Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Doug...I was going back and reading your burb build from the start for the 40-11th time and this pic caught my eye.....you won't see many females doing stuff like this....my mom would have back in her younger days though..

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

I tell you this thing has my attention being under it on my 10k Rotary lift! Pulling the bed to do some frame clean up and install running boards. Gotta admit I am doing a lot of work on the ground. Eating dirt too.

Couple front chains to attach, friends steadying on the sides and think we will be good to go. Didn’t make one of the “under the bed rail” lifts as I wanna get this done fast. Hope I don’t regret it.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Fakky that is a great question. We could have made complete panels (my metal shaping friends could have) to replace those inner wheel houses. Because the metal was very thin, it would have been necessary to have a cut line outside of the wheel well on the body side. Then you run into the issue of being able to metal finish the butt weld seam. There is no access inside to be able to planish the weld (use hammer / slapper and dolly to bring up low places from shrinking) and there would be a seam on the outside edge of the quarter panel.

So I went the patching route. And I actually used two pieces of metal. The first was overlapping the hole and was held in with screws. This was done because the metal was too thin to weld to. Typically I would make a piece and butt weld the ends.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Then I fashioned a piece that would butt weld to the original metal. The backing piece really helped with this. What you can see here is the butt weld patch, sitting on top of the backing piece of 19 gauge metal. The screws holding the backing piece in were removed one at a time, and the hole welded closed.

The butt weld piece is tacked in.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

More of the butt weld piece welding in is completed here. Not my best work by far. Really thin metal and if I recall correctly, I found corrosion on my feed wire. Plus my lack of skill though I did the best I could.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

In place and welds somewhat ground smooth. Fakky, you are right about corrosion protection not being on there. The area behind could be treated with something. The surface has a heavy coating of Lizzard Skin. I figured it lasted for 60 years sitting outside in Texas with little to no corrosion protection, it will outlast me mostly sitting in my shop.

Hopefully that helps explain what I did here. Probably other better ways to do the same and I am always up for learning. That is what is great about this forum!

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

I hit the wife lottery when I was 17 when we started dating, was smart enough to know it and lucky enough she kept me.

She enjoyed working on shop projects with me.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Enjoyed our time together no matter what we were doing...

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

And could help me host the upscale functions that were part of my job responsibilities.

Greg, you saw all those people streaming through my shop at our Wire and Fire event. They were there for her. She was awesome and I will love her forever and a day.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

lucky man! if there was a fire in the garage my wife would start piling stuff IN from outside just to be sure of it.

*my wife is the best part of my marriage, she is aware of my good natured ribbing and does not take offense. she supports me in any endeavor.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

joe, good thing you covered your ars in the small print...Jim

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Awesome.
Also helps explain why I struggle to weld some patches .... just keeps blowing right through, even with a copper backing at times. So the piece behind gives it more structure and heat dissapation to help get teh patch in and hold without blowing the thing metal ..... if I understood.

thanks

--- I just got the later parts in your build thread and about the passing of your wife. Im sorry. I feel the same about mine as am sure many of the guys here do to .... I cant imagine and obviously dont know what to say. I did get a smile out of this quote from you ...

"she also wants me to finish this Suburban (more on that later), to take her 72 Burb on HRPT 2019, take the kids and Grandkids to Disney in 2019, gave me a short list of women to stay away from (they just will want your money!), a longer list of women she is ok with (you need someone to spend time with honey!), then enlisted her sister and a friend to make sure I follow through and even planned her celebration of life service with me and our Minister.

Like I said, she was special. I will love her forever and a day."

