Thread: 53 Is back from the Body Shop

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Hmmmmm, Maybe I should swap this 5.3 for an electric motor Drove it about an hour up North just because we could and went out to eat. I am tickled pink on how this thing drives, handles and rides and I'm also loving this 5.3 in here! So far we got about 300 miles on it without any glitches.

An electric motor???

HMmmmmm. .. it took you what - a week / 10 days to swap out the 348? I'd be willing to bet you could swap in the batteries and such overnight!


The truck looks beautiful! Great Job!!

LMAO, That does sound easier. I better not though, too big of a line of Teslas waiting to be charged at this station I'd be surprised if they've been used even once. Good thing there was around 7 ports there.

your bed turned out beautiful.

Thanks, that was mostly my wife's doing, she did a black paint wipe on wipe off thing. I sprayed the varnish.

After about 4 good running days on the road and the 53 is getting real world driver lessons. Thursday it got hailed on at my wife's work, (no damage) then a muddy gravel road, and lastly a Black Birds stamp of approval on the bed The good news is we checked milage tonight and it got 17.5, that was with trying to impress 3 nephews with the power it has I was super happy about that.

I think some folks call them "Badges of Honor!"

Very nice Seth! That's awesome it's doing great. Not so great on the hail situation. My Vette got hailed on last Wednesday night but luckily it was small stuff and there was no damage. That's great you like driving it now. I really wish I had my AC finished on my 72. I don't think I'll let the 40 out of the garage next spring without AC in it.

It's semi official, The 53 graduated from the shop to the garage. Aside from the AC it's about a wrap for this summer. I'm not sure what to do now, I think I'm co-dependent on working on this thing.

Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

I'm not sure what to do now, I think I'm co-dependent on working on this thing.

I know what you mean. I've been working on mine so long that if I ever get it done, I'll have to go out to the shop every day and just cut and weld scrap together. It seems to have become a way of life.

When I built my v8 miata I really enjoyed the process, never rushed it. I came to the conclusion that I enjoyed the build more than the finished product. So I try to enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

Originally Posted by Hotrod46

I know what you mean. I've been working on mine so long that if I ever get it done, I'll have to go out to the shop every day and just cut and weld scrap together. It seems to have become a way of life.

, I suppose they don't make a patch or gum for this.

Finally got some A/C in. It didn't go as smoothly as planed. I hooked up the R4 compressor I've had for a long long time which was a rebuilt. I put some oil in it and turned the pump over a few times, then vacuumed it down, added another 7 ounces of oil and it ran for about 2 miles before it was making all kinds of terrible noises. The next night I took it off and the lines were all silver from the metal, so I ended up flushing the whole system. Nobody had a compressor so I grabbed a used one from the junk yard, ran the same dryer cause I didn't have another one and tried again. So far so good but I'll need to start over with a new compressor, drier and expansion valve if this one pukes.Today we needed to run the pickup up to the tuner to bump the idle up a bit and change how the lock up was working on the trans. That was about 4 hour round trip so I really wanted the air to work. It blows ice cold air by the way.

When we first got the 53 done my wife brought it to her sister who is also our insurance lady for it. The first thing she said was
" This thing is awsome! You have to name it cause it needs a name! I'm going to name it Rita for Limearita! " We didn't like the center caps on the wheels so I ordered some decals for them. I think she is going to flip out the next time she sees it

That cold AC is the icing on the cake! You could probably get some of those limearita cans that bud light or who ever sells those drinks and cut the logos off and make a shiny aluminum emblem. That's great it is making 4hr round trips too!