Very nice! That’s the route I’m planning to finish my bedwood. I love this look!
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Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks! It looks a lot like a normal bit with a whole lot more work behind it :lol: For these, I center-punched, drilled a pilot, then step-bitted them up to 5/16” (the diameter of the stainless carriage bolts I’m using). I then used 4 pieces of painters tape to ‘draw’ a square touching the edges of the hole, a fine toothed jigsaw blade to rough out the corners, then a triangle file by hand to finish fit the square holes to the bolt heads. PITA, but I’m too cheap to buy the correct $200 punch for 14 holes...
Thanks! I’m liking it, too
Thanks Keith, it does look good. All black with just enough stainless bolt heads to break it up a bit. I’m not sure on the durability of the Behr paint though. I’m thinking a 2-part polyurethane hot rod black would probably be better, but who am I to argue with Mar-K’s test results :confused:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Exactly.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Not at all! I'd actually be disappointed if you weren't thinking about the next version of modifications...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Since you like working so much I have an idea. Take an old tailgate and section up the inside of it. Then cut yours up and build your tailgate so the factory lines aren't cut in half by the raised bed floor. Hey you are the one doing all the work and we like to watch. Lol

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

It’s like you’re in my brain. I actually have the gate leaning against the wall. Planned to use it for that as well as using the lettering on the rear of the raised floor. Won’t happen right now as I’m running out of time and need to focus on more pressing things, but sometime in the future, maybe? It’s all built in my head...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

WOW that bed floor looks GREAT!!

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Now that's funny. Bad thing is if this was 20 years ago I would have the piece to give you.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks James! Looks better in pictures than in person, but it’s just a nice driver :lol:

While the rear tubs are off getting powder-primed, I started goofing with the hvac. Didn’t get far other than pulling the unit and enlarging the firewall holes for these billet trim rings. I’m not in love with them, but they’re definitely better than plain sheetmetal holes. Thinking of painting them my favorite shade of VHT...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Scot approved 😎

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YES!:metal:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

You're doing amazing things with that truck, Chris. I'm in awe. Please never finish it. ;)

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Ok, twist my arm :lol:
That’s a heckuva compliment, thanks. I tell my wife I’m building my coffin; that will probably be when I stop ruining it...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Well, the ac unit is back in with the bezels in place. Don’t look too close though, because the paint bubbled and cracked around them... Oh well, I don’t have time to tear the whole business apart and repaint the firewall, so on to the next thing. Hopefully getting the wheel tub in place will make it not so obvious.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

The picture is dark, we can't see anything bad. Besides, I know a guy.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

I assure you, it looks like butt. Oh well for now.

In other news, as if by some glorious accident, what was supposed to be a primer coat on the tubs actually looks pretty good, maybe.

I’m not sure exactly how I feel about it, but I’m pretty sure I don’t hate it. In fact, I think I might kinda like it. Plan was to paint them blue, but for now they’re gonna stay like this. For now. I maintain the right to change my mind on this at any moment :lol:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

My plan has always been to paint mine black & leave them that way.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

It looks clean.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Glove box is back in, and along with it mounted the ECM and handheld. What this really means is that all of the under dash ac stuff is back in place and working. Just needs plumbed under hood and charged and the cold air will be blowin’ again. Forgot how much ‘fun’ it is laying on your back on the floorboard plumbing ducting, wiring, and cables...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

How are you always two steps ahead of me Scoti? :lol:
Thanks! It’s growing on me

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

No big news, but here’s a pic of the bed with all of the bolts installed and snugged down. If I had more time, I might do some things differently, but I don’t, so here it is:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

