Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

As always, nice work...

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

lookin good

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

What's that they say..."He's got mad skills!"

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Subscribed... Nice work!

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Killer thread...I dig your work OG

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Good job! Keep it up!

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

You have some good ideas, and the skills to pull them off. Good Job!:c2:

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

You have given me alot of ideas on my project. Nice work.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

All the little things that take time and effort to do and others will not no about or think of after the project build is complete but definitely make every thing work right and last for years to come.

I picked up some 36-4407 LMC Clear Parking Light Lenses with amber bulbs to rebuild the parking lights. The mounting nut plates for mounting the light assembly where broken replaced them with clip on nut plates. Sandblasted and painted the housing black to fit in with the black powder coated bumper. The stock shoulder screw (see insert pic of screw) would not hold the lens tight to the frame seal replaced them with #8-32 1-1/2 long stainless steel screws and locking nuts to prevent them from backing out.

You will notice an extra wire installed on the back of the light assembly, it’s a grounding wire I installed. With all the powder coating and painting of parts the grounding of electrical parts can be compromised so I’ve found throughout the years that adding a ground wire keeps everything working good for years to come. Also on grounds I install that are exposed to the weather I seal them with Permatex 2 form a gasket sealant to prevent corrosion and failure. The sealant stays sticky for days and is like a tar substance preventing water and air corroding the connection. Note, would not recommend using a silicon/RTV type sealant to seal grounds the sealant has a small amount of acid base that has shown ground failure over time in the aircraft industry.

Attachment 423939

When I pulled the heater housing the heater core was leaking, the diverter valve was packed with pine needles and debris (probably the cause of the broken lever in the heater control that I replaced) and the fan motor did not sound very good when running.

Parts used in rebuild
32-2525 LMC Heater Core
36-0565 LMC Heater Seal Kit W/O AC
32-2420 LMC Blower Motor
32-2090 LMC Heater Fan
3M 1/4 inch glass Ribbon Sealer (see insert pic of bulk seal)

After disassembly and cleaning painted the housing with VHT Satin Black Epoxy Paint.
Decided to use the glass ribbon sealer instead of the factory clay like seal, it sits in the grove in the housing and holds the rubber seal in place good. Also used the ribbon seal to seal around the heater core hose connections. Now it can be set in storage ready for installation in the future.

Attachment 423940

Mounted the TCI transmission cooler and fabricated some aluminum tubing on the 32-2932 LMC Radiator 3 Row Cooler. Will have to cut two notches in the radiator support to clear the tubing.

Attachment 423941

I haven’t finished the taillight concept at this time because I’m waiting for my friends to have some free time to help with the welding. I’m not the best at welding thin metal and like to use a copper backing plate to prevent burn thru and that requires a third hand I don’t have at this time. But I’ve been keeping myself busy with other things that need to be done. Will keep you updated as the taillight concept progress, hopefully in the next post.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

As usual, looks good...

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

I really like the details on your build, it's amazing.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Thanks for posting the detailed pictures and listing all the part numbers and where you got them -- this is great information for those of us still figuring out what to do!

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

I have to admit that I don't check this forum as often as i should.I however will be doing so in the future.You build thread has served to help me get my momentum back and I appreciate that.As for your spelling,whatever you're doing has worked.I can read and understand all of it.I haven't been to check your work in the FAQ's but can already tell it is a positive contribution.
Your truck has some great ideas and outstanding execution so don't stop with what you have already contributed.Some of the minor things you have shown are things others never think of until they get in the middle of a build.Better planning always results in a better outcome(except militarily).
I think you are building one heck of a nice mild custom styled truck with lots of attention to detail and great worksmanship.Those who know will just know and those who don't will not notice.Keep up the great work.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Thanks to all for the positive and encouraging posts it’s definitely appreciated by me and helps keeping the build progressing even at my slow pace. I also find it enjoyable that some will find inspiration or ideas for their own build, I must be doing something right. I wish I had more time to view the other build threads on this forum, from what I’ve seen there are plenty of good build’s going on with some very talented people performing the builds.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly or from another Clint Eastwood film A man’s got to know his limitations.

