Project "Financial Burden": 1968 SWB C10

[KMC3420]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Apparently thats the new hot thing to do in the bodyshops. There's probably a vid of it somewhere. I have the same sander, but I like my Blair cutters. Loooove my little belt sander.

Thanks Elco, yeah I use my spot weld cutter for the spot welds too. Not sure why I said spot welds. I meant to say, use the sander for repaired panels to get the weld dots down flush to the base metal.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Hey KMC3420, yes you can use the small belt sander for grinding down those patch panel rosette welds. It works quite well. It takes a little practice to learn to feather things out into the base surface. It has a variable trigger so you can slow down the speed as you finish things out. Just remember to wear some hearing protection because it has quite the howl running wide open.

[KMC3420]

Originally Posted by Old_Truck_Fan

Hey KMC3420, yes you can use the small belt sander for grinding down those patch panel rosette welds. It works quite well. It takes a little practice to learn to feather things out into the base surface. It has a variable trigger so you can slow down the speed as you finish things out. Just remember to wear some hearing protection because it has quite the howl running wide open.

Awesome, that is what I wanted to hear. Gonna order one now. and I need a new set of ear plugs, but can get those at Home Depot, the full ear cover kind.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

I've been making a lot of small brackets for plumbing using Notchhead clamps. I like them a lot better than typical P-clips. The lines just snap in place and are held firmly. Here are some examples on the supply and return fuel lines and a wastegate actuator line.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

I'm also finish welding the exhaust system. I just purchased a dual flow regulator for my Argon tank so I can back purge (using the red hose in the picture) all of the stainless tubing. It takes quite a bit more time, but welds so much nicer.

[cornerstone]

Super nice work man.

[brianc636]

Originally Posted by Old_Truck_Fan

I'm also finish welding the exhaust system. I just purchased a dual flow regulator for my Argon tank so I can back purge (using the red hose in the picture) all of the stainless tubing. It takes quite a bit more time, but welds so much nicer.

This is how I'm going to build my exhaust as well. I'm fortunate that I work for a company that manufactures equipment in SS so I'll actually get the guys to use the auto welder to weld stuff up.

Good work on everything so far, this is a great build.

[1971Stepside]

Love Love Love the detail on the brackets and the notchead clamps. Clean work.

[TA_C10]

. Love those clamps. Nice work.

[CC69Rat]

Very nice build ! Subscribed

Keep at it man. Cant wait to see it finished up.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Thanks for all the encouragement.

Originally Posted by brianc636

This is how I'm going to build my exhaust as well. I'm fortunate that I work for a company that manufactures equipment in SS so I'll actually get the guys to use the auto welder to weld stuff up.

Good deal, I'm sure that will turn out really nice having access to equipment and folks that do that for a living.


I finished up the exhaust tubing welding. I found a nice purge box online called the "Crummy DIY Purge Box". Crummy is the company's name and not an indication of the quality of the product. It was a fun little welding project and worked out really nice to back purge the internal flange welds that are on the turbo outlets.

I also made a few small heat shields to protect the exposed valve cover rubber gasket from the upturned exhaust manifolds.

[KMC3420]

Great idea on the valve cover gasket heat shield, it can only help considering aluminum is an excellent heat sink.

[Low Elco]

Nice tight work. I'd like to see how that purge box works.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

I finished welding the turbo flanges on the exhaust manifolds. The aluminum block worked nice for both back purging and as a heat sink. With the factory heat shields installed they turned out nice.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

I was struggling with the fit of the inner fenders. I bought another "brand" but still had similar results on the driver side. If I bolted it to the fender lip then everything else was off 1/4 inch and it rubbed on the steering shaft. If I bolted it to everything else then the fender lip was off 1/4 inch. I slotted the holes significantly on the first set and I was just not happy. So this time I got more aggressive and just cut the fender lip off, bolted everything together, scribed an intersect line, removed about 1/4 inch, and welded the pieces back together. Now all the bolts go in without issue. Seems some people can just throw the aftermarket inner fenders on while others (like me) fight to get good alignment. The second inner fender on the passenger side actually fit a little better and will just require minor tweaking. The driver side fender is original and the passenger side is NOS. Just part of the game getting everything to fit just right.

