Angie - 71 GMC C25

[Dieselwrencher]

My wife and her sister went to Texas 2 weeks ago hoping to find some Blue Bonnets with no luck. The Ram horns look nice.

[dug224]

Rick: This project is looking good! Just finished checking up on some of you guys that I've learned from over the years. Did you get rid of your '59 or is still in the line to be built? dug

[rgunlock]

Hi Dug, good to hear from you. I do still have the 59 and the idea is that it comes next. When that will be, who knows? I've ended up spending a lot of time on several projects that are smaller than a truck restore and haven't made much recent progress on this 71 so that pushes everything out. I do hope to finish up the work on the cab over the next couple weeks while my work is shut down for the holidays.

[rgunlock]

Ok, been way too long without an update to this build, but there hadn't been much noticeable progress due to life and a couple supposedly "smaller" projects that got prioritized.

I did get the inside of the roof and skin blasted and in epoxy. I got the ceiling patch fab'd and in, as well as replaced the bad sections of the gutter and the upper doorframe structure. Those last needed some trimming to go in, but I think they'll be fine. Rinse and repeat for the other side.

[rgunlock]

Then the fun part. I couldn't figure out a way to weld the back of the new roof skin to the cab, so decided to use 3M panel adhesive. The roof skin came from Auto Metal Direct and I've got to say it was a pretty good fit. The upper doorframe structure came from GMCPaul's (site vendor).

After cleaning all the bonding edges to clean metal and wiping with Eastwood prep I did the bead on both surfaces, spread it then another bead on the roof panel. I thought I had only 30 minutes work time and was by myself so didn't get many pictures. I got some of those windshield installation suction cup thingies and stuck them on the top of the roof skin, then flipped it over for this. Once I had the glue on just reached under, grabbed the handles, flipped it over and dropped it into place. I agonized a couple hours over a few beers figuring out how I was going to do that without messing up the glue!

All clamped up and used straps to hold the rear tight. I thought I had more of the spreader clamps than what I could find. I thought they were all in the same place so didn't look for them before spreading the glue. So a bunch of little c-clamps to the rescue. Only managed to glue one of them to the roof Paint sticks under the straps kept the straps from being glued on, but as expected I'll have to sand the remains of the wood off.

Overall, I see a pretty even squeeze out all around so pretty sure it is sealed. I'll still do seam sealer to be sure, and for the look. Where the back of the panel meets the top of the cab rear did not come out totally even. I'm not sure if extra filler is in order or not. I'm inclined to think nobody will notice with white paint. Anyway, the roof is done other than some cleanup, filler work on the inner door frame and the seam sealer so mostly past this hurdle - yay!

[7dee2]

Nice work Rick!