To-dos

There will be hundreds of decisions made throughout the project. I will try to categorize and summarize a few of them here.

Vendor list: (shipping address 500 Lehne Drive, Bertram TX 78605)

    1) Truck - Lee of LB Enterprises - $2300

    2) Bed - Fredo of San Diego - $700

    3) Front bed panel and tailgate - LMC www.lmctruck.com - They ship with Central Freight

    4) inner bed panels - Premier Street Rods - Kerrie at 1 - 800 - 447 -5000 (really good outfit) They ship with UPS.

    5) tailgate parts - hidden latches and hinge assemblies, bed parts and mouldings - www.mar-k.com

    6) bolt kit - Select Motor Company 800-716-9635 Shannon (good to work with)

    7) cab corners and door skins...etc - LMC - full list in blog

    8) Plating and chrome - reliable Plating Corp, Chicago, (312) 421-4747

        Atlas Chrome Plating, Houston Tx 713-697-3134, 281-827-9427

   9) Engine and performance work - Colvin Automotive Austin

  10) Sand blasting - Soda Blast Express, Highpoint powder coating - Liberty Hill, TX 78726 • 512.778.5590

1) Pick a Model

Pick a model  you love that you will not mind throwing hard earned money at.  It will be a labor of love and frustration so be sure you're in it to win it, or just collect JPEGs like I did for the first few years.

2) Pick a Shop, a Friend, a Shady Tree

Where are you going to do this job?  If you do not buy a complete rig, it could (will)  take years.  How much are you going to do yourself?  Do you have the budget to get professional help?  How soon will your wife make you, "get that POS out of the front yard and mow under it!.!"?  This is a huge decision.  I looked at rented garages, storage facilities, even buying a house to get a garage!!  Know this answer before you let yourself get the bug.

3) Find a Truck in the Right Condition for your Budget

A really beautiful truck can cost $30-$50k and not need any work.  A beater can cost $2000 and need a first born in terms of effort.  Find the sweet spot between project and pocket book.  Also, how close are you to kicking the bucket?  You may have more money than time... or vice versa! :)

4) Type of Restoration

  • Serial number - bolt for bolt correct.

  • Period correct but not necessarily serial number identical.

  • Custom - do your own thing...weld a 57 to a 59 and set em both on a '91...like me.

5) Frame Options

  • Original frame
  • Clips
  • Use an entire late model frame and chasis

6) Exterior Options

Wheels - www.stocktonwheel.com

Tires -

Grills -

Emblems -

7) Interior Options

Things I need to look up and study.

  • Sound deadening products like:
    • CLD Tiles -
    • Lizard Skin -
    • Closed Cell Foam -
    • Mass Loaded Vinyl Barrier -
    • Fat Mat -  
    • Rattle Trap - 
    • Dynamat -
    • Second Skin -
  • Upholstery options, carpets, seats, headliner, doors
    • Seats -  Do i use the seats from the silverado? I don't really want a bench, will there be room for a console?, how to keep it looking period reasonable...

    • Austin Auto Interiors (512) 246-2886

    • E D Auto Upholstery  (512) 835-7396

    • Gratefull Threads (512) 317-4044

 

8) Engine Options

1. - Generation IV - LS3, 6.2 liter Corvette crate engine, 430 horse

2. - Chevy small block 383 stroker - crate engine, at least 425 horse

3. - Hand build a SBC 383, at least 425 horse

4. - LS6 5.7 350, 405 horspower....liking the best...LS3 is probably too much motor

I am going to price out all of these and see if there is a significant difference and then decide.

 

I think I am going to buy the GM LS6 from GM Performance and ship it directly to More Performance and have it broke in and tuned. 

Still leaning to the LS6 but More Performance closed down.  Need to find another tune shop.  I bet there is not one in Austin...Austin is a shitty high performance car town!

 

I. GM Performance 1-800-242-2844

   Looks like they (GMPP)  only carry the LS3 plant now.  More motor at 430HP than the LS6 but still priced nice.  So now I am back to LS3 vs  

   LS6.  Talked to GMPP  and they told me to ask for Pete as he is the man that knows the most.  I have talked with GMPP a few times and they 

   can not have  a conversation about a crate motor.  They are always missing some expert they need.  It seems like a rag tag group of non

   motor-tech folks.

 

II.  LSX Crate Engines 760-966-2663 Ocean View CA.

    Found this shop on the net.  I have not called them yet but their site is very nice.  Just called them and talked with an expert in building the

    crate package I need.  This guy is a top shelf expert.  He even has great familarity with dong these LS packages in antique applications like

    mine.  GMPP is dead.  We priced out an LS1 410 HP, with transmission and all wireing harnesses for engine and transmissions and AC

    compressor and serpentine belt assembly.  Out the door $12,000 dollars!  I think we are done.

 

Even after we get the engine in the truck and get everything running I want to take it and get it dyno-tuned in Austin or close by.

Found three performance and tune shops that look promising:

1 - Reckart Performance 512-382-1732

2 - Henderson PErformance New Braunfels

3 - Moorespeed

4 - Colvin Automotive

9) Get a title!!

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