Thanks for all your efforts in taking/posting pictures -- Looks great!

:wave:
:bann:

Where did you get all those glorious doors! Nice project...
Should make ya proud!

I am glad that we had the extra Suburban doors for donor pieces and the rear hinges came in handy too from the Suburban. :cong:

It is now infact a four door crew cab!!!!
Kevin

I like it, a lot. Nice job!

:hot: :ele: :wave:

I love it! How many of my suburbans can I send to you for conversion? I will be saving all of you pictures for future dream sequences. Move over Charleze, I'm dreaming about a 4 door suburban now. At least there is still room for her in back...... ;)

I think Kevin is going to need a bigger shop:)

Will you use the inside steel door section from the false fourth door of the burb? I figured (in my dreaming) that you could take that section and the window regulator for use in the new door. If you wanted a stock door panel then that would work too.

Just wait untill the first person says, 'my grandpa had a truck just like that.'

Aaron

I still have alot more sectioning to the fourth door but that does include using the original inner skin (just where the door panel covers) and a standard burb door panel. The owner is considering 4 door power windows other wise we will use the standard regulator that came out of that side.

Kevin

Absolutely amazing! Where were you when I convinced myself that a fourth door would just be too much work!!!!!
That's as factory looking as I've ever seen. Any plans as to what the inside of the roof (headliner) will look like?
Awsome craftsmanship Kevin.
Jamie

I belive the headliner will be like the burb's. The owner has all the roof bow's and molding strips out of a burb. Although he very well may have a custom set up done? Trust me I have probly made it look easier than it is. Remember I have the camera so you only see what I want you to see;) It really has not been to bad up to this piont but now the fun stuff will start with the fourth door. I have alot of shrinking, sectioning, grafting and chopping on the door to get things just right. I am hopping by the end of this week end to be finished with the drivers side and move accross the shop and start tearing apart the pass side and see what we find. Stay tuned and I will reviel all the secrets with the fourth door built it self!

Kevin

Kevin

Make this thread a sticky please! It has me inspired to get cracking on my truck. Incredible fab skills dude!

Well today the fun has started with finishing the fourth door. First thing that I am doing is addressing the body line/shape at the front of the fourth door. Since this is a reular cab front door the body shape is slightly different that the drivers door. When looking at your trucks it is hard to tell but the door shape is not the same from front to back. So what I am doing is removing the rear of a passinger door jamb area and grafting the skin support on to the hinge area of this door. Next I am restructuring the hinge supports inside the door. Tha factory did a good job of adding reinforcement to the hinge side of the door. Because I am changing the door shape and I lowered the top hinge I had to cut into alot of the support. So now inorder to fix it all I have to add metal back where I removed it as well as reconect to the new door skin support. In doing this you need to tack all of your fupports and re-hang the door to make sure nothing moved on you before welding everything in place. Also while I had the door hung I decided to remove all the built up paint so I can start reworking the body like to match the front door. In doing so I found a few bondo spots that I will need to addres before starting the body line work. Looks like the door was side swipped just a bit and instead of fixing the correct way they just filled it all in with bondo. Well this is were things are at this time, I will post some more tonight after I finish up for the day. Now it's lunch time:)

Kevin

Would it be worth reskinning the front half of the door with the skin from the suburban?

Aaron

Would it be worth reskinning the front half of the door with the skin from the suburban?

Aaron

I think it might be a bit less work re-shaping this one. I got most of the main damage out of the skin today and I will start on the body line in the morning. I also finished up the reinforcing of the hinge are today and should weld the door together soon.

Kevin

Dude are you married? I have been dating my new girlfriend for almost two years now so it has been a little hard getting back on my 2wd Blazer. I am fast at fabricating and bodywork too, but even then it takes alot of time to do it correctly and not make it look at botched up. Nice work. Keep us updated with the pics.

Dude are you married? I have been dating my new girlfriend for almost two years now so it has been a little hard getting back on my 2wd Blazer. I am fast at fabricating and bodywork too, but even then it takes alot of time to do it correctly and not make it look at botched up. Nice work. Keep us updated with the pics.

Your first mistake was stopping when you started dating her. At the two year mark we went out and bought a house with a shop so I could work on projects more than I was in a two car garage. Now it seams if I am not out their working a few day a week at least I get told I am slacking:rolleyes:

Kevin

To start off I marked out my cut line to work from center of the buldge to the front bolt hole of the door handle. Then I cut the line, worked the body to where I wanted it and re-cut the overlap + 1/16". Then I started tacking it slowly and working the seam with the hammer and doly to keep things where I wanted it. Once it is all welded up I ground down the final tacks ( I like to use a .035" thick cut off wheel on my 4 1/2" grinder for grinding welds). Then I took a felt marker and covered the hole seam and broke out the body file to find high and low spots. Worked those abit and it is ready for some high build primer and blocking. The hole thing took about 2hr start to finish so I think it was faster then re-skinning half the door with a burb panel.


