Canadian Rustbucket 66

[rustbucket66]

It's been a while, and there are a few things going on. The box is at a metalworkers having the boxsides fixed, and some changes to the tailgate. Pics on that coming soon. Bumpers and some other things are at the platers. Can't wait to get the stuff home, but it is always a big hit when you are picking stuff up from the platers. It drains your wallet fast. I have been installing the wiring kit, and have most of it in. I hid the wires and the washer fluid hose inside a steel tube under the inner fender. There is an aluminum giblet on the firewall that they come out of, then through a grommet and into the tube onderneath. I welded tabs on the tube front and rear, and mounted to the front hood hinge bolt, and an inner fender bolt at the rad support. Keeps wires and hoses out of sight and gives them protection from the water and dirt that the tire will fling around. Wouldn't work for a bagged truck, as the tire comes up in that area. If I did it again, I would have welded the big hole in the firewall, where the wires and hose come out, then have the hole come through the firewall where the inner fender goes around.

[rustbucket66]

Also picked up the exhust mainfolds from the coaters. GM rams horns that I ground and buffed smooth, and then took them to these guys that have a paint/ coating that can handle 1200 dgrees. It coats on the inside also, especially good for headers. I am really pleased with how they came out. They almost look chrome, and won't turn blue after the engine has ran for a while.

[McMurphy]

Those exhaust headers look very nice!
Did you get them locally or did you order them?

[gimmy 64]

that is really nice!!!!!!!!!

[rustbucket66]

Installed the antenna, it is inside the frenched hole where the gas tank filler came out. Comes up with stereo turned on. Braced it on the inside and a drain hose for the antenna and the hole it sits in. The hose goes through a hole in the bottom of the cab.

[rustbucket66]

I got these kickpanels with the speakers in them from Scott's. They are just held on with duct tape to see how they fit. Most of the air conditioning is installed, just waiting on a couple of other pieces for that. The vent holes are blocked off, as I don't think I will use them with A/C. The condensor and receiver dryer are on, and some of the plumbing. I need to shorten the hoses and get new ends crimped on, and a different bracket for the compressor that puts it more toward the passenger side. The unit under the dash takes up about 3 inches from the back of the glovebox, that you have to trim off. The kit includes a new piece that fastens on the back of the golvebox where it was cut off.

[66farmer]

I have the same kick panels. How did they fit for you. I have not installed them yet I think it,s going to be hard to use the dimmer switch because of the speaker.

Your truck is looking great!

[rustbucket66]

I wondered about the dimmer switch also, but I sat in the seat and clicked it a few times. You have to turn your foot a bit sideways, but it wasn't that bad at all. I like the idea, better than cutting holes in the door for speakers.

[rustbucket66]

Made a trip over to the metalworking guy's shop, where he is working on the box. There is a lot of evil living on pretty much every panel. He has made new panels from scratch. Only the top section of the boxside and the rear panels where the lights are, is saved on each side. The first two pics show the inside of the panel, and the bottom section (about a foot high) is new, and the flat piece that goes over the wood at the bottom is replaced also. No one makes replacement boxsides for these trucks. The next two pics show it from the outside. The patch panel piece I bought for the wheel opening is about two inches short on each side, so it had to be cut in half, and a peice inserted in the middle. Another example of the crappy quality of every reproduction body part that I have seen. No one to my knowledge makes a good repo panel, I had nothing but headaches with every replacement piece on the cab, front fenders, and header panel.

[rustbucket66]

This is the other side, not finished yet. Note the piece in the middle for the short patch panels.

[rustbucket66]

These are new hinges for the tailgate. It opens sideways, and it is getting pretty much everything new. The hinges will be hidden, as will the latch. The other pic is the pile of old panels that will end up in the scrap bin.

[Dinos63]

Aton of nice work ,truck looks killer

[rustbucket66]

Just got the bumpers back, and installed the front one. no bolt holes or liscense plate holes. The rear is the same, with the mounting studs showing on the backside.

[clemdaddy]

very nice job there... looks to be coming along so you'll be driving this spring. stay warm and keep after it...

[rustbucket66]

Here are a bunch of pics of the building of the side opening tailgate. The hinges and the latch are hidden, as is the rod that holds it in a fixed position.

[rustbucket66]

More pics

[rustbucket66]

inside panel on

[rustbucket66]

latch inside the end of the tailgate

[rustbucket66]

the latch has a plunger at the bottom that you reach underneath with your finger, and push it up to open the latch.

[rustbucket66]

the mounting fasteners are the only thing that gives away that the tailgate opens sideways.

[rustbucket66]

Here is the aluminum adjustable rod that you could find in any hardware store. It is hidden away underneath, and can lock the tailgate in any position when opened.

[rustbucket66]

showing it opened from the passenger side, the outer skin, and the striker

[padresag]

hey, wonderful work
ron

[rustbucket66]

pics with it open and closed, ready for bodywork and paint. This is way better than the way I had it before. It previously had an original tailgate with rear door hinges from a van, and the latch was a couple of clamps on the inside. There are pics of it in this thread. This one is lighter, so not as much stress on the box side to suspend all that weight. I like that the latches, hinges, and rod are all hidden. Box sides are fabricated new also, and the seam where the two panels of the boxside meet is gone, it joins the boxside about an inch above where the panels used to meet. This was a popular place for rust, I've seen lots of these trucks with that seam filled in. I think it looks cleaner, and matches the door and cab.

[McMurphy]

Man that is TOTALLY awesome !!
And here I thought I was going to come up with a cool bad-azz tailgate.... well maybe I still will... but probably wont be a good at this.

Very nicely done !