Sometimes it seems I spend more time on the road between places to find parts and services that I need accomplished than working on the truck. (Na it just must be me)

I apologize for the pour pictures of the bumpers they really look pretty good. After sandblasting and powder coating I installed the swing up license plate (would not recommend the swing up license plate to any one that just wants a bolt on installation. It took me two days of re-engineering and modifications to get it to work) Decided to try some LED bulbs in the backup lights, I don’t know a lot about the LED bulbs except that the ones in my flash light are pretty bright, if they don’t perform good Ill just change back to the stock bulbs. I did find some stainless steel license plate frames that are powder coated black by Camisasca and with the thin design look and works well. Now I can say that I have a compete rebuild bumper to bumper less a few miner parts. HA HA

Attachment 429147

The tailgate on the truck had definitely been worked hard in the past and fell in to my category as bad and needing more work than I wanted to put into it. So I picked one up from MAR-K part number 102840 Tailgate “CHEVROLET” Script No Chain Latch. This will be my next area of work to install the Tailgate Link Straps and the Bear Claw Latches. It will definitely give the people in my rear view mirror a nice truck rear end to look at.

Finished welding in the stop light buckets in the fenders and spent half a day removing the tar undercoating in one of the fenders. Was talking to my sandblaster and it was recommended to remove the undercoating I could use a propane torch and a putty knife to remove the majority of it and save on the stripping cost (it worked pretty good not a lot of heat but defiantly a job you want to do outside with the smell and fumes).

I’m going to be installing a side mounted spar tire and wanting the cutout in the fender to look a little better than the lapped over spot welded panel. So I welded the complete seam, it’s kind of ugly but with some bondo with fiber it should blend in with a slight rounded look, hopefully better than the spot welded panel.

Since the truck will be used for hauling things it’s always nice to have places to tie things down to and having used the Track & Tie Down Anchors in the Air Force it was only fitting to install some in my truck. Obtained the Track & Tie Down Anchor Kit and 4 Ring Kit from Discount Ramps.COM. I will be installing the Tracks halfway up the bed sides and the individual mounts in the corners near the top of the bed. I’m lucky to have a good place close to get my fasteners from (Tacoma Screw Products, Inc.) and they usually have just what I need. The tracks will be mounted with Stainless Steel Allen Head Counter Sunk M6 x 20MM fasteners (note American standard fasteners will not sit flat enough in the counter sink for ring to be located over them)

Attachment 429148

When I was out and about I think that I’ve found a body and paint shop that will work with me where they will take the individual sandblasted panels and take them from miner body work to finished paint and then I will assemble the peaces. So in the next one to two months I expect to hand over all the bed panels to them and see how it works out for just the bed before starting them on the cab and front end. Personally I would like to do the body work and paint myself but with lacking the space and equipment I’ve decided to turn it over to a professional that has all equipment and space. The color has been finalized 505 GM green with black along the bottom just the same as in the starting pictures. Anybody having any ideas or recommendation for the interior color with the grey seats would be appreciated.

With the tight confines of my work shop I tripped over some stuff and fell the other day, no broken bones but some very pretty purple and soar bruises, so I will be taking a week off from working on the truck for recovery (age doesn’t work in your benefit in regards to recovery). Everybody stay safe out there in their small shops for things will jump out and get in your way.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Looks excellent. Love all the hidden and hindging tricks with the lights and plates.

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Great work!

Sorry to hear about the fall....Glad it wasn't worse...Hope you're back up and out in the shop soon providing more great pictures and writeups. ;)

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Great looking build and all the best on a speedy recovery!

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

The concept evolves, where function and aesthetics work out a compromise.

With using the small bear claw latches to hold the tailgate closed I decided they needed to be covered so that the majority of the latch just doesn’t hang out on the side visible to all. Went through a number of concept thoughts of how to accomplish this and think I found one that works for me (let me know what you think)

I took a lot of pictures as I progressed thru this modification and rather than have a wall of text to describe all the pictures I decided to incorporate some of the text into the pictures. Not that this is a “How To” just wanted to share my thoughts and work that went into this modification and a little self pride in this accomplishment HA HA.

What I started with and working in the concept with mockup’s

Attachment 433654

I saw on another web site about building up a weld on the edge of the metal and thought I could use this idea. I’ve never done this before and with my less than steady hand decided to use a wood template my neighbor made for me as a guide.

Fabricating the end plate’s

Attachment 433655

Welding, grinding, drilling and cutting (O-MY)

Attachment 433656

More welding and finish work is required but I think you can see how the finished area will look

Attachment 433657

My next area of work is welding up the stake pockets, finishing up the welding on the end covers and approximately 18 other holes in each of the bed top surfaces and sides (I think this truck has had more than one cover installed on it over time with all the drilled mounting holes)

Another couple of weeks have been written into the books and the progress is moving on no mater how slowly

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Excellent work man, diggin' the details

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Awesome writeup...If I ever get a stepside, I will definitely be doing this...

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Very Nice!!

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

nice build
subscribed

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

Good show!!!!

Re: It’s Just A Pickup
 

very good work. Keep at it.....