1970 VA Longbed Project

[VA72C10]

Got the frame power washed this evening. Of course for the first half hour there was something amiss with the motor and the prossure wasn't that high so it wasn't doing much. Tinkered with it and got it working better and it took off most of the grime and loose paint from the PO's spray bomb job. Going to hit it with a wire cup and take off the rest of the unneccessary brackets Sunday or Monday. Also going to mock up the drop battery box, compressors, air tank, c-notch, and bags to get holes drilled. Then will get it painted in Rustoleum hammered finish.

Jason (the guy helping me with the welding/body work) was working on welding the couple of holes in the rear floor and the cab supports. Had one fender sanded and fillered then sanded back down ready for primer. Looks and feels smooth as a baby's bottom A lot of work even though it was a new repop.

Here are the before and during pictures of the frame. Too dark for afters tonight. Will get them after I wire cup it...



TONS of grease in the crossmember


Tranny crossmember had 1/2" of grease on it from leaky tranny pan and old engine. Found out it had exactly ZERO bolts holding it in Really upset with the PO...between this, the motor mounts having no bolts to the crossmember, and one bolt holding the tranny mount in, I'm surprised the drivetrain didn't fall out while I was driving down the road


Engine crossmember halfway clean


Note the clean mark on the front of the tranny crossmember....those familiar with pressure washers will notice I had the tip adjusted smaller than I should...it was the only way I was getting enough pressure to start with...after tinkering I got it working with a wider fan spray which worked better of course...


Bare metal on the tranny crossmember PO must have cleaned this up when he did the motor/tranny swap but whatever paint he used didn't stick or the tranny fluid made it come off...

[nuke1]

now that looks cruddy

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by nuke1

now that looks cruddy

It was...I am a mess from cleaning it

But it looks much better now and in a few days when I paint it all the work will be worth it

[70k52wd]

Good job, dirty filthy but good. And what the PO did, or rather didn't do.
I like the hammered finish you picked. I can't wait to see it.
I need to go to Ric this week some time, hint hint.

[VA72C10]

Here's pictures from last night. Went over any rough areas with my grinder and a rust/paint removal tool. Started grinding off some old exhaust hangers. Looks to be two sets....one from the PO and one from someone before that. I am running a custom exhaust through the rear crossmember so it's all got to go... Frame looks pretty good. Nice and solid with no rust to speak of. With the hammered paint, I don't have to get it 100% smooth but I'm doing my best to get it cleaned up well so the paint will adhere nicely. Will do a little more this evening and start mocking the air ride tank/compressors, etc that will need to have holes drilled in the frame. Will do all that I can think of that will need drilling before painting of course.

Cleaned crossmember


Before


After




You can see in those pictures where I had turned the tip all the way to the smallest setting to get the junk off which I wanted to avoid because I knew it would leave marks, but you can't feel them.

[VA72C10]

Here's the rear cab patch tacked in. It took out the rest of the cancer in my truck. After the final welds and it's smoothed we'll be adding plating on top of it to run to the cab corner. Underneath I have a full weld on cab support we will be welding on top of the factory one. That will reinforce it and be the main structure. I am using sleeves for the other cab corners that will be bolted and welded on. They are intact with some rust in them and I'm going to sleeve them so they're all the same thickness.


Underneath


Fenders being worked on

Inside scuffed up from PO's Paint job

[gcburdic]

Nice progress Jonathan.... starting to shape up!!!

[STOCKISH]

Coming right along bud. Looks good.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by gcburdic

Nice progress Jonathan.... starting to shape up!!!

Originally Posted by 1972SuperCheyenne

Coming right along bud. Looks good.

Thanks guys, progress should pick up here. I'm more motivated and I have someone helping who is as well and is doing good work.

[lks dcvn]

Nice work - I wish I had somebody close by who knew how to weld - my neighbor says to use pop rivets and bondo over it - NO - I will not be doing that.

I have a welder - just haven't had a chance to use it - but I will on the next few projects - that is good and bad I guess.

[VA72C10]

Got more grinding done on the frame tonight...it sure is a slow and tedious process....but worthwhile when you step back and look at it. Frame is looking better and better. Got a bunch of the brackets off tonight. SHould have time to work on it Saturday and will hopefully get the springs off and mock up the air ride/battery stuff and then finalize the prep and paint this bad boy (frame) sometime next week

[VA72C10]

Only damage on the entire frame is this boogered up hole...I will have that fill welded and ground smooth shortly




Will be smoothing out the front end components once I get the small bumper bolts off and get the shocks and springs out...


It's getting there...if the frame looks racked it's because we're using a spare toyota wheel/tire he had laying around after one of my tires developed a decent leak....


