1969 Short Wide

[mcbassin]

More progress on the gate.

[mcbassin]

I did find out I can straighten the majority of bow out of one of these gates, however I didn't take any pictures. It involves a hydraulic jack, several boards, and a Suburban. I still need to get some finished pics but I'm pretty happy overall.

More:

[jlsanborn]

That gate needed some love! Nice work!
How did you lift the cab and how heavy do you think it is? I have mine finished, ready for paint and now I want to pull it from the chassis WITHOUT hosing it up.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

That gate needed some love! Nice work!
How did you lift the cab and how heavy do you think it is? I have mine finished, ready for paint and now I want to pull it from the chassis WITHOUT hosing it up.

Thanks, I have a bunch of time in it. Too much time, but I really wanted to try to save it. I'm going to get some better pictures of the finished product. You cant really tell how straight it came out from what I posted. I did have to use some filler to get it to look good but nothing like the 3/8" that was on the orange gate.
On the cab, We used an engine hoist/lift with a 6" x 2" Cee perlin. Shown HERE on my friend Crash_OK's 69 K-10 project. I borrowed his hoist and he helped me test fit it. It won't be long I will be putting it back on my frame for final test fitment.

[jlsanborn]

Thanks for the link! I was worried it might be too much weight on the pinch welds. By the looks of that cab I'm sure you wouldn't have risked it if you felt it was sketchy.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 68 Four on the Floor

Looks good. My step gate has too much rust for me to consider using so im going with an aftermarket smooth one. Ill only have 3 pieces of aftermarket steel on my truck with the rear cross sill and the cowl hood. Keep up the good work Mike
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Thanks Drew. I have seen several of the step gates for sale. Those are far easier to come by, they made them for chevys up till 1987. If you look around I bet you can find a nice one.

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Thanks for the link! I was worried it might be too much weight on the pinch welds. By the looks of that cab I'm sure you wouldn't have risked it if you felt it was sketchy.

No problem. Mark has moved his several time with this bar and no issues. I wouldn't do it with the extra weight of the doors though. I my look at bracing just to be sure it can't buckle. Now you have me nervous about it.

[68 Four on the Floor]

Looks good. My step gate has too much rust for me to consider using so im going with an aftermarket smooth one. Ill only have 3 pieces of aftermarket steel on my truck with the rear cross sill and the cowl hood. Keep up the good work Mike
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[68 Four on the Floor]

yea they are the same from 54-87. Im not a fan of the block lettering tho So im gonna get a smoothie and do some customizing.

[mcbassin]

Here's some of the tools I've been using to straighten and sand my panels.






My next project is getting all the cab stuff mocked up before painting. I really don't want to forget to weld something then after paint it's too late.

I started with the brake and parking brake assemblies, blasted epoxy primed and painted.

[big_al_71]

Great progress!!!!

[Bennett68C10]

Awesome job on the tailgate Mike
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[El Campo]

How do you like that longest Dura Block? Is it necessary do you think or did you rarely use it? Have heard varying opinions about it
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[Zoomin]

It's really cool to see you back on this again, Mike.
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[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

Great progress!!!!

Thanks for checking in Al!

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Awesome job on the tailgate Mike
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Thanks Keith, It turned out pretty good. I can't seem to get any good pics with my phone or camera though.

Originally Posted by El Campo

How do you like that longest Dura Block? Is it necessary do you think or did you rarely use it? Have heard varying opinions about it

The longest one is 30 inches. It's a must have. You don't think it's necessary till you try it. It makes it a lot easier getting long areas of filler blocked out. I have been doing a skim coat on all my panels and you would be surprised how wavy the GM sheetmetal is, even with original paint and no filler. I use the long one on bare metal to show the high points so I can hammer and dolly them too.
Second most used block is the 16" I think. I will measure it. I used to use it all the time till I got the 30". This one you can buy pre cut paper for, that's handy.
I use 80 grit paper on a roll for almost all my prep and filler. Once I get to start blocking I'll start with 240 grit and work my way up to 600 wet.

Originally Posted by Zoomin

It's really cool to see you back on this again, Mike.

Thanks Steve. I never stopped, just slow to update. Life gets in the way of my progress sometimes. I'm not fast like Kyle either. I'm getting close on the panels. All pieces are in epoxy or high build except the inner fenders.

