My version of the s10 swap

[BlueJeep]

I'm pretty proud of this one. I don't have a slip roll, so here's what I came up with. I used the slap hammer to be kind to the metal and took my time and got an incredible fit. I even made my wife come out in the garage and see (as if she was interested). This patch I want to be really good because this is the one that'll be right in front of my nose.







I've also switched to the rounded-corners method of fitting my patches. I read on metalmeet that what it does for you is avoids chasing the edge and this made sense to me and seems to work pretty well (like when you weld up to the edge of a panel and get that semi-circle burn hole). It means I have to stop short of the corners with the cutoff wheel and switch to the air saw, but isn't too much more work. I'm still working on learning the art of planishing my welds with the hammer and dolly afterwards, but I'll get there.

I ended the weekend with a little planning, next up will be making this steering column indentation look like it was never there:

[72-c20]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

I'm pretty proud of this one. I don't have a slip roll, so here's what I came up with. I used the slap hammer to be kind to the metal and took my time and got an incredible fit. I even made my wife come out in the garage and see (as if she was interested). This patch I want to be really good because this is the one that'll be right in front of my nose.







I've also switched to the rounded-corners method of fitting my patches. I read on metalmeet that what it does for you is avoids chasing the edge and this made sense to me and seems to work pretty well (like when you weld up to the edge of a panel and get that semi-circle burn hole). It means I have to stop short of the corners with the cutoff wheel and switch to the air saw, but isn't too much more work. I'm still working on learning the art of planishing my welds with the hammer and dolly afterwards, but I'll get there.

I ended the weekend with a little planning, next up will be making this steering column indentation look like it was never there:

I'm betting you get the same reaction I do

looking good....

[72-c20]

very nice!

[BlueJeep]

No progress on the truck this weekend.

Since I know I'm not going to hit my goal of this thing back together and in primer by Goodguys Des Moines this year...I need to make sure my dad gets there, so I spent the weekend at his place attempting to set up gears in his Chevelle. I didn't do enough research on it first, so I get to drive 3 hours each way again next weekend to finish it. Who knew there was a carrier split between 2.73's and 3.42's in a 12 bolt....I sure didn't. Oh well, I did get to spend some time around cool autos.

Setting up gears:


Putting some miles on Grandpa's model AA:


My buddy JR is 6'9"....it's a good thing he didn't want to drive because he doesn't fit around the steering wheel in a model AA:


And my wife taking a ride in a buddy's 67 Shelby GT500, he said she could have a ride as long as she wasn't allergic to tire smoke. She wasn't, and that's a good thing because all that was left was smoke long after the car was gone!!!


And I didn't get pics, but I also got to see my future brother-in-laws new 38 Chevy sedan and his brother's 72 Nova. I guess it was OK that I didn't get any welding done on the truck this weekend....

[SSABMUD]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

No progress on the truck this weekend.

Since I know I'm not going to hit my goal of this thing back together and in primer by Goodguys Des Moines this year...I need to make sure my dad gets there, so I spent the weekend at his place attempting to set up gears in his Chevelle. I didn't do enough research on it first, so I get to drive 3 hours each way again next weekend to finish it. Who knew there was a carrier split between 2.73's and 3.42's in a 12 bolt....I sure didn't. Oh well, I did get to spend some time around cool autos.

Setting up gears:


Putting some miles on Grandpa's model AA:


My buddy JR is 6'9"....it's a good thing he didn't want to drive because he doesn't fit around the steering wheel in a model AA:


And my wife taking a ride in a buddy's 67 Shelby GT500, he said she could have a ride as long as she wasn't allergic to tire smoke. She wasn't, and that's a good thing because all that was left was smoke long after the car was gone!!!


And I didn't get pics, but I also got to see my future brother-in-laws new 38 Chevy sedan and his brother's 72 Nova. I guess it was OK that I didn't get any welding done on the truck this weekend....

Some sweet vehicles there*.

[BlueJeep]

Thanks! I did get the gears set up in the Chevelle so we were able to enjoy Goodguys, though it would have been more fun if I had my truck too. The car has got a posi now, so if my dad gets in some wet grass with the car it won't get stuck.





Saw a bunch of other cool things I took pictures of, here's my kind of rat rod:







And here's my latest truck related purchase. Once this baby arrives my productivity will go way up, that's what I'm telling myself!