Kevin

Next is finishing up the B post cover and then the rocker. All the time is in the detail work. The Post cover adds the needed strenght for the hinge points as well as matching the pass side in looks. If you look at a Burb passinger B post you will notice that the outer cover laps over the leading edge at the front. The rocker was made from 3 different ones.

Lunch time:hm:

Kevin

Lookin good man! Do you do this for a livin or just for fame and fortune??!

Jamie

Well the rear floor is patched and I am starting on the rear cab corner.

Kevin

Lookin good man! Do you do this for a livin or just for fame and fortune??!

Jamie

I am a union metal framer for a living and I just do this for the fun of it. Once I get good at it I want to do a full frame off on my 83 Yugo special edition:metal: :metal:.
Really I found it is alot cheaper to work on other peoples car and truck's. I am a car-O-holic an need to always be working on something. So if it my own projects it costs me abunch of money, this way I make a little bit extra and get my fix at the same time.

Kevin

Are you married? I have a spare bedroom, and my wife wont mind. We can divorce once you are done with my jimmy.:lol: Nice work.

Man, Simply Amazing Work!!

You keep me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next installment.

Aaron

I am always amazed at your skill and speed. Keep the good stuff coming.

Well my job sites were rained out to day so I am getting some time in on the project. First thing I had to do was get the door gaps set on both doors and then I could attack the cab corner and finish the rocker. All in all it weent well except teh cab corner did not fit the body corner very well so I had to slice a wedge out of it to fit right. It went from 3/16" at the top to 0" tward the bottom. Now after lunch I will work on the door inner panel and window chanel.

Kevin

This is some great work...I love following your threads! I wish I had some of that skill and patience :lol: Keep it up!!

Mike

Very nice work Kevin. I've got a couple of Q's if you've got a second. By full build-up do you mean you'll be doing all work on the truck, including paint, drivetrain, interior, etc?

Second: What is typically done about rust in this area of the doors? It doesn't appear to be comming through, but it's there. Do you typically leave it alone if it's not "showing" or do you cut it out and replace? I thought my doors were solid, but recently noticed this area was "seperating" due to rust between the inner skin the the doors outer skin folding over. I'm not skilled so I purchased two new doors from goodmark and I am currently rust proofing and coating the crap out of them. I'm going to save my stock doors and maybe improve my welding skills someday:rolleyes:

Again, if you were closer and I could afford to pay ya, my '67 would be in your shop:)

Kevin,

I know you may not be this far yet, but I was wondering about the rear door window setup. I have a few pictures of the burb rear door with a pickup curved door frame. I don't think that the partition channel between the roll up window and fixed window is parallel with the door frame. Are you planning on correcting this? The pictures below have had this correction done.

67ChevyRedneck~ Yes we are planning on adjusting the post and will most will be putting in power windows as well. As far as the pinch area on the door what I normally do if it is not showing yet is flood the area with a rust disolver (like rust mort) and then flood it with a por15 type product. #rd step is hope for the best.

Well I went out after lunch and remembered I needed to finish the top rail of the door opening before I finished the door it self. I had some pieces from our donor cab but they were not long enough for the area and the profile was not quite right. So out came the sheet steel and I made the pieces I needed.

Kevin

wow...

Nice work. I need a sheet metal brake...

Nice work. I need a sheet metal brake...

I hate to say it but the one I use is a cheap piece I picked up for under $300 at post tools. I bought it just to try out before spending more money on a bigger, nicer one but it works well so it has not yet been replaced.

Kevin

is that your orange truck in the background?

is that your orange truck in the background?

Yes it is! It is a long drawn out project that has been moved three times since it was taken apart and I have started alot of other projects around it. I will ether sell it as is or I will probably finish it then sell it. I am burnt out on it and I have several wild projects in the design stage for once this crew cab project is finished. So right now it is taking up valuable shop space.

Kevin

Bump

I had some time tonight to work on getting the 4th door finished up. I have finished the top window rail an dstarted on the inner door panel. The last pic shows the panel that was removed from the burb. It is what would be the 4th door panel in a 3dr. After welding it in I will still need to set up the window rails and a door handle.

Kevin

Lookin' awsome Kevin. Sorry to bug ya but where did you get those panel alignment clips? I've seen other people use 'em but never been able to find up here.

Thanks

Lookin' awsome Kevin. Sorry to bug ya but where did you get those panel alignment clips? I've seen other people use 'em but never been able to find up here.

Thanks

You can get them from Eastwood for about $25 for a pkg of 4 or go to post tools and they sometimes get them in for $6 for pkg of 12!!

