TA_C10: Stage 1

[MDPotter]

Let's see some finished photos when you're done!

[TA_C10]

Been pretty busy with truck. Lot's to update on.

Paint isn't perfect, but it will do for now, it's a daily driver sooo. It's all down hill from here.

Right after I finished painting, just pushed it outside.

[TA_C10]

Started to put everything back on.

The letters on hood turned out real nice. I don't like the new push on style cheap nuts they send with them so I need to figure something else out for those.

Disregard all the dirty finger prints

[Kronald_70GMC]

Looking awesome! Very nice truck you have there.

[MDPotter]

Came out great! Looks very uniform and of course a unique color.

[cornerstone]

Your panel gaps and body lines look spot on man. Potter's right, you laid the paint down nice and uniform... all the prep work paid off big! Ya know, most guys can say they did all the mechanical work on their project and a few can say they did everything except paint and interior, but not many can say they did it all. Well done on a nicely appointed full resto-mod from start to finish!

Looking forward to more pics after you get all the shiny bits back on.

[TA_C10]

Thanks guys. I can assure you the pics are a little deceiving. If I was going for show quality I would have done things a little different. But it does me just fine for a driver.

More updates:

Picked up a drill buffing wheel kit from amazon. Worked out really good. Started going to town on the trim and got everything installed. Side by Side before and after shows how they came out. Also got another LED relay for under dash fuse panel. Flashers work now Drilled and tapped my steering column lower plate for the Dakota Digital gauge switch and OBDII port for LS. And last I got my extension tube finally for washer bottle so I was able to get that completed. I'm using OE style washer pump under dash. It works as designed, but it kinda sucks for a driver, probably end up installing an aftermarket pump out in the engine bay. It takes too long to pump fluid out, which means your wipers are running dry for a while on dirty glass....






Side by side:

[SkidmoreGarage]

That trim is cleaning up nicely, it is going to look great. What polishing compound did you use?

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by SkidmoreGarage

That trim is cleaning up nicely, it is going to look great. What polishing compound did you use?

Thanks, I used Blue Magic compound. But I will say that I started out with red scotch brite, didn't work good enough needed more so I ended up going 400 sand, 600 sand, 800, 1000. Then I used these polishing wheels. It was a chore.


https://www.amazon.com/Blue-Magic-30...53699836&psc=1

[TA_C10]

Trim finished and on the truck. I ended up buying new grill surround trim to save time, but that stuff is like malleable clay almost it's so soft. Just putting in the clips I dented it, with just my hands forcing some of the tedious clips in there. So one day I will finish the original trim because it's much better quality. This will do for now though.

[TA_C10]

Ended up mounting my heater flow valve too. Been scratching paint as I drive around

Made a template, marked and drilled holes, took off the wheel and installed the screws with anti-seize(got it all over the wheel well as you can see).

[TA_C10]

Zip ties around the A/C hoses on vintage air unit. Kinda hard to get to all of them but I can tell this should hold them in place for long time. Getting close to putting the glove box in. Want to install a LED light somehow and the USB and AUX cables as well. Still need to figure that out. Be cool it somebody made a panel to house that stuff but I guess they are all different so....

[SkidmoreGarage]

Good to know about the trim. Thanks for the reply.

You might want to consider swapping those Philips head screws on the heater valve for something a little friendlier to corrosion, seeing as they live in the wheel well. Philips tend to hold the dirt and moisture in the engagement points of the driver. A bolt or Allen cap screw would probably do the trick.

Also, it just occurred to me that this is stage 1 (and you have done so much), do you already know what stage 2 will be?

[TA_C10]

LOL, stage 1....... I should have that changed. Stage 1 was supposed to be little sheet metal work and LS swap, throw it back together and drive for a while. Then fix things/upgrade as I go. When I found out the floors and rockers were rotted out and just covered up with new pieces I ended up tearing down to the frame. And it was a full on build. But. I still tried to keep cost down because I wanted it as my DD, nothing show quality just drive it. So suspension was rebuilt with stock components and several others items got rebuilt or replaced stock style. Upgrades made sense along the way though, vintage air, disc brakes up front, DD gauges, sway bars, wire harness, redesigned entire PDU and ground system.

