Digz's 65 panel

Looking good Digz! Very nice work! I'm in the middle of my "Rear Disc" upgrade myself! That Big Block is going to be Awesome!! "Rat-Rod" is pretty much the Hot Rodders'! I truly believe that us Vanners should term and stay with "RAD-ROD"!!! As that is basically what we have when we change and turn these Vans into ultimately something that is SO far out there compared to the "Streeters"!! IMHO
B.W.

makin' some progress , trying to get a couple hours of van time in the evenings,

Seeing as you need an E brake to adjust the calipers in the back figured I better get on it some.

I'm not liking the resistance from the shifter boot and I'm not sure about using the treadbrite, but probably run it for now just to get this thing closer to moving.

Also got the spacers made for the sway bar, ended up going with the 1st gen set up, and I have the V8 block assembled, not much to look at there,gonna get some new tappet covers but fresh paint make sya feel like ya did something

Nice!!

Looking great!What did you end up with for heads on the 350? Bill

I had the heads that were on it re-done, new guides and valves.
The block is a 69-70 2 bolt main, the heads are 1975 thru something ,, real common anyway, 76cc chambers , what they call an 882 casting. It was an unexpected cost ,but I know what I have now. Finding good used cylinder heads around this area is a crap shoot and you would still have to tear them down to get checked right, getting them redone was still nearly half as much as 2 new ones. The only real "up-grade" on this engine is going to be the torker intake and Edelbrock/carter carb and headers.
Had my youngest grandson helping again the other evening, touching up the rear axle flange with a file.

I got new shoes to go with the legs. My attempt at making the keystones work with spacers just didnt cut it for me, I broke down and bought these Halibrand replicas, made in china of course. but they clear all the disc brake components easily and look good.


I got all the shackles in place and I hope permanent. got the front brake hoses figured out, they have a clunkly looking retainer in the middle of them but the lengnth is good and they reach the original frame mounts. I believe that these hoses would also work okay for the home version of the rear disc conversion, The kit hoses for the rear are 16 " long, the front hoses are about 18".


The rear disc lines are waiting for shocks to get the weld on hose retainers located right.

I set the engine block in the hole for what I hope is the last time and stuck the 700R on the engine stand( next weeks project)

I'm whipped

JOe, That looks great! Those wheels are prefect and those springs you got will def. hold the extra from that engine. Keep the pic's coming....

love the stance already, and the replicas look great as well!

can't wait to see how she sits with the motor and tranny hung! great work!

Was kinda waiting for somebody to make fun of me for putting those spring bumpers in,,

Unbelievable The amount of work youv'e got done,Looking great Those wheels and tires work. Bill

Nice! Good stuff!

Looking great Joe, you have been getting alot of work done on your van.

Think I figured out a place to mount the trans cooler.

There is a flat spot in the brake M/C bracket to drop some spacers down, the passenger side I will have to make an L shaped drop bracket and either weld or screw to the frame

Have to get going on the tunnel again now , cut in the guages so I can get all the wiring figured out.

Ive been making some progress, Its at a stage now where you can work on it for hours at a time and not see any difference, the small stuff that makes it all work,

the throttle TV cable bracket

oil and water sending units , shorter stick for the trans , refitting the carb bonnet and tubes etc...

Yes the rocker covers dont match in this pic.

I gathered the parts for the converter lock up.

I guess you really only need the pressure switch to make it useable.

I finally got the tabs welded on for the rear brake lines.

I started the work on the guages in the tunnel to, but nothing worthy of a pic there yet. Still have to get the driveshaft made, get the gas tank in and hook up the fan,,If bakers was 3 more months away I might make it .

Lookin good!

Very nice..........Best thing is....when you are done.... you'll have one you couldn't buy this good new.


Not to mmention the huge perk of knowing every nut & bolt on it.

Stuffed the air tunnel back in for what I hope is the last mock up before I make it more permanent, have to take it back out and do some trimming on the rad mount and a lil bit here and there for better clearance on the intake tube and some cable tenders and grommet holes for the guage wiring. waiting on the shift cable right now , get that routing figured out before I take it back out. Its getting crowded, I still might be able to squeeze a couple drink holders in there,,, maybe,,,

Looking good Joe, going to be 1 Sweet Van

The better half had me help her put some Craigslist ET's on the gray (Hippy Van) today. She has staked a claim on it !!

But she did give me permission to swap the windshields.

Nice!

Those are the wheels I've been thinking about for awhile, now. they look sharp on there!

Joe, you got it good. "His & Hers" vans. That's awsome. And having her own will promote some serious interest in working on the vans.....