It’s Just A Pickup

[jojo]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Yep, it almost looks too nice to actually use!


Nice descriptions as always!

I agree.

With all the love going into that thing, I'd put it on an enclosed trailer and never even roll it off!

Bruce if they built these trucks like that back in the day, they would have costed 30k-40k brand new(as we all know, in the 70's thats a lot of coin)

[leemer4]

Nice Build - Great work and description on your work - really helped me out. Thanks!

[VA72C10]

Thanks again for the detailed pictures....really like that E-brake setup....always thought they were under-engineered and ugly. Yours looks good and will function better as well.

[my67chevytruck]

Great work as always Bruce.!!!!!

[mcbassin]

Wow! nice e-brake setup!

[Bruce88]

It was an interesting day yesterday
It almost felt like I was at a car show, showing off a new project to the crowds

I rolled the frame out to the driveway to clean up the shop and it seemed every 15 to 30 minutes some one was coming over or stopping their cars to look or ask about the truck, with plenty of thumbs up drive bys.

I would have never thought that a frame without a body would draw this kind of attention. I did get the shop cleaned up with plenty of enjoyable interruptions (smile).

Thank you, thank you all that have posted your compliments, encouragements, and interest in this build. With plenty of hours spent in the shop trying to put this project together it’s definitely a help in moving it along to completion and appreciated.





As the frame is rolled back into the shop and covered up to prevent dust and dirt from gathering on it I’m looking forward to seeing it again with the cab and sheet metal on it. Hopefully not to long a period of time (smile) Thank You

Enjoy Your Build

[gcburdic]

* honk honk*....sweet looking frame Mister

[msgross]

nice e-brake setup... love the detail in the postings too...

[VA72C10]

well deserved attention....looks good in the sun

[Bruce88]

Back to working on fit and fair
A good thing to do for me before sending it off to body & paint and finding it later in final assembly.

The door window frame was tilted inboard on both doors with almost no gap for the weatherstripping and the frame was just clearing the cab opening on the top edge.

Broke the window frame loose at both ends and tilted it outboard at the top to obtain about 3/8 inch gap for the weatherstripping and lowered both ends of the frame approximately 1/8 inch to give added clearance at the top edge.

I’ve seen on OEM factory doors where the clearance between the forward upper corner of the window frame was so close to the cab opening that it would chip the paint in that area.

Some of the pictures below are from the LH door and some from the RH door, both doors required almost exactly the same amount of rework.









A tip that Ill be using in the future, when putting in new weatherstripping and the gap for the weatherstripping is good around the door. The door may be hard to close because the seal is dry and grabbing the door especially at the front edge. As the door closes it not only compresses the seal it needs to slide on it a small amount. A light coat of some kind of lubrication (and I mean light) to the seal area will help it slide and compress the seal. Generally some kind of silicone lube will work and I would never use a water base item. There are some weatherstripping lubricants/dressings from the factory that will work but they seem to be extremely expensive.

Enjoy your build

[basemodel67]

Wow! Great build... don't know how I missed it before.

[green68]

Great info. I am at the same stage on my build.

[msgross]

were those aftermarket doors? nice work

[Bruce88]

Originally Posted by msgross

were those aftermarket doors? nice work

Yes there aftermarket doors
Triplus doors, for part numbers check out (post #135) on page 6 of this build thread

[msgross]

most guys aren't happy with aftermarket but it looks like you made them work nicely... thanks.

[VA72C10]

very nice work!....as usual

[my67chevytruck]

Nice progress Bruce.!!

[Bruce88]

It just fits with some hangover
Reminds me of my belt on my pants (smile)

I have a 4 foot by 8 foot flatbed small utility trailer that Ill be using to transport the cab to body and paint and it just fits.

I made some stands out of some scrap metal to set the cab and radiator support at the same height or relationship as if the cab and support was on the frame mounts, this sets it up so I can set all the fit and fair of all the panels.

Still need to make some minor adjustments to fit and fair but I think I’m just about as close as I’m going to get it to factory fit requirements. There’s going to be some areas that are not going to fall within tolerance and I’m just going to live with them (it’s not a show truck) (smile).

A tip that you might find of benefit. Some people have trouble getting the aft end of the hood to sit down flush with the cowl and fenders. Try loosening the three bolts on the hinge to fender on both sides and have someone push the open hood up. You’ll see the hinge go up in the front and down in the back on the fender a small amount, tighten the bolts in this position. Be ready to adjust the hood forward the above adjustment will move the hood aft and you’ll probably need to, for hood to cowl clearance.

A few tie down straps over the cross boards and its ready to go down the road, it will probably be an interesting sight that you don’t see every day.









There are a few things I want to do before sending it off to body and paint but not many, so I guess I’d better get out there and find a body and paint shop that I want to do the work. It’s almost ready. Yes the grill will be removed before going to body and paint it’s just there to check fit.

Enjoy your build

[VA72C10]

Looking really good. That is a funny sight!

[nuke1]

great job bruce, amazing work so far, getting closer everday!

[Bruce88]

The marriage is complete
I’m upgrading the headlights to halogen and using relay wiring to give them plenty of power.

Bringing the two wiring harness together into one. All the parts that Ill be using are listed in the first picture.



The LMC relay wiring harness looked out of place with the yellow wire loom cover. I cut the yellow cover off of the wire runs and panduited the two harnesses together and ran them thru the wire crossover protector. Then added some black loom protection over the rest of the wires. The LMC wiring harness just plugs into the stock harness without any cutting or splicing of the wires.

I found a larger horn in some of my parts laying around and decided to mount it where the external voltage regulator would have been mounted. The external voltage regulator is not going to be used instead I’m using an alternator with a internal regulator and a conversion jumper on the wiring harness.

I’ve found that splined rivnuts work pretty good for grounds. I install some ¼ - 20 splined rivnuts in the places that I wanted the grounds. Will install some ¼-20 bolts in the rivnuts to protect the threads from sandblasting & painting.

The wiring harness is ready to install after all the sandblasting and painting.




Still looking for some one to do the body and paint, had one come over to give me an estimate and have another two next week coming over. Maybe Ill be able to find some one that can do it for the price I want to pay.

Enjoy your build

[lyrikz]

Paint prison. Not looking forward to that. Like i mentioned before, whatever estimate on time they give you, TRIPLE it. Whatever estimate on money they give you, double it. lol.

There is SOOO many horrible stories on paint. The more you say "go ahead and take your time" Just you will never see your truck again.

Do you have any metal work to do, or strictly body and paint?

[Bruce88]

Originally Posted by lyrikz

Paint prison. Not looking forward to that. Like i mentioned before, whatever estimate on time they give you, TRIPLE it. Whatever estimate on money they give you, double it. lol.

There is SOOO many horrible stories on paint. The more you say "go ahead and take your time" Just you will never see your truck again.

Do you have any metal work to do, or strictly body and paint?

Trying my best to eliminate the pit falls & problems and not be one of the horror stories (smile)

All the cutting and welding are done, all that’s left is sandblasting, body & paint.

[glimmertwin01]

sweet

[chevytruckluver]

Great looking job Bruce, good luck on finding the right painter, I would get some references before I sign up with someone I didnt know