69 Suburban Build

[chewiebarker]

Your work looks great! I am envious of how fast you are going (even if you think otherwise). Cen I ask what you plan to do, if anything, to treat the surface rust on components you are welding together and support structures? Or are you just going to do something once it is patched all back together?

[Juiced06GTO]

Well, I was going to POR15 everything, then read about how you don't want to get that near your weld sites, so then I was going to coat everything in epoxy primer because that is water tight, but again can't get it near where you are going to weld. So right now I have coated everything with high zinc weld through primer. Once I get things repaired I am going to put it up on a buddy's lift and give the whole undercarriage a quick hit with a sander and then metal ready and POR15 the underside. I have also read where a few guys have drilled access hole in the rockers after they were welded together and used a pump sprayer to spray the insides with POR 15.

If anyone has any other idea's I'd love to hear them! I really don't want to get it all together and just have it rust through again in 3-4 years!

I may also get into the engine swap a little earlier than expected, I have to take the nose off now to do the rust repair, so while it is off I might as well just go ahead and do the swap right???? If I keep this up I'll be sleeping in the back of it soon!

I try to get as much done as I can when it is nice out. I don't have a garage, so everything gets done in my basement or the driveway and then only when it is nice out and light enough to see and my 8 month old isn't sleeping so the compressor isn't going off every few minutes to wake him up!!

[Cobalt964ruf]

my 71 3/4 4x4 burb was a rural ambulance from Oklahoma. small world lol. good looking build

[LockDoc]

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My '67 Panel was also an emergency vehicle from Oaklahoma, I think Moore.

LockDoc

[Juiced06GTO]

Little update - Driving up to VT (5 miles from the Canadian border) on Saturday morning to pick up a 2003 6.0 with harness and accessories for $350 bucks! Only caveat is he doesn't know how many miles are on it as the truck it came out of had no dash, but i have a video of it running and no odd noises or anything like that out of it. I'll tear it down when I get it home and probably throw the cam out of my GTO into it along with some double valve springs and a few other goodies I have laying around then tear into the harness. Hopefully I remember what I am doing there!!

I also found a guy in Leicester, MA about 15mins from me, that is stocking and selling repop parts for 67-72 Chevy trucks and scored a new inner fender from him for 90 bucks picked up! He has a few other pieces I need and the best part is no freight to stop by his house and pick them up!!

Hopefully I'll be able to dig into some more rust repair on Saturday after I get back from VT. I have all the panels in, just need to get some time and nice weather so I can roll the welder outside and get to work!

[Juiced06GTO]

Well things slowed down a bit, having a 9 month old takes up most of my free time and working 10-12hrs a day doesn't help.

I also have been working on my 06 GTO to get it ready to do a little road course work this weekend, installing brake ducts, rotors/pads, stainless brake line, etc. I am on vacation next week and hoping to get at least one solid day in on it. I have lots of patch panels and mig wire!

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by Juiced06GTO

Well things slowed down a bit, having a 9 month old takes up most of my free time and working 10-12hrs a day doesn't help.

I also have been working on my 06 GTO to get it ready to do a little road course work this weekend, installing brake ducts, rotors/pads, stainless brake line, etc. I am on vacation next week and hoping to get at least one solid day in on it. I have lots of patch panels and mig wire!

I've found that a lot of stuff gets in the way, but spending time with the kids is a lot more important than the the truck at this point. They grow up really fast and are a lot of fun when they are young. You do have to have a break once in a while though...

LockDoc

[Juiced06GTO]

I'll link some videos from the track, I raced it last year so hoping to better my times this year. My second day on the track I won my class, there were only two other cars in it, but not bad for my first time out on a road course considering I am a used to going straight with it!

Video from last year - https://youtu.be/_lDCqdxkBnU

[Juiced06GTO]

Update time - Still moving forward!!

Well, no pictures yet, but I made some progress! Got the nose off, cut the bottom of the a pillar out and the rusted floor and kick panel, made a new front floor brace, welded in the inner rocker on the front pass side, tacked in the lower a pillar patch panel, fully welded the 3rd door rocker in along with the floor patches there. Then I hung and aligned the third door. Now I just need to rehang the front door, align it and tack the outer rocker on. Also, need to modify the front pass rocker so it actually fits right since it is a truck rocker - anyone have any good tips on how to modify it? I have an idea in my head already and will probably just go right at it with the grinder and welder, but tips are always nice!

I got all that done on my day off Friday while the little guy was at daycare and wife at work. Saturday was housework and family day and prepping the house for a big Memorial Day cookout, then Sunday I made a huge score and went and picked up an 80 gallon dual stage husky air compressor to add to the arsenal! Only 400 bucks so I couldn't pass it up and it looks new! It was a bear muscling that thin around into my basement by myself though!!

I'll get pics up once I get them off my phone!