What I can afford, when I can afford it... 70 Chevy LWB

[JamesRKing72]

Looks great so far. Awesome job. Can't wait to make some progress on mine now...

[KSWes]

What did it cost you to have those parts blasted?

The front parts cost me 30. (As greasy and nasty as they were I'm surprised it wasn't twice that.

The parts on the back I blasted with a little blaster I have, so I only had to pay for some blast media and burn a couple weekends. The more you have to do, the better deal you'll usually get at a blaster.

Looks great so far. Awesome job. Can't wait to make some progress on mine now..

Thanks, can't wait to get back to the fun stuff!

[KSWes]

So tonight was the first night in over 8 months I've been able to work on the truck build outside of just changing the oil on the truck which we've been using quite a bit in our latest home renovation project. We added a master bedroom and bathroom and updated our new mud room. It is all done, and looks pretty sweet. I could go into a description of all of the delays and road blocks that held up the show but it would take pretty much all day to write it out, long story short nothing went as planned and being a part time construction worker in my own house isn't ideal. Since moving into the bedroom and turning the garage back from a warehouse to a garage that is useful, and can be parked in, since we've been getting all of this snow. Our house is much more peaceful and roomy it's not a construction zone anymore. Which has made the garage almost zen like for me. Maybe that's over stating it just a bit but after not being able to work in it for so long it feels like a huge breath of fresh air.

First on the list of things I needed to get knocked out before I could get started on the truck in the garage was getting some permanent tunes situated. That was part of what I spent my weekend doing, and changing shop lights that were interfering with the radio I installed.

Next was digging the extra cab out I'll eventually be using on the truck. When I got the cab the previous owner who had done a lot of body work before the tornado hit it had smoothed the dash and I want to go back to a stock look so I'm cutting out the dash it has in it and will take the one out of my truck and graft it in there.

I had read a post on here showing this way to cut it out saying it was simple you just had to cut along that perforated edge along the top of the dash and then take the side bolts out and it's out. Not quite that simple there is a support attached to the lower part of the dash that is welded to the upper part of the dash that has to be cut some how but it's very tight quarters up behind the dash. So it takes some patience and fiddling to get it. I got the passenger side completely cut loose and I have the driver side almost out, but it was getting late and I was getting a little frustrated by the lack of the right tool to make the job easy, I decided to give it rest for tonight, a die grinder and sawsall was just literally not cutting it.

So tomorrow night I'll get back to work and get it cut loose (some how) and out then I'm going to see if I can put the smooth dash up for sale on here to see if anyone can use it. It looks good just not the look I'm going for. I've seen some done in magazines with that kind of dash and it looks good I just don't really want mine to look that outwardly custom.

It has been a long time coming getting back to this point but well worth it and I've had a lot of time to figure out the game plan which is half the battle.

[~Whitey~]

Looking good KSWes... It's like looking at mine own build thread.

Keep the pics coming and the progress going!

[KSWes]

It's like looking at mine own build thread

Thanks Whitey! I still have a whole truck to tear down and bag and tag. I'll keep the progress coming now that I'm back on the job! zoomed through your pictures this evening Pretty sweet truck you're going to have when you're done. I need to go through and read your build, but I'm like a kid have to look at the pictures first. Your motor is bad a$$ Haven't had much time to keep up on other's builds but I should now...

Got the smoothed dash cut out tonight.






Trying to decide if I want to use my original wiring harness or install an aftermarket one, because the firewall was smoothed by the previous owner of this cab, it would be really simple just to cut the factory bulkhead opening up and install the factory harness. But they have those EZ harness kits that look pretty simple to put in, I just need to make the decision because if I'm going to cut it I want to do it before I do any more interior paint prep/body work.

Should be able to get busy tearing down the truck this weekend so I can get the other lower dash cut out and welded in. Once I do that though it pretty much means the truck is out of commission until further notice, so I'm a little nervous since I haven't been without it for a very long time.

[KSWes]

getting a little further along, was sick as a dog last week with a pretty intense cold. So much for a flu shot helping to keep me from getting sick...

Got my truck in the garage and was able to begin tear down.

And bolted in to the other cab.

I got a welder last week from eastwood just a little 110 mig but should be more than enough to handle this, I haven't welded much since high school shop class but if I recall I wasn't half bad, hoping it comes back to me pretty quickly... once I get the dash welded in and clean up the welds it on to getting just a few other small rusty spots taken care of along with some hole filling in the floor. Then I'm thinking POR15 or lizard skin on the inside and something that won't hold the mud on the underside, POR15 or just rustoleum, not too worried about looks just don't want it to rust.