Kevin

You can get them from Eastwood for about $25 for a pkg of 4 or go to post tools and they sometimes get them in for $6 for pkg of 12!!

Kevin

Thanks, I'll check it out. Keep up the good work!

bump

Just an update.. I will be doing a bit of adjusting and door gap work for the next little bit so pics wont be foer a few days. But don't worry I will be cack soon with more build progress. From the weather in my neck of the woods I may be rained out most of this week and if so their will be more work sooner.

Kevin

This rain sucks. at least someone gets some pogress done because of it.

ttt

Sorry guys I have been working on the "Tip & Flip" cab dolly for the last few days trying to get plans and specs ready to ship out to customers. extd56 has been great about not pushing me on his truck so it lets me tweak a few other things I have in the works for everyone. Tonight he called me to let me know he found a 57 cab for me to mock up a "Tip & Flip" for all the 55-59 guys on the board! I will be back on the crew cab very soon and shorty project extended cab will be back for a bit of work. Also their will be some frame mods going on to a 71 2wd blazer for a board member. Then project "Shaved" will be entering the shop for some trick mod's and metal bumping. So stay tuned...

Kevin

Excellent progress, I love watching this thread

Hey Kevin-
Great work, you are a true metal man. BTW: What kind of welder are you using?

Hey Kevin-
Great work, you are a true metal man. BTW: What kind of welder are you using?

No, when cut I bleed just like you! I mostly use mig for this type of work but I as I get better with my Tig skills I will use more of that. As far as the true metal man I would say no at this piont but give me some time to get truly skill and that is the direction I am headed. I am self tought from things I can read and alot of practice.

Kevin
PS nice toy!

Simply Fascinating.

thanks for sharing all the pics and the thinking...

-W

I am amazed, but like he says, we all have it in us we just need to do it. I have a buddy that works at the University of Arizona and he is a magician with metal. He designed and made the wheels that are on the Mars Rover, (yeah, he's that good) but he started just like us (well if we all started in Aerospace for Lockhead Martin?!). He drives a 65 Chevy truck and works on it regularly. I love sheetmetal and I am a certified welder (long line of them, my grandfather was a Machinist in Oil City, PA, my dad was an Iron worker in OH and my late brother was a pipe fitter in OH as well). But I went a different route (I am a principal at an elementary school) they never saw it coming!? I love this stuff, but do it and you'll all find out with some practice, and patience you can all do and then you'll never pay a body man $90 an hour!! I replaced the rear quarter on my 70 Camaro in my one car garage, with determination, a spotweld cutter and a 110 mig from Sears, not perfect, but better than it was and better than the factory did it. I am with you guys though time is my enemy and finding a metal master like Kevin is the way for most of us, if only he was closer!! Well, I'll just order the rockers, inner and outer, and the floor pieces and I'll pittle with the cutoff wheel over the next few weekends and I'll get some picts. Just do it, and if it doesn't work, do it again, I am not taking away from Kevin, but like he said he just tried it and read and tried some more, great advice. I am dying for more, because you are building the X-cab I have been invisioning for years. Excellent work, look forward to more inspiration.

Any more updates?

I am amazed, but like he says, we all have it in us we just need to do it. I have a buddy that works at the University of Arizona and he is a magician with metal. He designed and made the wheels that are on the Mars Rover, (yeah, he's that good) but he started just like us (well if we all started in Aerospace for Lockhead Martin?!). He drives a 65 Chevy truck and works on it regularly. I love sheetmetal and I am a certified welder (long line of them, my grandfather was a Machinist in Oil City, PA, my dad was an Iron worker in OH and my late brother was a pipe fitter in OH as well). But I went a different route (I am a principal at an elementary school) they never saw it coming!? I love this stuff, but do it and you'll all find out with some practice, and patience you can all do and then you'll never pay a body man $90 an hour!! I replaced the rear quarter on my 70 Camaro in my one car garage, with determination, a spotweld cutter and a 110 mig from Sears, not perfect, but better than it was and better than the factory did it. I am with you guys though time is my enemy and finding a metal master like Kevin is the way for most of us, if only he was closer!! Well, I'll just order the rockers, inner and outer, and the floor pieces and I'll pittle with the cutoff wheel over the next few weekends and I'll get some picts. Just do it, and if it doesn't work, do it again, I am not taking away from Kevin, but like he said he just tried it and read and tried some more, great advice. I am dying for more, because you are building the X-cab I have been invisioning for years. Excellent work, look forward to more inspiration.
It's good to know we have an educator of our youth w/a 'can do' attitude. One good mentor can inspire many youth!
Kudos to you!

It's good to know we have an educator of our youth w/a 'can do' attitude. One good mentor can inspire many youth!
Kudos to you!


