]

That is a TON of help. Thank you
I havent decided which body i am using yet but i am waiting to weld steel until it is here.
Also i still have to completely disassemble the donor truck as i am using about 99% of it for the mechanicals.

 

[Gary49]

Sounds like you have a plan. Good luck and happy building.
Gary

 

[Spanky]

Maybe I missed it, but what power train does your '05 Silverado have? I'm thinking it is probably a 6.0 LS V-8, right?

(Never mind, I went back and read your earlier post about the '04 LS you are using!)

 

[PaulColt]

Hey Spanky. Ya it is an 05 not an 04 as i originally was told. It has the 4.8L with Auto trans in it. Hoping to use the entire powertrain from it as well as all the suspension (with mods of course) but my plan is fluid and changes almost everyday. Lol

 

[PaulColt]

I have some pics of in progress but need to figure how to resize so i can post. Will research that later. Problem with being retired is no days off! Lol

 

[Spanky]

I have some pics of in progress but need to figure how to resize so i can post. Will research that later. Problem with being retired is no days off! Lol

I'm retired also, which just means I no longer get paid for my work!
Re: pics . . . on my computer (Windows 10) I can just right click on the picture, select edit, and I have a "resize" option. Does yours have something similar?

 

[Indycars]

I don't believe Windows comes with a Right Click photo resizer. Many people have
downloaded and installed this small piece of software so they can right click on one
photo or a collection of photos and resize them.

Image Resizer for Windows