Figuring out the door situation, I have a really good passenger door, but the two drivers doors I have are not great, I think I can make one of them work with a new skin here is hoping anyway I don't want to have to spend 350 on an aftermarket one...

[KSWes]

Got the dash welded in this weekend, I think it turned out pretty good, My welds weren't pretty but they were solid, and that's what grinders are for...

I have a lot of drilled holes in the floor pan from a previous owner. Some are pretty big, I think I'm just going to cut some little metal squares and weld them over the holes from the top then when ever I get it tipped on it's back I'll plug weld underneath before I undercoat or do whatever I'm going to do...

[~Whitey~]

Originally Posted by KSWes

Thanks Whitey! I still have a whole truck to tear down and bag and tag. I'll keep the progress coming now that I'm back on the job! zoomed through your pictures this evening Pretty sweet truck you're going to have when you're done. I need to go through and read your build, but I'm like a kid have to look at the pictures first. Your motor is bad a$$ Haven't had much time to keep up on other's builds but I should now...

Wow you've been busy. I salute you sir for taking out the dash. I've thought about it on mine, verdict is still out, not sure I need to.

thanks for the props on my mostly stocker motor... I love how it turned out, sometimes I peel back the plastic covering it and just stare at it and imagine what it will look like all tucked into a shiny black engine compartment.

I think we all hit the pics first.. I know I do. KEEP EM COMING!

[KSWes]

I salute you sir for taking out the dash

THANKS!

I like the colors on your motor, it will definitely pop when you open the hood...

The dash wasn't as hard as I had envisioned it in my head. An being able to use all my stock controls will save me a lot of $$ when it comes to putting it back together. The welding was a lot of fun, for my first project with the welder... once I get the cab prepped it's door skin time. Hoping to be able to get into that next weekend... I'll keep the pictures coming, I need to get better about taking pictures during the actual work progress in addition when I wrap up for the day.

[KSWes]

I decided to cut the door skin off my spare drivers door. The shell is pretty solid so a little TLC with a blaster and a new skin should make it very usable. Really happy that I can use these extra doors I bought. Classic Industries here in KC sells full skins, I'm really hoping they're solid and fit well...

Going to zip the passenger skin off that door tomorrow night and try and get them blasted before the weekend.

[KSWes]

So found out when I looked closer at Classic Industries sight they're not in KC had them mixed up with Classicparts.com and they don't carry full door skins so had to hunt around to find some online, everyone has high shipping on them. YearOne had the best price and the cheapest shipping so I ordered it, and I stopped by LMC to get a lower door skin to repair the passenger side and saw they just started carrying full door skins and could have save myself about 15 bucks if I had checked there first. Oh well, the one I got from year one looks great and the metal looks about the same thickness as the original.

Got the lower skin cut out to the passenger side, and dropped the doors off at the blaster on Tuesday I'm hoping they get them done before the weekend so I can see if I can get the doors fixed up this weekend. I haven't been able to do much this week I had a few little things to finish up with the previous house projects, and been trying get taxes done... But all that is done so my weekend is wide open and hoping to get a lot done. I would settle for a little done.

When I was at LMC a guy over heard me talking about the fact that they carry door skins now, and asked me if I'd ever done one. I said "No" he said I'd probably be better off just buying whole door shells. Kinda rubbed me the wrong way. I just said "I'll figure it out." I'm sure he was just trying to be helpful but just because I haven't done something doesn't mean I'm going to completely F it up, and even if I do, I'll probably learn something, and still after I fix whatever I F up it will mean more to me because I put more of my own hard work into it, and it'll have more American metal on it that if I'd just put new doors on, besides I hear they need a lot of tweaking to make fit like a factory one... Just got under my skin.

Off my soap box and back in the garage this weekend and warmer weather here in KC best of all NO SNOW, hope to be able to work with the heater off and the doors and windows open...

[CSGAS]

Great progress! I wish I could say the same about my no-budget-no-build!

What plan do you have for ending up with the right VIN plates to match the title, on the truck? Is the second cab just temporary until you can make the first one whole and healthy, or are you going to have to find some other solution?

I wish I had a place for even that small welder, and a compressor that could handle sandblasting. I don't even have a garage right now. You're a very lucky man, buying the house in different market conditions is nothing to feel bad about. :-)

[Low Elco]

Good progress! I would advise against the whole door. We did one on yeller and we're much happier with the OE one. They're great, if you don't have an option. Keep at it, this damn winter can't last forever! Soon, it'll be 108! That'll be fun too.

