VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans rear suspension done - what to work on next?

I completed the rebuild the rear suspension and the paint on the rear chassis this weekend!!!! I even drove it and did doughnuts again in the backyard - I LOVE that 3:38 differential! It looked so good with that painted chassis and bare metal top that I'm even thinking of entering it in the goodguys show next month. It has no hood, fenders, etc, and the front end is still super greasy, so what the heck, I might as well show off my hard work! Trailer queens be darned!

Ok, on to business. Now that I've completed this biggie, I'm at a loss on what to work on next. Candidates are:
Lift cab and paint chassis underneath and replace cab mounts. This will also require I disconnnect the steering column and a bunch of other stuff, so probably will include steering box rebuild in with this task. (any input on 1) what else this will require and 2) what else I should do while I'm under there is appreciated.)
Rebuild front end and paint chassis.

What does the forum suggest?

ps - DRIVE your truck after each stage of the rebuild. Each time I've driven this truck after a big step 1) I remember just how much I love this truck, 2) it gives me a reward for what I've just accomplished (carrots are better than sticks), and 3) prepares me for the long road ahead.

Lyn
You have done well. When I got my truck it was a long way from moving under its own power so started the full rebuild then (best part of 30 years ago) and still working on it. Mechanic by trade the body work worried me so that is where I started.
Tony

Thanks for the compliment.
How you approached your rebuild made a lot of sense - especially in light of it not running to begin with. Sometimes I get so immersed in my own world I forget about other people's situations. Maybe I'll get there with age.

For your rebuild, I assume you probably did the chassis next, but then what did you do after that?

Oh, and I hear you loud and clear on the body work - I'm great at all the mechanical stuff, but deathly afraid of bodywork (especially welding on sheet metal) for fear I'll screw it up royally.

Here in Wisconsin, we save body work and other big things till winter, when we can't drive them. Then the second the first warm up comes and the rain washes the salt off the roads you can here valves chattering for miles and miles...

Lyn
At 1 stage the local technical college had a night class for panel beating so most of the rust cutting and roughing out was done there, the chassis was heavy media blasted and rust protected while the cab was removed. This took 4 or 5 years of 1 night a week and the occassional hour or 2 in between to get done, due to employment situation no progress for 8 years until about 6 months ago but even then only the odd hour or 2.
If you can access the my project pics on the left of screen there is a couple of pics as it sits today, it is a perfect example of why not to rely on primer to protect from rust.
Tony
Stylemaster
In my part of the world we can drive our cars all year and we dont have the salted roads to worry about but getting the TIME to fix my TRUCKS (daily driver included) is the BIG problem.

Ok, I think I figured it out. Basically, I made a list of everything I want to do to the truck and found the item that 1) wouldn't require me to take a lot of unassociated stuff apart, and 2) that I could get done in two weekends (My short term goal is to show it in the Goodguys car show on Nov 8-9).

And the winner is: The front brake system. If I have time I'll also replace the brake lines and rebuild the master cylinder.

Thanks everyone for your help and encouragement.