Boppa's old yeller truck

[Low Elco]

Ok....Progress! Finally turned something yellow! Came out ok, with a couple of sags, but no big deal. Forgot how hard it is to clear over light colors, and it was all dark and shadowy in there! Ah well, it's on now. Tomorrow this SOB goes back on it's dolly and we start making progress! Here's the pics-





Yellowy Goodness! More updates as events warrant!

[Low Elco]

Ridiculous update - got old door stripped, body worked, and the old and new doors in prime. Then the very next day, the box holding all the hinges and hardware broke and fell, 4 feet onto the new door. Aaaahhh yes. So, a couple more dents to fix. At least they weren't painted yet.
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[BruthaMan]

Nice looking project. You've done some amazing work on the body.

Appreciate the advice you've given me on my project.

Were you able to get any work done this weekend?

[Low Elco]

Appreciate the props, bruhman. I just got lucky. Thanks though. Here's the update- got the doors blocked in, so it's all about 80%. Went ahead and re-fit the doors. Then we drilled 1/8 holes in the hinges for the refit. Did'nt find too many surprises. Think we'll have to shave some door bumpers in the end, but not too bad. Here's some pics-


Training the Youth of America-


He seems to enjoy watching others work!


Door fitment-not bad!


A little trick- we measured the compressed thickness of the existing door rubbers, then stacked paint sticks to match and taped them in place, along with a double stack under the bottom. This'll get ya started.


Here's a detail shot-

[Low Elco]

Another couple of shots-

Top fitup-


Bottom-


Looks Goooood!

[Low Elco]

Quick update: got doors off and inners 150 blocked. Decided to reattack some areas on the back of the cab I wasn't happy with- much better, glad I did it. Found a small rust spot on the cowl- easy fix hopefully tonight. No pics, y'all know what primer looks like. As God is my witness, I'm gonna turn this SOB yellow here shortly!
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[litew8]

looking good

How are you getting such a close gap against the cab with the door? We fitted my yesterday and it doesn't seem to get as close as yours do.

[67cheby]

nice gaps !

[Low Elco]

Lots a work in the metal stage. Don't be too impressed, using the paint stick method I'm around 1.5-2 thicknesses on most areas. Calling a friend to see about milling the slots in the hinges a bit longer. We're a bit hinkiertjan I'd like at the bottoms also, but shaving the bumpers'll help most of that. Thanks for the props and interest, it helps!
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[67cheby]

will enlongating the holes throw off all of the hood and fender gaps ?

[Low Elco]

It Shouldn't. I need to go back a little further with one door. It's pretty close as is, though.
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[67cheby]

cool, looks like you are doing a great job !

[Low Elco]

Dude, I'm tryin'. Done a bunch of paint and body, but this is the first one this far. Plus you gotta manage time. Plus. It's for my dad. Gets a tad frantic sometimes, but I just keep takin one step at a time. Having the forum helps a lot, too. Thanks!
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[litew8]

Okay, you must have done something to the metal to make those gaps skinny, right? Because my unworked metal (door) doesn't sit that close to the cab. If we were to move it that close, there'd be larger gaps at the front/top of the window frame. Overall we are aiming for even gaps even if they aren't narrow. Yours are narrow all around which seems impossible to do. Just talking out loud and I think yours turned out looking nice!

[Low Elco]

No worries, the drivers door is a 70, the pass door is a triplus. Our biggest problems were at the bottom. Had to slit the rockers a bit to make it fit, Pulled the outer skin out and pushed the rear curve down a bit, and I'm still not that confident. I can tell you, aftermarket doors vary a LOT on the window frame height. Like 1/4 to 5/8 inch. Yeah. We measured a lot of 'em. That's why we rebuilt our existing door. Actually, though, we just tried to get everything even too. Loosely install the door. Like bolts floppin loose. Put a doubled up paint stick on the bottom jamb as a spacer for starters. Put your bumpers in, or triple stack some paint sticks to act as your door seals. Now shut the door. You should be flush at the back, and the top front door corner should even up with the reveal on the windshield post. Now shimmy around until the case lines up at the back. If you don't trust your eyes, use a 2x paint stick. Now get the body lines lined up. Carefully tighten the bolts. Let God sort out the rest. The window frame gap gets lost in the shadows. Concentrate on the case gap. Good Luck!

[BruthaMan]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Plus. It's for my dad. Gets a tad frantic sometimes, but I just keep takin one step at a time. Having the forum helps a lot, too. Thanks!

Honorable. First thing that came to mind when I read that this was for your Dad, was this commercial:

Chevy True Stories | "My Dad's Car" |...

Still get a little choked up when I see that commercial.

One day at a time. The memories will last a lifetime.

[Low Elco]

I like that one too. Thanks for the link! He's stoked (see pics) and keeps telling me as long as its one color and not a rusted out bucket, he'll be thrilled. I'm just trying to keep the momentum going and do right by him and the truck. I know it'll be ok, I'm aiming for nice, if that makes sense. Thanks for the good comments, guys!
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[Low Elco]

Ok,Time for the update! Did some small stuff during the week, 150 blocked the doors (always a surprise) and reprimed, fixed the weld I cracked fitting the doors in the process. Boppa came out on Sat, so I had to get after it! To the pics-

Was idly lolling about and spotted this funky lookin' spot on the firewall. So, I hit with a hammer and got this. Cute, huh?


Made a patch-


Welded it in-


Finished it off-


Worked Boppa like a rented mule-

[Low Elco]

Ok, the rest of the story. We (Boppa)scrubbed the wiper trough down and hit it with Rust Bullet. While it dried, we went to Harbor Freight and went halvsies on a new Blast Cabinet and got the stuff to put it on a frame with wheels so it can reside in the shed when not in use. Old guys- thinkin, and stuff. Here's the Bullet.


Got to lookin' and had some extra holes in the firewall from an aftermarket AC and the clutch hole, so I got up Sunday and welded 'em up. This wasn't gonna be a show truck, remember? Ah well. Texas folks, note yummy beverage that keeps dirtbags welding. Thanks for the exports! (Willie, Waylon, and Shiner!)


So the holes got welded and finished, and The Kid volunteered to help. BAHAHAhahaahah! He got to learn to mask. Looks happy, don't he?


Ah, but it's not all bad. He got to do the cool part, too.


It's all gray! and I hepped! (He did a good job. And even wanted to help clean guns!)


Then we got dinner and took care of some chores. The primer was good to go later, so I ran it down with 150 and re-primed. I sweartagod, I'm gonna paint somethin yellow here soon!

[67cheby]

Great progress
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[BruthaMan]

It's looking good. Color, even if it's gray primer, is progress! I use that term "progress" all the time when working. Gotta be makin' progress!

[JRANGER]

very nice

[litew8]

We know you've got some pics to post!

[Tinkermc]

R U sure you didn't change your mind on color and go to gray instead???

[Low Elco]

Nope, still got a big can of yellow! Been a weird busy stressful week here and at work. Went to paint interior on Monday and found a dent in the rear cab wall, so I got it worked and skimmed and primed. Had hockey and kid stuff rest of the week, then Jimmy Buffett tomorrow night. Might sneak the rest of the prep in tomorrow and shoot Sunday if I'm lucky. No pics, nuthin to see! Thanks for the digs, though, it keeps me Rollin !
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