LFD's Shop Toys

[Rokcrln]

This is just going to be a thread were I post random stuff I am working on. Since they are shop toy's and not customer builds their will be progress here and their and not always on the same vehical or part as the case may be. A friend is helping me in my shop for a few weeks so today we went shopping and got almost everything on our list for now. We picked up two cabs (both with title's and plates) two great truck doors and fenders, three burb doors not great but very workable and I will only be using sections of two of them.

These parts will be used for two different projects I have floating around my head right now. I started a thread called "Big Brother" that was going to be a burb turned into a crew cab 4dr duelly. We after much thought I decided not to do that with this burb because it is too clean. But I am not a burb guy so I thought I would turn it into a 4dr then bob the back off and slide things forward and turn it into a Tahoe fimular to Fry's but different. Then I will be using the Blue cab to build the crew cab. I decided to fallow another guy on this board and do a crew cab with out the B post and suecide rear doors. I have been thinking about doing this since the first 4dr I built on here almost two years ago but since some one else started theirs first I will give them all the credit for not slacking like I have been doing the last few months

I plan on starting the 4dr conversion in the morning and hope by Friday night to have made some good progress. The crew cab will start off by getting turned into a regular cab with suecide doors. Then once I get my frame table build (in the next few weeks) I will bolt it down and split the cab in to in prep for the stretch. It will have burb front doors and truck rears cut down to burb length or their about.
So anyways this will not be a how to thread but just a more of a see what I did today kind of thing. Hope you enjoy watching!









Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

I also thru in a few of one floor of my parts room. I will be using the worst of my colection for any door that gets cut apart and the best ones for complete doors. The cab with the white roof is getting cut up for needed parts for the 4dr burb conversion. I still need to find another cab just for the B posts sections for the crew cab. I found another one today but it is more than I wanted to spend right now just for B posts so we will see what turns up.









Kevin
LFD Inc.

[68 short step]

nice to see "low buck" in work mode..

[Big J]

WOW! I need to build my own shop so I can have that kinda fun. It'd be great to have more than one project going. Get board on one, hack on the other. This sounds like a cool thread... Keep it going.

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by 68 short step

nice to see "low buck" in work mode..

heck the only time it was out of work mode was the two months it was down for a face lift. I even have my first scratch now

Originally Posted by Big J

WOW! I need to build my own shop so I can have that kinda fun. It'd be great to have more than one project going. Get board on one, hack on the other. This sounds like a cool thread... Keep it going.

Yes it is nice to have more than one at a time but next week I will have 2-3 customer vehicals as well as my two toys in the shop and 4 out side the shop. One good thing is the 41 chevy pu comming in Friday is a " spare time customer build" He is in no hurry and is designing as we go so I will work on it for a bit than jump to another project or if a 3-5 day project pops up I can bring it in and not tell them it will be 6 months before I can get to it. Also if things go right I will be adding a second story to my shop for my blazer build among other unsceen projects

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[race-rodz]

you obviously have the same amount of "thinkin" time on your hands as me.... i was just kickin around the idea of building a tahoe. but before i start another project i either need to finish the crew-cab, or off it.

[toomanytoyz]

Nice Haul for the Day, Look forward to Following your Progress on the Crew Build. I Think it will end up being Your Best Project to Date...........

Rick

[toomanytoyz]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

you obviously have the same amount of "thinkin" time on your hands as me.... i was just kickin around the idea of building a tahoe. but before i start another project i either need to finish the crew-cab, or off it.

You Need to Keep & Finish your Crew Build, From your Plans i think it would be one of the Best Crew Builds to Date.............

You Guys Building at the Same Time Gives the Board a Couple of Great Projects to Dream along With...........

Look Forward to More Progress on Your's, Have Followed along from the Beginning............

Rick

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

you obviously have the same amount of "thinkin" time on your hands as me.... i was just kickin around the idea of building a tahoe. but before i start another project i either need to finish the crew-cab, or off it.

I say you just crush it, it would have been too unsafe and you would not want anything to happen. Plus then mine would be the only one around like it for now
Heck you have most of the stuff already for it do you not? Every shop needs a cool truck so get it done then if you are not happy with it when done then sell it and get some of your time back. You just need to stop playing around on those car sites and spend more time here

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[gringoloco]

Subscribing. Keep 'em comin'...

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Subscribing. Keep 'em comin'...

I might have to start my blazer as well just to put a fire under your --- I keep checking out your build and I want to just pull my blazer in and get going on it but the funds are not even close to starting that one yet So I will build this Tahoe 4dr and sell it as a roller to help the parts fund for the blazer. I will have my frame table built soon for a customer job but ultimatly I am building it for my blazer build so progress will kind get started.
Keep it up!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[meathead95]

Subscribing. Keep 'em comin'...

[race-rodz]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

I say you just crush it, it would have been too unsafe and you would not want anything to happen. Plus then mine would be the only one around likt it for now
Heck you have most of the stuff already for it do you not? Every shop needs a cool truck so get it done then if you are not happy with sell it and get some of your time back. You just need to stop playing around on those car sites and spend more time here

Kevin
LFD Inc.

i just get bored with stuff when i have no time to work on it, i got a local guy that wants it bad, i might plant the seed and see if i can fund the tahoe project out of what i already got.

as for parts to finish it, i could probably use most of it in the tahoe build..... just need to find a perfect rust free burban to cut up

[Palf70Step]

Cool,

I like watching your stuff at work!

