My 1975 Chevy Dually Build

[75Dually]

I am new to this forum. However I am not new to the garage! I have been building my own hot rods for a long time. My current project is a 1975 Chevy crew cab dually. I am modifying the whole truck to fit 22.5" Alcoa rims and airbag the whole vehicle. Please check out my ride: http://www.duallyscene.com/forums/projects/dually-project-and-stylin-t7688.html

I have a couple of other rides, either in progress or finished (OK they are never actually finished...) My 56 Buick, a 1961 Chevy truck we just purchased, and a 1955 Belair (still awaiting my attention).

I am also an avid dirt bike rider. See the below bikes. A Honda 450X, YZ250, and an older Honda XR250 that was restored a couple of years ago.

I am about to start rearranging my work bench area in my shop. My shop is 1200 square feet. I am hoping to get some good ideas from this website and forum. Right now I have 3 Craftsman boxes and they are stacked full of tools. So it is my plan around Christmas break to make additional counter tops where I can slide some new boxes under the counter tops, and make new recesses for the existing boxes.

Any way check my rides and let me know what you think!

 

[STANIMAL]

Welcome .


You dont have a motard ?!

 

[75Dually]

Welcome .


You dont have a motard ?!

No supermotard for me... I am a desert and enduro guy at heart. But it does look like fun!

 

[STANIMAL]

No supermotard for me... I am a desert and enduro guy at heart. But it does look like fun!

No worries , I like you anyway , you have an XR .

 

[zeeke]

Welcome to GJ. Please post a pic of the 1961 Chevy truck!

 

[Zeke]

The Buick has a nice stance. It would be level if it was mine, but I like it the way you have it. What part of the country are you in?

 

[theroyz71]

Welcome. Sounds like a cool project. I had a Crew Cab Dually about 20 years ago. It was lowered but never got around to putting Alcoa wheels on it. I couldn't afford to put gas in it now.

 

[oldldh]

I owned a '78 GMC Dually and an '85 Chevy Dually...both 454's...

I personally paid for , at least, that six lane street, on the coast in Kuwait...

Mine were single cabs, are were real good at kidney relocation...

Like your Buick...

 

[theroyz71]

My crew cab was an 82 GMC. It had a 454 in it also. Had it painted white with purple and pink scallops. LOL!

 

[Stooge]

Welcome! Good to see another squarebody build, thanks for sharing!

 

[Mavawreck]

I love those old boxy duallys! Nice build!

 

[75Dually]

No worries , I like you anyway , you have an XR .

That old XR will turn on a dime and give you change. Plus it is a mean old 4 stroke, they chug along just like a tractor, but climb like goats!

 

[75Dually]

The Buick has a nice stance. It would be level if it was mine, but I like it the way you have it. What part of the country are you in?

Lubbock, TX

 

[75Dually]

Welcome to GJ. Please post a pic of the 1961 Chevy truck!

I picked up this ride for my son and I to build. I want him to learn how to build stuff, not just look at a computer or play video games. Life is better in my estimation if you get your hands dirty and bust an occasional knuckle.

The poor old girl is pretty beat up right now, but we have a ton of parts around the shop that will help get this project off to a good start. This truck will be laying frame fairly soon.

 

[zeeke]

Thanks for posting a pic of the 61 Chevy, That will be a sweet ride when your done. My son and I did a ground up restoration on a 1972 Camaro RS a few years ago. Some of the best time we have spent together. I would love to restore a truck of that vintage.

Totally agree with you on " I want him to learn how to build stuff, not just look at a computer or play video games. Life is better in my estimation if you get your hands dirty and bust an occasional knuckle."

 

[95riosnake]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE bagged duallies! They just look so massive when aired out. I'm currently working on doing a full RideTech E3 on my mustang, much to the chagrin of the majority of the mustang community where if something doesn't get you down the 1320 faster, they grab their torches and march on you. I look forward to seeing your truck as it progresses

 

[Steevo]

Welcome. I love that Buick!

 

[GCncsuHD]

Welcome

 

[75Dually]

Welcome. I love that Buick!

Here is a better picture of it. It is still one of my favorite rides. Built it years ago to go cross country on the Hot Rod Power Tour. Been on it multiple times with this ride. It has an AC system that will blow ice, and rides better than most new cars.

 

[75Dually]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE bagged duallies! They just look so massive when aired out. I'm currently working on doing a full RideTech E3 on my mustang, much to the chagrin of the majority of the mustang community where if something doesn't get you down the 1320 faster, they grab their torches and march on you. I look forward to seeing your truck as it progresses

The guys at ride tech did a 69 Mustang with a blower through the hood and did a complete air ride suspension. The torches were lit that night! Bunch of babies!!!

