72 k20 project

[shopteacher]

If you were closer I would take my students over for a Field Trip, but your a tad bit too far away ! LOL

Yea it popped up on my youtube list to watch and I said to myself that looks really familiar !

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice video Ryan!

[Mustard72]

Cool video. Nothing like cramming 1200+ posts into a ten minute video. Looking forward to one with the truck running!

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by shopteacher

If you were closer I would take my students over for a Field Trip, but your a tad bit too far away ! LOL

Yea it popped up on my youtube list to watch and I said to myself that looks really familiar !

we must watch the same stuff on youtube, show me old chevies and cummins trucks! that would be a bit of a field trip. hard to convince the parents that some crackpot in colorado would be an educational experience too... hahaha

i do like teaching, i have contemplated doing some informative videos. seeing the process is sometimes enlightening, at least to me.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice video Ryan!

thanks mister.

Originally Posted by Mustard72

Cool video. Nothing like cramming 1200+ posts into a ten minute video. Looking forward to one with the truck running!

it takes less time when you are only documenting the successful end results of the work, not the painful process. and also when you dont add in pages of rabbit trails and off topic wandering. haha


this has been put off long enough.

i put on the big boy pants and wound up my poor, beaten, smokey holesaw drill.



the old grommet is in the outer skin. i wanted to keep the appearance of a stock cab tank, so i will make a mock fill neck and cap for that. i ordered new grommets for both.





i jabbed a bit of 2" tube in to see the angle.



i need to look at the best option for turning the corner. i think a 1 1/2" pipe elbow will give me what i need.

[Dieselwrencher]

That is simple and will look oe plus be really functional.

[1985-GMC]

Can you make a sharp enough turn to go down the inside of the bedside a little ways? Then you could turn it down lower and use one of these blazer pieces to cover it.

Just a suggestion

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That is simple and will look oe plus be really functional.

the simple part really made this idea appeal. i have spent the last couple of years considering different options. i like the filler door idea, but didnt want a bunch of bodywork on the new bedsides. took about five seconds to elimintate the idea of a tail light or clearance light filler. i didnt like the drop vs. distance traveled and the fact that you are limited in size. for some reason the idea of making it look very unmodified on the outside is cool to me. this definitely helps

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Can you make a sharp enough turn to go down the inside of the bedside a little ways? Then you could turn it down lower and use one of these blazer pieces to cover it.
Just a suggestion

there isnt room to make a turn inside the panel. in one of those pics you can see a dirty piece of olive green metal on the dirty floor. it is the GM piece used to cover the factory installed optional saddle tank in a 72. in those truck the filler is in front of the wheel, but the part still fits. you can also sort of make out the stainless replacement sitting on the work table. it certainly isnt the most trick way to make it happen, but it fits the OEM style. if i had already had bodywork to acomplish on the bedside i would have either cut in a suburban filler and used a set up like the blazer, or done a filler door. this is still clean and not to fancy, but with no additional bondo required.

[1985-GMC]

Ok yeah I figured there wasn't going to be enough room in there but I like the way you're doing it, it'll still be very stock looking like that. I've seen someone on here do one that was pretty neat, they used a newer filler door hinge and modified it for their tail light and had the filler hidden inside.

Edit: durr... I should have read the first half of your post lol. Apparently you've seen it that way

[swamp rat]

Make some pie cuts to make a corner like the old 2 stroke exhaust to keep it tight to the inside of the bed, then make a box to cover it, some of the oem bed tanks options had a box cover running from the floor to almost the rail.

[tsnow678]

I am thinking you ought to TIG on an AN fitting and run a length of stainless braided down through the floor. No cover needed.

[woodwright]

Your build is looking nice Ryan. Back on page 52 you mention trailer safety chains. On a flatbed I built a while back, I welded some grade 8 nuts to supports under the deck and the owner bought several forged eye bolts. I welded 7 of them around the exterior of the deck plus the 2 next to his drop ball. That way he had tiedowns everywhere, but still had a flat deck for sheet goods. When he tows his trailer he puts in the center 2 for chain hook points.

[1985-GMC]

I saw some pictures of a blazer with the filler in that spot, I'll upload them if you're interested. Or if you have instagram just search travisbarker

[ryanroo]

i have it pretty well settled. i have a few pics, just havent unloaded the camera yet. i have a few more adjustments to make, but it should be done enough to get the bedside to the painter soon.

[ryanroo]

here is a few pics. ill have to get a few more off my phone.





i need to do a few more things but this is the position of the filler.



i have to figure out the turn over ball business so i can finish the wood while the sheetmetal is getting painted. this is about finished, i have a few more things to do tomorrow.

i also got this in prep for some work on the exhuast.

[Dieselwrencher]

It's looking good! Your fill option is way faster than any I've been thinking about doing for sure.

[1985-GMC]

It may just be the picture but is the gooseneck ball going to be high enough for the hitch to not interfere with the bed?

[ryanroo]

oh no, the consensus is, that it will be to short. B&W sells a 1" taller ball. that is the plan for now. ill probably test this one when i get there just to see. i think it would be fine if everything was nice and level..

[1985-GMC]

Ok cool yeah that wouldn't work here in the hill country, I didn't know they made a taller ball. I looked at one of the balls sitting here and it'd have room for a hole to be drilled an inch lower.

[6BT 56]

Looks good. Where are the saftey chains going to go ? Here with that type of hitch you have to have chains fastened to the floor beside it. Keep up the good work

[jbclassix]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Looks good. Where are the saftey chains going to go ? Here with that type of hitch you have to have chains fastened to the floor beside it. Keep up the good work

That's not the case for every state down here... but if he has to in CO (I can't remember if it's law even though I'm from there) you can bet with this build it will be over kill and bad arse

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by 1985-GMC

Ok cool yeah that wouldn't work here in the hill country, I didn't know they made a taller ball. I looked at one of the balls sitting here and it'd have room for a hole to be drilled an inch lower.

its probably not worth looking at here either. the condition of the roads, and my desire not to have to worry about dumb crap like that will dictate that it be correct. i cant think it will work with the normal height ball. i still have to check though... haha i looked at driling the ball, but that puts the entire pin weight on that cross pin. the ball sits on the hitch structure and the pin just keeps the thing in there as it is. i was just going to buy some material and make one out of 4140. price the material and figure the cost in trade for having the machinist buddy CNC it for me, shipping etc. and the B&W is smarter.

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Looks good. Where are the saftey chains going to go ? Here with that type of hitch you have to have chains fastened to the floor beside it. Keep up the good work

well, as it turns out, the mounting locations in the B&W hitch make it such that i can bring the hooks up through the bed strips. it is required that the trailer have a safety chain in CO also.

Originally Posted by jbclassix

That's not the case for every state down here... but if he has to in CO (I can't remember if it's law even though I'm from there) you can bet with this build it will be over kill and bad arse

haha. it should look good, but it wont be to crazy. since the hooks can easily be in the bed strips it will make the install easy and clean.

[Dieselwrencher]

I thought about putting little trap doors in my floor to cover the safety chain u-bolts so they're not in the way if you weant to load dry wall and stuff in it. We'll see when/if I get there. Haha

[shopteacher]

Busted !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMtyl83iq5k

Up Dates on this great Project !

[mx289]

Looking good over there.
I like the video updates.Cool.

Almost ready for more 518 !

[$20071k10]

MAN 52 pages but impressive will be sweet to see you rolling coal up and down the road!!!!!