[STOCKISH]

Amazing work on that gate Bro, you are a talented man. Wish we were neighbors so I could talk you into helping with mine! LOL

[jlsanborn]

Great updates and nice job on that gate!!! Your an artist man.

[P-DAWG'85]

[IMG][/IMG]
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[FL71C10]

Looks good Mike. I'll bet your glad to see it going back together!

[67c10rustbuket]

Originally Posted by P-DAWG'85

[IMG][/IMG]
Posted via Mobile Device

X100 Always awesome quality work and Mike is a great guy and very humble in person too. I always come back to his thread when I need to find the right way to do something. I am going to start a petition to add a sixth star to this build

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 1972SuperCheyenne

Amazing work on that gate Bro, you are a talented man. Wish we were neighbors so I could talk you into helping with mine! LOL

Thanks Josh, I would help you if I could.

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Great updates and nice job on that gate!!! Your an artist man.

Thanks, I think it will turn out pretty good, considering how rough it was starting out.

Originally Posted by P-DAWG'85

[IMG][/IMG]

Thanks P-Dawg that's a very cool picture.

Originally Posted by FL71C10

Looks good Mike. I'll bet your glad to see it going back together!

Thanks I can't wait to start putting it back together.

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I haven't commented on your thread before but I've been following along. You're in that real tedious stage where progress gets slow and it takes more hours than you ever plan for to get it where you want it. Just keep pushing through. End of the year is creeping up fast.

Thanks for following along. Tedious is a good word for it.

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Hear that! "How perfect is PERFECT?" "How much did that gray juice cost again!?" McB is looking like a pro here. It's gonna look ( . )( . ) when he's got it in paint. Ima want details when the color and clear goes down. He's obviously done a little body work before. Painting it in the same shop? Fun-dome and fans?

Thanks I can tell you it won't be perfect! gray juice? Yep I have done a bunch of bodywork back in the 90s, I got burnt out on it and quit doing these old trucks. It's easy to see why when you spend as many hours as it takes. I hope to be painting the final coats at my friend's paint booth. I have thought about building a small booth to paint the inside of some of the panels though.

Originally Posted by 67c10rustbuket

X100 Always awesome quality work and Mike is a great guy and very humble in person too. I always come back to his thread when I need to find the right way to do something. I am going to start a petition to add a sixth star to this build

Thanks for the nice compliments Dan.

[hgs_notes]

I haven't commented on your thread before but I've been following along. You're in that real tedious stage where progress gets slow and it takes more hours than you ever plan for to get it where you want it. Just keep pushing through. End of the year is creeping up fast.

[jlsanborn]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I haven't commented on your thread before but I've been following along. You're in that real tedious stage where progress gets slow and it takes more hours than you ever plan for to get it where you want it. Just keep pushing through. End of the year is creeping up fast.

Hear that! "How perfect is PERFECT?" "How much did that gray juice cost again!?" McB is looking like a pro here. It's gonna look ( . )( . ) when he's got it in paint. Ima want details when the color and clear goes down. He's obviously done a little body work before. Painting it in the same shop? Fun-dome and fans?

[Low Elco]

You been doin' the Lord's work! We put a Repop gate on Yeller, we've dented it twice and are considering finding an OEM gate. Lotsa good work here! I looove my Durablocks but found them too flexy on the long panels, so I taped a 2x4 to the back of my longest one, worked like the bomb! You shooting this at Kyle's?

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

You been doin' the Lord's work! We put a Repop gate on Yeller, we've dented it twice and are considering finding an OEM gate. Lotsa good work here! I looove my Durablocks but found them too flexy on the long panels, so I taped a 2x4 to the back of my longest one, worked like the bomb! You shooting this at Kyle's?

Good luck finding a nice OEM gate. They are hard to come by!
I have had real good luck with my long board. It works great on the long areas.
I hope to shoot it in Kyle's booth. I want to get the inside panels all painted first so all I have left is the final outside painting. But I may end up doing all of it there? It really depends on how busy he is when I'm ready. The real problem for me is I have no where to store the finished panels except on the truck. I have some other stuff going right now that's keeping me from finishing the cab for paint. Always some kind of delay.....

[mcbassin]

This has kept me busy the last week or so:
Still have some work to do but it will work for transporting my panels.
It needed a bunch of work.