Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Nice detailed pics, brings back alot of rusty metal memories I thought I had finally put behind me. :o :lol:

J/K, great work, your on the 'fix it' side of things now.

One question I can't see from the pics, is the hard top on?
If not it really should be to keep those lower door pillars where they need to be.

I like this pic with the coffee cup...speakes volumes. :metal:
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace006.jpg

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

I have the cowl hangin' from a pipe that goes across my workshop, plus I have taken a diagonal measurement across the door opening. When I mount the door back on that becomes the final check, worked for the drivers side. I think that as long as you don't fool with brace/channel that connects the cowl with bed evrything should stay in place. Only do one side at a time, I think you said this? I usually give the winch 1 or 2 clicks up after I cut to prestress the metal. I guess there a lot of ways to do this.
Your green truck has always bin one of my fav. ones, although mine will never be that nice, I shot for that excellance
Sorry to bring back rusty memories, I think the cure is to buy a Arizona truck. Hope they realize how lucky they are!!

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

wow thanks for the pics. that looks just like my junk in 2000. be really careful about putting in the rocker panel. I set mine in a little high on the drivers side and had contact with the door. To fix it, I took a 5lb sledge and a piece of oak to "settle" the rocker. I didn't cause any visible damage but I'd rather not have had to do it that way. :banghead:

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Sometimes newmetaltherapy is the only way to put that ole rust into remission. But it feels sooooo good to get rid of it.

Nice work.

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Sounds like you have it covered.
Knowing is half the battle. ;)

AZ. rides definetly have an advantage but their not perfect by any means either.
I flew out to AZ. and drove my green one home because I was thinking along those same lines, cool adventure but not even close to rust free.
Not meaning to highjack and nowhere near your metal replacement but here's what my AZ. blazer was like. (yes, there was more on the other side too)

What color are you going to paint it when the body work is done?

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Just make sure it lived it's whole life out there and when you get it home disassemble, clean and rust proof it!!

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

After looking at the green one, I thought it came that way and you just picked a clean rust free Blazer, had no idea you did all that work. Looks like an original one, nice work, I think we all strive for that level of craftmanship. I don't know what you do for a living, but sure could get into the restoration business.

Didn't know you were hijacking, lot to learn on this here computor.

I would really like to paint it two-tone, white panel w/dark green metallic to match my dash. I was going to use the early trim to cover up my eyebrows as they are still a little tatty. Maybe gun metal panel to be a little different...

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Thanks Rusty, you know, right now I have air where the rust used to be and it still looks a hole he!! of alot better.heh heh

After working on these things for 35 years, I should have a BS degree if not a Doct. in rustymetalolgie.

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Amen Brother, Amen.

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Rusty, it must be beerthirty in Ol' Kentucky by now!!

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

OK, here's the last step of disassembly. Take your time on the seams as you don't want to destroy the sheet metal underneath. The method that works best for me is as follows
Pry up what ever you can get and pull back with pliers, it helps if you can wedge a small screwdriver on the other side of the spotweld, now when you use your cutoff wheel it will grind both sides of the spot weld, top and bottom, try pulling some more and you should see movement, if not grind some more. After it breaks lose, you'll end up with a 1" pc., cut that off and start on the next one. It's sorta like opening an old ham can. Channel locks work best as they have a rolled head that is helpful in the cam action that is required. BTW you should be cutting, grinding in the same direction that your seam is running! Once you see blue metal, you are almost thru the first layer of metal. Give yourself plenty of light, so you can see exactly what you are cuttin'
Here's some pics.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace016.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace017.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace019.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace020.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace021.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace022.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace023.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace024.jpg

BTW, your seams should be cut flat, like a ribbon, as any angle on it will only give it more strenght and you don't want that!!

As you can see in one of the closups, I had planned to just weld up the hole that looks like a sailboat, but after separating the seam the rust was hidden and it doesn't make sense not to fix it at this stage, as it will only bite you in arse a few years down the road.

OK new parts are here from Goodmark, time to cut and fit, cut and fit .....

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Dude, that rocker floorboard is freakin' ugly, then I see a post elsewhere with a prestine orange painted floor and a blue cowl. What gives?

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

That would be a different project blazer currently under construction. :hm:

That pristine floor is original paint and the blue cowl is from a truck that I grafted a blazer windshield frame onto, it's about five different parts trucks being put together to make a blazer for my daughter. :cool:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=156022

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Floorboard is in loosely, have to trim everything up to get it to fit right, I'll take pics. when I get back from salmon fishing in N.Y., truck still not ready for yet another fishing trip. Oh well, maybe for the spring trip!

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Well here is my current progress, the kickpanel is a PITA, so I'll get into that later. BTW, pics. are loaded backwards

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace02-3.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace02-2.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace02-1.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-7.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-6.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-5.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-4.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace015.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-3.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-2.jpg

Any questions?

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Damn you guys build some rusty trucks. I guess if you had no options than........

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

Here are some current pics with the flange being worked on

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...replace015.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-4.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-5.jpg

I'll describe the steps later with the flange bent

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clecos! whish I had them when I did mine. lol

Looks good including the cinderblock door

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Yeah, they are one of my most fav. tools. Shop is a little small, but it has everything I need. 14'x18' Thanks

Here's some pics. of the flange bend. I've kept my tools to a minimum so anyone with basic hand tools can do it. Channel locks are great for making the flange bend

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k2...eplace01-9.jpg

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Looks like you do good work.:D

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Thanks Krue!! Better than putting it in body shop prison, if you can find one to do it. Actually it's good therapy for me, I enjoy taking a rusty POS and turning it into something usable. Someday it might even look as good as VT's green one!! Jim

Wait until you see what I do next, the purist"s are going to scream!

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

:lol: If I ever get my wife a house built, I'm gonna build me a shop and get started on my trucks.

Re: PO has me PO'd
 

COME up here to the salty north and see for your self. you can look on a 1 year old truck and it will have rust that is why alot of us store the nice ones during the winter months. Also that is why i bought my truck down in Texas

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I got a better idear, live in a trailor and build a workshop. I'm sure the Mrs. would love that idear:lol:

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No chance...No way...couldn't happen... :rolleyes:

J, your bringing another one back from the brink, keep it up. :metal: