75 Dually build

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 75Dually

Never fear! I thought your post was very funny and well said. I was laughing my tuckis off! Hope I did not come off as a stuffy old fart!! Ryan (Dieselwrencher) on the other hand was just jumping on the same trampoline and throwing rocks at the short bus kids (Me!)

So to both of you, you made my day! Keep the posts coming, and next time you get my way I will be very glad to share breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

LMAO! There goes that guy from where the potatoes are grown again. No, maybe it's corn.

[75Dually]

I thought I would share some of the accent details. The color is Nardo grey from Vvivid vinyl, the same company that made the blue that I purchased. I think it works really well with the overall scheme. Basically I like it...

Still no where done with this truck. I have the interior to complete and I need to finish the bed sheet metal.

[daddyjeep]

I am not sure if I like the mirrors wrapped. It really doesn't matter what I like though. I do like the accent on the door handles.

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

I am not sure if I like the mirrors wrapped. It really doesn't matter what I like though. I do like the accent on the door handles.

I wasn't sure at first either, but they are growing on me now. In fact I think it helps bring the whole accent color together. If I left them just as stainless then there would have been to much chrome, and especially with the new trim. I think it mutes it just enough to make it blend in well.

[75Dually]

So we move on to phase 2 of the bed. I cut down the center section to allow if I want the sleeper attached for the center section to lift fully. I then started on the new side pieces which has an integrated wheel tub. I will make a hatch on the unfinished end to access the air ride valve and ECU. I still need to make an end plate for the wheel tub, but that's tomorrows job.

I like that these are going to be a one piece design. I did not want to weld in the wheel tubs. I want as little seams as possible. Less to seal up in the end.

Oh well at least I got a good start today.

Stay tuned!

[75Dually]

I knew I saved all those old rusty license plates for a good reason! A little art work before the serious work begins today.

[COS399]

Cool.

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by COS399

Cool.

The wife says the cops would catch me! NEVER!!!

[75Dually]

So on to the serious work. I helped my neighbor shoot some paint today, but before I went and helped him I got some work done on the Dually. I mainly got some additional support bars welded in and then worked on the end plate for the wheel tub. If you notice the piece that I warped when joining the wheel tub to the rest of the sheet metal, that is going away and I going to tear that out and redo that whole panel. 2 Steps forward and 1 step back!

Not really that much, some days you have take little steps, and take what you get...

Stay tuned...

[75Dually]

Something amazing happened last night. A very nice young man I sold some parts to earlier in the year sent me a message last night and asked if I knew anyone who had a dually rear end. YES I DO! Just so happens I still had the old rear end out of my truck, and had mounted it under the donor suburban. So the old rusty donor truck was dragged out of it home today and off it went to service another project. Talk about recycling!

Plus there will be another dually hot rod running around town soon.

Life is good some days... I got rid of something I was going to have to haul off, and it made another person very happy to have the parts he was looking for. Can't beat that!

[Dieselwrencher]

That's nice to hear! Kill 2 birds with one stone. An old friend of mine always says, "Even a blind squirrel gets a nut every now and then."

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That's nice to hear! Kill 2 birds with one stone. An old friend of mine always says, "Even a blind squirrel gets a nut every now and then."

One of my favorite squirrels!

[75Dually]

More bed work tonight. I got the passenger side roughed out. Still needs some work on the form, but it is really close, and the best part it is all one piece! Kind of like holding a slinky moving it around the shop!

Tomorrow night I will work on the end cap. I also have to make a new mount for the Accuair ECU. I want it all moved back to where I can service it and work on it in one particular area. Most folks place there air ride stuff where it looks good, or where it is convenient, which can be OK, but I know eventually you have to work on all this stuff so I wanted mine placed with that in mind first.

With that being said the bed is coming along fairly well. I still need to figure out the door to the air ride stuff. but that will have to be tomorrows problem.

Stay tuned!

[Dieselwrencher]

Looking really nice. You'll have it all ready for summer cruising in no time!

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Looking really nice. You'll have it all ready for summer cruising in no time!

That's the plan Stan!

[daddyjeep]

Originally Posted by 75Dually

That's the plan Stan!

Um...it says right there that his name is Ryan.

You said you are going with bed liner. What were you thinking for color? I know Raptor liner can be colored. I am thinking about going grey with mine when I get to that point.

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

Um...it says right there that his name is Ryan.

You said you are going with bed liner. What were you thinking for color? I know Raptor liner can be colored. I am thinking about going grey with mine when I get to that point.

Not sure on what I will coat the bed in just yet. A good friend was over last night and he suggested the Raptor liner as well. I think that is a good option, but I will have to think on it. I might just do a wood bed... Hmmm... Now there's a thought!

[Dieselwrencher]

I have really been pleased with Raptor liner. I've used it on some customer trucks and I'm going to tear my 72 apart and put it on it now too. Although, the wood bed would be a nice touch.

[75Dually]

Just a quick update. Yes I have been working on the bed some, but today I finished up replacing the York 210. Yes I killed the first one... How?!?! Helps if you don't run them out of oil, it does not help the bearings very much... So out with the old and in with the new!

I also relocated the Accuair ECU and the balance of the wiring harness back to the bed area near the airbaggit valve. I want everything in one place so it can be worked on easily. Drilled some holes and tapped them for screws to hold down the ECU. Then I spent some time cleaning up the harnesses and wiring tying them neatly up and securing them to the bed frame work.

I am thinking about adding a electric air pump as a backup to the York just in case... Not sure when this will happen, but maybe late in the summer or fall. Any thoughts or suggestions you might have would be appreciated.

Stay tuned!

[75Dually]

More sheet metal bed shots... Yeah I know it's like watching paint dry, but there you have it!

I worked on the back panels tonight. I got 2 of them mocked up. Either tomorrow or Thursday night I will get the passenger side done. Lots of bending and cutting to get them to lay just right. At least they clear the gas filler tube and assembly.

Stay tuned!

[75Dually]

So I got the rear portions completed tonight and got two of them welded together. Please don't mind the wrap on the back side of the tailgate, I never got to go back over it waiting for the bed to be finished before I took that final step.

As you can see in the corner of the pic there is the filler piece for the passenger side wheel tub. I duplicated the drivers side. Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to find some time to throw it on the bench and get it welded up.

Stay tuned!

[Dieselwrencher]

That looks very nice!

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That looks very nice!

Thanks Ryan! Can't wait to see it all done and the bed liner on it.

[buffydores]

The tasteful gray trim is what really sets it off. I really love the traditional two tone setup, but you prove there are clean ways to set these squares up without duplicating the original.

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by buffydores

The tasteful gray trim is what really sets it off. I really love the traditional two tone setup, but you prove there are clean ways to set these squares up without duplicating the original.

If you knew how many nights I stayed awake thinking about the color scheme... I actually got the grey first. Once I saw that grey up against that blue I just knew that it would work well. Thank you for your very kind words!