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James McClure · 01-10-2008, 09:05 AM

Afternoon guys: I'm not a big fan of any of the aftermarket running boards. They all seem to chinsy for me and they attach to the sheetmetal for the most part only adding to rust problems. I am just finishing a complete restoration and I'll be danmed if I'm going to punch any holes into the rockers or front fenders. I've come up with what I think is a good way to go. Kind of a pain in the ass, but a good & strong solution. I am going to build a rectangular frame that runs from just under the back of the front fender to the rear mount for the fuel tanks. Seeing as the fuel tank mounts are new, slipping a flat piece of 1/4" steel in there to hang the rear of the frame won't be a problem & the front is wide open and I can probably find existing holes to use to hang the front. The frame will be low enough to put a "belly" pan on to protect the fuel tanks and offer a mounting place for mud flaps. Treads I'll make from 1/4" aluminum diamond plate bent up where they near the cab so they reach up behind the rocker\floor flange and bent down on the outboard side. I was going to use pipe for the frame so I could run the exhaust through the pipe and into chrome stacks with no mufflers, but thought better of that!! To much work if I have to get under there to do something, not to mention building it and haveing to put up with the cops on top of all that. I'll weld the framework togther and then bolt it to the "drops" bolted to the frame. That way I can take out 4 bolts and the whole thing is down on the floor and out of the way. I'll finish the framework, "belly" pan and the underside of the tread with bedliner material and polish the rest of the step and wax the crap out of it so it stays nice and shiney. I'm open to any other suggestions you guys might have. jim

01-10-2008, 09:05 AM	#9
James McClure One shot, one kill. Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Saratoga Springs NY Posts: 859	Re: Running Boards/Pipe Steps Afternoon guys: I'm not a big fan of any of the aftermarket running boards. They all seem to chinsy for me and they attach to the sheetmetal for the most part only adding to rust problems. I am just finishing a complete restoration and I'll be danmed if I'm going to punch any holes into the rockers or front fenders. I've come up with what I think is a good way to go. Kind of a pain in the ass, but a good & strong solution. I am going to build a rectangular frame that runs from just under the back of the front fender to the rear mount for the fuel tanks. Seeing as the fuel tank mounts are new, slipping a flat piece of 1/4" steel in there to hang the rear of the frame won't be a problem & the front is wide open and I can probably find existing holes to use to hang the front. The frame will be low enough to put a "belly" pan on to protect the fuel tanks and offer a mounting place for mud flaps. Treads I'll make from 1/4" aluminum diamond plate bent up where they near the cab so they reach up behind the rocker\floor flange and bent down on the outboard side. I was going to use pipe for the frame so I could run the exhaust through the pipe and into chrome stacks with no mufflers, but thought better of that!! To much work if I have to get under there to do something, not to mention building it and haveing to put up with the cops on top of all that. I'll weld the framework togther and then bolt it to the "drops" bolted to the frame. That way I can take out 4 bolts and the whole thing is down on the floor and out of the way. I'll finish the framework, "belly" pan and the underside of the tread with bedliner material and polish the rest of the step and wax the crap out of it so it stays nice and shiney. I'm open to any other suggestions you guys might have. jim __________________ 1984 K20 350M engine with 465,000 miles. Well, it's finally done!! Almost 2 years of work, but it was really worth the effort. Little stuff left to do is mount winch, wet sand & buff out and build belly pan\running boards. Body work takes lots and LOTS of beer!!!! God, Guts and Guns made America and God, Guts and Guns will preserve it! The worst thing you could do is get into my sights, but that don't matter, you'll never know it, cause you'll never hear the shotJim or Paladin whichever you choose.