[TA_C10]

Nice work. I found with my repop inners similar results. I found the best for me was 2 bolts first in front core(left loose), then the large upper bolt to cab(left loose), then install outer fender loose, then attach inner to outer starting with the 2 bolts at top of inner fender(vertical bolts). Those 2 vertical bolt holes where what was really off and made everything suck so they got the die grinder a couple times. Then after that once I had them installed I found the inner fenders stuck out too much from outer fender. Had to trim(grind) that lip down to match outer fender.

Ton of work I know, and I bet they are different for every truck. But I must say, looks like you did the best fix your way, its the right way to fix these things for the best fit.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Originally Posted by TA_C10

Nice work. I found with my repop inners similar results. I found the best for me was 2 bolts first in front core(left loose), then the large upper bolt to cab(left loose), then install outer fender loose, then attach inner to outer starting with the 2 bolts at top of inner fender(vertical bolts). Those 2 vertical bolt holes where what was really off and made everything suck so they got the die grinder a couple times. Then after that once I had them installed I found the inner fenders stuck out too much from outer fender. Had to trim(grind) that lip down to match outer fender.

Ton of work I know, and I bet they are different for every truck. But I must say, looks like you did the best fix your way, its the right way to fix these things for the best fit.

Hey TA_C10, thanks for the feedback, I like your install process. I was leaving the large bolt in the cab for last since that is a typical spot for shims from the factory, but I could see how that could help give some stability as you install all the other locations. I ended up in the same position as you with the two vertical fender bolts requiring large slots to get everything else to work. I would have been ok with that, but the steering shaft was rubbing on the inside cut out once all the bolts were in. I thought about reworking the steering shaft area, but I was not confident I could get the contours to match back up after I cut and shifted things. You're right that it takes a lot of work to get all these parts to come into alignment. I keep telling myself that time spent now will eliminate headaches and tears when everything goes back together in final paint.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by Old_Truck_Fan

I keep telling myself that time spent now will eliminate headaches and tears when everything goes back together in final paint.

Oh you keep telling yourself that, because you are so right. There are things I wish I would have done now that I'm putting my truck back together.

.

[88Stanger]

OH MY, What an AWESOME build! Just went through the entire thing, and you sir are an artist! Great job, ill be looking for more updates.

[1971Stepside]

I had the same issues with my inner fenders. I ended up just welding all the holes and drilling them where they needed to be. I have one fender/door gap that I hate and had hoped the shop would have corrected, but didn't. You will be very happy you did all this when you are in paint. It really is the difference between a 25k truck and 50k truck IMO.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

OH MY, What an AWESOME build! Just went through the entire thing, and you sir are an artist! Great job, ill be looking for more updates.

Thanks for the kind comments. Glad you're along for the ride.

Originally Posted by 1971Stepside

I had the same issues with my inner fenders. I ended up just welding all the holes and drilling them where they needed to be. I have one fender/door gap that I hate and had hoped the shop would have corrected, but didn't. You will be very happy you did all this when you are in paint. It really is the difference between a 25k truck and 50k truck IMO.

Welding up and drilling new holes in the correct spot is a good method too. I've had to do that on several parts as well.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

I had to make a little more clearance between my intercooler plumbing and the inner fenders. So out comes my brand new radius brake. Just a cardboard shipping tube.

[Old_Truck_Fan]

I finished up the hard lines for the condenser. I also received my custom Moser Engineering third member with 3:70 ratio, 31 spline, Truetrac differential in a thru-bolt aluminum case.

[TA_C10]

Great work. And resourceful. No interference with power steering box lines underneath fender?

Where did you pickup your A/C hardline supply?

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Originally Posted by TA_C10

Great work. And resourceful. No interference with power steering box lines underneath fender?

Where did you pickup your A/C hardline supply?

Thanks TA_C10, the stock power steering lines still work. They are located away from the scallop (see pictures).

I used "Vintage Air U-Bend-Em Refrigerant Lines" from Summit Racing for the hard lines. They sell them in 6 inch or so increments. I used welding wire to map out the path and determine the correct length to order since the end forms are all pre-formed.