project orange crush 76 crewcab build

[520-k5]

Got the brake support area in weld thru primer and ready. Will update later today

[520-k5]

Finished welding up the brake support bracket yesterday. I'll start on the top of the cowl this week and then hopefully start on the floors this weekend.

[520-k5]

I also installed my 31 gallon blazer gas tank in the back using factory suburban crossmembers. I had to notch the front crossmembers because it was rubbing the diff cover and had to notch one of the rear bed crossmembers to clear the hump in the middle of the tank. Im leaning towards putting the filler neck and gas door inside the bed in my wheel tub

[520-k5]

Also got the bed mounted again. Starting to look like a truck again!

[Dieselwrencher]

That is looking great! I was looking at my 76 last week and I'm going to have to repalce from the floor seam up to below the wiper motor area on it due to rust. I'm really looking forward to that.....

[Jstock85]

Impressive! I don't see how you keep track of all those projects. I have 1 daily driver truck and 1 project truck and that is plenty for me!!

[520-k5]

Got the center and outer cowl area welded tonight just need to finish up the two centers tomorrow and they'll be ready to bodywork. Also picked a goodmark cowl hood too! Can't wait to get the doghouse back on and see what it looks like with the hood. I also picked up a tach cluster with the harness to flip and picked up another set of cheyenne emblems

[520-k5]

I also seem sealed the inside of the firewall, inside cowl area and all around the brake support bracket

[Tetanus Express]

Looking great! You got some real nice work done on that firewall. Keep it going.

[Jstock85]

You got a lot of time in that ride. Im ready to see it with a fresh coat of paint!!

[520-k5]

Originally Posted by Jstock85

Impressive! I don't see how you keep track of all those projects. I have 1 daily driver truck and 1 project truck and that is plenty for me!!

I'd probrably be done if I didn't have so many projects to sidetrack me lol. But taking a break on it keeps me interested honestly.

[520-k5]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That is looking great! I was looking at my 76 last week and I'm going to have to repalce from the floor seam up to below the wiper motor area on it due to rust. I'm really looking forward to that.....

Lol glad I'm not doing another one anytime soon although it would go alot faster

[520-k5]

Originally Posted by Tetanus Express

Looking great! You got some real nice work done on that firewall. Keep it going.

Thanks i wish i had the extra cash for vintage air cause id like to smooth the firewall but the factory a.c. will do just fine

[520-k5]

Originally Posted by Jstock85

You got a lot of time in that ride. Im ready to see it with a fresh coat of paint!!

I have more time into this truck than any other project I've had to date. My dad still can't believe why I'm going thru all the trouble to fix " an old railroad truck" as he calls it lol but this will truly be my first completed project.

[520-k5]

I'm done with the firewall welding completely now so I started on the driverside floor. I removed the kick panel and cut a section of floor out for access and took a chunk of the rocker out to see what it was like under there

[520-k5]

The inner and outer rockers i ordered for a reg cab truck so there was some difference in how they meet up at the post. There are crewcab rockers available but I couldn't find actual pics of how there stamped so I played it safe and ordered reg cab stuff. The inner rocker kinda flairs out so I had to trim that rear section off to fit and I cut the rear of the outer rocker to fit how I thought would be best. The floor pan doesn't fit very well and I need to trim the edges down more before I determine how I will trim out the old floorboard. The kick panel and inner rockers fit fine and the outer rocker fits fine but has terrible stamping marks ill.have to get pics of. I ordered everything from jegs and summit because of there free shipping. It is all amd boxed but turned out to be rebranded crap lol but it'll work here's where I'm at so far everything is trimmed and mocked up I need to cut out the old floor still but it's basically ready to start welding in. I'll pick up some more weld thru primer and epoxy primer this week and start welding away at it. Pretty stoked that I'm almost at the end of the tunnel for metal work and can finally get back to bodyworking it and get my drivetrain installed my goal was to have it drivable by June for the brothers truck show in Cali but I doubt I'll make that so I'm shooting for late summer now so that I can make some local shows instead

[520-k5]

In the last pic above you'll see the gap where I cut too much of the original inner rocker out so I'll have to patch that but luckily I ordered two sets of inner rockers a partial and complete set so I'll just cut from the partials that I won't be using.

[520-k5]

I'm not sure why some of the pics turn sideways but here's the floor mock up inside. And the outer rocker prior to trimming it. I also started sanding the hood but I'll probrably take it to work to finish it

[520-k5]

Had some free time this week so I started on the floors. Finished cutting all the rust out and got the inner rocker and kick panel welded in. Today I fit the floor pan and pre drilled it and cleaned up the surface rust on the cab support underneath. Tomorrow I'll weld the floor pan in and hopefully get the cowl and outer rocker welded too.

[520-k5]

The floor pan fit was poor at the trans tunnel and firewall and needed major trimming to lay in there nice.

[520-k5]

Here's the final trim. Fits pretty good now.

[wesmigletz]

I've been following your build. It's looking good, especially your metal work.

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by wesmigletz

i've been following your build. It's looking good, especially your metal work.

x2!!

[520-k5]

Thanks guys. Really looking forward to getting this done so I can get it back together and start driving it again.

[520-k5]

I welded the floor pan up the other day and I started on the inner rocker where it meets the floor hump and also patched the area where the inner rocker was too short. I found more rust on the inner rocker so I cut that out and notched over a little more. I got the outer rocker on tacked up but I left all my Cleco clamps and vice grips at work so I'll have to wait till this week to finish the outer rocker. I also test fit the door and everything is good to go I'll get the rocker finished as well as the outer cowl panel then I can move on to the passenger side