Another Crew Cab, {72 Denali style}

[Madkidd007]

So I already was thinking I’d trim the burb floor flush with the factory left to right support and stitch weld it to keep it from moving at all. Then tie the front to back truck floor supports to the burb support, lastly I was going to trim the truck floor flush with the burb support, then use vertical sheet metal to fill in the gaps. Sitting on the couch it dawned on me I shouldn’t have started trimming the burb floor yet, so I went in the garage and proceeding to do the following. Use a piece of straight square steel and fold the sheet metal over. Now I’ll just buy the truck floor to it and trim the height. Then weld. So stronger floor support than a stock rear burb floor and the seam will be under the seat. Also the outer three inches or so I’m overlapping the truck floor over the outter edge of the burb support to make sure I’m perfectly level and centered. Tomorrow I’ll hopefully get all the trimming done and come forward a few more inches and be done with the back for a while

[Madkidd007]

Got it pretty close today, have to work the next five days so I said to hell with it. You can see what I was talking about with notching the truck support to make it interlock and then I’ll weld it.

[Madkidd007]

So I’ve been jumping around and today started with the door. Since I have a spare 3rd I decided to swap the center section. The panel is too tight to weld so I tacked it together for tonight, tomorrow I’ll run my cutoff wheel between the panels so I can do a proper weld between the metal. It was pretty easy as I used the door panel holes to help me with alignment and left the window stop:brace in its factory spot since it’s close to center and nothing will interfere. Now my thoughts are suicide 4th door with no exterior handle like I was debating on before. So now the previously front will be the rear and I’ll utilize the factory reinforcements to tie into the new hinges. I was thinking use the factory burb passenger C-pillar flipped around for the driver side B-pillar and then the factory door will already have the latch setup for it. But I’m kinda liking the idea to see if I can put the actual latch in the B-Pillar and striker on the door. Doing that I can put the 4th door handle in the driver front door open in like an early 2000s extended cab Chevy and no one can accidently open it going down the road. Ofcourse no exterior handle to give the 3 door appearance

[Madkidd007]

So I picked the weld location as it was the easiest to line the panel up and it would be where you’d never see it. Let’s just say grinding welds in a recessed area isn’t so much fun especially in the corners. But I’m just gonna make it not have any high spots and mostly smooth and it’ll be alright.

[CarlsLQ9SS]

Just read through your build thread, Glad to see you didnt have to sell it and are making good progress on the build. Major props to you, thats alot of work! Its looking good!

[Madkidd007]

Ok so I know I’ve been spotty but with the Cummins eating an injection pump, the 9-7x destroying a 4L70 let’s just say it was rough lately. So anywho today I got off my ass and did some final measuring and welding. Nothing fancy or exciting but it’s progress. The drivers side door jamb is barely welded since I’ll be cutting it back out to build the door jamb. Welded up my recess cuts in the roof also, I think next week I’ll try to cut the front off and swap in the truck section to fix a lot of the rust in one hit. Oh and to get my ac firewall in place also.

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by CarlsLQ9SS

Just read through your build thread, Glad to see you didnt have to sell it and are making good progress on the build. Major props to you, thats alot of work! Its looking good!

That it is. But I work 4 on 4 off so it’s mostly time. Some building, some selling spare parts, and mostly thinking.

[Madkidd007]

To add to what I did in the previous post. The floor is about 80 percent done and welded it together right on top of the floor support. The upper door jamb openings are plated up top so no worries about strength. Pretty happy with the gaps too

[Madkidd007]

This week was a bust, been doing running around and got a few parts acquired. Also the Cummins eat another pump so I have to figure out why all of a sudden it’s having such a bad time. Either way I acquired an 87 harness and will be building off of that instead of buying an aftermarket that still isn’t tailored to what I want. Thank you to board member “Wgesnerjr” for hooking me up yesterday, I know have all 4 square body power window regulators to modify for my crew, door lock actuators, and front door harnesses. So the plan is to wire the truck as if it’s an 87-91, including the A/C since I’m going to update it all to the 87-91 configuration also getting rid of the POA setup. So I’m going to use the squares headlight switch as I verified it fits the dash already and will either rep in or splice and heat shrink all connections to match the 72 cab. And you guys get one picture since wiring is mostly time consuming than anything else.

[71blksuper4x4]

Looks like a chore! Keep up the progress.

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

Looks like a chore! Keep up the progress.