[72-c20]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

And here's my latest truck related purchase. Once this baby arrives my productivity will go way up, that's what I'm telling myself!

I used the same reasoning behind the heater I put in last year

[SSABMUD]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

Thanks! I did get the gears set up in the Chevelle so we were able to enjoy Goodguys, though it would have been more fun if I had my truck too. The car has got a posi now, so if my dad gets in some wet grass with the car it won't get stuck.





Saw a bunch of other cool things I took pictures of, here's my kind of rat rod:







And here's my latest truck related purchase. Once this baby arrives my productivity will go way up, that's what I'm telling myself!

That rat rod is awesome. I have one down the street from me at work. It is a Model T Roadster tub and deck, with a supercharged 392 hemi in it. He fires it up once and awhile and puts down a couple hundred feet of rubber.

[soultosoul13]

great work! i live in des moines, too, ill keep an eye out for your truck!

[sevt_chevelle]

You are doing some real nice work there. Here is a great youtube video from metal master Lazze on tuning up a Lancaster.

Lazze Metal Shaping: Shrinker and Stretcher...

If I finally get relocated back home to Iowa I sure would like to see your truck...Eric

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by sevt_chevelle

You are doing some real nice work there. Here is a great youtube video from metal master Lazze on tuning up a Lancaster.
Lazze Metal Shaping: Shrinker and Stretcher Tune-Up - YouTube

If I finally get relocated back home to Iowa I sure would like to see your truck...Eric

Thanks for the comments and for the video, I'm headed out to the garage in a few minutes to take apart my jaws and see what I can do to improve them!!

PM me for my contact info and you're welcome to stop by and see it anytime you're through this way. I'd really like for you to come see it, that way I could pick your brain for additional shrinking disc and slap hammer tips! I just got a book on Friday that you recommended in one of your threads, "Automobile Sheet Metal Repair" by Robert Sargent. Only part way through chapter 1 and I'm feeling smarter....

[FRENCHBLUE72]

I dont visit this part of the board very often but wanted to chim in and say a great job you have done thus far..

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

I dont visit this part of the board very often but wanted to chim in and say a great job you have done thus far..

Thanks! I haven't been making progress with the truck recently, but I have been doing other projects that are contributing to it either directly or indirectly.

Motor-vation:



Going to be cool:



And I'm adding some Ford parts to it to appease a buddy who's a Ford guy, but don't have any pictures of that right now.

[68 Four on the Floor]

Good to see an Iowa truck getting built. Keep at it!

[dieseldr4]

great read BlueJeep!

[BlueJeep]

I don't have any additional progress on the truck to report, but I have been trying to "skill up" for some additional work on the truck in the not-too-distant future.

I attended Ron Covell's Extreme Metalshaping workshop this weekend, and came away with the desire to buy some more tools! Ron does host a wonderful workshop and I did learn a lot, and he was very willing and able to answer all of my questions. I even showed him pictures of my 5 window conversion and talked about some of the decisions I made while performing the swap.



Ron and I:






I did sit in the front row, took a lot of notes, snapped 52 pictures and videos with my phone, and asked a lot of questions. I also wasn't able to leave without buying 6 of his videos (they were on sale for workshop participants...and I couldn't pass up a deal!!). Now I need to fight my kids for the DVD player so we can watch hours and hours of metalshaping instead of Puss-in-Boots. It was a good weekend!

[candyx]

Originally Posted by BlueJeep

I don't have any additional progress on the truck to report, but I have been trying to "skill up" for some additional work on the truck in the not-too-distant future.

I attended Ron Covell's Extreme Metalshaping workshop this weekend, and came away with the desire to buy some more tools! Ron does host a wonderful workshop and I did learn a lot, and he was very willing and able to answer all of my questions. I even showed him pictures of my 5 window conversion and talked about some of the decisions I made while performing the swap.



Ron and I:






I did sit in the front row, took a lot of notes, snapped 52 pictures and videos with my phone, and asked a lot of questions. I also wasn't able to leave without buying 6 of his videos (they were on sale for workshop participants...and I couldn't pass up a deal!!). Now I need to fight my kids for the DVD player so we can watch hours and hours of metalshaping instead of Puss-in-Boots. It was a good weekend!

Nice fender,whats he charge to do a whole truck like that.Looks like you can clear coat his metal work!!!!

