Started on 65 Truck

Winter is here and I am starting on my 65 Spring special. Engine was a non-runner so I grabbed a 200 out of a 83 Zephyr. First on the list will be the undercarriage clean up.

Keep us updated on your build, nice Econo

Looks like a real nice start to a project!

Looks real clean. Keep the pics coming.

Nice 5 window! We love pics!!!

Like all of the trucks, mine was used as a truck so the inside of the bed is really rough. I have both front and rear axels removed so now is a good time to work on getting rid of some of the major damage.

Used a porto-power underneath the push up, then worked on the topside to clean up what I could. I know it wont be perfect. When metal is reshaped or dented it stretches, and I don't have the skills to shrink it back down. Old school body men could do it with heat and a lot of patience.

You're way ahead of the game because you have a solid floor that's not rotted through like most. Good idea to attack it while the axels are out of the way! Thanks for the pics, we love to see progress pics as you tackle different things. Nice Vuck!

Truck looks real good. Great start for your project. Bed looks great

Two weeks of crawling under the truck and then getting back up into the box, today I said enough is enough. Put a coat of primer on the floor of the box and now I will start peeling off the paint on the rest of the truck. The ribs still have some small flaws in them but a lot better then they were.

looks great!

Good progress, that looks Great! At-A-Boy!

That turned out great. If I had seen the primerd pic first, I would never guess it was beat up to start with. Nice job indeed.

I've been working on the truck body pretty hard and decided to take a break and get some of the running gear taken care of. 1st on the list was to open up the breathing on the head, everything was going along just fine


Then started matching up to the gasket and I blew right out the side on no. 5 exhaust.


I was thinking of welding the hole shut but after a couple of days talking to my self I decided it would be best to start over, I just feel that I may have gotten to close to the water passages, so picked up another head. This one is off a 78 Zephyr, and I will be a little less aggressive on this one. Two weeks lost.

I forgot to ask about head flow. The head I ruined was off a 82 and the intake log has an approximate volume of 1,420 cc. The head I got off the 77 has a intake volume of approximately 1,345 cc. Would I be better off looking for the post 80 head for the increased volume ? or is the actual performance going to be noticeable ? The end product will have a Weber 32/36 carb, up dated ignition and mild cam.

you only lost 2 weeks if you stood there and did nothing, your truck is looking nice..

I'm slowly getting things done, and trying to stay ahead of my work with parts being available before I need them. Has anyone put headers on their truck, and had any problems with clearances ? I will have a 200 with the low mount starter. Any pictures would really be great.

I have most of the porting done, so now its time to work on the top of the intake log to accommodate a Weber 32/36

I put this abrasive cutting wheel on my Makita buffer, and it took maybe 8 minutes.

I scribed the front so I would know when to stop cutting, a couple more minutes with a file and now ready to weld on an adaptor plate.
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Nice work stanyon   . Some nice freehand, I've contemplated doing this myself as well. I'm glad you're posting pics. Are you making you're own adapter? Bummer about the later model head.

Nice truck!

The weather has finally turned here in the NorthWest so I pushed the truck outside and worked on it in the sun. Nose is done and I got the right side with exception of the door blocked out today so it is ready for some K200, That's the yellow stuff you see on the cab, really a nice build primer. The openings on the side were put there by a previous owner, I had thought about getting rid of them until I looked at all the double wall underneath. Ill just put the doors back on and carry jumper cables and other misc.

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Nice truck!!! If I get my truck drivable and you get yours done by June we should meet up and the Cool Desert nights in Richland, WA.

Ted Johns up in Woodinville WA is running a 200 out of a Mustang in his pick up ... has dual headers on it ... sounds fantastic as I think they go into a couple of glasspack mufflers ... Old Skool knows how to get in touch with him ... thing goes like a raped ape ... lol

I would really like to talk to another member who has gone with the 200, Maybe keep me from making some time consuming errors. If anyone knows how to contact Ted in Woodinville, please let me know.

I finally Started final assembly on the engine


Rebuilt the Adjustable rocker arm assembly


Set the Weber on to check for clearance and any other gremlins that might appear



Closed it all up and covered it up with plastic. Next will by trying to get a guy to let go of a trashed Mustang with a four speed I want. Yeah I know the blue aint rite, I went with the lighter blue just so it would be more visible in the dog house when it is completed.