Boppa's old yeller truck

[Low Elco]

Damn I hope! Researching the best rear tank plan as we speak. Thanks!

[67cheby]

Nice work
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[Low Elco]

Thanks!

[Low Elco]

Update: Got Jeep tank ordered from Summit and stuff to hook up trans from Bow Tie Overdrives. Then cut and rubbed out door inners and cab jambs after dinner. Something every day......

[Low Elco]

Well it's kind of a big but not big day. Boppa came out and cleaned out the 'ol yeller truck- for the last time. He'll be goin' fishin' with the Little Black GMC for a while. We had some time, so we moved the new cab and doors over to the neighbor's garage, and built a new cart literally out of stuff I had lying around for the bed to move on. We took some pics, here they are.

What we got done today-


The Kid wanted to get in a shot-


Note my great paint match on the Dump Truck door I bought cheap and tossed on so Boppa could have it back- (2 years ago!)


Advanced Rot-


Shed your tears and say your prayers, kids, here's (hopefully) where the ball starts rollin'!

[67cheby]

Can't wait !!
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[J kippin]

nice work truck looks good finish work is also vey nicely done.

[litew8]

[Tinkermc]

was hoping to see lots of progress, I guess your camera is broke?

[VA72C10]

Nice work! Door gaps look great and paint is looking great!

[BruthaMan]

Hey lowE,

Stopped by to see how you were doing. I've had to break away the past week or so and get some "real" work done, haven't had much time to see how things are going.

How's the weather up there? We're already getting into the 100's here this week.

[Low Elco]

Hi y'all! How prescient of b-man to ask about the weather. It's been in the 90's here the end of this week, and that's got momma in pool mode. So Friday and Saturday I opened 2 pools and fixed the ladder on ours. Pics-

Neighbor's pool- the deck was last year's project.


Our pool-pool in '07, Boppa and I built deck in '08.


My ladder repair- stainless, baby!

[Low Elco]

Ok, so we're working on Sat and get to talking about this big full moon. So we decided to have a pit fire in the driveway and have all the neighbors over. I decided to use the occasion to give ol yella one last hurrah, because beer tastes better when consumed on a tailgate! Most of the neighbors and my BIL/SIL came over and a good time was had by all. Till late. Very late. You'd think by now I'd know better!

Big Daddy needs a big chair!


Yella in the house!


Some of the aftermath-

[Tinkermc]

everyone needs a break from time to time

[67cheby]

Lol, great chair !
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[Low Elco]

Ok, so today I slowly and carefully dragged my sodden carcass out to the shop, and Boppa came out and we got to work. Slowly. (He thought my condition was hilarious. I reminded him that I'll be choosing his retirement home.) We stripped the back of the truck including the bed, and tested the fit of the new gas tank. We also did damage assessment. To the bat-cam!

Bent bed supports. How the hell did they manage this?


Rot at the rear bed sill and ripped out mount bolt holes-


One of the many reasons we replaced the cab-


Pulling the bed off onto the cart, not a bad idea.


Where we left off- waiting for attention.


Now to start welding again! At least It's not show welding, hopefully it'll go quick. Thanks for rollin' with me, gang!

[Low Elco]

Yes, it was a needed break. Some neighbors got to vent a little steam as well, did everyone good. The Chair is awesome. Everyone's gotta try it out. For comparison, I'm 6'0", 207. It's a big damn chair. You can get one at Menards. Thanks, guys.

[BruthaMan]

Nice! You know how to enjoy life!

That's the biggest portable chair I've ever seen. Looks like someone made it for "Big Show" on WWE!

Hope those temps keep low up there. I've yet to adjust to the overwhelming heat down here in south/central Texas. In Amarillo (where we moved from), it got hot, but the "extreme" heat was maybe three months there. Here, there's six to seven months of continuous 90-100 degree days.

[Low Elco]

Bman, I hear ya! We built the neighbors deck through July of last year, which was one of the hottest in recent years. Oy, was it hot. My happy place is 85-90, so I've been great so far, I hope it holds. Hope y'all get the rain you need. We looked up a new floor last night, I think we be welding up the POS! 999.95! Yipe! My course has been set, just gotta not overthink things. Hopefully we be sandblasting next weekend.
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[litew8]

That's what I'm talkin bout! pics Wish I had a pool like that.

[Low Elco]

Well, had kind of a slow week, busy with other stuff. Fixed motorcycles yesterday, and had kid parties and grad parties and Mom's day stuff to do. TODAY, however, we got it on! To the pictures!

Hi quality rear harness. Yes, it's in the trash.


Some "experimental" taps on the bodywork got us these results-


This is what happens when you patch with fiberglass!


This is why you don't lap seam when you do patch panels!


Ka-BOOM!


Ah, but what happened next?

[Low Elco]

So, we had it apart, now what to do? (Option Paralysis is my middle name.) As usual, we reverted to "do something even if it's wrong mode". Well, here we go!

Broke out the spotweld cutter (side note: if I ever meet the guy that invented the spotweld cutter, I'll kiss his ass at Hollywood and Vine!) and took out the rear sill-


The sill was bad enough, here's what was on top of it-


Of course, both sides were rusted through, silly!


Now that the sill was off, the edges were bent to stew, even when the sides were on. And the bed bolt holes were blown out, one in a BIG way, and the bed floor was bent and had some real good dents. So we got out the hi-tech fab equipment, and straightened all that out.


Where we are now, sorta.


I say sorta because me and the neighbor (the guy from the painting pics who has been massively helpful) decided that the second sill (the one that was bent to hell) needed to come out, too. So, we got him out too, then straightened the front part out. Now, we gotta weld up the big and small holes and sandblast a buncha parts. Should be a laugh riot, but hey, I'm encouraged by the progress. Also, the Owner's Wife (my mom) came out this week and looked at the cab progress and she's stoked, so we must be doin' somethin' right. Anyway, have a good week, fellas!

[litew8]

Got your work cut out for you.

[Low Elco]

Ha, "cut out" you say? Remember those holes? Well, they got "cut out" tonight and now they're gone. Gotta grind tomorrow, but it's all welded up. I have pics, but I gotta go to bed. Later!

[Low Elco]

Got on it again last night, all the welds are ground down and pinholes filled. Bed floor done and new drivers inner welded and ground. Got a wood front crossmember for my steel bed, Boppa is getting that exchanged Friday. Sandblasting next! No pics, Internet is down at home.
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