A small sampling of the brackets, etc I grinded and pried off this evening

[Hart_Rod]

Looks good. Did you hose it down with oven cleaner prior to pressure washing it? I've used that stuff a couple of times and it works great. Keep plugging away, you'll have it done before you know it.

R/

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Looks good. Did you hose it down with oven cleaner prior to pressure washing it? I've used that stuff a couple of times and it works great. Keep plugging away, you'll have it done before you know it.

R/

The oven cleaner was in my plans until I couldn't find it in the garage and was running out of daylight. I got most of the grime off with just plain water through the pressure washer. I'm sure it would have been easier and saved some grinding if I had used the cleaner. As I said, the frame is in good shape...surprising shape for VA I'd say....Must not have seen much winter use.

I got some 20 gauge steel for my smooth cowl and some other ideas I have....
Also got some drops of 2" round pipe to run the exhaust through the rear crossmember. For future reference, go with 4"....I got 5" and will make it work and end up with good clearance for my planned 3" exhaust, but it will need to be tweaked (read: Flattened slightly) to fit within the confines of the rear crossmember.

[c10crazy]

Looks great! Is your mechanic only working on your truck or is he working on others at the same time?. I've seen ads on craigslist as low as $30 per hour for body work but i'm always leary. Great progress on the truck.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by c10crazy

Looks great! Is your mechanic only working on your truck or is he working on others at the same time?. I've seen ads on craigslist as low as $30 per hour for body work but i'm always leary. Great progress on the truck.

I am his only "project" at the moment, but he works on other vehicles several nights a week. His rates are reasonable which is the only way I can afford to have someone help me. He is doing a very good job on everything so far. His business is called Pops Chop Shop and his sign over his door is a fist and it's called "busted knuckles garage"

[brian69longbed]

what are your plans with the truck?

[VA72C10]

Well, I went back to my second post and looked at my initial list, but that has changed....so here is the updated list

Add Power Steering
Add Power Brakes
Add inner fenders (none currently)
New Rad support (current is swiss cheese)
New bed to save body work
Spray in bedliner
New Tailgate (duh) with flip handle and some custom touches
Move Tank to rear
Hidden gas fill (stake pocket)
New deluxe clear sidemarkers
1 piece windows
Chrome Train Horn
Drop Spindles with cross drilled disc brakes in front
RE-7 Airbags w/ Dual 380 Viar compressors and Accuair manifold
Chrome 5 gallon air tank with 8 ports
New ECE Super Trac Bar
New CPP rear shock relocators
New Shocks with relocator brackets
New Sway bar
New Rear 2" drop blocks
Poly trailing arm bushings
Flipped carrier bearing (new)
New dual exhaust with H or X pipe tucked up through rear crossmember
Chromed Tilt steering with billet wheel and half leather wrap
Newer truck seats
New Carpet
New deluxe pedals and trim
Stereo with subs behind seat
New 70 Grille surround
New factory grille
Euro clear headlights with HID
Clear Front Parking lights
New chrome front bumper
New rear chrome bumper with brackets (none currently there)
Marquez designs taillights/bezels or something similar
Shaved door handles with powered bear claw latches
Shaved locks with remotes
New windshield trim with the stainless trim
New rear window trim with stainless
Tinted windows
Chromed/billet engine bay
Blue or Red metallic paint
20/22" Billet Rims
Leather seats/door panels/dash pad/sunvisors

[brian69longbed]

i have front inner fenders if your interested. im not going to use them and there's nothing wrong with them. if you want them let me know. well work something out

[VA72C10]

I appreciate the offer but I have two new ones ready to go on. Thanks though!!!

[VA72C10]

Just a quick update....no work today because of family and church obligations...I am speaking tomorrow afternoon and trying to finish preparing the message.

I filled out a claim for the damaged rim but for some reason when they picked up the wheel to inspect it, UPS returned the damaged wheel to the guy I bought it from...so we'll have to see what happens there...

I'm still waiting for the other 22...somehow they lost that so I've got two 20's right now and no 22's With the way my budget is going I might have to sell them anyways and go with a "standard" 20" instead of the billet ones. We shall see....

[my67chevytruck]

nice progress.

[VA72C10]

I've got to catch up on a lot of progress and will try to do that tomorrow after church....here's three teaser pics and see if you can figure out what has been accomplished....


This was exhausting to do.....


I think I need to smooth things over with everyone for lack of pictures


The picture in this frame is in need of cleaning

[brian69longbed]

the first picture looks like your making room for exhaust in you factory trailing arm crossmemer
the second your beginning stages of smoothing the cowl
the third you need to wash your hairy arm or leg...
ha ha ha

[nuke1]

she is really coming along, looks great and the new list is even better, sorry about the rim situation, that just plain sucks. things will work out. later