My 1st 68 panel

[richard2717]

Since this panel is almost complete, I am going to remove it and fabricate some new ones using this one for a pattern. Since I am using suburban quarter panels on my panel I am going to remove the spare tire well from the passenger side one and fab up a new panel like this to replace it. A buddy of mine has the machine needed to get the X beads put in the panels to keep them looking stock and I can cut and bend them on my brake and shear.


.

[HO455]

The wood floor is in pretty good shape (At least compared to mine). Were you able to salvage any of the countersunk bolts across the back?

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by HO455

The wood floor is in pretty good shape (At least compared to mine). Were you able to salvage any of the countersunk bolts across the back?

The floor, or what was left of it, was in very good shape. It had been cut by previous owner so would not be usable unless it was spliced in to an existing one. I was actually able to salvage quite a few different type bolts, some good enough to clean up and reuse and some for sizing purposes.

.

[HO455]

How did you get the flush countersunk bolts out?

[richard2717]

The ones I was able to get out still had a hard chunk of undercoating on them that when tapped with hammer fell off, leaving good thread exposed. I have had limited luck using small wire wheel on drill to clean them up before nut removal as well. If they start to spin I just go up top and drill the head off of them and punch them thru vs tearing up the metal strip. You could probably tack weld the head to the strip if you are attempting to save the bolt. Seems to me they are available new as well. I think it was Paul (powdercougar) that found them, but not 100% on that.

[richard2717]

Here is the thread where we were actually talking about them. I think i am going to go ahead and order a box of them since I have a couple here that could use them and I will hope I can sell the rest to others that may need them.

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...elevator+bolts

[richard2717]

Here is a close up shot of the bolt

.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by richard2717

Here is the thread where we were actually talking about them. I think i am going to go ahead and order a box of them since I have a couple here that could use them and I will hope I can sell the rest to others that may need them.

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...elevator+bolts

Count me in for some. I would like to replace the floor in mine this spring.

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by HO455

Count me in for some. I would like to replace the floor in mine this spring.

I think I ordered the right ones. Had to get 100 of them so we will see but they were not to expensive.

[pwdcougar]

Originally Posted by richard2717

I think I ordered the right ones. Had to get 100 of them so we will see but they were not to expensive.

I'm in for some too! They were so expensive by the box I just put in flat head phillps bolts.

[richard2717]

Well, quick shipping but not quite correct. They will work but wont be quite flush with the metal strip like the originals. The original heads are 5/8" diameter and the new ones are 1". I saw no where in the listing on the size of the head so went ahead and chanced it. I sent a picture to the supplier with them both side by side to see if they have it in the correct size but not real hopeful about it. If they don't, I will still use these

[richard2717]

well 15 minutes later I have an answer from the supplier. No smaller head available to their knowledge without special order which requires 10k minimum order. I think I will stick with these.

If you guys still want to try them just let me know. Shipping is just as much as the bolts It would be $9 total for 8 of them.

[Average Joe]

Holy frijoles batman!! I have never seen a burb or panel taken down this far! Thank you so much for posting pics!! You have serious ambition.

[HO455]

Since I think I will chuck them up in the lathe and turn them down I would like a double order. 18 each. PM me and we can work out details.
Thanks

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by HO455

Since I think I will chuck them up in the lathe and turn them down I would like a double order. 18 each. PM me and we can work out details.
Thanks

Sent you a pm

[richard2717]

Just got an email back from a supplier that I had contacted a while back saying they can do these out of stainless but the head would be slightly smaller at .58. The cost would be about $3 per bolt which I am not sure is worth it once you add shipping on top of that. They also did not mention the minimum quantity even though I asked about it. I sent another email trying to get that determined.

[Beach-Burban]

Originally Posted by Average Joe

Holy frijoles batman!! I have never seen a burb or panel taken down this far! Thank you so much for posting pics!! You have serious ambition.

I 100% agree with Average Joe...it makes me feel silly for being proud that I installed my own mirrors!
Woody

[richard2717]

Originally Posted by Beach-Burban

I 100% agree with Average Joe...it makes me feel silly for being proud that I installed my own mirrors!
Woody

Don't feel silly. It is easy disassembling things, it is reassembly that is the hard part. It has been so long I am not too sure I can but I got plenty of spare parts to use until I get it right or send it out to someone else

[richard2717]

All the body bolts in the rear snapped off right away under the wrench, the cab and radiator supports unscrewed easy peasy and I came out of it unscathed with no bloody knuckles. All is right in the world tonight. That went so fast I went ahead and pulled the fan shroud & Radiator , along with unhooking the heater hoses, battery cables, engine harness, oil line, temp line, choke & carb linkage. The column was already unhooked from the box but I am going to go ahead and pull it out of the cab before lifting the body off the frame. Oh yea, also removed the Ebrake cable from thru the frame and the clutch rod from the pivot bar. Tomorrow evening I need to pull my Herman Munster shift handle off and the column out and it "should" lift up and off. Once I get it up, I need to make sure body is balanced on the lift ( might strap or clamp it for added safety) I am going to lift the body up as high as the lift will take it and leave it there while I finish up the frame & drive train. Once the drive train is done I will put it in the back room covered up and get the rest of the body underneath cleaned up and a coat of POR on everything except where I need to do a little floor pan work. I am hoping I am not messing up, but the plan is to drop the body back down on the burb chassis I just got, with new body mounts, to do all the sheet metal work ( so I don't mess up the frame I just did). I never intended for it to go this far......really.

[richard2717]

I also noticed tonight that there is a major difference in the rear metal strip that those elevator bolts go in, between the 69 suburban with barn doors and the 72 suburban with barn doors. I forgot to take a pic but will post one tomorrow. The 69 one is way longer and has 8 bolts the 72 is shorter and has 7 bolts. At 1st I thought maybe it was barn door vs gate difference but then remembered they were both barn door. I am going to see what the panel is as well as a couple of the gate burb are sitting outside.

[richard2717]

Pictures for HO455

.

[richard2717]

This is the difference in the strips I was talking about. I can't check the panel at the moment because it is full of parts and up high on the lift

[richard2717]

Too much body lift? Now I can get to the rest of the frame to clean & paint. Will also make sure there are no other issues that need to be addressed. I will have to remember to take the alternator off or leave front clip off when the body goes back on. It was a wee bit tight getting the inner fender past it. Progress like this is what keeping me motivated


.

[pwdcougar]

Whaaaaaa

I want a lift!

Looking good Richard!

[richard2717]

Ok I am kinda scratching my head here, which is bad because most of my hair is already gone. Since I lifted the body off earlier, I figured I would go ahead and decode the engine. PO said that it was a 350 but I knew without running the numbers it was pot luck and probably a ragged ole 305. Anyhow, Casting # is 3970010 Which I had always understood to be a 350. I went to NastyZ28 website because I could actually read the stamped #'s on the front of the block which are MM14800. According to Nasty that decodes to a 1968 327. So I went back to the main page and sure enough that block casting # also works for a 327 From 1968 with A code for coming out of a Chevelle if i understand correctly. Can anyone else confirm if I am reading all of this correctly?


.