Thank you, it is nice to be appreciated. I have the best job in the world, I get paid in smiles and occasionally I get a compliment from someone, sometimes from a former student. I was all fired up after reading and posting as the temps had climbed into the high 60's-low 70's, but now it is snowing!? It has been going off and on for two days and isn't supposed to stop til Sunday, so somebody post picts of warm weather and more sheetmetal work!

PICS, PICS, I need a fix!

I agree, that man does wonders with metal

Sorry guys no new pics today:( I have been working on the "Tip & Flip dolly" and trying to get it all finished up so you guys will have an easier time doing this work. It is almost ready to ship (next day or two) and I can get back out in the garage:metal:. I like designing but all this computer work is not for me. I am a construction worker by trade. I got into this line of work after high school because I did not want a desk job doing paper all day and did not want to continue on in school. Now what do I do, Half the time I am in the office doing paper work setting up meeting, taking classes, or dealing with the state on projects and fighting with generals on the job. So I really like being able to come home and head out to the shop and have fun. But it is all a trade off and you just hope you can make it all work out in the end.

Next time you look at a project on your truck and think " I don't know if I can do that" just remember what I live by;
"Theiris not anything that I can not do just some things I have not done yet!

Thanks all and I will be back soon.
Kevin
LFD inc.

I am looking forward to those plans. I just bought a new 60gal air compressor so I can start grinding, banging, and welding on my 68. My reclaiming of my garage is well underway and I hope to start disassembly next weekend.

ttt

This was buried clear down to page 5! Really looking forward to another update.

TTT

Mike

Sorry guys I have only worked on it a few hours this week (getting things with Tip & Flip finished and sent out) and not really much to show. I will be out in the shop most of Sunday and hope to have some more pic's. I am working out door gaps and window regulators for the fourth door and things that do not show like much but are real time consumers.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

And we are back!! Spent about 8hrs today working on the window chanels on the door and getting the window regulator all set up.

Ok for some info on the different pic's.
The door I used for the 4th door was a truck drivers side front. This had a few changes that had to be addressed like where the vent window is on the front door it had a narrowed section that had to be removed for the window glass and weather stripping. Then the rear of the door window rails had to get a narrowed area for where the fixed glass is located in the 3rd and 4th doors. Then the rear area had to get a false bottom welded in it for support of the fixed glass. Then after some time with the window regulator we had a working window. We were looking at changing the angle of the fixed post but by using the Burb doors their just is not enough room to have the window move straite up and down. The window is designed to move slightly towards the rear as it drops in order to miss the hinge reinforcing area. If this was going to be a show truck we would have removed the hinge reinforcing area to get the window angel changed. But since this is a daily driver we did not want to jeperdize the structure since his grand son will be slamming this door quit a bit.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Also we hade to section the bottom of the door panel area with the section from a 3rd door. For some reason they made the front door panel area and the rears different so to make it all look stock we had to cut and chop.

Since this door is made up of 7 pieces already we felt one more was not going to hurt anything. We had to section the bottom door panel are to get it to all lign up corectly. I still have a bit of work to finish up on the door but this is enough for today.

See I told all of you the door would be slow going. But it is all this detail work that will really pay off in the end.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Great pics, very nice work. Wow, if you saw mine you wouldn't call that rust, it would be "weathered". It's a big help to see how all these body panels fit.

I got my plans in for the tilt Saturday. I can't wait to start my project.

Lookin' great.

Aaron

I am going to tease you guys. Here is what I found when I went out to Mike(70 rs/ss) last year to pick up a burb I bought from him.
It is a factory built 4 door 68 3/4 truck. They built it and 5 others for GM's Mesa/Arizona testing area.
4 full doors, factory custom built, all the window work normally and it wasn't built out of a burb.
When I saw that Truck in one of the mags, I had to smile, because of this one.
It has factory VIN and a serial # by Fisher body.
I am going out in May to pick it up. He has 2 others, one he is keeping, the other hit hard in the front. So I am going to pull the cab off the frame and put it in the back of this one.
I kept this a secert from you Mike because I was going to visit!! LOL

Pix

another

The teaser is that it is really a 67!!!

Plus I found here in NC a 65 4 door 3/4 crew cab with squared off rear doors, not fronts used. It is rusty but fixable...... short wheel base, has 6 foot utility bed on it. I am trying to find the owner, longg story, and I did not have a camera, it also has a fisher body plate with serial #.
Gm made a lot of special vehicle. An Attorney I used to work for in DC had several 55-73 4 door Cadillac convertables that his father ordered from GM. They built them special for him because he did their legal work in DC. The reason my ex boss said they wanted 4 doors was because his mother was raised a lady and never rode in the front of a vehicle....." Miss Daisey" !!!!

more

Wow, what a super unique truck, too bad GM didn't catch on and make them for everyone

another

I couldn't believe it when i firs saw it........
They are out there,somewhere........every once in a while i have found them