After our house is built I would like to redo interior, and maybe go LS3 for around 500hp at crank. I've got new Detroit locker to install still. I will redo engine harness inside the truck this time. And I will repaint again too. The paint isn't perfect. Oh, the suspension could use some upgrades too. All this would be stage 2 and 3 and 4 and.......

[SkidmoreGarage]

Haha. I think the marketing departments have really burdened us with the concept that modifying a car can be done in "stages". As though, like a stage, they have a clear start and finish, and then they can be built upon at a later time. Anyone who has ever done the work themselves learns pretty quickly that is BS! And anyone who does it for a living rolls their eyes when they hear "stage".

I will now declare, for the benefit of all, that you have completed stage 1 and 2. The certificate will be mailed to you by the international automotive project car committee, upon your submittal of $50 for the processing fee.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by SkidmoreGarage

I will now declare, for the benefit of all, that you have completed stage 1 and 2. The certificate will be mailed to you by the international automotive project car committee, upon your submittal of $50 for the processing fee.

[MDPotter]

The front end came out great! I know what you mean about the trim - I damaged mine just sliding the clips in the channel.

As skidmore said, you've definitely completed stages 1 and 2 and probably part of 3. I too have things I'd like to do to my truck someday - engine rebuild, Holley Terminator, 5-lug conversion/wheels & tires/regear/trutrac, convert to rear coilovers, rewire the headlights, redo the hood, reclear the whole truck. But building a house is still higher on the priority list.

Have you considered tinting your windows? I think it would look good on your truck and help with the Texas heat.

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by MDPotter

Have you considered tinting your windows? I think it would look good on your truck and help with the Texas heat.

I took the side windows and wings when they were still apart and have them tinted. They got that tint that blocks UV and heat. When I'm driving in 105° and the sun is on one of those sides you don't feel any heat it's amazing. So I'm taking it back soon to have the back window done as well as the windshield. Windshield will get clear tint. Sides are 40% I think.

[TA_C10]

A/C filled. Nice and cold. Few other pics. You can see how the crappy hood hinges don't like to stay down, when I get a chance I will be replacing those. They are brand new, but OE style.

[TA_C10]

Before and After shot

[TA_C10]

Another before and after.

[rodstored-72]

lookin' very nice....

[MDPotter]

I bet you're happy to have A/C! That bed looks extremely long in those pictures.

I just ordered new OE style hood hinges, are you telling me there's a chance they're no better than the old worn out hinges straight out of the box?

[TA_C10]

Originally Posted by rodstored-72

lookin' very nice....

Thanks

Originally Posted by MDPotter

I bet you're happy to have A/C! That bed looks extremely long in those pictures.

I just ordered new OE style hood hinges, are you telling me there's a chance they're no better than the old worn out hinges straight out of the box?

I will say this. The action of them is new so they spring up and down real nice and easy compared to the old original worn out ones. But 2 things I don't like about them.

1. When you shut the hood, I have go push down the back of the hood because they pop up a little due to their action. so each side go push them down to match the cowl level. This could be an adjustment thing. If I lower the back of the hinges down it might help so they go lower, but i'm afraid if i do that it won't line up right in the front of hood....

2. While driving around, they pop back up on me, back of hood, so after a while of driving i have to push them back down again.

It's not terrible, but different hinges would alleviate this. And of course, these things are flimsy where billet or something else are stronger.

[1971Stepside]

I will say this. The action of them is new so they spring up and down real nice and easy compared to the old original worn out ones. But 2 things I don't like about them.

1. When you shut the hood, I have go push down the back of the hood because they pop up a little due to their action. so each side go push them down to match the cowl level. This could be an adjustment thing. If I lower the back of the hinges down it might help so they go lower, but i'm afraid if i do that it won't line up right in the front of hood....

2. While driving around, they pop back up on me, back of hood, so after a while of driving i have to push them back down again.

It's not terrible, but different hinges would alleviate this. And of course, these things are flimsy where billet or something else are stronger.

I had the same experience with the ones I purchased. I ended up going with the CVF hinges because I couldn't adjust out the "pop up" in the back of the hood.