Teardown of the old hauler is scheduled for Day 1, including complete removal of the front clip, bed, stock front straight-axle & leaf springs, conventional rear-leaf suspension & live axle, 4-wheel drum brakes, and drive train. The center of attention was getting the front clip and the front end stripped down to the bare frame, prepped and ready to weld in the new CPP Mustang II front cross-member and top hats.
Day 2 picked-up the pace, with the rest of the Complete CPP Mustang II IFS Performance System now ready to install, including the tubular control arms, 2" Modular Drop spindles, dual-adjustable coil-overs, front 11-3/4" performance disc brakes, and also the power rack and pinion steering were bolted on to make this truck drive more like a modern vehicle. With the cross-member welded into place the truck was ready to receive the LS3 powerplant accompanied by a 4L65E automatic overdrive trans.
Sparks fly and wrenches spin, as Day 3 keeps the momentum of the build rolling. The new LS3 powered drivetrain gets fully installed in place with CPP's FitRite adjustable engine mounts and Totally Tubular transmission crossmember. CPP's new Midnite Series Power Brake Booster with brake pedal bracket assembly gets mounted to the firewall, and brakelines plumbed to all four corners of the CPP 4-wheel disc brake system. CPP Midnite Series steering shaft U-joints make a clean connection between the CPP power rack-and-pinion and the ididit steering column.
Today’s tasks for Day 4 were to get the fuel system plumbed and installed, bolt up the accessory drive, hang the exhaust, wire the gauges, bleed the CPP brakes, and ditch the factory tank behind the bench seat in favor of a CPP aluminum EFI-ready fuel tank kit that mounts in the rear of the truck under the bed. We're ticking boxes on the ever-shrinking to-do list, but there’s still a lot of time-eating details left to do before we can burn some rubber.
The crew dialed in the details for Day 5, connecting the drivetrain to the rear-end before lowering the truck to finish the bulk of the under-hood wiring. The Apache finally got set down on all four corners of CPP's Ultimate Performance Package, with Viking coil-overs up front, and those slick American Legend rally-style wheels all the way around. From there, fluids were filled, batteries were bolted in, and everyone stood back as this (now) wicked shop truck woke up for the first time. With a smooth, throaty idle, we load it up for a little "road test"...Don't miss the video!
Photography and video coverage has been provided for use with permission courtesy of Hot Rod Magazine, Hot Rod Network, & Motor Trend, divisions of TEN: A Discovery Communications Company.
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