Blueballz build thread

[dsraven]

just a heads up on the hinge repair. keep the doors on the cab and shim them to have the right gaps. use paint stir sticks or something like that in the gap spaces, then install some cross bracing to keep the cab in that shape before you remove the doors and install the required metal parts. otherwise you may get the parts welded in and find the door gaps are waaay outta whack and the door doesn't fit properly. good idea to mark the jamb above where the cut line will be, then measure down to where the floor level should be. take pics or mark the dimensions down in your handy dandy notebook (phone, whatever)
just a thought. maybe you knew already. some don't and spend lots of extra time later.

[ironadict]

Dsraven, thanks for the advise! Wish I read it before I did the pass side. I cut out the floor panel then when the door jamb hinge support came in I started attacking that and once that was gone boy... I didn’t realize how much just one little piece of sheet metal holds these whole cabs together. Needless to say it flexed a bit.
I took the measurements from the driver side and welded the new panels in. Hopefully it’s close enough. I’ll test fit the door today after work. When I do the driver side I’m for sure welding some supports in.

[dsraven]

here is how I did mine. firewall and rear wall out due to rust issues. keep the hinges bolted in and if the door is also hung you can keep track of the weatherstrip area gap so no (or less) surprises later. a dimension to the floor is also a good idea. center punch a reference mark on the pillar above the repair for reference later. write down the dimension someplace as well, or take pics. pics are always good because they give an actual reference to exactly how you did it the first time. especially if the project timeframe is extended, like mine.

[ironadict]

Originally Posted by dsraven

here is how I did mine. firewall and rear wall out due to rust issues. keep the hinges bolted in and if the door is also hung you can keep track of the weatherstrip area gap so no (or less) surprises later. a dimension to the floor is also a good idea. center punch a reference mark on the pillar above the repair for reference later. write down the dimension someplace as well, or take pics. pics are always good because they give an actual reference to exactly how you did it the first time. especially if the project timeframe is extended, like mine.

Thank you for posting pictures! You really did a number on your cab. Great work. Luckily my whole floor isn’t coming out. Just the pan on each side. Too tired yesterday to test fit door. Hopefully today.

[ironadict]

Passenger side done.

[ironadict]

Missed one

[slammed57]

oh yeah! now some work is gettin done!

[dsraven]

you gotta spend some time, some night when you can't sleep, and figure out how to post stuff right side up. I got a crink in my neck.....
good to see some forward progress eh?

[ironadict]

Originally Posted by dsraven

you gotta spend some time, some night when you can't sleep, and figure out how to post stuff right side up. I got a crink in my neck.....
good to see some forward progress eh?

Every night is a night I can't sleep. To stressed thinking about how much i gotta spend on parts... They are right side up on my computer then for some reason when they post its at all different angles!!

[ironadict]

Almost all the way done with driver side. It was a little easier now that i knew the correct order of what pieces i should put on first. No i want to close up all these holes in my firewall. Not too worried about the little ones but these big 1" holes gotta go.
Question: If I got an american autowire complete wiring kit do I still need all these things bolted to the outside of my firewall? I mean other than the highbeam switch.

[ironadict]

Decided to tip her up and clean up underneath today. Also took all the **** off the firewall and wire wheeled that. The running boards are bad but I don’t feel like dealing with em now. I think that can be done down the road after she’s put back together. I’ll probably even sub it out cause I’m all tack welded out. Plus since I’m gonna see that every time I get in and out of the truck I might just find a good shop that can do it real clean. So here’s my progress for the day.

[ironadict]

Finally blasted frame and painted it. Putting her together for the last time I hope.

[dsraven]

when you're plug welding the firewall holes sometimes it is easier to find some plug patches, like the "unholes" from welder's series, then get a step drill the right size for that and just drill the firewall to match the new plug size. you get nice clean steel to weld to and you're not wasting time fitting a plug to a hole each time.

[59chev]

Originally Posted by dsraven

when you're plug welding the firewall holes sometimes it is easier to find some plug patches, like the "unholes" from welder's series, then get a step drill the right size for that and just drill the firewall to match the new plug size. you get nice clean steel to weld to and you're not wasting time fitting a plug to a hole each time.

Agreed. That's what I did. The Unholes were cheap and made filling all the holes in the firewall alot quicker.

[ironadict]

Originally Posted by dsraven

when you're plug welding the firewall holes sometimes it is easier to find some plug patches, like the "unholes" from welder's series, then get a step drill the right size for that and just drill the firewall to match the new plug size. you get nice clean steel to weld to and you're not wasting time fitting a plug to a hole each time.

That’s a hell of an idea. Thinking outside the bun. I’ll keep that in mind when I have to plug more sheet metal.

[ironadict]

Got rear brakes hooked up. It’s was a pain in the ass working on that boxed in frame rail but I think it came out clean. If those fittings leak though I’m gonna be PISSED.

[jaws61]

Wow looks awesome and great work!!
When you get the cab on can you do a video or pictures of the truck at ride height and than lowered, I"m thinking of buying the scotts slammed, would love to see your height..

[ironadict]

Originally Posted by jaws61

Wow looks awesome and great work!!
When you get the cab on can you do a video or pictures of the truck at ride height and than lowered, I"m thinking of buying the scotts slammed, would love to see your height..

Will do. Should be soon. Just want to get some wiring and fuel line roughed in first.

[ironadict]

Paid a little attention to the front end today. Got the accessories all mounted including the extreme flow (converted Sanden 508) compressor. Belt comes in tomorrow can’t wait to see if everything lines up right.

[ironadict]

Belt on. Front brake lines done.

[ironadict]

Originally Posted by jaws61

Wow looks awesome and great work!!
When you get the cab on can you do a video or pictures of the truck at ride height and than lowered, I"m thinking of buying the scotts slammed, would love to see your height..

Here’s full air up and full air out. My ride height will about 6-7”. Full air up is about 8” and when aired out it sits on the old leaf spring perches. I left em there as a bump stop. I’m sure they will grind down a little from riding laid out. The center of my garage is crowned up a little so the rocker would be closer to the ground before the perch hits on level ground. I also shimmed an extra 1/4” steel plate on top of the front bags. If removed this would lower it a little as well.

[jaws61]

Thanks Blueballs
This is really going to help me make a decision... the truck looks awesome too!!

[shibbby911]

Looking good

[ironadict]

Finally pulled the trigger and started wiring with the help of a friend. Got fuel lines hooked up to rails. Got radiator hoses hooked up. PCM and fuse boxes mounted.

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by ironadict

Decided to tip her up and clean up underneath today. Also took all the **** off the firewall and wire wheeled that. The running boards are bad but I don’t feel like dealing with em now. I think that can be done down the road after she’s put back together. I’ll probably even sub it out cause I’m all tack welded out. Plus since I’m gonna see that every time I get in and out of the truck I might just find a good shop that can do it real clean. So here’s my progress for the day.

Dang! Do you ever worry about catching some hot welding sparks in that beard?