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December 13 , 2002

The plan is really starting to come together in my mind. One of the things that has helped a lot is having Teri's '54 Chevy pickup too. The pickup allows  me to work one direction on it, while going another direction on the sub. The benefit is that I can do a simple hot rod pickup, and an all out custom  with the sub. And all those years I'm working on the sub, I'll be able  to drive the pickup. Or Teri's Subaru if she has the pickup...

Anyway, with two trucks to help me think through the process, I 've been breaking both  projects into pieces and documenting how I inted to pursue each piece.  The result is the table below. Basically as I think about some aspect of the project, I add it to this list, and then spell out what my current  thinking is on each truck. Of couse, until I actually do something, everything  is subject to change!

Little Red Truck

OldSub

Primary  Driver

Teri

Steve

Basic  Concept

Car  for general use locally, and occasional run to a car show.  Must  be comfortable for Teri to drive, since after all, this is her truck!

Light  truck, with some capability for heavier use such as pulling a trailer for general use.  Also might get used for family trips of two hundred  to six hundred miles.

Basic  Look

Original,  lowered with wheels, stock bumpers.  Standard door handles and such.

Classic  body built today.  Implies modern bumpers, smoothed doors, smoked glass, BIG wheels and as low as the driveway will allow.  Hidden gas cap.  Leave the gutters because we live in a rain forest.

Engine

Spunky,  but mild mannered and very reliable.  Chevy 305*.

Torque with power to pull a trailer with a truck on it.  383 Chevy, or big  Buick, Pontiac or Cadillac.  455 Pontiac with GMC valve covers from 50’s GMC?

Transmission

Automatic.   Turbo 350*.  Lokar classic type floor shift.

Automatic  (heavy duty for towing).

Front  Suspension

Subframe*

Light  three-quarter ton like the five-lug stuff under a G-20 van.

Rear Suspension

Four link*

Light  three-quarter ton like the five-lug stuff under a G-20 van.

Brakes

Disk/Drum

Disk/Drum

Wheels/Tires

Classic  look: beauty rings and Chevy hub caps.

Tall wheels with tires that can handle the load of towing a trailer with  a heavy pickup on it.

Steering

Power  with tilt wheel.  Classic steering wheel.

Power  with Tilt and modern fat wheel

Electrical

12v  with alternator sized for the need

12v  with Alternator sized for the need.  Multiple stereos, power seats, windows, door locks…  Needs a big alternator and battery.

Comforts

What?  Good heater and defrost

Air  conditioning, heater and defroster, power windows, door locks, power  mirrors.  Cruise control.  Rear heater/defrost.

Seating  and Interior

Stock  bench?  Back seat from Monte Carlo?  Clean and neat.  Look inviting.  Move fuel tank out of cab.

Four leather buckets (power!).  Posh with everything upholstered and  power everything.

Sound

AM/FM  Stereo with CD Player

At least an AM radio…  Full stereo system with Cassette/CD, and should  have separate front and rear audio.

Glass

Stock  clear glass

Tinted glass in front, mini-van type windows on sides and back.

Dash Board

As stock as possible

Modern instruments in stock look dash panel.

Controls

Updated  stock type

Modern,  column mounted.  Heater controls with the three dial approach.

Bumpers

Stock

Wrap around with modern look.

Exterior Lights

Stock  look with modern turn signals and side markers

Halogen  and LED.

Time Frame

Start  as soon as Sub is a driver again…

Driver now, customization begins when ’54 is a driver.

Donor  Car?

’78  Chevy Monte Carlo.  *identifies parts from this car.

Nels ’75 Chevy ¾ ton van?

Last updated: December 31, 2006

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