[rondog4416]

what are you doing witjh dash you cut out i would love to have it for my burb

[KSWes]

Good progress! I would advise against the whole door. We did one on yeller and we're much happier with the OE one.

Yeah, I've heard a lot about people not being happy with repop doors and I have these ones I bought really so the friend working on the spare cab could make sure body lines were good when he was getting it straightend out. Decided I would try and make them work. It would be easier to buy new doors but, I have more time than money so I figured I would try, because i would rather spend that $$ on something more fun than sheet metal...

Great progress! I wish I could say the same about my no-budget-no-build!

What plan do you have for ending up with the right VIN plates to match the title, on the truck? Is the second cab just temporary until you can make the first one whole and healthy, or are you going to have to find some other solution?

I wish I had a place for even that small welder, and a compressor that could handle sandblasting. I don't even have a garage right now. You're a very lucky man, buying the house in different market conditions is nothing to feel bad about. :-)

Sorry to hear about no budget no build, my project started about 3 years ago when I sold a 2000 Chevy pickup and bought my project, I didn't need the truck for a daily driver just little stuff on the weekends here and there, so got a little money out of the newer truck bought the older truck and what was left I used to put a down payment on something that gets better gas mileage. I'm certain I've put whatever money I got out of the 2000 back into this thing a nickle and dime at a time. But I'm going to build the truck I've always wanted. Luckily it doesn't take too much to get going on one of these or a square. They're plentiful and IMO look better than anything else on the roads, even if they're rusted and patina'd.

The garage is a luxury and I've always wanted my own ever since I moved out of my parents house... Only took me 16 years to get one of my own and I treasure it every day...

And for the Cab plates I actually found a place online where I could get some rivets to replace the factory one's, I had to chase the guy down after I paid for them to get them sent to me. I had ordered them through the website and never showed up; so a month later I called and complained, and got them a week after I made the call, so I guess it worked out but I wouldn't probably recommend the company. So I'm going to take my plate off my existing cab so the title will match. The friend I bought the cab from has the clean title for the extra cab, and I'll give him the plate I take off when I do.

And Very happy to get the house done, much nicer place to live and added a boat load of equity...

what are you doing witjh dash you cut out i would love to have it for my burb

Have it listed for sale. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=569413 No bites thus far and would love to sell it, it's not an issue taking up space or anything but would like it to get used if someone wants it... take a look at the bigger pictures in the F/S post and if you want it let me know. I have it listed for 50 Dollars and I'll pay for shipped to the lower 48, If you're interested PM me and we'll get it worked out...

[~Whitey~]

I wouldnt put too much thought into some yahoo behind the counter at LMC of all places. It looks like you know what you're doing to me. Good luck on your doors. I patched my with spare metal pieces from here and there. I actually took one all the way to paint not thinking how I'd have to fit it first. :-/ ill tape it up real good but I'm gonna fit the other one and mark it before I paint it. I'm learning as I go on some things myself.
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[KSWes]

I wouldnt put too much thought into some yahoo behind the counter at LMC of all places. It looks like you know what you're doing to me. Good luck on your doors. I patched my with spare metal pieces from here and there. I actually took one all the way to paint not thinking how I'd have to fit it first. :-/ ill tape it up real good but I'm gonna fit the other one and mark it before I paint it. I'm learning as I go on some things myself.

I'll be the last guy to say I know what I'm doing with any of this body work stuff, if I had the money I would let the fella who did my cab do the body work on the rest of the truck, he's a pro, but I have more time than money and when I look at other builds like yours, and so many others I've learned tons from reading and seeing what so many other amazing talented people have done on this board and really I know if I have trouble figuring something out, I know someone on this board can offer some advice...

I'll be totally stoked if I end up with a truck that is as rust free as I can get it, reliable, comfortable and when my untrained eyes look at it I want to be happy with it, and it doesn't have to be perfect for me to be happy...

It wasn't a counter guy at LMC it was just a dude waiting on parts. LMC peeps have always been good when I go in there. Just thought it was funny, the guy just walks up and asks if I've ever skinned a door with a tone like I was a dumb ass, after I told the counter guy what I needed. I guess I was just looking clueless last weekend, wouldn't be the first time for me looking clueless though

Right before I left LMC another guy had heard I'm from Ottawa which is real close to where he lives evidently. He told me about his 49 Chevy he and his boy are working on fixing it up, a little at a time. It was really cool, wanted to know what I was working on... I should have asked if he was on the board but didn't think about it at the time.