Indeed but I’ll be able to reference a stock 87 wiring diagram for everything. So long term and money wise I’d say well worth it

[Average Joe]

Originally Posted by Madkidd007

This week was a bust, been doing running around and got a few parts acquired. Also the Cummins eat another pump so I have to figure out why all of a sudden it’s having such a bad time. Either way I acquired an 87 harness and will be building off of that instead of buying an aftermarket that still isn’t tailored to what I want. Thank you to board member “Wgesnerjr” for hooking me up yesterday, I know have all 4 square body power window regulators to modify for my crew, door lock actuators, and front door harnesses. So the plan is to wire the truck as if it’s an 87-91, including the A/C since I’m going to update it all to the 87-91 configuration also getting rid of the POA setup. So I’m going to use the squares headlight switch as I verified it fits the dash already and will either rep in or splice and heat shrink all connections to match the 72 cab. And you guys get one picture since wiring is mostly time consuming than anything else.

Clever idea using the later wiring harness!

[Madkidd007]

Rainy day here in Athens so I’m back at it in the floor. Mine may not be as glamorous as Ironcanine’s, but hey it’s still less stressful than dealing with game day traffic. My helper isn’t happy with the weather either

[Madkidd007]

Accidental discovery but a very good one. Since I’m using a square body harness the column plug is actually correct for my tilt column I have. So I don’t have to use the adapter or repin the dash harness connector. Lucky me I caught on before taking that section apart.

[Madkidd007]

Stopped off at uncles place on the way home last night. Picked up a door that’ll give me everything to finish the 4th door. Go figure the outter skin is in pretty good shape so I’m trying to save it to take care of my front door. More to come, hopefully.

[Madkidd007]

Well let’s just say a tire iron is a very helpful tool to removing a skin without damage.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Madkidd007

Well let’s just say a tire iron is a very helpful tool to removing a skin without damage.

Nice dissection. Boy Uncle sure has some nice stuff...congrats on the score. Looking forward to seeing this thing realized. It's going to be awesome.

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Nice dissection. Boy Uncle sure has some nice stuff...congrats on the score. Looking forward to seeing this thing realized. It's going to be awesome.

Well the bottom of the door shell is junk but this time I just got lucky. With everything else going on I’m surprised I’m getting anything done to it. Maybe one day it’ll be making heads turn in town

[Madkidd007]

Been doing wiring at night and being lazy about it so no visual updates but I do have my front light harness finalized with the square body harness so I will have side markers that actually blink and the light portion is a completely seperate plug from anything else but the horn. Went to the junkyard today and got a few pieces. Got back late and didn’t think to take any pictures till I put one seat up. But I got 99-06 full-size Chevy seats for the front(using original bench in the rear). Thanks to an Astro van a wiper motor that you can see shouldn’t be too hard to mount and will give me my pulse wipers. The center flip down console I have to go back and pick up as I didn’t plan ahead with having enough room today.

[Madkidd007]

Well I’ll be working the next 8 nights so again no real progress. But I did go pick up my console and while I was there I got Honda door seals for all 4 doors and lucky me 90 s10 blazer rear harness including the overhead console wiring and all rear door harnesses so when I put in the roof console I’ll be all stock wiring once again.
Oh and only $25 for the seals and wiring

[IronCanine]

Nice score.

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Nice score.

Exactly my thoughts. I may go back for one more as I think the fronts may come up short when I’m done since the burb door corner is straight and slightly longer. So I’m gonna cut 2 45 degree corners and super glue then together like I used to when making O-rings. I’m happiest about the wiring though, now everything will be 90 something gm wiring so I can use a factory wiring diagram.

[Madkidd007]

So sitting at work for the 12th day in a row I’m looking online at colors. Just something about all white that you never see. But here are all the options I’ve been weighing. Doing upper and lower trim no matter what. Perhaps all white with red instead of black in the center of the upper mouldings.......
If I go 2 tone with white in the middle, the front fender between the grill and wheel opening will not have color on the bottom but instead white with no moulding, making it kind of blend right into the chrome bumper.

[Madkidd007]

OK so the only update we have would be spare parts getting converted. I do believe I’m either making wall art to go in a corner, or a headboard for the spare bedroom

[Madkidd007]

So in my quest to get the front cab section swapped out I moved to other items first to make things easier. Next will be repairing/building the B-pillars. But today was getting it back to a roller with the rear suspension. I’m calling it the “Po’ Boy shackle flip” which to me looks like it could have come stock except for the beefy DIY4X shackles. When I put the 4wd front hangers on I was planning on using the old hangers for the rear shackle flip and well hear ya go. It was nice though since 1 hole lined up with the overlaid bracket holes so making things even was a breeze. Shackle angle when I get the bed on and interior in should be perfect.