[Hart_Rod]

Kevin, thanks for posting this. It allows alot of us to live our dreams through your work. Keep it up.

R/

[NTR72GMC]

I Like The New Plan For The Crew Cab Duelly Cant Wait To See How It Works Out

[franky69c10]

[Rokcrln]

Well Jim and my self spent the day working on different projects and got a few things started for these two.
As Jim was slicing up the rusted cab for the parts I need for the 4th door conversion I was inside slicing up a rust free burb. I got the new jambs in place and re shapped to fit the burb opening. I also got the upper sides of the jamb roughed in now I need to make up some break shape for the top of the opening. I ordered up 5 rockers (1 for the burb and 4 for the crew cab) today from Stan @ ECE and they should be here by Friday. Next step after the top break shape is made I will start on the New B pillar and that will take some time to make it 100% the same as the pass side. This one is going to look just like a factory built 4dr down to the spot welds. Who ever buys this one will have one sweet ride.

Once Jim had cut the cab all up he then started on the templete for the crew cabs "C" post reinforcement plates. I had him make a templete out of some alum then use that for the final 3/16" steel plate and this way it will be real easy to do suicide doors down the road if the need comes up. The plate is for the hinge's to mount to and to reinforce the cab. I will also be tieing the two side together once the doors are swinging. He also made a alum templete for the hinge hole inorder to make it real quick laying out the placement and size of each opening. I am using hinges off a jeep wagoneer and they will open almost 90*.
Here are a few pics of the progress. Not as much as I would have liked but a good start all the same.












Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

I know the pic of the plate in the crew cabs post looks like the cut is off but it is just because I cut out the strike area and that makes it look off. I think that maybe by end of the dayMonday we will have the doors swing on the crew cab and I hope to have the door opening finished leaving the door to build. I figure the door is the hardest part to do and have it come out stock looking.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[68 short step]

god bless the sawsall!!!!

[Bishops Trucks]

Nice work. That's a lot of thinking going into that.

[race-rodz]

Originally Posted by Rokcrln

I know the pic of the plate in the crew cabs post looks like the cut is off but it is just because I cut out the strike area and that makes it look off. I think that maybe by end of the dayMonday we will have the doors swing on the crew cab and I hope to have the door opening finished leaving the door to build. I figure the door is the hardest part to do and have it come out stock looking.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

the doors are easy once you figure out how to do the "flap" on the front edge, you could cut/weld it i guess, but i made 30 or so slices 1/2" deep(every 1.5"), then hammered it over onto the pillar/jam spot welded the flaps and welded the slices.

so what are your plans for the roof skin? i used a burban roof skin, which you can skin 2 crew cabs with...still have the 2nd 1/2.... but i aint shipping it...so if ya want it, time for a road trip

i really wished i would have taken a section of drip rail outa my donor burban too, i ended up building it from scratch.... very labor intensive.

[jugernot]

Wow you did'nt waist anytime jumping right into that. It looks like fun. Can you save me the old seat belt bolts from the floor?

[Rokcrln]

Originally Posted by race-rodz

the doors are easy once you figure out how to do the "flap" on the front edge, you could cut/weld it i guess, but i made 30 or so slices 1/2" deep(every 1.5"), then hammered it over onto the pillar/jam spot welded the flaps and welded the slices.

so what are your plans for the roof skin? i used a burban roof skin, which you can skin 2 crew cabs with...still have the 2nd 1/2.... but i aint shipping it...so if ya want it, time for a road trip

i really wished i would have taken a section of drip rail outa my donor burban too, i ended up building it from scratch.... very labor intensive.

I should have been more clear. The 4th door for the Tahoe is alot of work! The crew cab is going to be easy since I will be using one more cab to steel the jambs out of and then weld the jambs to the front of the rear doors. This will give me the stock latch location for the front doors as well as give me a good place to start for my door seals. I have done drip rails several times before and they are not fun but I have done much worse things As for the roof I will be using a van or wagon roof so I get the ribs as well as a bit lower than the burb set up. I will make a templete of the roof curves and head out to the wrecking yard and see what fits my wants the best.

Originally Posted by jugernot

Wow you did'nt waist anytime jumping right into that. It looks like fun. Can you save me the old seat belt bolts from the floor?

Yep I will bring them up Saturday along with your wipper set up, anything else? Do you need or want a hand setting up, What time?

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[Rokcrln]

I only had about 2hrs to work on the crew cab tonight trying to get the rest of my templetes made up for hinge placment and hole size. I started by first clamping in the reinforcing plates then drilling (4) 13/64" holes so I could tap the plate for 1/4x20 bolts. This will let me pull the plate and make sure it goes back in the same spot every time untillit is ready for welding. Then I made a templete that locates the hinge pocket off the door jamb and will place the hinge as far tward the out side as possible and adjust 1/2" in from their. I can always slot the holes more if needed but if I do it right I wil have plenty of room. I may need to offset the top hinge to avoid window contact when rolling them down. I also got a package from ECE today with my 5 rockers 4 for the crew and one for the Burb. I also picked up a complete set (both sides) of late modle extended cab strikes and latches that I think will work in this set up. I am sure I will need to mod a few parts but it should work and look good once done. We might get a few hours on the trucks Friday after we drop off the Trazer in Napa and pick up the next customer build a 41 chevy pu.








Kevin
LFD Inc.