Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)

[smpoulin01]

Looking good! Thanks for the update.

[Ol Blue K20]

Looking good.......

[GASoline71]

Thanks you'se guys!

Check this out... I was looking at the cab floor today and I can't believe I never noticed this. The pics show the front drivers side outboard seat bolt hole. There is a good sized dent there where the seat bolts to the floor. After some research and also looking in my 1972 GMC parts truck, this area should be flat. Apparently hitting a ditch at 45 MPH with a 245 pound dude in the seat can do this. Wow... no wonder the frame was bent.

I also have a dent in the upper part of the drivers side door where it hit my left elbow. How it didn't shatter my arm is beyond me. That area is pretty stout right there where the metal starts to round off towards the window opening. My arm was pretty sore, and I consider myself dang lucky. I am leaving the dent there, and have a pinstriper do a 1970's style asterisk in the middle of the dent with the word "OUCH" next to it.

Gary

[Skip44]

Forgive my ignorance as I am still learning about body work, do you put seam sealer down between the old and new sheet metal or after it's all welded in and put it where the old metal meets the new?

Skip

[GASoline71]

I have brushable seam sealer that I am brushing over all the welds, and using body seam sealer in the areas where there are gaps and where there are factory seams. I'm sure from the factory there was seam sealer schmutz'd in between some of the panels and then spot welded together. But trying to do that here and get good penetration on welds might be an issue. At least that's my take on it... and I'm no expert on the matter.

Gary

[Skip44]

Well, GASoline71, that's what I thought. I didn't think it would weld well with it in between the panels. Thanks.

Skip

[GASoline71]

Drivers side outer rocker panel. Drilled 78 holes that are 1/4" for "spot welds".

Burned it in, ground down the welds today and then shot it with primer. As you can see in the finished pic I have primered most of the cab floor and hit the welds with brushable sealer. Will do some more seam sealing tomorrow!

Gary

[Wide Open]

Looks real nice!

[Ol Blue K20]

Looking good!

[GASoline71]

Thanks!

Spent the evening after work using a 3M Roloc Bristle Disc on the door edges of the cab. Removed all the old glue residue and stuck rubber from the old seals. Had to hit a few areas with a 60 grit grinding wheel to get at some rust. But It's all done. Now I have to mask it all off and give it a shot of etching primer and then a coat of paint before I put my new push-on door weather seals on.

Also seam sealed the entire cab last night. Gonna go over a few more areas with brushable sealer after work today.

Gary

[NewType72]

Very tidy fab work on the new panels! Great stuff and love the idea of the pinstripper doing the "ouch" with asterisk

[GASoline71]

Thanks Dylan!

Update. I installed "Fat Mat" over the weekend to the cab floor and to the back of the cab under the rear window. The original jacking and tool stowage instructions sticker is still there... so me being the sucker for nostalgia I am... I left it there and put the sound deadening around it. My furry "helper" was a bit camera shy... Funny how Maggie can tell when I have my phone camera on her... She turns her head just at the right moment.

Cleaned out the gas tank and threw it in for a pic or 2. Gonna remove it and repaint it. Also look for some kind of spray paint that looks like the original galvanized metal look. All in all it's more progress. Feels good to be getting closer to firing this thing up again.

Gary

[sduckworth13]

Awesome work on the cab Gary!!

[GASoline71]

Thanks Scott!

Another update... My 1972 C25 parts truck had an aftermarket heater control panel installed in it. So I removed it to use in my 1972 C15 that had the original unit with 2 busted levers.

Once I got them both out and sitting side by side... I didn't like the aftermarket unit. Instead of the decorative "ribbing" on the face being metal like the original, the "ribbing is nothing but a foil sticker. The 2 good things about the aftermarket unit were the levers are steel and not pot metal, and the heater fan switch is the exact same switch (even the manufacturer) as the old original switch.

So I kept my 1972 control panel and installed the aftermarket levers and knobs, and used the newer fan switch. EZPZ...

The aftermarket panel also had smaller lettering on the "DEF" "AIR FAN" "HEAT" side. So I am glad I used the original with new levers.

Gary

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

I have brushable seam sealer that I am brushing over all the welds.

Gary

More info on this please? I want to coat the backside of all my bed shortening welds.

It also looks like those new rockers fit pretty well!

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

More info on this please? I want to coat the backside of all my bed shortening welds.

It also looks like those new rockers fit pretty well!

