Caddy Light Install

[jrsmith_2010]

some more pics, finished up the grinding for now

[spr85gmc]

practice makes perfect....... take more time on your welds and dont rush it so much your truck aint going anywhere

[jrsmith_2010]

yea i agree with u, i think im gonna have to go over some of them again, after i used the grider i could see tho the welds

[spr85gmc]

just go to the junk yard buy 2 scrap fenders and practice you a$$ off

[dammitmitchell]

yeah dude just start cutting up scrap fenders or what no and practice practice practice..
and like someone said before you gotta clean the edges off (remove paint and rust etc) before you start welding
the sanding discs make a huuuge difference also while finishing.. the grinding disc leave biiig gouges and tears everythign up..
good luck dude

[jrsmith_2010]

yea i didnt really pay that much atention to the paint, because i was welding the edge of the metal where there was no paint.

[dammitmitchell]

if you bevel the edges you get a better channel for your weld to sit in...
just a tip
but hey my welding looks like a 4 yr old with the shakes did it.. so i dont brag... EVER ha ha ha

[spr85gmc]

but it could look alot better

[Walts_restoration]

just have really shinny metal when you weld. i guess your going to mcclouth high? too bad your not going to oskaloosa, tenpenny is one hell of a guy in my opinion. wish i would of had him as my shop teacher.

[jrsmith_2010]

Originally Posted by Walts_restoration

just have really shinny metal when you weld. i guess your going to mcclouth high? too bad your not going to oskaloosa, tenpenny is one hell of a guy in my opinion. wish i would of had him as my shop teacher.

yea i do, it dont offer anything like what oskie does, but i dont take shop or anything like that at mcl

[jrsmith_2010]

well i got them in, most of the way, now i need to do some touch up and get them completly filled. it was a nice day today so i took it out for a while and took some pics!




and yes i did park in a handicap spot

[tvblazer78]

Looks better... So is the grinder in the bed for when you are not at home so you can work on it on the go? Lol.. Keep it up and just try new things and you will keep getting better..

Trav

[jrsmith_2010]

i was anxious to take it out for a spin, i just moved everything up so it wouldnt fall out

[Walts_restoration]

Must of been a good day to get the toys out, cause i got mine out too. didnt take the blue car past the parking lot next door, having a off-idle surge problem, and fuel gauge doesnt work, probably only a galloon of gas in her, but took goldyloxx down the highway to a reststop and some pictures. Im digging those caddys man, looks good, just remember finish the install and make them look good. So far so good! Most ive got to worry about is a bad socket on my gold cars driver side tailight, got a warning from a dick cop on thanksgiving for it, still have yet to fix it. Keep us updated on your truck.

[jrsmith_2010]

niiiice! yea i hear ya on the dick cops, seems like everytime i get my truck out i get pulled over for "squealing the tires" but they cant prove nothin

[Walts_restoration]

must of been your fan belt, might wanna tighten that up lol. with all that sand on the ground your tires are bound to squeak a little lol.

realized i posted two rear pics of the gold car, but no fronts haha.

[jrsmith_2010]

dude that car is awesome at any angle

[Walts_restoration]

thank ya, not bad for 160k mile 305 automatic with the rare option of a two speed th350 (third gear is gone baby gone, and the rest of the trans is following shortly after)

Hopefully this winter get a drivetrain swap, i opted against the shortbed, not enough funds to do it right, so ill just spend em on the maro. What are you doing next to your truck?

[jrsmith_2010]

well after i get the caddy lights in, ill prolly start smoothin everything down the final time, some TLC to the wavy parts on my bed and some on the front. and paint the interior (doors and what not) and put it all back together. then to paint hopefully before spring.

im already lookin to get a new truck to, ive been wanting to get a shortbed (73-87) and make it kind of a blazer, cut the cab from the windshield back and weld in the space betreen the bed and cab and take out the front part of the bed, then air bag it. but thats gonna take some time and money.

[SnS C10]

do not bevel the edges. Beveling will make the contact points even thinner and it is only sheet metal. butt weld no bevel. Like i said before in another post, your metal preparation and welder settings are extremely important. It seems people are giving you advice but you are rushing through the job in my opinion and not to be rude but not listening, but that is how you learn i guess.

[jrsmith_2010]

Originally Posted by Shaun23a11en

do not bevel the edges. Beveling will make the contact points even thinner and it is only sheet metal. butt weld no bevel. Like i said before in another post, your metal preparation and welder settings are extremely important. It seems people are giving you advice but you are rushing through the job in my opinion and not to be rude but not listening, but that is how you learn i guess.

[dammitmitchell]

y doint bevel on teh prep work .. not the least bit?
well crap.. no wonder why my stuff is uuuugggly..
hey.. any pointers for the young'n to fis the swirves on his straight edges?
he's got a couple where his sheetmetal isnt perfectly straight..

[wicked_sky_gazer]

Originally Posted by dammitmitchell

y doint bevel on teh prep work .. not the least bit?
well crap.. no wonder why my stuff is uuuugggly..
hey.. any pointers for the young'n to fis the swirves on his straight edges?
he's got a couple where his sheetmetal isnt perfectly straight..

You know my welding on thin sheet metal isn’t great either but like everyone is saying practice brings you a long way, and I’m learning on it too, something my grandfather and father both taught me about thin gauge sheet metal is to work slow and instead of trying to use a constant bead, to use spot welds alternating around your opening to prevent warping and overheating which leads to bad paint finish and burning through.. And it kinda looks like he has done that in a couple places too (burnt through), might give it a try on your practice pieces, its worked and helped me a great deal.

[joe231]

is that wire nuts I see
and what is up with your drivers side window?

[jrsmith_2010]

Originally Posted by joe231

is that wire nuts I see
and what is up with your drivers side window?

yea i did that to take it out for a few they r long gone now

well my window is of track becasue the first week i drove it to school, some ass kicked it in and bent the window track and left one hell of a dint but hey i got 400 bucks out of it and i fixed it after they left