ParB's 72 Orange Jimmy

[parb]

I had plans to spend this past week working on a bunch of minor stuff for my Jimmy. But alas the real world made these plans irrelevant, as my mother in law passed away unexpectedly on June 30th. I spent all week making funeral arrangements, emptying her apartment and closing her affairs. She was 91 so it wasn't unexpected in the general sense, but it was sudden due to a heart attack.

I nonetheless have an update on the truck. Thomas of classic gauge and cluster had finished the rebuild of the instrument cluster. I think it came out really nice!

[parb]

This Jimmy came with the manual throttle option. I am preserving the option (but I left the throttle cable unattached). It installs into the hole at the upper right corner of the cluster.

Thomas does great work, I can't wait to see the cluster in person!

[DeadheadNM]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your mother in law. Hope she didn't suffer.

Glad to see the updates. Tom does really good work.

Have the arms chromed and check out Electroplating of El Paso: good work fair prices.

[parb]

Thanks for the kind words and the tip for plating. Much appreciated!

[parb]

In the past two weeks i personally haven't done a lot. But the paintshop has started painting the body and the frame has been powder coated. Sorry no pictures of that as i have been dealing with the estate of my mother in law.

two days ago i was told that my old stock hubcaps had been rechromed and re-assembled. I went by and picked them up yesterday. I have to say it is an amazingly good result, far exceeding anything i would have thought.
I also got to say it was kind of expensive. I am a bit on the fence if i should regret spending as much as i did on the rechrome or not.... But done is done, and it looks really good.

Pics of the finished product

[DeadheadNM]

Good to see an update. More pics when poss please.

[parb]

I hope to be able to post more pics this week. a bunch of work i had hoped would start last week is now happening this week. The frame and axles are back from powder coating. This week they are being mounted together with new brake lines and gas lines and then the engine goes back on. I have all new wiring harnesses which also has to go in (at least the engine portion right now).

After that the truck gets shipped on a flat bed to the body shop where the body goes back on it. The body has been worked on for the past month on the rotisserie where it has been taken down to bare metal and repainted.

I spent the weekend taking inventory of replacement parts (largely trim pieces) that goes back on it. I have spent the past 6 months listing and ordering parts. Some things i bought multiple times after i discovered i didn't like the quality. Some of them i screwed up and ordered twice.

None of the duplicates where really expensive parts though, i am maybe at a loss of $200 for things i have duplicates for. I'll figure out later what to do with those parts.

picture of my inventory, it was 100 degrees here so i had to escape the hot driveway (the garage is full)...

[parb]

Time for an update. Got some picture from the folks over at the paintshop.
First up is a picture from June.

The body came off the frame. Axles got removed and the body went over to the paint shop for powder coating.

[parb]

Next up. Body is on the rotisserie and getting prepped for paint. two minor rust spots where found once the paint came off (very minor).

[parb]

Pictures of fenders, hinges and other details as they get prepped for paint.

[parb]

Getting ready for paint. I believe this is a picture with the primer on the body.

[parb]

From primer to paint... Back to that lovely original Jimmy Orange! I just like that color!!!
And i want to keep it close to stock.

[parb]

Painting doors as well as applying line-x like material to the underbody. I think its called raptor skin? Or something similar? A lot of the hot rodders and RV's(!) put that on around here.

[parb]

And finally, a picture of the body (still on the rotisserie) in all of its orange glory shining in the sun outside the paintbooth.... I am a big fan of the mirror finish that they put on that body. Looks really nice. Now i haven't been able to go and see it for myself (work has kept me busy) so they sent me these pictures to keep me updated.

That is all for now...

[parb]

Right now engine is about to get back onto the frame, and then electrical. Once that is done it goes back to the body shop for returning the body back on and all the electrical in the body gets connected back...

I need to find a new filler neck from somewhere. This one is rusted. Any ideas where i can source one from???

[DeadheadNM]

Big step - congrats! Single stage or basecoat/clear paint?

[parb]

Single stage. They are about to start polishing next week.

[jeffg1010]

Subscribed! Sounds like yours will be done a lot quicker than ours though!

[allchevy58]

Looking good! Bet you're getting excited.

[Tom Vogel]

You are lucky. It took my shop 2 years to get mine painted.
I would call Wes at Classic Heartbeat pickup parts in Wash state. He may well be able to help you with that filler neck. You might also do an eBay search if you haven’t already.

[parb]

I found one on eBay. Looked good in the photos and came from just 2 hours north of me, close to the sierra foothills. No salt and no snow where it came from so I have how that it is as good as the pictures suggested... Thanks for the lead!

[parb]

Moving fast right now. Chassis has been powder coated!
Springs aren't powder coated but they have been painted with a rust converter.

[parb]

Brake and gas lines are underway.

[parb]

Next up are the axles. They have also been powder coated.

[parb]

drumroll please...

a bit more...

..Ladies and Gentlemen, we got a rolling chassis!