Welcome

Dude dig that Dually! Right on!

 

[jgreen-fsi]

Lubbock, TX

Hey neighbor!

 

[95riosnake]

The guys at ride tech did a 69 Mustang with a blower through the hood and did a complete air ride suspension. The torches were lit that night! Bunch of babies!!!



Dude dig that Dually! Right on!

That 69 looks awesome IMO, you'd think the big and littles would win them over...but oh well, the mustang bunch can be hard to please sometimes.

 

[75Dually]

Hey neighbor!

Glad to see so many guys from West Texas on this forum! That is so cool!

 

[75Dually]

Yes finally back working on the dually! The last couple of nights I have been working on the rear shocks. I went and picked up a pair of Rancho's this week, fab'd the brackets, and welded them in tonight. The bottom bolts need to be trimmed, but other than that they are done!
One more item checked off the list!

I took the drive shaft to our local drive shaft dudes to have it lengthened today. Should get it back in a couple of days.

Now it is time to complete the bed framework and get that completed. Back to the salt mines!

 

[75Dually]

Started to play with the idea of inner fenders. Still need to hammer and dolly some spots out, but these are pretty straight considering their age.

 

[82_454_shorty]

Love those dually square bodies! Not sure if you're on the 67-72chevytrucks site but here's some links you might be interested in:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=558905

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=304333&highlight=dually

 

[Stooge]

Looks good, love a bagged dually , what are you planning to get the front down, z the frame, dropmember? are you going to have to section the outter rear bedside fenders for wheel clearance?
i have part of my 84 square build in my sig, need to update it sometime though...or atleeast work on it

 

[75Dually]

Hey neighbor!

Love those dually square bodies! Not sure if you're on the 67-72chevytrucks site but here's some links you might be interested in:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=558905

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=304333&highlight=dually

Thanks for the links! I will check them out!

 

[75Dually]

Looks good, love a bagged dually , what are you planning to get the front down, z the frame, dropmember? are you going to have to section the outter rear bedside fenders for wheel clearance?
i have part of my 84 square build in my sig, need to update it sometime though...or atleeast work on it

About the front end on my dually. I am planning on using drop spindles, bagging it, SRW brakes, and lengthen my a-arms to adjust for the SRW brakes. I don't want to lay frame, that brings on a whole ton of issues I don't want to deal with. I have been thinking about going to the Michigan Metal Works a-arms, they kick the centerline of the tire ahead 1", and they have better ball joints to deal with the extreme angles.

On the rear fenders. I am using the 3/4 ton rear axle out of my donor suburban, and it is the correct width that allows the use of the Alcoa's without cutting the rear end down, and it should allow me to not have to section the rear fenders. At full drop it is going to be super close right now, but I do not have the tires mounted yet. Even if I do have to modify the rear fenders I should only be adding 1/2" to 1" to the overall width, but again I will wait to see once I get the tires mounted up.

 

[38Chevy454]

Nice build up. I had a 75 Chevy CC dually back about 15 years ago. I only lowered it about 3/4, but it still looked great. Used to tow my drag car. The truck had an incredibly strong 454, it would run 16 second 1/4 mile times. No pics of it, but was red similar to yours, ran Alcoa dually wheels and was a great truck.

I sold it and bought a 92 ex-cab Chevy with the lower 5/7 drop. It has a Whipple supercharged 454 and it will turn 15 second 1/4 times.

On your chassis, it is basically same as my 49 COE which has a 74 GM 1-ton reg cab chassis. Drop spindles and air bags on the front. Easy to get the spindles and air bag parts:

 

[75Dually]

Nice build up. I had a 75 Chevy CC dually back about 15 years ago. I only lowered it about 3/4, but it still looked great. Used to tow my drag car. The truck had an incredibly strong 454, it would run 16 second 1/4 mile times. No pics of it, but was red similar to yours, ran Alcoa dually wheels and was a great truck.

I sold it and bought a 92 ex-cab Chevy with the lower 5/7 drop. It has a Whipple supercharged 454 and it will turn 15 second 1/4 times.

On your chassis, it is basically same as my 49 COE which has a 74 GM 1-ton reg cab chassis. Drop spindles and air bags on the front. Easy to get the spindles and air bag parts:

BTW I grew up in Albuquerque! Glad to see your 49 COE, that is really cool looking!

