My 78 K15 High Sierra build - Fish Tremble

[67chevy1series]

I'll be third and agree that inching along isn't all that bad! As long as you keep moving that inch then there's nothing wrong. Been watching this build, I really like what you've done. I still find it weird that working the last couples years I've noticed a lot more restorations/builds with the 73-87 body, I may only be 19 but I've always felt like the squarebodys are just so new lol

[rgunlock]

Thanks for the encouragement Bomp - "coming along" is a good way to describe my welding skills. Better than they started, but still not nearly as clean as yours! Hope your shindig is a big success and that you post some pics on your thread.

Thanks for yours as well 67chevy1series. I'm impressed that for a "only 19" year old you have the dedication to keep plugging away at all of the improvements on your truck. I recall when I was your age how tough a balance it was on the wallet - do I spend money on my ride or on a date? Never had enough to cover both The paint job on yours made the most obvious difference, but I know all the other things you've done really add up!

[rgunlock]

Well, time for an update before my build drops from the 1st page. I have actually put quite a few hours into it the last 2 weekends, despite the gawdawful heat. Last weekend, I re-blasted the underside of the cab, hit it with 2 coats of epoxy primer (first time to use a real spray gun!), and brushed on seam sealer wherever there originally had been some or where I'd welded a patch in the floor. This Saturday I sprayed on a couple coats of Eastwood rubberized undercoat. Looks and feels just like a spray in bedliner. Sorry the picture doesn't show it too well. Pretty pleased how the bottom has turned out, and that part of the truck is now DONE!

[rgunlock]

While the cab is on its back, I decided it would be a good idea to take care of areas like the roof, ceiling and floor. Yesterday I sanded the roof clean again as well as removed the paint from the ceiling. Hit both with a few coats of epoxy primer. I'm surprised how well they came out since my only painting practice has been the bottom of the cab last week Discovered that I still have several spots in the roof that need some filler work.

[69chevytrucker]

looks good watching this

[mjensen]

Awesome job Rick! I really need to get out to the garage and work on mine.

[rgunlock]

I know that this part of the build can be boring, but it is unbelievable how much time you can spend sanding, cleaning, mixing primer, cleaning guns, etc. Over the last 2 weekends, I managed to get the floor, driver doorway, firewall and back of cab into primer. I'm posting the 'not so exciting' updates just because it feels sooo good to see visible progress! Just have the dash area, inside back of cab and passenger doorway to finally have the entire cab cleaned up and in epoxy. I think that all the body work I did on the firewall and rear cab corners turned out really well -- I'm happy with it anyway.

[rgunlock]

Word of warning though, the arrangement I had with the board and cable to lift the cab was a BAD IDEA. While the board has protected the doorway, the cable was not too friendly with the roof edge. Most of this was done trying to flip the cab from its back to normal position. Now I have dents to pull and more bodywork Driver and passenger sides. With it all clean and in primer, I see a couple more small rust spots to deal with in the rockers also.

[Bomp]

You're getting way farther along on body work than I am. Doing great work there for the first time.
Im dreading the day I start.
Sorry to see the equipment fighting you along the way. It really can get irritating when that happens.
Dig the progress, It may be slow to you but it sure motivates me.

[rgunlock]

Aha! That's why you've been picking up the new project trucks - to distract you from getting into the body work I find that I just have to make at least some progress every week or I'd get de-motivated pretty quick. Now that I'm seeing some visible proof that it is getting there, it has the opposite effect and is motivating me to get it done. I keep telling myself that all the other parts are smaller - less work - more visible progress quicker. We'll see but it is keeping me going.

[y5mgisi]

I like the boring parts just as much.

[boynton]

Next time you need tge cab flipped buy some of that bottled motivation and invite your son and a few friends over. I am sure they could manage to flip it for you.

[rgunlock]

I'm glad I'm not just posting these for myself y5mgisi. And yes, boynton I should have made those arrangements, but I was ready to get it back upright right now!!! Now I get the opportunity to purchase more tools like stud welder and pull lever kind of things, and am motivated to come up with a better system for lifting the cab with a chain hoist - already have a plan!

[Bomp]

Stud welders are cool.
I use an A frame type set up with come-a-longs. I can get the cab on and off in about 15 min start to finish.
Like your progress!

[Dean'smeanmachine]

awesome job, kinda wondered over here from the 67-72 board. i like those 78's nice trucks. will be a sweet truck when your done!

