Bob's Blown Modified Mini Pickup

[Bob Holmes]

Tomorrow I go and "pickup" the hulk of our start towards Bonneville in 2015. We have the parts substantially rounded up, it'll be about getting the build done.

Our goals are modest, but nonetheless difficult for 2015. In 8 months we want to build a tech-able, safe, vehicle that will get a number of us licenses. We'll go for it big time in 2016.

Pictures this weekend.

[DanStokes]

Must......have.......pictures.

Sounds like a cool project. Let me warn you - a simple engine swap takes 2 years. I know this from recent personal experience.

Dan

[Bob Holmes]

Dan, this is much more than an engine swap.

I've got it home, so pictures soon.

It is the definition of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

[JoeyG]

Dan, this is much more than an engine swap.

I've got it home, so pictures soon.

It is the definition of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Function over form, nothing wrong with that............So where are the pictures?

[DanStokes]

Dan, this is much more than an engine swap.

I've got it home, so pictures soon.

It is the definition of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Just teasin' ya. Mine wasn't a "simple swap" either - but it DID take 2 years. For years my bro called my projects "Silk Purse 1, 2, 3," etc. I know all about the silk purse thing.

Dan

[YELLA BRICK]

Engine swaps - the ESSENCE of hot rodding !

[Bob Holmes]

We're crossbreeding these two. 1972 Datsun 521 pickup. [ATTACH=CONFIG]n1010869[/ATTACH]

[Bob Holmes]

We'll start tearing the pickup apart this evening. We hope to have the cab, fenders and bed off, and the frame on its way back to Chico in a bit over a week.

[DanStokes]

Rock On!! If I had a budget maybe mine would have gone more quickly - or maybe not.........

Dan

[Bob Holmes]

The cab is free from the frame, and we're about two bolts from the same for the bed. My oldest son is helping out, as well as my normal partner in crime, Scott.

We hope to have the frame rolled out from under everything tomorrow. We'll give it a good look, and then make a decision on whether or not we'll have it professionally sand blasted, or if its not too bad we'll just wire wheel it.

Things are on track so far.

Our other partners in crime have come to the conclusion that, to get as low as we want to go, we'll probably go with a solid suspension. I trust their judgement.

[Monster]

Pics of the project as you go along please ...

[Joe Timney.]

A truck like this?

[Monster]

That is sweet Joe !

[Bob Holmes]

Very similar, Joe. According to our Datsun expert (he's really into that scene, and has a bunch of 510s in his shop) the one you have is the model after ours. Ours was built from 1969 to 1972, I think the transition was in '72 to your model.

I did show a picture of yours to our group. I'm "diggin" what you're "doin." I wish they made an extended cab for our year, one of our drivers is 6'4".

Last night we started cleaning up the frame. Pulled all the wiring, brake lines, transmission, driveshaft etc. etc. We talked to our fabricating partners about rustmorting and rustoleum painting the frame, but they want bare metal.

[Bob Holmes]

Joe, another question.

I assume that we can mini-tub and remove the inner fender wells. We certainly need to do that in the back and the front. Everything I've read has to do with retaining the "exterior" sheet metal and also states that we can't channel the frame. I'm seeing nothing pertaining to the wheel wells.