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Finally decided I had to get me one of these here build threads.

man i have been looking everywhere i could to find one of them cucvs, thats pretty much how i would build a truck like that. where did you find it to be able to work it off? or better yet, where can i get one!!!
 
man i have been looking everywhere i could to find one of them cucvs, thats pretty much how i would build a truck like that. where did you find it to be able to work it off? or better yet, where can i get one!!!

Well I had found it at an auction in Anahuac, Tx outside of Houston, and it was pretty cheap, bad pics, and no details, but I could tell from the pics exactly what it was. Anywho, a friend of mine needed some cable/network wiring, and landscaping done on a house, and asked if I could take care of it since I have some experience doing said work. He said name a price, so I gave him the choice of either an avg wage of the work needed done, or for a little less, there is a truck I have been looking at. So a few days later it was on a trailer on its way back to my house. It was a parks and wildlife truck for a short time, they got it straight from the army, with 40k miles and very little rust, even already converted to a 12volt electrical system!!!! The starter selenoid went out after a few months chewing up the flywheel. So it sat for 6 months until they decided to buy all new trucks. They also had a m1009 blazer sitting nearby, but it looked like it was in pretty good shape and being used regularly. So needless to say, I havent seen it pop up for auction. Obijuan, if I run across or catch wind of anything I will be sure to let you know.

On another note, anybody know if any good paints that are cheap, semi durable, and can be sprayed on? Maybe thinned rustoleum?? I have heard it being thinned with acetone before but dont know a whole lot about doing this. Pointers?suggestions??

Regards,
Remington
 
Well the time is nearing for school to end and work on the truck to commence once more...plus the whole losing my storage so this summer looks like its going to be a cannonball run type of build. Recently decided what I want to paint my truck.......say hello to GM Sunset orange metallic...
somtransam.jpg

Also a few weeks ago went to pick up a 4l80e out of a 93 3500 chevy truck, turns out it only had a few thousand miles on either a full rebuild or a new gm replacement transmission because when I pulled the trq converter off, and everything looked practically new, seals, trq converter everything. and best of all, he was a scrapper, so I got it for $225. He tried to give me the transfer case with it, but couldnt take it since it wouldnt fit in the trunk of the corolla I was driving at the time. lol.

Earlier today I also bit the bullet and just about broke the bank picking up a full aftermarket wiring harness as well as a compushift controller from twistedmachine.com for $1095(just the tranny controller), which was the best by far price I could find. But thankfully I will also be starting my new job tomorrow to make back some of that money I have been spending. Anyways, I will definitely be updating this thread more as I get more done after classes are finished.

Remington
 
Subscribed. I want to see how you like that CompuShift controller...

I've heard plenty of good things, and am about 98% sure I'm doing a 4L80E/CompuShift on my own 'Burb.


:usaflag:
 
also earlier when walking around the local metal scrap yard for a decent size aluminum tank, spotted a perfectly good toolbox for a fullsize truck like my cucv:D. so into the back of the taco it went. even though aluminum scrap is up to $1 per pound, it was only like $47, so not too bad considering I can polish it up and make it look better than new.

Remington
 
woohoo, been emailing back and forth the past few days with the company I ordered the compushift kit from ...www.twistmachine.com. Really nice guys over there, a guy named Steve is basically setting up all of the factory programming options in the controller for me and getting all the basic shift tables setup to my specs to I can either leave them or change them later if I dont like them. I would be very tempted to get their paddle shifter kit if I werent such a poor bastige. Pretty good communication as well, ordered Friday night, got an email by Saturday afternoon, and been communicating back and forth every since.


Also thanks for the feedback guys, means alot.


Remington
 
Well parts are slowly starting to trickle in and I am getting closer and closer to finishing my finals. Update on the compushift kit, it has been shipped to me but I found out when talking with Steve over at twistmachine that the controller in the regular kit configuration doesnt include the display, so I decided to upgrade the kit to include the controller display as well as a cable operated throttle position sensor to ease the setup, and he gave me a discount on both, so instead of like $350-ish, it was only $285. Got my complete wiring harness yesterday by the big brown truck. 21 circuits, compact fuse box, labeled gxl wire that is already preterminated and setup for gm collumn and everything else........mmmmmmm secksay!!!!!!. Also picked up the paint for my truck which as I mentioned before is gm sunset orange metallic gm code 71. My fiance has my camera at the moment so I will try to get some pictures later this week or next week atleast since I will be painting the interior, door jambs and around the cowl area below the windshield.

Remington
 
well figured I would give a quick update. Making little to no progress at the moment since I am in the middle of moving all of my stuff to a buds house where I will be living and working on my truck until August 1st when I will be moving into an apartment. But I have gotten a few things taken care of since posting last. Received the compushift kit by ups two weeks ago with all the gadgets and doodads, which had me thinking. After my setup is up and running, since the display is another $235 or so, instead of any other members shelling out cash for it, I could rent it or loan it out (with limitations of course)since the display is universal to all compushift controllers. Figured I could save some members $200 or so in the process. Also prepped the interior for paint so hopefully I will get that done today or tomorrow, depends on how the humidity will be. Still working on pictures of everything. On another note took some engagement pics the other day so I figure a few pics is better than no pics. First few were taken at the century tree on the A&M campus. Will post them up in a minute after they download.