 

[justanengineer]

Out of curiosity, how much work and abuse can the modern air ride systems and chassis lowering parts take? Would you be comfortable towing 10k+ or putting a ton in the bed then driving a few hundred miles? I really like the look of the lowered COEs, would love to have a relatively short flatbed like 38Chev's one of these days but couldnt justify lowering a truck if it limits the usefulness or driveability.

 

[Lotek]

Out of curiosity, how much work and abuse can the modern air ride systems and chassis lowering parts take? Would you be comfortable towing 10k+ or putting a ton in the bed then driving a few hundred miles? I really like the look of the lowered COEs, would love to have a relatively short flatbed like 38Chev's one of these days but couldnt justify lowering a truck if it limits the usefulness or driveability.

Until I bought my 07 diesel 4x4, I hauled a 14kgvw gooseneck horsetrailer with my bagged and dropped 75 dually. San Marcos Pass without an issue. Was running rear springs with bags, but I have a 4-link ready to install when I get the time... Nothing like backing up to the trailer and lifting it off the jack with the rear air, much easier to crank without a load.

Love the COE.

 

[38Chevy454]

Out of curiosity, how much work and abuse can the modern air ride systems and chassis lowering parts take? Would you be comfortable towing 10k+ or putting a ton in the bed then driving a few hundred miles? I really like the look of the lowered COEs, would love to have a relatively short flatbed like 38Chev's one of these days but couldnt justify lowering a truck if it limits the usefulness or driveability.

I do not have a picture, but I hauled 24 railroad ties one load on the back of my COE. I still have the stock leafs under the rearend, but also the supplemental load bags on the back. Front is just air bags. Hauled it no problems.

A friend and I used to do a lot of suspension lowering for friends and acquaintances. We did one dually that the guy hauled a large 34 ft trailer around to swap meets. It had the same supplemental air bags on back with flipped rearend on top of the springs. Since it was a tag trailer it would put a lot of weight back at end of truck. But if semi tractors can use air bags and be reliable there is no reason for not going full air.

I intend to someday do full rear air on my COE, just have not got around to doing it.

 

[justanengineer]

Thanks for the feedback fellas. Im very familiar with factory bag systems on HD trailers but have seen a few major issues with some older ****** drop spindles/block setups on cars so wasnt sure the durability of these. Cant really say lowered trucks are super common in my neck of the woods, so this is new territory for me. I drive cross-country a few times each year and am very leery of breaking down in BFE having done it a few times.

Thanks again, and closely following this build!

 

[75Dually]

I actually got several things done on the dually today. First of all I got the bed frame work completed (finally...). You can take off the bed sides and the front part of the bed and the framework remains in place. I also got the wheel arches cut out today as well.

My driveshaft is supposed to be done by mid week. So that will allow me to figure out what I will need to do with the bridge over the driveshaft.

So I went out to the donor Suburban and robbed the gas tank door. Below I finished the filler neck and the breather tube install. I will make a box that will hold the filler tube and mount to the gas door. Then I will start the sheet metal that will cover the rear of the bed and incorporate the fuel door. Should be interesting...

A couple more items ticked off the list... I really want to get this beast turned around and start working on the front end!

 

[miniluv]

So wild man. Love the builds, but I mainly wanted to say- I lived in Lubbock while I was in Grad school. still have some good friends there.

 

[75Dually]

So wild man. Love the builds, but I mainly wanted to say- I lived in Lubbock while I was in Grad school. still have some good friends there.

Yeah I am a Red Raider as well!! The weather in Lubbock is not great, but man the best iron in the world is right around here to build hot rods! I see stuff everyday that friends up north would flip out over, and it's all rust free for the most part.

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[75Dually]

I went and picked up my drive shaft after work tonight. They did a great job on it! Driveline Express in Lubbock is excellent. So now I get to fab up the bridge over the shaft and set the pinion angle.

I am getting a lot closer to calling the rear of the vehicle done for the moment and moving on the to the front end. Just a couple of other items on the rear and then it is time to turn it around and concentrate on the front and then the interior.

 

[75Dually]

I bought the drop spindles yesterday, can't wait till they get here!!! They are a set of the Belltech's 3" drop.

I also got the driveshaft installed yesterday night. As it turns out I do not have to take as much material out of the bridge as I thought I would have too. That's a relief!

Tomorrow I am going to start the rear bump stops. That should not take much time, and then it is on to the battery tray and then getting my rear brakes hooked up along with the e-brake cables. Whew lots to do... :roll:

I will post some pics later...