Lurker OrrieG Progress Pics

[oldman3]

Everything coming together, looks good....Jim

[Kim57]

Looking good OrrieG.
Kim

[OrrieG]

Modified the tailgate trunions. When I was working on the tailgate cables and latch I noticed that I could get the tailgate to line up, but when I opened and reclosed it, it dropped about 3/16". I looked closely and discovered my trunions were not perpendicular to the rear sill and tailgate. The trunions were not bent or tweaked, the bed corners they mount to are splayed out a little bit. I do not know if it came from the factory like this or if they were bowed when the lift gate was installed. Anyway, I welded and ground on one side of the trunions to square them up. Next weekend I will refit the gate and see if i solved the problem. I also found the part the trunion goes into was out of round and enlarged, so I tuned it up for a tighter fit with the 2# adjustment tool. Also did more body work, wax on wax off drill with Rage but getting close.

[daverod]

What did we do before Ebay. Nice sell.

[dug224]

Can't wait to see the final steering wheel product. Intend to follow your lead on that. You are on the downhill stroke! Keep up the good work. Dug

[OrrieG]

Epoxy primed and sanding primed hood, tailgate, bumpers, grille, grill surround and some misc parts. Should block out real nice, only saw a few small boo-boos that will need work. I'm tired of bodywork for a while, going to do some mechancial and interior stuff.

[OrrieG]

Ready to block

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Ready to block

have fun blocking

sometimes i'd get a part done 'good enough' only to go back, reprime and reblock it again
some days i'd have to take off and not even look at it
hang in there

[oldman3]

Looks good....Jim

[dug224]

So THAT's what my sheetmetal will look like in a couple of years. Well done. Dug

[Kim57]

Looking good.
Kim

[Green 1959]

Awesome as always!! I know how you feel about body work getting a little.... much. But keep going can't wait to see that back on the road

[OrrieG]

I don't mind doing it, but need to remind myself it is going to get driven. With the bed on I know I put in way to much time on the back of the cab below the belt line. Looking a the pics it looks like I use a lot of plastic but most of it is just a skim coat. I learned my skills from an old timer that ran the Ft. Hood hobby body shop in the early 70's. Luckily for me there usually wasn't anyone there so I got a lot on one on one instruction. I was doing my 60 VW panel (not a flat surface even though they look like a box) that had been hit on the rounded corners, sills and large slab sides. He would not even let me get out the plastic until I had mastered the hammer and dolly and worked the whole car. I would get it close to flat and think nothing else could be done, then he would take the tools and gently make it perfect. Learned a lot about patience. When it was done max thickness he would allow was 1/16", most was less then that. Yes, I could have rebelled and not worked as hard, but he wouldn't have taught me as much.

[zellway]

I just read over your thread and I must say I'm impressed. I love the slide out tray under the seat! I have a set of M/T valve covers painted just like the ones you have.

[OrrieG]

Thanks for the compliment. Orge, if you want to relive the feeling, come on by!

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Parts look good...

[1985-GMC]

Looks great!

Ft. Hood as in near Waco Tx?

[OrrieG]

Yes, I was posted at Ft. Hood with the 1st Air Calvary 72-73. I had a 64 Chevelle, and a friend an I raced a BB 69 Nova. I also wrenched on and drove other guys cars too. My Lieutenant had a GTO Judge that ran terribly. I got it running right and took him out for a test drive. Scared the beans out of him, he had never fully opened the throttle. He traded it the next week for a 63 split window Vette.

[1985-GMC]

Haha that's great, and thank you for your service Orrie!

[OrrieG]

Got to do a redo. Scored a Qjet off of a running truck (until about a month ago before it tossed a rod) for $30. Cleaned it up and spent the afternoon redoing the choke lever, ac kickup bracket and trans kickdown. Only thing that bolted right up was the gas pedal. It's ready to fire up again.

[Chevette]

Well done on the body parts, Orrie. Also, seeing those "door guts" reminds me that I must gather up all those parts that I'm not going to use do to power window conversion and post them on eBay. I'll likely give them away, just charge the shipping. That is if I can find them. It's been a while.

[OrrieG]

Green - My truck originally was the the medium blue, repainted in the 60's to factory dark blue. It came with a white steel front bumper and blue wheels. I kept the white bumper and painted the wheels white. I later found a chrome back bumper. This time I am painting the bumpers and grille the same silver as the interior. I have seen a couple of truck like that and like the look. I was going with a blue color, but have changed to green, lately there have been a bunch of blue trucks showing up in town. First photo is mine, second shows grey on blue, but I think the grey is too dark, third without the pumper shows the shade of silver I will be using. I wish patina would have been "in" I would have just shot mine with a satin clear!

[Green 1959]

Awesome!! I think I will do my that silver too, the headlight bezels are similiar to that already. Now I wonder if I should do the grille bar the same.. On a unrelated subject is there is Chevelle forum you would recommand? My wife is getting started on a 68.

[Kim57]

This is a pretty decent Chevelle site.
Kim
http://www.chevelles.com/

[OrrieG]

I know, I am a Gold member there, joined a long time ago when Al first started the site and there were like 200 of us. Haven't been active, but keep up the membership and still lurk around. Will probably start posting again when I start the Chevelle build. Here's my DD with its winter wheels.