What would do differently just out of curiosity. Where I'm sitting it looks like you nailed it out of the park! Just a phenomenal job, it looks so clean!:metal:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks Kyle. I do like it and think it looks pretty good, but the attention to detail is not to the level I typically prefer. Given more time, I would either 1) cut my own boards for the outside edges or 2) use a flange to bolt through at the bedsides. There is an unsightly (and uneven) gap where the wood meets the bedsides. I also would paint the tubs and rear sill blue for a more ‘factory’ look, just personal preference. I also can’t shake the idea of a clean, painted (or color matched bedliner) metal floor. This will do for now, though. I need to move on to getting the front tubs installed...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Devils advocate.... The textured Line-X floor for my dually is always dirty & there is no wiping it down. And because of the 'rake' in the chassis, when you do clean it you're having to push it to the tailgate area because the drain holes @ the front panel end of the floor don't allow draining fast enough for the volume of water (dirty water).

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Get those installed! Can't wait to see them all done.

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The bed liner in my truck always looks dirty. You will probably hate it you do it.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Up next! ...along with a million other things around the house...
Valid points, both. Is that for black only? I’ve never dealt with color matched liner.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Mine is Black. I considered Red for a nano-second. But if the RED faded.... It might appear pink & that is a no-go.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Wow, Chris! I've been gone for 3 months and you've done a lot. I love your build. I'm fighting home deficiencies from winter storm that us Houstonian's aren't prepared for, and a drivetrain update on my GTO, otherwise I'd be doing similar things, like the latches and door rebuilds...

Your bed floor turned out great! My plan is what you still think you want to do... metal floor with bedliner, which I currently have. The liner the PO used was a cheap one, so it's flaking, and there's some rust that needs to be tackled before I do anything, but I've considered paint matched, since everyone is right, a black liner is always dirty, unless it's brand new. Even my new GMC, which came with one from the factory, and now has a tonneau cover, is still filthy. Not sure if a body colored liner would be any different, just that it wouldn't look as dirty as quickly... Just like your current color vs a black truck.

Oh, and the color fading, like Scoti said... a non-color matched liner would look funny regardless of the color (light blue instead of medium blue?). But, pink would be awful... :haha:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Hm, I’ll have to do some more research before committing. Appreciate the positive comments. :chevy:

Made some progress on the front tubs: got the passenger side bolted in and fitting nicely. Also started the process of modifying the drivers side and after removing and reinstalling the fender and inner at least 37,000 times, I have finally got it fitting the way it’s supposed to and have the panel tacked together using my new toy. Finish weld, grind, and hopefully body work tomorrow, then paint sometime in the future?...

The new Hobart welder was long overdue. I don’t know how I’ve survived this long without it. When I welded the passenger side fender the Eastwood was being weird and blowing through. When I did the exhaust it would not penetrate and just piled up. When I welded the bed floor mounts it made embarrassing looking not so sticky boogers. Last straw. There was no way I was attempting to mod this fender with that “welder” after how it had been acting. The difference between the Hobart and the Eastwood junk is astounding. Smooth as butter, making all the right bacon noises and nice little puddles...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Very Nice!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

:agree:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

That looks nice. I hear you on the welder thing. Sometimes I hate mine. But then again it could be the Operator.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Thanks all, looking forward to wrapping this up. I felt the same way, like, did I forget how to weld? Are the settings right? Am I out of gas? Polarity reversed? Power feed problems? Nope, turns out it was a junk-a$$ welding machine. Not sure what happened, it seemed ok at first, but got worse with time. So happy to find out it wasn’t completely my fault and that I can still lay a decent bead.

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Haha I think I need a new welder.

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Love the inner fenders!

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Do it. Don’t think, don’t look back, just do. The last ten years of my life would have been soooooo much better if I’d just bought the good welder to start with. Not joking. Do it. :)
Me too! They are a ton of work, but the look is unbeatable

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

Tack, tack, tack. Grind, grind, grind. Repeat. It’s a process...

PSA: Harbor freight $2.99 moving blankets are highly flammable :devil:

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

After MUCH swearing, it is bolted back together. Not perfect, but it’ll do for now...

Re: How to: Ruin a perfectly good C10
 

That looks very nice.