The building of "Monroe" 72 4x4 swb

[tutone]

Some more. Had some unusual rust around the rear window. I had some thick shelving with pre bent corners that makes excellent patch panels.

[tutone]

Finally got my set of shocks from Summit Racing after 29 days. Glad I wasn't in a hurry. It wouldn't be right to put anything besides Monroe shocks on a truck named " Monroe".

[tutone]

Not much to update on the build, but I got the last of the rear window patches tacked in. I do have news though, Jackson was born 3 weeks ago and is doing fine along with his Mom and Dad. I did tell him all about his truck, but at this point, he is only interested in a meal and a nap. We spent some time with his other Grandparents, who by the way are car people too, and they will be following along with the progress. Tim has some correct mirrors for the doors and maybe some more of the few parts we are shy of. I'm waiting for Southern Ky Classics to call me with a full floor and other patch panels..

[tutone]

Well I am back at it. It has been a crazy fall but i took a week's vacation hoping to get the passenger door skinned and the floor cut out. I managed to get the old skin off the wrecked door and a quick test fit looks really good. I would have just got a used door but it being a 72 door, it is worth the trouble..

[cornerstone]

Looks like nice work on the door skin! What did you do to take care of the surface rust inside the door?

[tutone]

I haven't yet. I have a patch or two to make and then I will wire brush it down and cover the inside of the door and skin with Por15. The driver door is solid but I am going to try to treat it as best I can in the same way.

[tutone]

Today we fix door bottoms, a lot of you have done this before and I know a lot of you have not. For those that need too, here is my method. This only will work with the skin removed, but for 30 bucks plus the 85 for the outer skin, it sure is an attractive option. First drill out the spot welds on the door skin edge and remove it completely. Clean up the edges with a wire wheel and then this is what to gather next. A piece of carbon angle 1", some good rare earth magnets, cardboard, sharpie, tape measure, ruler, scribe, a cut off tool and a good angle grinder. Plus you will need a mig welder.
1. Make cardboard etchings of your door contours and label them
2. Measure at a well marked place a few inches in on the inside of each door to
bottom edge of the existing panel . I used a ruler and recorded the meas-
urements on my cardboard.( see pics)
3. decide how much you want to lop off. In my case 3" took care of any rust I
had. Plus it got me below the lower hinge.
4. set your angle with your magnets on your cutoff line and cut your panel.
Be careful not to cut the hinge reinforcement metal in two. Oh yeah,
there is a brace in the middle.
5. Move your door and clamp the repair panel and cut the patch panel just
like it. Leave a little extra on each side to whittle away for a good gap
6. Now this Taiwan panel will have to have some dolly work and slicing to
make it fit, but take your time, you will pull it off.
7. put your patch on and groom to fit by grinding, hammering, measuring, and
slicing until you are happy with the results. Tack it and MEASURE again.
After all this, you can double check your contours with your etchings and lay your outer skin on it and trim the edges to fit. Take your outer skin off and finish welding , SLOWLY, a little at a time as not to warp them.
Here is a few pictures of the process.

[tutone]

More Pictures of this. It has been 35 years since I last put skins on first gen Camaros and Chevelles, but Chevy is well known for rusty doors in just about all those years. This way I feel like my mostly GM doors will fit and give me good gaps.

[tutone]

Finish welding pretty much done on the door bottom. Next will be the outer skin.

[rowdy11]

Subbed in and nice work on the doors!

[tutone]

^^^^Thanks, got some more done today and last week. Rustproofed the insides and replaced the window regulator. So much easier with the skin off. Finished fitting and bent my edges. I have not tacked anything in case i need to adjust. I made a foam covered jig on my bland ex to keep from damaging the outer skin while I beat on it. Here are a few pics.

[tutone]

Well guys, sorry for the lapse in updates. It has been a tough year, but things are settled down a bit. I have a 14 day plan to install a new complete floor pan , rockers and cab corners. I will post pictures as I progress. I really am tired of walking around this thing, and my buddy is probably ready for his cab dolly back. Let's see if we can't make that happen. Work starts tomorrow.

[geunther]

Looking forward to the progress

[tutone]

Today is measurement and prep work. The rockers and front and rear pillars are so rotten, I will have to go measure door openings on a solid truck. I drilled out every other spot weld on the back of the cab.

[Gregski]

skillz to pay da billz !

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by tutone

I would have just got a used door but it being a 72 door, it is worth the trouble..

shoot I just tossed a '72 driver side door cause it didn't match my '71 cab

[tutone]

The 72 doors are hard to find as it is. That is the only reason I am trying to save these two old rough doors.the hard one is done, but don't get me wrong, the driver's door needs some love too.

[tutone]

Drivers side gaps look good. Bracing in and now to work on the passenger side. I kind of dread it since just the other day I found out the Asian door skins are an 1/8th more narrow than a GM skin. That makes my mind up not to skin the driver's door. I will just use what I need to patch the three rusty spots on it..The passenger side was t-boned and I didn't have a choice.

[tutone]

Got all the cab bracing in. Gonna quit for today. Tomorrow's plans are to drill out the rest of the spot welds , remove doors and flip it on it's back and cut the old floor out. It is going to heat up to the high 80s and Im already tired.

[Gregski]

Outstanding progress, and high 80s (I know you gots humidity) but that's cute, I've been out there in the heat at the Pick N Pull yankin' Vortex enjins out in 108°F by myself, ha ha

[Getter-Done]

Originally Posted by tutone

Got all the cab bracing in. Gonna quit for today. Tomorrow's plans are to drill out the rest of the spot welds , remove doors and flip it on it's back and cut the old floor out. It is going to heat up to the high 80s and Im already tired.

Glad to see you are replacing the full floor.

Will you be at the SETN at Superspeedway?

[tutone]

I guess not. I'm not sure that I've even heard of that show. We didn't make it to PF to the rod run. From the vids I saw, lots of nice 67-72 trucks were there. The more I get into this heap, the more I wish I had found a better cab. But, that being said, I think if this floor goes well, cab corners and outer rockers, the truck will be solid. Otherwise, it would be in a crusher somewhere. We can't let that happen.

[tutone]

Well, there have been several developments since I last posted. Here is what Ive decided to do. I am continuing to labor on the 72 cab when time allows. But this project has taken a turn. I opened my mouth and bought a pretty good old 71 longbed c10 from Leonard1 here on the board. The 1st owner I knew from when I was a boy.The bed was good, as it had a topper on it for much of its life on the road. anyway, owner died, it ended up at his house and I just couldn't stand to see it sit. It is a 250 I6/ 3 ott but not for long. You all know by now that if it stays here long, 20 inches disappears from the back of them. This one is no different. Here is the new plan. Scrapping the 4x4 idea. I am building one chassis, 3/5 static drop. Steelies and poverty caps, 350 auto, 3:08 rear and keeping the 100% org paint. Or at least what's left. When i get it on the road, I will finish the black cab and swap it on my foundation. Iwill build a super slick bed for it, then. Here is where I am at so far.

[tutone]

First thing I did was swapped the grill and bumper. Got it running and disassembled the bed.

[tutone]

Started on bed floor next. Cut my 8 and 12 out. Good flat solid floor, too. Made a parts run and got a new bolt kit.