[BlueJeep]

Originally Posted by oldman3

Frame looks real good....Jim

Thanks!

Originally Posted by 72-c20

I like the barrel support!

You've got to use what you've got! Dad also didn't want overspray on the tractors, so he wouldn't let me hang the frame from the loaders.

Originally Posted by xpickup

BlueJeep, frame looks great. It is great when you can get it blasted instead of all that wire wheeling. Paint looks great.


Shannon

Thanks! It's good to have something finished and ready to start re-assembly.

Originally Posted by bjcaldwe

Nice update.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by candyx

Nice fender,whats he charge to do a whole truck like that.Looks like you can clear coat his metal work!!!!

Ron doesn't do customer work anymore. He only does videos and workshops now. He does advise that when he's done it'll only need a coat of high build primer and then paint. Definitely a good teacher, and very patient with his students no matter how dumb the questions are...

[candyx]

Asking questions is the smart way to learn,hopefully Ron can past his talent and skills to those who he is teaching.Its a loss art except for the few who chose to learn it,you can pick it up a little working in a body shop but the bulk of the work is just bolting on new panels.You actually have to be lucky to find a job at a hot rod shop that actually builds cars and trucks.

[53GMC]

That's awesome! Glad to hear all is going well with your project!

[BlueJeep]

OK, after far too long I have some progress. I'll show progress this weekend, then won't make any more for several weeks to a month.

First up, I had to clear some space in my dad's garage. What better way to do this than to take dad's 70 Chevelle out for a drive (Chevelle was posted in earlier pics in this thread). Now that the car was out it was time to make a mess. After a good afternoon of disassembly, the frame is ready to sandblast tomorrow:





And my mess:


And bye-bye to the little 4.3, it ran so well for 220k miles. The 4L60E, not so much.


Tomorrow should be lots of fun!

[_Ogre]

just read thru your build thread, nice work.
5 window conversion was well done

[BlueJeep]

Thanks for being interested in it!

Well today was a good day, but a long day and a lot of work! Spent much of the morning with the frame suspended vertical from the backhoe as I tapped on it with a 2 lb hammer and screwdrivers trying to get the dirt out of the frame. I knew there was dirt in the frame, I didn't know how much was in there. Seems as if when this frame was under the s10 it must have spent 200k of it's 220k miles on gravel roads. What makes it more difficult, is that there are two braces inside each framerail which keep the dirt from easily moving out of the frame. The driver's side I ended up cutting an access hole so I could accelerate the process, I'll have to fix that later.

Shortly before noon I was to the point of being ready to sandblast. Next time I think I'll hire it done.





After my helpers got the frame flipped over, they went to lunch and I continued to blast.

[BlueJeep]

Next up was to cover up that fresh bare metal. **Today was the first time I've sprayed non-buzz bomb finish on a vehicle.** This past December I bought a DeVilbiss Startingline 2 spray gun kit and pulled it out of the box today. As someone who'd never used a spray gun before, I can say that it worked pretty well for me. I had some friends come over and set me up by showing me how to adjust the fan and the amount of fluid that was coming out of the gun. I then proceeded to spray on a good coat of SPI epoxy primer. Started out with lots of runs, then kinda figured it out and got better from there.

Here's my Quality Control guy looking for spots that I missed:





We then followed that up with a couple coats of Eastwood Chassis Black. Semi-gloss black paint is a little hard to put over semi-gloss black epoxy primer, but I'm confident I got most of it covered.





And there we have it, a freshened-up frame for my truck. I was a little nervous about painting for the first time, but with guidance from some veterans it wasn't too bad at all. Definitely something I'll be able to repeat at home. 90% of the spraying on the frame was done by me. I was also unsure about the side-draft spray booth you see in the pictures, but my dad did not want the black overspray mixing with the black diesel smoke on the walls and ceiling of his shop... and I don't think I ended up with too much dirt in the paint. Not that it matters too much, as this truck is destined to be a driver. I dropped one of the upper control arms on the ground while the primer was fresh and dad asked if I wanted some thinner to wipe it off and start over. My reply was nope, just a rag to wipe off the dirt and spray a little more epoxy over it. No need to get too carried away!

Now the truck will rest while I get another project finished up and out of my garage, then it will be moved home and start the re-assembly process. Next up on the list are installing the 5.3 and narrowing a 9" for the rear. Should be fun!

[oldman3]

Frame looks real good....Jim