The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build

[Flatlandsurfer]

I spent the day reading this thread, between various calls for lunch and some card playing with my girls. I've enjoyed every minute of it and your attention to detail has inspired me to do the same with my build. I often get the "it's good enough" comment from people and need to shrug it off and do it like it's supposed to be done. Thanks for your continuing inspiration.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Flatlandsurfer

I spent the day reading this thread, between various calls for lunch and some card playing with my girls. I've enjoyed every minute of it and your attention to detail has inspired me to do the same with my build. I often get the "it's good enough" comment from people and need to shrug it off and do it like it's supposed to be done. Thanks for your continuing inspiration.

To me, its only "good enough" when I stand in the bathroom at night brushing my teeth and I can look myself in the mirror and say without a doubt that I couldn't have possibly done it any better than I did that day.

I'm sure there's plenty of folks say unflattering things about me behind my back over the way I do things. But, I sleep well at night knowing I gave it all I could on every step of a job.

The way I see it, you're the guy writing the checks (financially and blood, sweat, and tears) on your project. Therefore, the only person you have to please is yourself. I always said as soon as someone else starts paying for it, I will start to worry about their opinion.

[Flatlandsurfer]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

To me, its only "good enough" when I stand in the bathroom at night brushing my teeth and I can look myself in the mirror and say without a doubt that I couldn't have possibly done it any better than I did that day.

I'm sure there's plenty of folks say unflattering things about me behind my back over the way I do things. But, I sleep well at night knowing I gave it all I could on every step of a job.

The way I see it, you're the guy writing the checks (financially and blood, sweat, and tears) on your project. Therefore, the only person you have to please is yourself. I always said as soon as someone else starts paying for it, I will start to worry about their opinion.

That's a good at it... I will keep that in mind.

[Tx Firefighter]

Last update for the weekend.

My wife read through my build thread this evening. All 13 pages of it. She wanted to get an idea of how much work I've put into this truck. If you remember a few pages ago I mentioned her making me new decals. She had forgotten about her offer to do that for me.

So after she read this thread start to finish she went into the other room and got to work. .

I think she absolutely killed on these things. I couldn't be happier with them. And I'm not just saying that in case she reads this. Over the top good work.

Old...



The ones she made for me...



She's got that sign cutter stuff figured out.

[hgs_notes]

She did an excellent job on the stickers. Well done to you both.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

She did an excellent job on the stickers. Well done to you both.

Thank you. I'll pass on the compliment to her.

You really got to be cool when using software and sign making equipment to copy a logo like this. I don't imagine Alcoa will sick their lawyers on us for cutting four decals, but some companies like Harley Davidson and Monster and Coca-Cola love to seek out and threaten folks for doing it. I figure they'd be flattered that I thought so much of their wheels that I'd dedicate the time and effort to restoring them. Its not like I'm sticking Alcoa decals on a set of cheaper Chinese Eagle Alloy brand copies and trying to pass them off as something they're not.

Again, thank you. I'll tell the wife she did good.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Oh man. I wish I had the capability to do stickers like that.

[flashed]

Yes ,your wife is quite talented .

[GCncsuHD]

Very nice, it appears the new ones are die-cut decals rather than stickers like the old ones? Looks great!

[Tx Firefighter]

My wife's equipment is a big vinyl cutter and not a printer. She made the decals by cutting black, red, and blue decal parts and combined them. It's not ideal like a printed sticker, but we had to work with the limitations of our resources. And it just used a few square inches of various scrap vinyl so no money outlay.

[Low Elco]

Stickers look killer!

That's my standard response to snotty comments (constructive criticism from experienced sources is welcomed and needed, but not snotty comments) " Did you write the check? Then you opinion doesn't really matter, does it?" I always say this pleasantly. I'm a people pleaser.

This is why I won't be a car show judge. I've had a couple offers recently, one quite flattering, but I spent several years QC'ing the end of the line at 40+ car a day auction and high end bodyshop and am literally trained to pick cars apart to the nth degree. who wants to be that kinda prick to someone's pride and joy? Sorry, you hit a nerve.

That being said, I greatly enjoy your builds and what you've been doing to the 'ol hay hauler here. Please continue and tell Momma she gots mad skillz!

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

My wife's equipment is a big vinyl cutter and not a printer. She made the decals by cutting black, red, and blue decal parts and combined them. It's not ideal like a printed sticker, but we had to work with the limitations of our resources. And it just used a few square inches of various scrap vinyl so no money outlay.

That's what I was meaning by die-cut, I think that method is a nice subtle touch and looks better than the printed Alcoa sticker, though I'd imagine you would have to be more careful when polishing in the future, though replacements should be easy for you!

[Zumo]

Yeah great job on the decals. The details always make the project just that much better.

[Tx Firefighter]

Yooz guys are very flattering with your comments. I appreciate each and every one of them.

I just got a voicemail from Arrow Plating. My parts are ready and the cost is 25 dollars. I'm stuck at work right now but I will pick them up tomorrow on my way home.

[83GMCK2500]

I cannot think of a better way to finish off those wheels. That looks amazing! I think her stickers look better than the factory ones, the factory ones have that square ridge around the border while her's are just there and perfect looking.

Between your hard work and her skill that truck is going to be great looking.

[joe231]

Kevin,
Just....wow!
Very nice work!!
I just read start to finish.
keep it up!

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by joe231

Kevin,
Just....wow!
Very nice work!!
I just read start to finish.
keep it up!

Joe Rutherford, I thought you'd been eaten by a bear. Haven't heard from you in a long time. Hope your better half and kids are doing well.

[Tx Firefighter]

As promised, freshly plated lugnuts, wheel studs, diff cover bolts, brake backplate bolts, and axle bolts.

[bluex]

Wheels turned out killer. Thanks for the info on coating the housing. I might just do like you did an coat everything except the housing. I might just wind up painting it all due to cost though.

[darkhorse970]

That hardware is very impressive!

[Stoney]

Did you remove the wheel studs? Or plate new ones.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Stoney

Did you remove the wheel studs? Or plate new ones.

Those are the original wheel studs. I had to remove them to separate the brake drums from the hubs anyway.

[Stoney]

Oh yea, I forgot about that. I bet that was a task.

[Tx Firefighter]

It wasn't bad at all. I used a big brass drift to protect the ends of the studs and hit them out with a 2 pound hammer. Maybe two hits per each.

I still need to sandblast and paint the drums then I'll be pressing it back together.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Joe Rutherford, I thought you'd been eaten by a bear. Haven't heard from you in a long time. Hope your better half and kids are doing well.

Lol

It has been awhile!
Are you still on Facebook?
I lost you there

Everyone is good, thanks for asking!