I hope I can get the doors looking good once I get them back from the blaster and get the skins on and looking good. I haven't heard back from the blaster I dropped them off with, so I'm going to stop by and squeaky wheel them tomorrow morning before work and hopefully they're done, and they just hadn't gotten around to getting me called back. Would love to have the weekend to mess with them. I have Mon-Wed off next week so I guess even if I don't get them tomorrow I'll be able to mess with them next week.
I wasn't motivated to do any actual work in the garage tonight but I wanted to go out there and act like I might do something, and whenever I say I'm going to the garage, the demon eye dog Willie starts jumping up and down to go with me...

So no work done but thinking about tinkering counts in my book...

[KSWes]

Got a lot done so far, still a lot left though...

more tomorrow I'm beat...

[KSWes]

Haven't been getting much done, food poisoning last week and yard work all weekend, but was able to get some stuff done last night and get some more pictures up. A couple of these are delayed pics from the last time I was able to work on stuff.

Got all that done a little over a week ago and got started on my passenger door too, replaced part of the inner shell along the inside front, it was too rotten to save... Got busy replacing the lower outer skin last night and thus far with the welder it was the best welds I've done so far and should require the least amount of grinding. Kept the heat down and no warpage. Really starting to like this little welder, and figuring out some of the fine tuning stuff that makes the welding smoother.

Going to get the welds ground tonight and the lowe skin edge folded and welded. Some old mirror holes welded up and then its filler time I think. Pretty sure it's going to come out pretty good, at least good enough for me. a couple little things to handle on the cab then I'll get to sanding and prepping so I can get some color inside, and get to switching stuff onto the frame with the new cab... I really wanted to have the paint done inside and in the jams by the end of April, but I'm thinking that might be a little ambitious, but I can hope...

[Low Elco]

Looks great!
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[KSWes]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Looks great!
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Thanks! I've seen a lot of this work done in the past but never done it myself, happy that it's starting to look more like usable parts and less like stuff to be scrapped...

[~Whitey~]

The work on those doors looks great!

[KSWes]

Originally Posted by ~Whitey~

The work on those doors looks great!

Thanks Whitey! This is the part where I start to get impatient and want paint on it.

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by KSWes

Thanks! I've seen a lot of this work done in the past but never done it myself, happy that it's starting to look more like usable parts and less like stuff to be scrapped...

It's surprisingly simple once you stop worrying, swing aboard and sink spurs. You just gotta be willing to leap! Congrats, the work looks good, keep being patient and the end result will be terrific!
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[KSWes]

It's been a while since I've posted, a lot of stuff going on over the last month or so, been helping my brother do some work to his house, work is getting busy, and some side projects. My mother in law sent me on a mission to figure out a pool stereo system, and after a lot of searching, I've come to realize that there aren't any great solutions for putting a stereo outside, you can go with a 12 AC-DC converter and put in a marine system but it's pricey. Ended up deciding to build a weather proof box for a home unit. With it being a birthday gift for my father in law, I wanted it to look professional and be something they'd be proud to have around their pool. So that took me about a week to get it done. That and I had to return the air compressor I'd borrowed from my brother and had to figure out another solution for air, it's amazing how you really can't get much accomplished without air. Found a killer deal on a two stage compressor on craigslist. A little TLC and this thing is rocking, and got the shop plumbed with black pipe in the process so after all that I am back on the case of getting this truck further along.

Here is the compressor I found, had to change some stuff but over all it's still in great shape for being over 40-50 years old.

Here is the box I built for the stereo, turned out better than I expected.

Sold the Motor and Transmission out of the truck, Got a 383 and 700R4 waiting in the wings to go in once I get cab's swapped and the front half of the frame prepped and ready.

Kinda sad to see the empty engine compartment, the motor had likely never been out of the truck in it's life. (lots of grease and oil on the cross-member) But I'm excited to get the other cab on there and happy to get a little cash to put towards the other motor going in soon.

I'm shooting to get the cab in color and clear by the end of this coming weekend, then I can swap the cab onto the frame.

Got the holes welded up in the floor of the cab, it was something I'd been putting off, and I wanted to wait until I got it tipped back to get at them.

Found a little more rust had eaten through in on the vent cowl on the passenger side so decided to cut it out now to fix it, didn't stop me from getting the bottom shot black yesterday though, I'll finish the fix on that when I get it right side up and back on the dolly.

And lastly I picked up my color last week, went back and forth and had a really hard time finding something I liked better than the Med Olive Poly that came from the factory. Since I couldn't find something I liked better, I decided to go back with that color.

A little progress here and there I feel like I finally have things in order in my shop to be able to make progress again. Here's hoping anyway.