Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

looking great. you know it blows me way at how nice the guys on here are getting their metal work. my friend your doing better then anyone ive ever worked with in my years. I just love to see that the time and dedication is being put in and bondos being used to finishthings up and not fill great big holes. keep up the good workmanship.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thank you for the compliments!

I've never done this before, so this is all a big learning experience for me. I've been fabricating for years, but never with anything less than .125" so sheetmetal is a new game for me. I do realize that I'm probably doing more than I need to for what I hope to end up with, but if I didn't go this far I feel that I would be cheating myself out of a chance to learn something new. I'm excited to get to the point of being able to spread filler, but want to make sure I have everything ready and do it right the first time. More fun to come!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Things are going back together for good. I have seam sealed some areas that will be inaccessible later, and closing up some holes.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1019.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1021.jpg

Removing evidence of the heater and wasp entry point:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1015.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

This was from a couple weeks ago, but I see I forgot to add pics. I've welded the back seam of the cab, because it had allowed water to get in and cause some problems. I'm all about fixing problems now....

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1016.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1017.jpg

And close up:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1018.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I see your build and you are doing the hard stuff. Going from a 3 to 5 window, very nice. My hats off to you dude. Your body line is not bad, just need to indent a little farther with a small die grinder. Jim

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I see you have made some progress,looking good,keep the pictures coming :metal: :cool:

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

One of these days I'll actually be done with this cab....hopefully...

Finished some things up, which helped my enthusiasm about getting more done. It's now a completed 5 window cab. I had been waiting on installing the inner panels until I had it seam sealed and I also wanted to make sure I had seatbelt provisions in it before I closed it up.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1024.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1029.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1030.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1031.jpg

That windlace channel was a little tricky to weld back up, but I got it.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Remember the surprise the sandblaster revealed:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN0872.jpg

It's gone now:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1025.jpg

And so is the battery hole. This one I had to show some restraint on...I had ideas to continue the beads across the panel to make it look like the other side. I fought the urge to do that in an attempt to actually get this thing done, and told myself it's only the floor, and it's only a driver.... There isn't any oil-canning, so I have no regrets.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1023.jpg

Next up, the dash.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1027.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I'm pretty proud of this one. I don't have a slip roll, so here's what I came up with. I used the slap hammer to be kind to the metal and took my time and got an incredible fit. I even made my wife come out in the garage and see (as if she was interested). This patch I want to be really good because this is the one that'll be right in front of my nose.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1034.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1032.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1035.jpg

I've also switched to the rounded-corners method of fitting my patches. I read on metalmeet that what it does for you is avoids chasing the edge and this made sense to me and seems to work pretty well (like when you weld up to the edge of a panel and get that semi-circle burn hole). It means I have to stop short of the corners with the cutoff wheel and switch to the air saw, but isn't too much more work. I'm still working on learning the art of planishing my welds with the hammer and dolly afterwards, but I'll get there.

I ended the weekend with a little planning, next up will be making this steering column indentation look like it was never there:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1028.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I'm betting you get the same reaction I do :lol:

looking good.... :aiiet:

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Nothing quite as much of a buzz kill as when your spouse give you that reaction to your hard work and enthusiasm!

I've started just taking pics of stuff and sending them to my buddies, they actually get excited for me where my wife just says "thats great honey."

Amazing work though, I'm impressed with the level of craftsmanship here.

-Panelrodder

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

BlueJeep, I love the 5 window conversion. My buddy wants to do that to his. Keep up the great work.

Shannon

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thanks for the comments guys!

Been working more on the dash this week. Here's how tight I've been trying to make my patch panels:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1044.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1045.jpg

And managed to get rid of the old steering column indentation, since I'm using an s10 column.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1046.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Today started with making a stand for a new tool. I first tried clamping it in a vice just to get me started, but that started to be way more work so I decided to make it easy on myself and just build a stand. This is the harbor freight stretcher/shrinker. Works great!

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1050.jpg

Now that I was able to get to work, I made this:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1048.jpg

Having both the stretcher and shrinker is a must, as I was able to easily fix it during my learning curve when I stretched it too far.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1049.jpg

I worked from the inside out, seemed to work pretty good:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1051.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

The corner was by far the hardest part of this project, both because it had more rot in it and because the bend is too tight to do in the shrinker. I experimented a bit and finally took a piece of 1/2" wide flat sheetmetal and bent it around the edge and then welded a back to it, to form the corner piece. I need to buy a different burr for my die grinder so I can smooth out the welds in these, but other than some finish grinding I did get this side done. The other side is in slightly better shape, and I hope it'll go much quicker.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1053.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1052.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1054.jpg

I've decided to try to use the 88 Chevy seatbelts too to go with the seat, and in order to do so I'm going to have to remove the bulkhead that used to be between the gas tank and the under seat toolbox. Because I feel this is a structural piece due to how it ties both of the B pillars into the floor directly above the body mounts, I've picked up some 1x2 rectangle tubing to build a new brace under the floor to tie in both original supports. Hopefully this will keep the back of the cab from ever sagging....

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Today was 95 in the garage, but I hadn't made any progress in a while so I stuck it out.

Windshield channel is now done:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1074.jpg

I rebuilt the flange around the column opening here to look more like the original, but large enough to fit the end of the s10 column with the shift lever through. I also made some tapping plates for the mount and welded them on.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1076.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1077.jpg

Since I had the column in, I wanted to show the new and improved dash without the column indentation.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1080.jpg

Next up is are the cab corners, this is the last of the rust repair for this cab.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1079.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Nice work BlueJeep!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thanks for the comments guys!

I'm working on finishing up the last few bits of rust repair on this cab, can't wait to be done!

Inner cab corners, not too much to report here. One was good enough to fix, one needed to be completely replaced:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1089.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1087.jpg

Since I'd bought the stretcher/shrinker, I figured I should try making my patch for the lower "B" pillar instead of buying it. It was a great opportunity to make a contour gauge and practice some more. I started by making sure I knew what it needed to end up shaped like:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1084.jpg

Then I bent up a couple 90 degree angled pieces and proceeded to shrink them to fit the gauge. The double-step lip on this proved to be a little more tricky than I had originally thought because the second lip tapers down to almost nothing from where it starts, but I got it.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1086.jpg

Trimming and fitting and trimming and fitting and welding and grinding:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1090.jpg

And ended up where I hoped to:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...k/DSCN1092.jpg

Time to break out the POR 15 and the seam sealer again, then weld on the outer cab corners.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

very nice!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

No progress on the truck this weekend.:whine:

Since I know I'm not going to hit my goal of this thing back together and in primer by Goodguys Des Moines this year...I need to make sure my dad gets there, so I spent the weekend at his place attempting to set up gears in his Chevelle. I didn't do enough research on it first, so I get to drive 3 hours each way again next weekend to finish it. Who knew there was a carrier split between 2.73's and 3.42's in a 12 bolt....I sure didn't. Oh well, I did get to spend some time around cool autos.

Setting up gears:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...cs/3hotrod.jpg

Putting some miles on Grandpa's model AA:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...sandModelA.jpg

My buddy JR is 6'9"....it's a good thing he didn't want to drive because he doesn't fit around the steering wheel in a model AA:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...JrandChris.jpg

And my wife taking a ride in a buddy's 67 Shelby GT500, he said she could have a ride as long as she wasn't allergic to tire smoke. She wasn't, and that's a good thing because all that was left was smoke long after the car was gone!!!
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...ics/shelby.jpg

And I didn't get pics, but I also got to see my future brother-in-laws new 38 Chevy sedan and his brother's 72 Nova. I guess it was OK that I didn't get any welding done on the truck this weekend....;)

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Some sweet vehicles there*.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thanks! I did get the gears set up in the Chevelle so we were able to enjoy Goodguys, though it would have been more fun if I had my truck too. The car has got a posi now, so if my dad gets in some wet grass with the car it won't get stuck.;)

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCN1207.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCN1208.jpg

Saw a bunch of other cool things I took pictures of, here's my kind of rat rod:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCN1236.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCN1235.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...s/DSCN1237.jpg

And here's my latest truck related purchase. Once this baby arrives my productivity will go way up, that's what I'm telling myself!

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...onditioner.jpg

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I used the same reasoning behind the heater I put in last year :)

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I hope it worked.;)

This will be a mini-project in itself, as my garage has no windows. I'm going to cut a walk door in the back of the garage so I can get some cross-ventilation in it, and then I'll cut in the a/c in above the door for days when ventilation isn't enough (so basically every day for the past 2 months).

