73 gmc short Sierra Grande C1500

[Jaysonb]

This will be a fun project. The truck is in fare shape, but it was rusting from the top down. It was a nicely optioned truck. Factory bucket seats, air conditioning, tach dash. It needs the roof replaced, inner and outer rockers, cab corners, kick panels, and some floor work. The box is in pretty nice shape, just needs some small patches above the wheels. The doors were pretty rusty inside, so I got some aftermarket door shells, and they seem to fit pretty well. It should be a sharp truck when it's done. It will be black and white, but the roof will be black as well, it will be lowered a couple inches, black interior with houndstooth inserts in the seats.

[Jaysonb]

The truck rolled into the shop 2 weeks ago, so I haven't got a whole lot done yet, I have spent a bunch of time tracing down and ordering parts. I had to part out one of my parts trucks for the roof, so I had to pull all the good parts off that, then scrap it. That took a few days. As of right now, I have this one down to the frame, I have the "new" roof tacked in place, and I'm about 3/4 done with the drivers side rocker, and floor area. I'm hoping to get this one done in about 3 months time.

[moregrip]

that's a Beaut! What do you use to strip the paint for welding?

[Jaysonb]

Originally Posted by moregrip

that's a Beaut! What do you use to strip the paint for welding?

I use a mini right angle die grinder, with a 2", 36 grit roloc wheel. They are kind of expensive, but they work great. I use the same thing for grinding the welds down.

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

I use a mini right angle die grinder, with a 2", 36 grit roloc wheel. They are kind of expensive, but they work great. I use the same thing for grinding the welds down.

thanks man! I think I'll be doing a lot of the same this year! All pics and details are greatly appreciated!!!

[JoeinT.O.]

Very nice fitment!

[Dads79GMC]

Jayson, are you planning to relocate the fuel tank? Where'd you find this one?

[Jaysonb]

Originally Posted by Dads79GMC

Jayson, are you planning to relocate the fuel tank? Where'd you find this one?

No Sir, the fuel tank is going to stay in the stock location. I am just helping out a guy I know with this truck, it isn't mine.

[Dads79GMC]

Time for an update!

[Jaysonb]

Well I got the metal work done on the drivers side. I might still have a few welds to do there. Everything fit pretty well. I bought a new car trailer so I took some time this week to build a winch mount, and got the winch, battery, and tool box mounted. I used that tonight to haul the frame to the car wash. 6 cans of oven cleaner, and 1 big bottle of grill cleaner latter, the frame is pretty clean. It will need 1 more round at the car wash when the motor and tranny come out, and the old undercoating gets scraped off.

[Dads79GMC]

Excellent work!

[Jaysonb]

Well, the major metal work on the cab is done. "New" roof, and a new floor, cab corners and rockers, and kick panels are done. I had to pull everything off the inner firewall, as I saw some rust peeking out under the pad. Turned out to be not to bad, but alot less stuff to tape off now, and it will be nicer in the end.

[Jaysonb]

Now I'm in the paint stripping, and first round of body work on the cab. This part is pretty fun for me. I have finally found a decently priced filler that spreads well, easy to lay out nice and smooth, and the best of all, it doesn't clog the paper at ALL!! And it sands pretty easy by hand, with no tacky surface to sand through. USC kromate light, it's not a new product, just one I came across in my search for a good cheap filler. I hate spending good money on something that ends up in piles of dust on the floor.

[Dads79GMC]

That time again! Pictures please

[54inches]

Looking Great!

[Jaysonb]

Had to take a little break from doing the body work, so I tore the frame down, had it sand blasted, and powder coated. Then I took the front cross member apart, and hauled that, along with the transmission cross member, and bumper brackets, control arms ect.. in to get blasted and coated. I picked up the frame today, and it turned out amazing. The rest of the stuff will be ready in a week, I dropped it off today when picked up the frame.

[moregrip]

Nice! looking like a very clean build!

[Dads79GMC]

Jayson, are you there?

[Jaysonb]

Well, I recently changed jobs, so the shop time has been pretty limited untill I get into the swing of working the night shift. I got the cab pretty close, I shot some epoxy on it, then a couple coats of slick sand. The parts to get the frame back together will be coming in this week, and I got the cross members, and bumper brackets blasted, and powder coated. They turned out nice. Plans for the truck have changed a little bit, it will be metallic silver, instead of black and white, I am going to install a 4.5"-6" drop, and put the same wheel and tire setup I used on the orange stepside. It is also getting vintage air, and a tbi setup from affordable efi. We are still going with black interior, with houndstooth inserts in the bucket seats.

[Dads79GMC]

Keep it going!

[Jaysonb]

Getting after the box today. Not much rust, but behind the left wheel was dented up pretty bad, the last guy was pretry good at the "cave and pave" style of body work, make everything at least an inch low, and bondo her up. A little work with the stud welder, and hammer and dolly had it much better. Letting the tacks cool between rounds, to minimize warping. It must of had a snap on cover at some point, the screw holes got the same treatment, pound low, and bondo..... It's funny how long some shabby work will hold up, I know if I tried something like that, it would fail immediately.

[Jaysonb]

Working on putting the frame back together. I was originally only going to do a 4" rear drop, so the spring hangers were removed before powder coating, now I get the pleasure of removing the thick, hard undercoating, off the hangers so I can paint and reinstall them. The lowering kit came with a bolt in c notch, is it necessary to use it with a rear flip? I'm going to try and get the rear end, and springs cleaned up, and ready to install tonight.

[Jstock85]

Good work man! when you finish that you will have one sweet ride!!

[bagged01extcab]

Originally Posted by Jaysonb

The lowering kit came with a bolt in c notch, is it necessary to use it with a rear flip?

I used specialty retails 5" axle flip with no c notch and I haven't had any contact with the axle to frame. That's on an 80 stepside with 5 leaf rear springs.

[Dads79GMC]

Originally Posted by bagged01extcab

I used specialty retails 5" axle flip with no c notch and I haven't had any contact with the axle to frame. That's on an 80 stepside with 5 leaf rear springs.

Yep, my Specialty Retails 5" flip arrives today. I wasn't planning on using c-notch. Thanks bagged01extcab for the information as well. Mike