Crew Cab build preview...

[randy500]

Originally Posted by 67chevy_hotrod

Randy, if you need a hand with anything you know you can always reach out to me!

Thanks, I appreciate that and will keep it in mind.

[71blksuper4x4]

Keep up the good work Randy.

[randy500]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

Keep up the good work Randy.

Thanks man, I appreciate the comment.

What's status of your crew cab?

I'm trying to figure out how many have crew cabs been completed and how many have real progress. If you know post up.

Weekend update to follow....

[randy500]

I scored some parts I needed and put them to good use.
richard2717 from Maryland sold me the 3rd door pillar, the 3rd door hinges and some white rear door panels.

I was hoping to use the truck front door A pillar and hinges but I found out that wouldn't work. I did mock it up that way and the front of the rear door just has too much overhang in front of the hinges for those hinges to work, so I got the parts from Richard over the past 2 weeks and built a new drivers side B pillar using the one from the other side and used the hinges from the other side.
This weekend I built the B pillar, moved the 4th door upper hinge down 1.5" to match the 3rd door configuration and mounted the door.
The 4th door now opens nice and wide just like the other side.
I'm real happy with it and now can see the light at the end of the tunnel...

[71blksuper4x4]

I haven't worked on it since last March. I bought a square crew cab to drive while building this one and was building it. The picture of mine outside of the shop is the last pic I have taken of her. Been lining up everything I needed to do the duramax swap but keep the vehicle height to a minimum.

[randy500]

To make the passenger side B pillar work took some real thought because it needs to be a mirror image of what it is, I had no idea if I could make it work or not but bought the B pillar just in case...I bought it prior to finding out I needing the door hinges.

So here is a picture of the end result.

[71blksuper4x4]

Looks good Randy.... it's all in the details

[randy500]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

I haven't worked on it since last March. I bought a square crew cab to drive while building this one and was building it. The picture of mine outside of the shop is the last pic I have taken of her. Been lining up everything I needed to do the duramax swap but keep the vehicle height to a minimum.

I forgot yours was 4wd, I might convert mine after its finished, I'm trying to make the project manageable so just 2wd for now, I hope to have it all one color and driving it this summer.

I like your square body too, I built a shorty crew cab 73 with a 87 nose back in 99 (2wd), it was a cool truck and I like those years almost as much as the 67-72's.

[randy500]

So here is how I managed to make the B pillar from the passenger side work on the drivers side, I think its unique but maybe its been done before.

The B pillar is 2 pieces, front and rear, I separated them, then looked at each piece, mostly the rear because It would be the hardest to make from scratch.
I finally came up with the idea that it has all the right shapes and if you cut it up in sections you could invert each section and use it on the drivers side, so I cut it into 4 pieces, turned each over and welded it back together. It turned out pretty nice. I meant to get a couple pics as I was building it but forgot.
I will number the pieces on the truck as it sits and explain it further, maybe it will help somebody out in the future.

One last picture of the side view...

[randy500]

Got a few things done this week. 4th door lock knob is now installed and working. I used the pieces from a 3rd door, un-riveted them, flipped over the pivot plates then re-staked the rivets. Someone's crew cab build they had some problems with this so wanted to get it out of the way.
I had to cut and weld the lock rod from the pivot by the latch. I also had to reform the handle rod. The inside handle and lock now work as they should.
I also made a new window regulator as you can see in the picture.

[randy500]

I made a burb window regulator with a new repro driver side regulator.
The regulator needed 1 arm lengthened and 1 shortened.
Where the arm is attached to the large gear also needed to be re-clocked to get the window all the way rolled up. Works nice. I will say this the repro regulators work smooth and seem to be good quality.

I took the skin off the door because the front of the door needs substantial thinning to line up with the rear of the front door.
I also need to create clearance for the window channel at the hinge mounts. I will finish up getting the window in the door and fully operational before I re-skin it with a new door skin.

I also got the rear of the cab cut off and in place. The red and white rear of the cab is the final piece for the cab, I will weld it on tonight.

[72 tigger]

Very impressive & nice!

[randy500]

Originally Posted by 72 tigger

Very impressive & nice!

Thank you, appreciate the nice comment

[James the III]

You adding any inner skin to the roof, or cross braces, seems a long span for a single sheet roof

[In The Ten Ring]

If I lived near the original poster, I would be more than happy to come and help. Getting to watch the welding would be worth it.

[randy500]

Originally Posted by James the III

You adding any inner skin to the roof, or cross braces, seems a long span for a single sheet roof

I am gluing the panels together so that should stiffen it up some along with gluing the headliner and they sit almost on top of each other.

3M panel bond adhesive part number 8115 if you care to look it up.

[randy500]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

If I lived near the original poster, I would be more than happy to come and help. Getting to watch the welding would be worth it.

Fitting it all up is more work than the welding...and more interesting.

[randy500]

I got a bit of work done today. It took a lot of time but the back of the cab is almost ready to weld up.
In the morning I will do the final fitting and measuring, then weld it up.
I picked up a set of bucket seats on Friday, so I'm real happy about that, they have new white Cheyenne vinyl covers so the interior will be white seat and door panels.
The bucket seats should give some extra leg room for the rear passenger since I will make it so the console is easily removable.

[randy500]

Pictures to follow....

Last weekend I finally got the back of the cab welded to the front of the suburban.
Before I did that I took the rear of the cab back off and then repaired the outer floor on the RH side, its much easier to do that way and it turned out real nice.
While I was there I patched the front footwall on the inside and the front lower pillar on the outside where it meets the rocker panel.
The rockers were fitted with sheetmetal screws and then the doors installed on the RH side again.
The RH cab corner has a 2" diameter soft spot and LH drivers floor should be replaced (pitting). Neither of those affect the integrity of the cab so I will do those later.

Next up is fitting the roof skin and then the headliner.
Then I will skin the 4th door.

[randy500]

Pictures

[feller]

Subbed!! Nice work man

[randy500]

Originally Posted by feller

Subbed!! Nice work man

Thank you!

I worked on it all weekend, managed to fit the rockers on the RH side, the front one I glued on with 3M panel bond adhesive and a few spot welds, the rear one I plug welded, no panel bond. I full plug welded that one since I didn't replace all the inner rocker panel and it had light surface rust and felt the panel bond wouldn't achieve full strength to the rust so I treated the rust and then welded it.
I also rebuilt all 8 door hinges and reinstalled the doors on the RH side, took a bit of work but now they fit real well.
I also patched both front door speaker holes with panel bond adhesive and a steel patch.
In addition I discovered I needed new front inner seat belt mounting holes with reinforcements since the old suburban holes were basically in the front floor area of the rear seating compartment so I went out back and cut the floor reinforcements from a donor cab and welded them in. You can see the old seat belt holes in the first picture along with the new holes next to the seat mounts, I was going to use the old mounts with suburban seat belt covers but that would have looked dumb.
Fitting the doors, rebuilding the hinges and installing the seat belt reinforcements eat up a lot of time but it needs to be done....

[Deer_hunter_088]

im in.

[kehstr]

When you have the rear door finished up, I'll be interested in seeing how you did it. My dad and I really want to do a crew cab one day.

[WarMonger]

What a cool build. Sometimes I get stressed out repairing a rocker panel, then i look at this and tell myself to shut up and do it.