1970 VA Longbed Project

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 0331grunt

I really like the two-tone hammer finish look on the frame/suspension. I think I will do something similar. It's coming along good. (Now if I could get the chance to work on mine...!!)

Thanks. There are several colors of rattle...they even make it to work on plastics now...

Originally Posted by 70k52wd

Long live the rattle can. Done right, it works great. That wrinkle stuff is great.

Btw, I love the red interior reference pic. Sporty!
Shaved firewall will definitely be a nice touch also.

Thanks man, I just LOVE the way the smooth firewalls look, I've wanted a nice A/C setup, and I just picked up a frame mounted brake bracket.

I really like that red interior. It won't look the same because I am not changing my dash, but I will be smoothing the center part of the dash between the gauge bezel and the glovebox door. The console will end up flowing up into the dash and to the back and into the sub box behind the seats.

Originally Posted by mx574

I like how you cleaned up your cab. keep up the good work.

Thanks. It took about 6-7 hours to clean the bottom of the cab that clean between undercoating, dirt, and rust. Started with the wire wheel to knock off the most junk and went to the grinder to take it to bare metal.

[ccracin]

I just got to look through your build. Lookin good! Isn't it amazing how one thing affects another? Every idea I come up with makes me have to come up with 10 more to solve the issues I create with the first idea. Man! Keep up the good work.

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by ccracin

I just got to look through your build. Lookin good! Isn't it amazing how one thing affects another? Every idea I come up with makes me have to come up with 10 more to solve the issues I create with the first idea. Man! Keep up the good work.

thanks!

[VA72C10]

I also think prep work has a lot to do with how the rattle can stuff works. I grinded the frame to mostly bare metal, wiped it down, blew it off with air, and wiped it with laquer thinner. Then applied the automotive grade rustoleum stop rust primer. Two light coats of that followed by three coats of the hammered finish. I will most likely do two more coats since I have to touch it up now anyways (idiot )...and it will cost about $12 more

[VA72C10]

I have drilled through the painted frame with no issues either of chipping or peeling. Then I just shoot the holes with more hammered paint and it's good to go...

[VA72C10]

Got the final patch panels needed (other than the passenger door bottom) today as well as the trailing arm bushings and bed bolts. Got them from Athey's truck parts. Thanks Bill! Had them pulled and ready for me to stop by and pick them up.

[VA72C10]

Dropped off the cab patches and inner and outer rockers. Everything looks like a very good fit except the passenger side rear cab support. I had another one and that worked well so whenever he gets time to weld them on, the cab will be done.

I took off the heater box from the cab as step 1 of shaving / smoothing the firewall. Glad to see there was no rust underneath. The heater core had to be brand new when I got the truck.
Finished up taking out the rest of the wiring. The only thing holding the wiring in is the ignition switch. I got a little tool that's supposed to help remove that so I will try that tomorrow.

[VA72C10]

Thought about the trailing arm bushings after I had painted the arms....so I just picked those up and went to remove the old ones tonight....not fun. Well, honestly, they're not too bad as long as you have a good plan. The first one took an hour with Jason helping me for 15 minutes of that. In reality I wasted 55 minutes and then figured out how to do it. Jason recommended drilling out the rubber in the middle of the gasket. I did that and the pin would come out with a little persuasion. I had smashed the end of the metal sleeve so I then had to push that back into shape then used a socket to knock the sleeve out of the arms.

THe second arm took me literally two minutes. Drilled out holes in the rubber, hammered the pin flush, used the other old pin to hammer it out, pulled the old pin and rubber out, and then 4 or 5 taps with a hammer and appropriate sized impact socket and the sleeve was out. Test fit the bushings and they will be a good but tight fit. Cleaned up the trailing arms a little more, sanded a few rough spots, cleaned and prep'd them, shot them in primer, and then two more coats of hammered silver. Painted the custom transmission crossmember while I was at it.


Out with the old

In with the new (after paint)

I will have to write the size of this impact socket down because it is a perfect fit for when I go to press in (hammer in) the bushings after paint.

[VA72C10]

Here's the painted arms and tranny crossmember



And a gratutitous action shot I took of myself grinding on the truck last week. I need to ask Jason to take some pictures of me working because the only proof I have are my dirty arm pictures...

[VA72C10]

And here's the C-notch finished painted with the provided bumpstop. I still have to get some red loctite to tighten this down but I wanted to show this in case someone is wondering how to do the bumpstop w/ a notch.