Remington
 
Hey nice build would you mind going into some more detail on your power window conversion? I for sure want to do this to mine and was curious if you used a kit or factory power window motors ect ect..
 
Hey nice build would you mind going into some more detail on your power window conversion? I for sure want to do this to mine and was curious if you used a kit or factory power window motors ect ect..

Well the power window part I have decided to nix at the moment. Reason being, the kit I bought was kinda hokey. I still want to in the future, but will probably use factory power equiped doors since most of the quality kits I have found out there are pretty cheaply built unless you shell out serious cash for a custom hotrod kit. I still plan on installing the power door locks and keyless entry, but will be holding back on the power windows at the moment.

Update, got the interior and door jambs paints Tuesday, and pulled the rest of the old wiring yesterday. Also got to pull out the new harness and started seperated looms even further for different areas like front or rear lights, engine compartment, sensors for gauges, etc etc. It was pretty exciting for me to pull apart that harness and see where everything was going and labeled.

Remington
 
TTT....


Any updates on your life with the Compushift controller??

Still hoping to hear more "real world" feedback from people who own and use it.


:usaflag:
 
well it has been too long since I have gotten any work done, and I am getting the itch to dive back into my project now that I have some free time, and a little money.

Truck was in storage at a buddies ranch for 7 months, just got it back a few weeks ago and plans have changed slightly. Last time I updated, I had already purchased the compushift kit with the transmission, and got them installed in the truck, but not running before I was forced to put it in storage. When I got married, lost my work place, and had to sell some tools, and even though I contemplated selling the truck many times, I remembered how much I regretted selling my 6.0 equiped blazer and held strong:(. Even though it has been 4 years, I still want to cry about that one.


Fast forward to now, since then I now have a new place where I can work on my truck freely. I parted out a 6.5 equiped truck and was able to keep a few parts. Namely, the serpentine setup, turbo hardware, dash, steering collumn, a/c equipment, and wiring. Also sold the parts I had a while back for the 6" lift and decided to only go 4" with 35s instead of 37s but still mounted on h2 rims. Paint is still going to be GM color code 71 Sunset Orange Metallic mmmmmm sexy, but two toned with Artic white.

What I have been working on the past few days and today is

1) straightening up the body by pullng some dents out with a stud welder and slide hammer I just bought. Still need to get a spot blaster so I can clean out some small dents that my sander wont bring down to the metal.

2)using a razor to take off all the trim and adhesive residue and otherwise prep the body for paint.

3)cutting out the dash and filling in the firewall on the passenger side and mocking up the dash and a/c hardware.

Still wondering whether it will be worth it or not to strip and coat the frame with some paint, or just to power wash it and keep the surface rust coated with rustoleum from time to time.

Will get some pics up tonight hopefully.

Remington
 
Well just got back from dinner with the Wife and now is time to throw up some pics of the progress over the past two days. Dent and body work stuff was yesterday to test out the new stud welder and pull those dents out, and today was the teardown of the old dash and a/c hardware.



First pics are some of the body work and dents being pulled.
newtruckprogress002.jpg

newtruckprogress003.jpg

newtruckprogress005.jpg

Point of no return.
newtruckprogress006.jpg

Firewall getting cleaned of parts.
newtruckprogress009.jpg

newtruckprogress008.jpg

SHIAT this thing is big.
newtruckprogress010.jpg

yep, still big...
newtruckprogress016.jpg

maybe if I stand back a little bit...
newtruckprogress015.jpg

nope still chuge.
atleast the firewall could look quite a bit cleaner filled in and smoothed out.
all there is to see is the input and output of the a/c and heater equipment.
newtruckprogress013.jpg


Feel free to post up any feedback. There is another guy on here from so cal that swapped in a late 90s dash into his early 70s blazer, but he hasnt replied to any of my messages. After seeing the new a/c box installed against the firewall and seeing the sheer size of the thing, I am contemplating what the other fellow did to his a/c setup using the original box and updating with electronic controls to replace the vacuum and lever actuated hardware.

I will have to get the dash up close to the installed position tomorrow morning to see if it will be even a remote possibility to use the new a/c box and new dash.

Remington

Remington
 
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Blah, you don't need no stinkin' AC. :)
Get a Mojave heater, shave the firewall and call it good.

100_6385.jpg
 
If there was a Mojave-esque AC option I'd definitely do that.
 
a friend of mine still has a bunch of parts left over from parting out an 03 corvette so I think I will see if he still has the a/c parts left over and what the dimensions are.

I will definitely be needing a/c though. If I were in SoCal or Az, I would consider ditching it all together, but in Texas especially around where I am at, 105 is the regular summer temps plus the 60-75% humidity which means you break a sweat just walking 20 feet from the house to the truck.
 

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