'62 Unibody Build (back) Up

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 22, 2010, 8:11 pm

I started "working" on this truck four summers ago. Began with a 3:25 Trac-Loc rear, de-arched springs, new bushings and brakes in the back.

<a href="http://s419.photobucket.com/albums/pp279/slixty2/?action=view&current=IMG_0685.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp279/slixty2/IMG_0685.jpg" border="0" alt="new 3:25 trac-loc"></a>

"Completed" rear end ready to go back under the '62.

<a href="http://s419.photobucket.com/albums/pp279/slixty2/?action=view&current=IMG_0740.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp279/slixty2/IMG_0740.jpg" border="0" alt="rear end"></a>

I'll hit "submit" here and see how it goes....

"Stay Tooned"

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 22, 2010, 8:12 pm

Try 1st two pics again

slickmainer · Post by **slickmainer** » September 22, 2010, 9:03 pm

there ya got it!!

olliesshop · Post by **olliesshop** » September 23, 2010, 9:22 am

Looks nice !!!

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 23, 2010, 7:29 pm

To back up to the REAL beginning of this truck "saga". Here's what I started with. Bought it off of ebay out of North Carolina. Yup, I think I saw it in an episode of "Andy Griffith". Hee! Had it shipped. Got it in May of 2004.

I kinda knew what I wanted to do with the truck right off. I had a 351C to build. Wanted it low, with discs. Did not like the front bumper - looks like a fat lip to me - HA! So, I had a friend photo shop it. Here's what he made it look like:

He is a little younger guy, with a different idea:

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 23, 2010, 7:33 pm

Ooops! Here's Timmo's version of how I should buld the '62.

Yeah, you should see some of the model cars/trucks this guy has made. Wild....

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 23, 2010, 7:43 pm

So, back to 2006! I put the rearend back under the truck with the new 3:25 Trac-Lok, brakes, de-arched reversed eye springs, and two of the "overloads" removed. Here's what I had at that point:

I immediately realized that there was not enough rear suspension travel. I could jump around in the bed and make the axle hit the rubber bumps. I did like the height of the rear where it was, so I knew the body would have to come off and a c-notch would be necessary to gain back some suspension travel.

So, I slid the two "overloads" back in it for the time being.

olliesshop · Post by **olliesshop** » September 24, 2010, 3:24 am

Good luck !!! That sure is a relatively clean truck to start with and it looks like it's coming along.

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 24, 2010, 5:22 am

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it is a very clean truck. Very little rust to repair.

I'll get this thread caught up to where the truck is now pretty quick. I went through a couple different pc's and I'm collecting the pics I have and putting them on Photobucket to post.

I'm already realizing that I didn't take enough pictures of the progress. I have no pics of removing the body, which happened a year ago.

I found some pics on my work computer that I emailed to show folks there. Tonight I'll try and post the front end mods.

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » September 25, 2010, 6:23 am

So here's what the '62 looked like with the de-arched, reversed eye springs and all the leafs in place. It would have to be for the time being. I ultimately want it lower in back.

I also wanted to keep the truck mostly together and driveable for as long as possible.

So - on I went to the front end, with another visit to Warner Spring in Indy for the reverse eye treatment, and the axle shipped to Nostalgia Sids in Oklahoma for a 3" drop.

Pics of the front end work to follow...........

stoney1964 · Post by **stoney1964** » September 27, 2010, 7:34 pm

Really nice truck, thanks for posting the pics. The body looks in great shape, wish I had one that nice. Cant wait to see more pics. :wink:

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » October 17, 2010, 8:11 am

Moving on to the front end. Goal being to rebuild everything and get it lower with reversed eye springs and an axle drop from Sids.

Bushings shot:

Axle out-shipping to Sids in Oklahoma

New tie-rod ends and the spindles re-bushed and reamed.

I got the axle back from Sids. The spring eyes were reversed and new bushings pressed in by Warner Spring in Indy. I took out the front spring perches and had Warner put new bushings in those also.

Back on the ground with Sids' tie rod extensions.

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » October 17, 2010, 8:17 am

Here's what the '62 looked like with the above work done.

Truck is still driveable at this point. But not for long. The front clip is coming off, and the 292 / 3spd will be sold down the road to make room for the 351C and C6.

"Stay Tooned"

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » October 17, 2010, 8:29 am

Before disabling the truck completely, I decided I felt like "massaging" the front bumper to better fit my exquisite taste. :lol:

I did not like the "fat lip" stock bumper, and did not want to move it in because I felt it would need to be narrowed, plus, it was not straight on top of it all. I also felt like the Big Truck facia was too flat, and I dont particularly care forthe large opening in the middle.

So the alternative was to make my own. I removed the bumper and trimmed the frame back some. Bought some sheetmetal and started "forming". Using duct tape I got this far:

Then adding small agle iron behind and attaching it to the stone guard lip and frame:

I am going to finish this off with layers of glass, and lots of sanding, but I like the way it looks.

rwhistles · Post by **rwhistles** » October 17, 2010, 12:45 pm

For a fabbed up bumper it sure cleaned up the front end. Looks good.

Post by **Greg D** » October 17, 2010, 1:29 pm

Nice Stance!
I like what you did with the front bumper too.
FWIW, I like the black/white 2 tone, will look great with that stance.

olliesshop · Post by **olliesshop** » October 17, 2010, 2:22 pm

Sure looks nice. It looks like it lowered it just right !!!

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » October 17, 2010, 4:01 pm

Thanks for the comments, guys. I appreciate them. This has been a fun project. It's a lot farther along, and I'll get the pics caught up soon.

Greg, I am not sure at this point about the black/white. We'll see. I am pretty sure I will go with wider white steelies with powder coated silver FORD caps. With that I think the factory black/white combo would be nice..

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » November 6, 2010, 7:21 am

I guess I didn't take any pics of the clip coming off. But it DID come off, trust me....And out came the 292 with the 3spd. I sold the old engine and trans to a real nice young guy who is working on his grandfather's 56 F100. Today the engine is happily motoring him around. I put it on Craigs List for sale - turns out the kid works in the same building as my wife. He drives the '56 to work once in a while. The Orange '55 is his dad's. I wont tell you what's under the hood of the '55...But here's the 292 getting hauled off.

Gary Seymour · Post by **Gary Seymour** » November 6, 2010, 7:23 am

I guess I didn't take any pics of the clip coming off. But it DID come off, trust me....And out came the 292 with the 3spd. I sold the old engine and trans to a real nice young guy who is working on his grandfather's 56 F100. Today the engine is happily motoring him around. I put it on Craigs List for sale - turns out the kid works in the same building as my wife. He drives the '56 to work once in a while. The Orange '55 is his dad's. I wont tell you what's under the hood of the '55...But here's the 292 getting hauled off.

'62 Unibody Build (back) Up

'62 Unibody Build (back) Up

Nice Truck!