[rgunlock]

Thanks for checking in Bomp. I don't have a cherry picker or room for an a-frame, so been making due with a chain hoist from the joists. Got an idea for a "cradle" to lift without contacting the roof at all. We'll see how that goes.

Thanks for checking in Dean. I appreciate the support.

I don't get excited particularly easy, and I'm surprised at how excited I am at this moment. Probably doesn't seem like much to many of you, but I FINALLY HAVE THE CAB IN ALL ONE COLOR!!! After one more patch in the driver rocker, stripping paint inside the cab where the new paint will show, scuffing the rest and cleaning it all, I finally have shot all the rest of the cab in epoxy. Start to finish this cab has taken me WAY TOO LONG.... but finally I only need to fix those dents in the roof edge and then whatever I have to do with test fits and the cab is ready for high-fill and block sanding.... uggghhhh.... well that won't be anytime soon - got the bed to work on next. Took this week off from work so I hope to get it done this week as well. BTW, shooting epoxy on the inside of the firewall up under the dash was a beoch!

[rgunlock]

Actually I just looked back, and post #5 in Feb 2013 was when I'd just blasted the exterior of the cab to start rust repair, etc. Over 1 and 1/2 years mostly focused on the cab. Guess I'm going to have to put it into a higher gear if I ever want to finish this truck

[Bomp]

Big Congrats on gettin it all in one color.
Cab is lookin Reeaaaaaalll fine.

[rgunlock]

Thanks Bomp - I appreciate the encouragement.

Ok, so I've mentioned that my old method of lifting my cab ended up putting dents in the rounded off sides of the roof. I'd been using a cable attached to the ends of a plank that ran through the cab and using my chain host attached to the cable. That forms a triangle which put pressure on the roof edge, and when the cab found a reason to bounce, it caused dents.

Well, came up with a better device. Bought two 8 foot lengths of 1x3 11-guage rectangular tube, and scrounged around for the rest of the parts. The upper beam has tabs on both ends with holes and it slides up and down the uprights. I just drilled holes for a pin in both uprights - its adjustable by just drilling new holes. I connected 10" 2x4 to the bottom beam that sit inside the door frame. I can move them if need be for a different width cab. The blocks distribute the weight and are offset to allow me to position the upper beam fairly near the front of the roof to help balance the nose-heavy cab. I cut the upper beam 1/2" less than the distance between the uprights. By removing 1 of the pins, the whole thing opens enough to slide it into place. Ended up weighing more than I hoped - probably 30-40 lbs, but 1 person can mount it up without too much difficulty.

[rgunlock]

The new rig worked even better than I actually expected. I did expect it to work btw, but the cab ended up hanging almost perfectly level front-to-back and side-to-side. Even better, with this rig I can lift the cab so that the bottom is almost 35" off the floor (I have 9' ceiling) which is about 1/4" higher than the back bumper with the 31" tires on the chassis. No more having to muscle the cab over the bumper and rear tires when mounting/unmounting.

[rgunlock]

Here is one pic of the rig with one pin pulled. Shows how it opens enough to slide on/off. The next pic is just my "success" shot. "Success" because all my welds held and no new damage to the cab

[y5mgisi]

There's no patent pending on that is there? Cause I'm stealing that idea for sure.

[Bomp]

Looks great.
You made that Stud Lever sound so good I went and bought one.
Thanks

[rgunlock]

Looks like you've been at this type stuff awhile yourself y5mgisi, so I'm sure you know that you just have to keep pluggin along and you'll get there. Have you started a thread on your 78?

For the price, the stud lever works pretty well Bomp. Does tend to slip a little on the studs/nails I'm using but generally at a point I am probably using too much pressure anyway.

I did manage to make some progress on my truck bed before having to go back to work. Spent 2 days blasting the inside and underside of the bed and got both in epoxy primer. Not exciting enough for pictures. I do have a few "swiss cheese" areas in the floor that I need to deal with. Didn't want to spend for a new bed floor, so will come up with a way to patch it and then cover it top and bottom with bed liner.

Thanks for checking in guys!

[y5mgisi]

No on the 78 it's killing me! Gotta get stupid house projects done first! Then it's winter and I only have a small one car garage. But I did get a new bed for it that I will be straightening over the winter so that with any luck, I might have the truck all painted up and going back together around this time next year! I finally have the burb all but done so that's something. But it just makes me itch to start on the 78 so bad! Anyway, until then I take notes from threads like yours! So keep it up!