KBPI Radio's Metal Shop 7 - Studio Setup

KBPI Radio's Scoop made the trip to ATS Diesel's HQ today to get the streaming video/photo cameras set up. A handful of cameras were mounted around the build area and up-linked to KBPI's website server to allow the build to be followed online.

The build area studio is setting up.

Scoop gets the video streaming online

Joel sets up the network to stream live shots

According to the KBPI polling it looks like the engine going into the Metal Shop Truck will be a 12-Valve Cummins. Up for voting today on the KBPI website is the paint color and door handle style. Also up for decision is the option to either have the truck in long bed or short bed flavor. More updates coming soon!

KBPI Radio's Metal Shop 7 Truck Build At ATS Diesel

KBPI DJ Willie B. Shows Off The Truck To Be Built

For the 7th edition of KBPI Radio's Metal Shop Vehicle Build, ATS Diesel was chosen to be the 2011 host. Each year the radio station locates a donor vehicle and product sponsors. The vehicle is then rebuilt and modified with performance upgrades. This year's vehicle is a 1977 F-150 Pickup which will receive a diesel engine transplant along with a grocery list of other upgrades which will all be voted-on by the listeners.

Cold Start For The F-150

The Build Area Is Prepped

This week as the build process begins the '77 Ford was dropped-off at ATS Diesel. The crew at the shop began clearing and prepping the area where the build will take place. This week KBPI has a page on their website devoted to allowing listeners to vote on which power plant will be installed into the truck in place of the 460 gas engine. The engine options are the 5.9L Cummins from the Dodge Ram, 6.6L Duramax from GM Diesels, and the 7.3L Ford Power Stroke.

Whichever engine is decided-on, the truck is going to need some serious help on the front end to support the additional weight versus the 460 gas unit. Body work and interior upgrades will also be happening along the way and this truck should look a lot different very soon.