I feel like everyone shows off their cruisers on here and it has taken me forever to figure out how in the world to put up pictures. But it started out as a beat down redneck machine with little to maintenance that I bought on craigslist. The guy was sure it had a reallly bad oil leak and after looking at it it was just power steering fluid. But i went ahead and beat him down on it and went with the oil leak story. So I got it for a great deal and that allowed me to put some much needed TLC into it.
First thing I did was take the tires off that were on it, they were the most miserable riding tire I have ever felt and they were crammed into the wheel wells. It just wasnt a good look. Then I went ahead and pulled the running boards off and some really poorly installed fender flares(lots of double sided tape that was peeling-they flopped in the wind) and then drove it for a few days to figure out any problems it needed taken care of sooner than later. Two days of driving 45 minutes each way to work make quite a few problems show themselves. Luckily I am able to rely on my work truck and got this one in the garage.
Once I got it on the lift i began taking everything apart and cleaning as I went, mainly because the PO never cleaned a thing. The farther into it I got i found myself doing a lot of well if I'm here i might as well go ahead and do this also. So now it has a new timing belt, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt, idler pulleys, tensioner pulley, valve cover gaskets, heater tees, air filter, wheel bearings, axle flanges, steering rack, tie rod ends, ball joints, all rotors, SPC upper control arms, OME shocks, OME coils, OME torsion bars.
I still need to put a new radiator in it but that can wait for now. I want to drive it some now. Unfortunately where it had the redneck fender flares on it they decided to paint the bumper with it on the truck and when I pulled the flares there is still a silver line that was covered. So thats the next project.
but here are a few pictures of my project. I plan to start building sliders, rear bumper, and front bumper in the next month or so once I get some free time. I could not be any happier with the way it drives and rides now with all of the new parts. Originally it felt like an old war wagon going down the highway and you were afraid the steering wheel was going to vibrate out of your hands.
First thing I did was take the tires off that were on it, they were the most miserable riding tire I have ever felt and they were crammed into the wheel wells. It just wasnt a good look. Then I went ahead and pulled the running boards off and some really poorly installed fender flares(lots of double sided tape that was peeling-they flopped in the wind) and then drove it for a few days to figure out any problems it needed taken care of sooner than later. Two days of driving 45 minutes each way to work make quite a few problems show themselves. Luckily I am able to rely on my work truck and got this one in the garage.
Once I got it on the lift i began taking everything apart and cleaning as I went, mainly because the PO never cleaned a thing. The farther into it I got i found myself doing a lot of well if I'm here i might as well go ahead and do this also. So now it has a new timing belt, water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt, idler pulleys, tensioner pulley, valve cover gaskets, heater tees, air filter, wheel bearings, axle flanges, steering rack, tie rod ends, ball joints, all rotors, SPC upper control arms, OME shocks, OME coils, OME torsion bars.
I still need to put a new radiator in it but that can wait for now. I want to drive it some now. Unfortunately where it had the redneck fender flares on it they decided to paint the bumper with it on the truck and when I pulled the flares there is still a silver line that was covered. So thats the next project.
but here are a few pictures of my project. I plan to start building sliders, rear bumper, and front bumper in the next month or so once I get some free time. I could not be any happier with the way it drives and rides now with all of the new parts. Originally it felt like an old war wagon going down the highway and you were afraid the steering wheel was going to vibrate out of your hands.
I never have check myself, as I find re-torque valve cover bolts stop the leaky cover gasket and spark plug tube seals. So I've never had reason to pull covers.