Got my holes drilled for my polished stainless battery box. Painted them up last week and got some stainless hardware to attach it to the truck. Should have the box this week.
This is one reason I really like spraypainting the frame...I was able to drill these holes after the original paint and in 10 minutes I primed and applied a new coat and you cannot tell that they weren't painted originally.

[VA72C10]

Gotta get new bolts for the trailing arms. I am going to mock them up tomorrow to get verify the locations to drill holes for the airbags. Plan on getting those holes drilled, bags mounted, and I also plan on cleaning up the rest of the front end parts and hopefully painting them.

I got the Scotts brake booster/master relocation bracket in the mail today from JLaird. One more step towards a shaved firewall.

[brian69longbed]

when i removed my ign switch it sucked. i didn't have the tool! ha ha hopefully it works out for ya.

[VA72C10]

I'll find out tomorrow hopefully. I've been under the weather today and my youngest daughter had a 101 temperature so I've been staying around the house.

[brian69longbed]

keep an eye on that temp!

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by brian69longbed

keep an eye on that temp!

Definitely...she's doing better today. I still feel horrible but that hasn't stopped me from working and won't stop me from working on the truck tonight. Have to go get my brother in law's shower fixed first though....

[VA72C10]

Got the trailing arms on, bags mocked, and tranny X-member set in it's approximate position...started playing with the frame mounted brake booster. Pics to follow later...

[brian69longbed]

push through the pain ha ha adda boy!

[mx574]

I like your bump stop. Was wondering myself how to use bump stops(and if-alot of people do not and let the truck squish the bags). Are you running any for the front?

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by brian69longbed

push through the pain ha ha adda boy!

Yep, ya gotta do what you gotta do

Originally Posted by mx574

I like your bump stop. Was wondering myself how to use bump stops(and if-alot of people do not and let the truck squish the bags). Are you running any for the front?

The bumpstop with the notches is from CPP. You can get them separate. I am going to get a slightly larger bumpstop to use for the front in place of the factory bumpstop. It will still be much smaller than the factory one...just in case of bag failure to prevent metal on metal. Even though the RE-7 bags have internal bumpstops, I figure safe is better than sorry.

[VA72C10]

As I mentioned, I got the trailing arms installed. They look really good with the extra coat of hammered paint. Pressed in the studs using these tools A 1 7/16" socket and a nice big hammer. A few whacks and they fit like a glove.



How I installed


Installed bushings


Trailing arms installed. Couldn't find any shorter Grade 8 bolts so these will get the extra threads cut off.

[VA72C10]

Started mocking up the bags. Jason was working on the rear axles of a Jeep so I had limited space so I didn't get very far. Have a template of where to make the holes, got them temporarily attached to the trailing arms, and took some pictures...

Took them back off so they weren't damaged. Planning on flipping the frame back over Wed night, marking and drilling the holes, bolting the bags in place, and getting the trailing arm bolts cut and final torqued down with loctite.

[C20-67_N_MO]

Great looking project!

I hope to have mine to that point at some future date.

[67cheby]

I thought we werent calling it rust anymore ,, I thought it was PATINA ??

[nuke1]

Totally right, leave the rest of the truck outside, call it aged and drive the crap out of it with no worries for dings and bugs and rocks, just have the engine and frame all purty and you will be happy. hehe

[VA72C10]

Originally Posted by 0331grunt

Its coming along good. Gotta love surface rust!!

Yep, but nothing a few seconds with a grinder and 36 grit won't take care of...

Originally Posted by C20-67_N_MO

Great looking project!

I hope to have mine to that point at some future date.

Thanks. I am happy to be working on it. Didn't have the parts, time, welding help, motivation, etc. to work on it and it sat for over a year after I bought it. The only good news about that was I bought about 85% of what I need/want for the truck during that year.

Originally Posted by 67cheby

I thought we werent calling it rust anymore ,, I thought it was PATINA ??

Exactly

Originally Posted by nuke1

Totally right, leave the rest of the truck outside, call it aged and drive the crap out of it with no worries for dings and bugs and rocks, just have the engine and frame all purty and you will be happy. hehe

ummmm....no

I actually love that look - see N2Billet's thread for my dream patina truck... I most likely will end up finding a patina truck one day, totally slamming it, and using it as a cruise/work truck...they're just too cool.

But this truck is going to be a show truck. I've got a lot of other custom touches prepared for this one.