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

This is not a problem we have to deal with in Alberta on a regular basis thank God. I can take cold but not heat unless I am parked somewhere with no shirt and a Captain Morgan/Pepsi doing nothing.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

That rat rod is awesome. I have one down the street from me at work. It is a Model T Roadster tub and deck, with a supercharged 392 hemi in it. He fires it up once and awhile and puts down a couple hundred feet of rubber.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

great work! i live in des moines, too, ill keep an eye out for your truck!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

That is too funny. They are all the same. I can go and buy a new set of wheels for my truck and she would not even notice or care, but go and buy a new RC car...well sh-t hits the fan. My wife likes to put stuff by light switches and doors in the house. Such as a pot full of dead twigs tied together with some old twine that she paid $85.00 for!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

yeah, having the heater in there last winter was great. not that I got a whole lot accomplished :) but when I did have to go out there is was very comfortable...

it's not a nce a set-up as yor old garage. I have a few more things to seal up this year to help reduce the heating costs a bit though...

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thanks! Don't start looking too soon, it probably won't be on the road until next year.

I miss my old garage every day.... I built that thing exactly the way I wanted it. Next one I'll build from scratch too.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

You are doing some real nice work there. Here is a great youtube video from metal master Lazze on tuning up a Lancaster.

If I finally get relocated back home to Iowa I sure would like to see your truck...Eric

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thanks for the comments and for the video, I'm headed out to the garage in a few minutes to take apart my jaws and see what I can do to improve them!!

PM me for my contact info and you're welcome to stop by and see it anytime you're through this way. I'd really like for you to come see it, that way I could pick your brain for additional shrinking disc and slap hammer tips! I just got a book on Friday that you recommended in one of your threads, "Automobile Sheet Metal Repair" by Robert Sargent. Only part way through chapter 1 and I'm feeling smarter....

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I dont visit this part of the board very often but wanted to chim in and say a great job you have done thus far..

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Thanks! I haven't been making progress with the truck recently, but I have been doing other projects that are contributing to it either directly or indirectly.

Motor-vation:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...1-11-19_49.jpg


Going to be cool:
https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i....1&disp=thd&zw


And I'm adding some Ford parts to it to appease a buddy who's a Ford guy, but don't have any pictures of that right now.

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

Good to see an Iowa truck getting built. Keep at it!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

great read BlueJeep!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

I don't have any additional progress on the truck to report, but I have been trying to "skill up" for some additional work on the truck in the not-too-distant future.

I attended Ron Covell's Extreme Metalshaping workshop this weekend, and came away with the desire to buy some more tools! :dohh: Ron does host a wonderful workshop and I did learn a lot, and he was very willing and able to answer all of my questions. I even showed him pictures of my 5 window conversion and talked about some of the decisions I made while performing the swap.

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...-59-58_724.jpg

Ron and I:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...-03-20_758.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...-53-14_161.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...-57-24_323.jpg

I did sit in the front row, took a lot of notes, snapped 52 pictures and videos with my phone, and asked a lot of questions. I also wasn't able to leave without buying 6 of his videos (they were on sale for workshop participants...and I couldn't pass up a deal!!). Now I need to fight my kids for the DVD player so we can watch hours and hours of metalshaping instead of Puss-in-Boots. It was a good weekend!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

That's awesome! Glad to hear all is going well with your project!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

OK, after far too long I have some progress. I'll show progress this weekend, then won't make any more for several weeks to a month.

First up, I had to clear some space in my dad's garage. What better way to do this than to take dad's 70 Chevelle out for a drive (Chevelle was posted in earlier pics in this thread). Now that the car was out it was time to make a mess. After a good afternoon of disassembly, the frame is ready to sandblast tomorrow:

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...3251667682.jpg

http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...3251816632.jpg

And my mess:
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...3252003469.jpg

And bye-bye to the little 4.3, it ran so well for 220k miles. The 4L60E, not so much.
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/a...3251878094.jpg

Tomorrow should be lots of fun!

Re: My version of the s10 swap
 

just read thru your build thread, nice work. :D
5 window conversion was well done