Jesse, Here is the brushable stuff I bought off Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the el-cheapo disposable acid brushes to brush it on the weld seams

I am extremely happy with how that drivers side outer rocker fell into place. Wish I would have bought that brand when I did the passenger side. Live and learn!

Gary

[67ChevyRedneck]

That's really great to hear as I have the same ones in my parts pile.

I'm going to have to try that stuff out!

[The Junkman]

Looking good Gary ,My yellow lab supervised the truck i redid last winter, they are real good dogs ,Are you going to do the paint job and bodywork yourself ?

[sduckworth13]

Nice to work on the heat controls. It's always a good feeling knowing you don't have to fight the broken levers and have to reach under the dash to turn the heat on or off.

[GASoline71]

Been awhile since I posted in here! Whew! It's been a busy summer. Didn't get nearly as much done as I wanted. But I accrued more parts and even installed a couple things.

New aftermarket Ididit tilt steering column installed. It fits great, but I have one complaint in that the plug and play adapter is too short. Since this is their universal column it fits almost anything, and then they include the correct electrical adapter (made by AAW) for your vehicle. It is a very nicely made column and I clear coated the bare metal after I wiped it down with solvent to remove the oils that were on it to prevent rust. Hope the clear coat holds up on the portion that sticks through the firewall into the engine compartment.

Also picked up my new shifter. B&M Pro Stick. Need to fabricate a mount for it as it will be too low mounted to the floor.

More to come soon. Not many pics, but if anyone is interested, I will take more pics of the wiring adapter that came with the column. All quality made in the USA stuff. just too short in my opinion. I contacted AAW to see if they have a longer adapter and they don't offer one. But the guy said they can supply the adapters without wires so I can make my own. Which I might just do.

Gary

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by The Junkman

Looking good Gary ,My yellow lab supervised the truck i redid last winter, they are real good dogs ,Are you going to do the paint job and bodywork yourself ?

Hi Junky! When the time comes, I think I will attempt it. It's another feather I wanna stick in my cap. I've done everything else on this truck myself, and have learned a lot. It will be pretty cool to say that I did everything on this rig.

Gary

[The Junkman]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Hi Junky! When the time comes, I think I will attempt it. It's another feather I wanna stick in my cap. I've done everything else on this truck myself, and have learned a lot. It will be pretty cool to say that I did everything on this rig.

Gary

Its not that bad doing the paint ,just time consuming ,i painted the wifes 71 in pieces ,took the overwelmness out of it ,painted the cab doors and fenders first with the hood off ,then i did the hood ,then the bed ,doing the tailgate last ,was less stressful this way for me ,and can do in the garage at home that way .A trick a body guy told me ,if doing base clear ,in the clear double the paint reducer ,they tell you on the can enough to meet emissions i think to get less spray in the air ,the extra thinner lets it go on with less thickness so it drys a little faster between coats ,helps it lay flatter also .You can also do the ruducer trick with single stage paints .If need any pointers shoot me a pm .

Ps Hows that chain sharpening stone business doing .

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by The Junkman

Its not that bad doing the paint ,just time consuming ,i painted the wifes 71 in pieces ,took the overwelmness out of it ,painted the cab doors and fenders first with the hood off ,then i did the hood ,then the bed ,doing the tailgate last ,was less stressful this way for me ,and can do in the garage at home that way .A trick a body guy told me ,if doing base clear ,in the clear double the paint reducer ,they tell you on the can enough to meet emissions i think to get less spray in the air ,the extra thinner lets it go on with less thickness so it drys a little faster between coats ,helps it lay flatter also .You can also do the ruducer trick with single stage paints .If need any pointers shoot me a pm .

Ps Hows that chain sharpening stone business doing .

Nice job on the paint and thanks for the tip!

I just noticed you're over in PA! I never had a chain sharpening stone business. But I used to fall timber for a period as a hired gun.

Gary

[The Junkman]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Nice job on the paint and thanks for the tip!

I just noticed you're over in PA! I never had a chain sharpening stone business. But I used to fall timber for a period as a hired gun.

Gary

Old thread on a/s i was talking about ,i think guys were joking about using rocks to sharpen chain ,was years ago ,am sure it was forgotten by now .I will stick to using my silvey though ,it works good enough ,lol

Your doing a fine job on the truck ,lot of guys would not have changed the whole frame out .

[GASoline71]

I had a feeling you were referring to AS! Haven't been on there in ages.

Gary