I think thats just awesome and speaks volumes alone.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Yes exactly! This allowed me to end with a butt welded patch and a more level surface.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

fakky...I had to do a patch on my truck similar to what Doug did...I sprayed all my patch material with weld thru primer before welding...and if you have any access to the back you can use rust encapsulator on it when finished

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

The weld through primer is a good idea. For some reason I was having a difficult time welding through it when doing the floor, so I started skipping it when doing the patch repairs.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

i used 3M brand...it may not have been fully dry Doug...I noticed if I didn't let it dry good the weld wasnt looking to good

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

there are different types of weld through primer. some are zinc based and some are copper based. ensure to cut the mig wire after each weld so the wire has a chisel tip instead of a rounded end from the previous weld. also let the primer dry first, lol. we are all too impatient. don't need to say it but weld in a ventilated area when using weld through primer, for sure. well, any welding actually.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

if doing a patch panel and you have bun through issues maybe the patch needs to be bigger so it extends past the thin area.
yeah, I know. you know that already. lol.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks for the great input guys!

I will get back on the Burb once I complete deep detailing on daily driver while listening to AC/DC “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.”

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

keep forgetting about that stuff. Work ok ? Some of the reviews online are mixed.

I have some leftover

https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-in...RoCQXMQAvD_BwE

Figured I might try that in areas I cant get to .....

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

I've never used that fakky....this is what I used....https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-ru...-15-ounce.html

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Good to know Mark....thanks.....

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

This is the weld through primer I was using. Guess I thought since it is NASCAR approved it would dry really fast...

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Mark.

Now, if I can get this paint to dry, I’ll put the bed back on the ‘12 and get back to the 48.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Haha...turn the heat up Doug....the 48 wants some attention to...

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

For sure! It will be 61 here later today, so that will help. Here are the coatings I used for the frame. Covered really well and is supposed to provide exceptional corrosion protection.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Hows it going out there in this extreme cold? We had lava and earthquakes and now you guys had the polar vortex! What the hell is going on with mother nature?

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

I don’t know Frank, though I am pretty sure I will take the cold over lava and earthquakes. Hope your place is ok!

DD is back together so back to the Burb, after a short vacation in FL....have had enough of this cold!

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Where abouts in FL ?
Need some TIG updates :)

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

A small town a couple hours north of Tampa.

TIG updates?

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Tampa is my stomping grounds... :metal:

I remember: early 1990s, rollin across the skyway in my slammed single cab 89 B2200 on 15x8 Centec CT7s... ahhhh those were the days :devil:

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

#1120 - figured it was time to give us a complete breakfown of your TIG experiences :) Especially since IM thinking of trying :)

I live in Clearwater area. On a week break in GA at the moment ..... but be back on Sunday. Not sure how long your around but if you make it over that way to see the beaches - let me know.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Thanks Fakky. With everything I had going last year I didn’t get the practice time needed to develop any skill with TIG. Planning to fix that this year.

No cell connection and no internet at folks place so I didn’t see your note until last night when on the way home. Thanks for the offer. Didn’t make it that far south. Weather was in 80’s every day and so nice! Cold here...am ready to go back!

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Ha !
Glad you got back safe. Anytime your down this way - let me know.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

man I would love a TIG, maybe someday.


it was 55 today and I got the forklift stuck in the still soggy driveway doing a scrap run. I just sat on the seat with the sun on my face for a while. cant wait for warmer weather.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Doug, I have been MIA for a bit, looks like you had a great Wire and Fire event!!

On the radiator, not sure if you have the clearance on top (mine is a GMC), but I built a pair of standoffs to move my radiator forward about 1" for clearance between my fan and belt drive.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

FAKKY, will do! Usually I only go down once per year.

Russ, come to a Saturday Invitational event at my shop and you can TIG all you want. Next one is March 9.

JJ, good to hear from you! Yes, I remember the standoffs and is a potential solution we were discussing at the wire and Fire. Thank you for the reminder.

Greg, you shared a lot of detail from Level 7 Suburban build. Luke, who built the transmission tunnel at the wire and Fire, just spent a couple days at Level 7 building a sweet looking cold air intake for a 66 truck with an LS. So there is a good connection for me there.

Re: 48 Burb, bagged, 5.3, 20 year wait
 

Good to hear Doug.... now you gotta get back on your burb.....