Square Body Smorgashborg

[Zebb]

I'm mid way thru my 86' build. Basically my 86 rusted away waiting for a rebuild and then the project took a few turns in different directions. The only thing that stayed the same is that it will be used and not a show rig.
The details in a nutshell are: 1986 K10, 1979 2wd frame converted to 4wd, 1987 cab, 1985 fleetside. I kept the original differentials, doors, radiator support, and manual transmission. Pretty much everything else was stuff I gathered along the that I decided was better than what I had.

So here are a few pics to get started. I'll put something together from the beginning.

Before the most recent teardown.


New frame blasted.


Framed assembled.


New cab on it.


Some parts hug on it for a test fit.

[scottco]

Cool !!! Looks Great.......

[STOCKISH]

NICE!! Looks killer so far!

[Gordonr1973]

Very Nice!!

[Zebb]

Thanks guys. It's been a long slow cheap build so far.

@gordonr1973 I have been watching your build since the beginning although I wasn't a member when I looked at this site I always checked your progress. You have done amazing work so far.

[Zebb]

Fast forward to now. The cab is off again. I have replaced the rot on the cab. 1 new inner rocker, 1 rocker panel, driver's side floor, small patch on passenger's side floor, 2 repairs to passenger's side rocker panel, both inner cab corners, both outer cab corners, cleaned firewall and bottom of cab, seam sealer, and coated the bottom of the cab.







Next is to flip it back over and complete the bodywork on the cab for paint.

[silvereagle07]

Nice work!

[Zebb]

Today one of my racing/truck buddies showed up for a long overdue visit. He had some good square body news. He just got a new 78' crew K30 with 33,000 miles. I couldn't believe that there was a rust free truck like that left in New Hampshire. It is truly a nice survivor that was optioned well.

Here are a couple pics of his new crew.






Needless to say the talk around the garage today was about that beauty.

After a few beers and a lot of chevy talk my cab got flipped back over, few more beers, some deer stories, another few beers, some more chevy talk...and that was about it out in the garage today.

[Gordonr1973]

Originally Posted by Zebb

Thanks guys. It's been a long slow cheap build so far.

@gordonr1973 I have been watching your build since the beginning although I wasn't a member when I looked at this site I always checked your progress. You have done amazing work so far.

Thanks, you are going way faster than I did.

Repairs look really good and the undercoating will definitely help keep it in good shape for years to come!

[Zebb]

Been doing a lot of work on the cab inside and outside getting it ready for primer.


Just made the decision to use my old visor on my new cab so that had to be installed and taken back off before paint.


Since it was going to be getting the visor again I decided to finish off the look of the old cab with the grab handles also.

I know it's kinda 80's-ish but it is an 80's truck. And it looks like my truck again.

[Gordonr1973]

I like the visor and grab handle.

If you were screwing a big flat orange plastic bug deflector from 1977 to your hood that is a different story.... :-)

[yousesteers]

I like the grab handle my wife wants something like that on my crew cab she says it is hard to get in to

[Can't kech me]

Originally Posted by yousesteers

I like the grab handle my wife wants something like that on my crew cab she says it is hard to get in to

[Zebb]

Originally Posted by yousesteers

I like the grab handle my wife wants something like that on my crew cab she says it is hard to get in to

Quote from my wife when I showed her the grab handles were on: "Yay!"

[Zebb]

Small update with no pic though.

I got the cab in epoxy primer tonight inside and out. For somebody that does not do body work I was extremely pleased with the outcome. I had to sit and stare at it for a few hours/beers. When my teenage daughter showed up and pulled up a chair for the last hour...that was the best. She grew up in square bodies so she was excited to see it move to the next step.

[Zebb]

The cab in epoxy primer.



Then today I got a coat of base on it. Hopefully by tomorrow night I will have the cab done. The florescent lights made it hard to take a good picture but it will be sunburst orange same as a chevy colorado.

[Gordonr1973]

Nice color choice!! You're really moving fast on this!

[MalibuSSwagon]

Nice!

[Zebb]

It seems like it is moving along fast but to me it isn't. I do get a lot of work done when I can work on it but it spends a lot of time just sitting around. This build has taken years. First it sat and I bought a beater s10 to drive while I redid it. It took two years to commit to tearing it down. While it was parked it rusted badly. Then it seems like every time I start to work on it something came up that makes it go back out and wait some more. Examples over the years are bought a home, then had medical bills not covered by insurance for my kid, agreed to do a jeep project for someone that ended up being a complete build, kid rolled her car and I redid that for her...My poor project always comes last so when I have the time/money I hit it as hard as I can. Right now I am motivated to get the cab done so I can put it on the chassis before winter really comes down on us. I live in a snow/cold belt in NH and want my chassis back inside for the winter so I can assemble stuff to make it run again. Besides that I can work on it most of the winter without spending much money on it. I am kinda sick of boxes of parts everywhere too!

[Zebb]

Today I got the base coat finished in the morning.



Then in the afternoon I did a couple coats of clear.



I'm pretty happy with it.
Now after it sits for a while I can finally put it on the chassis for the last time. When the time comes to paint the rest of the truck I will probably paint the sides of the cab again to make sure the paint matches. But for now I can move forward on the truck as a whole.

[1985-GMC]

Nice truck! Very nice build!

[Zebb]

Last night before a snow storm I got my chassis into the garage. I had a few odds and ends to take care of on that before I put the cab on. That went pretty quick so I was able to get the cab set for the last time.

[old yelr]

Nice truck! Love that color too
I know what you mean about projects always taking a back seat. I've been collecting parts for 12 years and still have not been able to get to the point where I feel like I'm ready to jump in. Got married, started building a house and my project just keeps sitting. Not complaining, that's just the way it goes.
Keep up the pics !!

[higgiec10]

nice truck like the color

[survivingalone]

anymore updates? would love to see pics of that color outside in the sun!