Blue Beast: budget Chevy build

[jsudar]

So, I had a HPD60 that I wanted to put under my F250LD, but I decided I would keep my tow rig unmolested, so I sold the axle to a guy in CO for a grand. That was a Saturday afternoon and I can't hold onto that much money for long, so I had it spent by Monday evening. This is what I got:


Before you start laughing too hard, it already had a Dana 60 swapped into the front end and I drove it (illegally) home. A running truck with a front D60 is not bad for $1000. It's a lot better than the Dana 60 on the garage floor.

It's a 76 stepside with a 350/350/NP203 and came with 36x14.50 R16.5 Dirt Grips (which I promptly sold.) The rear is a welded 14BFF and the front is also welded (I think.) The guy I bought from had it since he was 16 and he almost looked like he was going to cry when he finally signed the title over. I felt kinda bad.

 

[jsudar]

This has to a budget buildup, because I can't spend any money I earn at my job on wheeling, that's what the wife says, anyway. I have to resort to scrapping steel and aluminum cans for $, although I've heard you get decent money for donating plasma. Maybe I will have start selling bodily fluids to build up my truck.

So, I sold the dirt grips and tossed on my ProComp 37s. I had to trade some coilovers with a bent shaft I got from Scott Creasey to CubanB to get some wheels for it.

Then I took the thing up Forest Lake for a shakedown run. I managed to tear a rear shock mount off the axle and found out it won't steer 4WD. With the welded front end and the stock push/pull steering it just wrapped up the leaves instead of turning the wheels. I drove the whole trail in 2Lo. I was pretty impressed, but it's not like Forest Lake is hard. Unless your in a stock Nissan like the guy who tried to follow us. He lost a bead in the first 20 yards.

 

[jsudar]

The more I mess with this truck, the more I laugh and get scared too.

I felt like it was a little too tall, so I was swapping out the 6" springs for some four inchers I bummed off CubanB and the drivers front pack literally exploded when I took the weight off it. It didn't have a center pin, just a quarter inch bolt crammed in there with no nut.

The sheet aluminum and angle iron front clip is really starting to grow on me, as is the grill made from heavy duty fencing. I'm not so sure about the suburban seat lag bolted to the plywood bed or the Uni-Strut roll bars which protect the plywood enclosed fuel tank in the bed. My kids never riding back there, but on the bright side if I ever need to do a conduit run on the truck I will have plenty of Uni-Strut to clamp to.

Mesha said if I ever finish regearing his 9", he would give me some old DOM tie rods. Cross over high steer here I come!!
He said he'd give me an NP205 so I can build a doubler too. Anyone got a 32 spline 205 input shaft?

 

[LT.]

The truck looks like a tank. The best part of budget build ups is that when you do break things, like the rear shock mount, you really don't care as much. Budget build ups are the best way to go when you plan on using them hard off road. Keep the updates coming.

LT.

 

[Rot Box]

I dig the stepside bed without fenders

 

[Gravy]

looks vaguely like some redneck blazer thingy that some guy named meat had one time that was the definition of fun on a budget!

that thing rocks!

 

[Kiel]

looks vaguely like some redneck blazer thingy that some guy named meat had one time that was the definition of fun on a budget!

that thing rocks!

Yes...vaguely familar I will bring out the pics later lol. But it Do like the function of yours

 

[jsudar]

I got me a 2WD steering box for $35, so I'm one step closer to crossover steering.

I also picked up a SM465/NP205 combo from Mesha. The transmission doesn't look too good since it sat in the weather for a while with no shift lever in it, but the 205 is good. The guy at the local wrecking yard told me the 205s bolted to the manual transmissions all had 32 spline inputs, so I was excited to get started on my doubler. Well, my 205 has a 10 spline input

On the bright side, another friend said he'd give me a divorced Ford NP205, so at least I can steal the 32 spline outputs from that.

After some more research, I guess I have to find a new 205 case too, since the 32 and 31 spline inputs use a bigger bearing.

 

[Tacoma]

yep, the guy at the wrecking did not know of what he spoke. 32spl was only on the later model manuals.

You can have the case bored out at a good machine shop.

 

[sixb]

I got me a 2WD steering box for $35, so I'm one step closer to crossover steering.

I also picked up a SM465/NP205 combo from Mesha. The transmission doesn't look too good since it sat in the weather for a while with no shift lever in it, but the 205 is good. The guy at the local wrecking yard told me the 205s bolted to the manual transmissions all had 32 spline inputs, so I was excited to get started on my doubler. Well, my 205 has a 10 spline input

On the bright side, another friend said he'd give me a divorced Ford NP205, so at least I can steal the 32 spline outputs from that.

After some more research, I guess I have to find a new 205 case too, since the 32 and 31 spline inputs use a bigger bearing.

I have a good 10 spline sm465 that was hooked to a np205 out of eric russels old blazer for sale cheap if your intrested. I also have the pedals you want out of that same blazer and all the hydrolics along with a bell housing. PM me if intrested. I also have a 87 sm465 3? spline 2wd C30 CC pickup.

 

[Tacoma]

Those 10spl's, btw, will hold up to at least a healthy 396, lead right foot, and 3k in the bed of the truck.

 

[jsudar]

I am actually wanting to keep my TH350, so my wife can drive it. I already have an NP203 behind that and I am wanting to build a doubler with the 205. A doubler (at least all the kits I've seen) requires either a 31 spline Ford input or a 32 spline Chevy input both of which require a big bearing case or some machine work.

Thanks for helping out, though.

 

[Tacoma]

I've got a Ford case without the front output if you can use it... 31spl.

 

[4554x4]

I have a ford gear, 31 spline from a 205. i might part with.

 

[jsudar]

I might take one of you up on that. I need to look into the cost of machining my case vs. just finding a 32 spline Chevy case

 

[mesha]

I got me a 2WD steering box for $35, so I'm one step closer to crossover steering.

I also picked up a SM465/NP205 combo from Mesha. The transmission doesn't look too good since it sat in the weather for a while with no shift lever in it, but the 205 is good. The guy at the local wrecking yard told me the 205s bolted to the manual transmissions all had 32 spline inputs, so I was excited to get started on my doubler. Well, my 205 has a 10 spline input

this mesha guy sounds like a real douche
sorry man. good luck though.

 

[jsudar]

Yeah, Mesha is a real dirt bag. I'm sure he knew the whole time that 205 wasn't going to work for me

No, don't worry about it Mesha. I have some plans to make it work (BFH) either that or Colledge Machine said they could machine the case out for $150.

My uncle has a divorced Ford 205 he said I could have. I'll just run that upside down with a teeny drive shaft hooked up to my 203. Then I won't even have to buy the doubler kit.

 

[4554x4]

I think I have an extra chev 205 for the manual trans, and the ford 31 spline gear. I think that gear could be installed without machine work. (as per sumner machine that does doubler kits)

 

[jsudar]

I was told both the 31 spline Ford and 32 Spline Chevy input shafts used a bigger bearing than the 10 spline cases like I have. That's what I got from ORD anyway.

 

[Tacoma]

They do both use the bigger bearing.

It will cost less to have your case machined than it will to get a 32spl Chevy case, unless someone cuts you a sweeeeeeeet deal.

Well.. lemme know if you want that case. If you just need the gear, you can have that too.