Not Another Rebuild Thread....

[truckswede]

Looking good to me too from northern europe.
Maybe there is a smidge of truth in the saying that we are always our own worse critics? I know i am with what i do. Your ideas and executions of them are nothing less than brilliant, and a joy to follow.
By the way, i think you got me mixed up with another swede here, 2mas.
No christmas tree lights in my garage, just an old project and 8x12 meters of chaos in desperate need of cleaning and organising. Carry on, sir.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Well my friend, you cannot expect perfection on the first go everytime when you are pushing the envelope as you always do... I suspect that Edison was not successful with his first attempt at the light bulb. Good plan to move on and revisit this later. Very cool theory, and if you ask me, from the pictures it looks pretty darn good. Keep your stick on the ice mister.

Thanks for the encouragement bud, I am already planning my revenge !!

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

I think it looks great! Everything I do, I could do better the next time, it never ends. You're close Murph, you'll be driving this thing in no time and will for sure be re-visiting a lot of this once you've settled in again. Can't wait to see it in person!

I cannot wait to show it to you brother !! It's going to be pretty cool being neighbors with you.

Originally Posted by Low Elco

I like it! Keep it up, Murph, the end is in sight!

It gets closer every day buddy, I swear it !! LoL

Originally Posted by markeb01

Whether or not you're completely happy with the results or not at this point, that tailgate is one of the coolest automotive adventures I've ever seen. The concept is fantastic, and as mentioned from a few feet away it looks incredible.

Considering what you do to your truck, I have got to consider that pretty high praise !! We keep up like this and people will start thinking we are brothers at the shows...

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

I agree with Mark… You have completely raised the bar beyond reach with this INCREDIBLE build…

Re-Visit is the current Mantra with my build… I am not aiming for show quality, I just am itching to drive my truck…

Keep up the Great Work!!! …and I've also been rude a few dinner times myself...

Dude your engine looks so sweet right now, I cannot say enough good things about it, those headers you are are just too cool.

Originally Posted by Jeff La

Yea it's not perfect but it's something I could live with for a long time. LOL. Your doing some great work with your ideas and truly making it a one of a kind, if your lucky you get it right the first time, if not, you get the pleasure of doing it again. Are you ever truly done with these trucks, most just improve constantly. Again superior job!!!

Thanks man, but the score goes to the UnLucky team this time... I will show you just how bad here in a minute.

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

that looks awesome ..i knew you would knock it out of the park

thanks Pirate, but .... yeah.

Originally Posted by truckswede

Looking good to me too from northern europe.
Maybe there is a smidge of truth in the saying that we are always our own worse critics? I know i am with what i do. Your ideas and executions of them are nothing less than brilliant, and a joy to follow.
By the way, i think you got me mixed up with another swede here, 2mas.
No christmas tree lights in my garage, just an old project and 8x12 meters of chaos in desperate need of cleaning and organising. Carry on, sir.

I am so sorry for confusing you with 2MAS, but in my defense all you Swedes look the same to me....

Just kidding !!
Thank you for the kind words, please feel free to steal anything I do and make it better for your build !!

*******************************************************************************************

Ok now for the ugly.
Just because you guys were so swell and supportive, I just HAD to go down and take some up close and stinky pics of those letters for you all. I was starting to feel like I was living a lie with praise I did not deserve. So here you go:



Those certainly fall into the "Not so spiffy" category IMO.
They look like they have cancer....bleh !!
But this next project turned out pretty satisfying...

All that trouble to get those tailgate retainer/support arms drilled and I learned the hard way why they have an oblong hole at the pivot point... because they bind when you close the tailgate and it....will....NOT.....close !!

So I came up with a plan B ...... Yeah baby ...... CABLES !!
The actual credit for the idea goes to my down stairs neighbor Daniel...so kudos to him.
I thought about modding something from the junk yard, but as I thought about it, I figured I could make them up real quick.
Soooooo step one, cut the removable fulcum end from the old supports and notch to take the cable:


Two, weld cable to fulcrum end:


Three, grind welds.... and grind and grind and grind....:



Oops, that is 5 photos.... give me a bit, more to come !!

[McMurphy]

Here is a final assembled support cable.
I used heat shrink to cover the ends of vacuum hose that I had pushed the steel cable through.
I also used some heat shrink on the loop end that will anchor loosely to the bed side using a spare fender screw. (since I am raising the bed deck, there was no need to use these fancy screws where they would not be seen which gave me enough to use on the bed head board as well)


Here is it supporting the tail gate as I ensure the tailgate is hanging square to the bed:


Yep, pretty much nailed it:


And just as a follow up, this is what the rear fender side marker/turn signal lamps ended up looking like:


Man, you just have to appreciate the fact that you are dealing with auto body parts that are almost 50 years old, when once you lay paint on them, EVERY battle scar becomes visible !!


And a final shot of the bed sides on, and the fenders hung with power to the light (I am using an ATV battery to check electrical continuity and illuminate the lamp):


All in all it was a good weekend, a lot was accomplished !!!
I suppose it would look more like a truck if it wasnt draped with dust cloths....

Thanks for looking and all your support guys, you all make sharing this adventure completely worth while !!

[markeb01]

I've been studying the above photos, and the more I look at them, the more I see a Gothic look to them. Rather than sharing any disappointment in how they turned out, I'd be inclined to share how many different experiments you had to go through to get them to turn out exactly how you wanted them. As if it was purposefully done to make it look more sinister!

[piratexpress1369a]

that looks awesome ..i knew you would knock it out of the park

[Ta2Don]

Looking Good Murph!!!

Wish I could offer some words of advice concerning the lettering...
Encouragement is the best I can do at the moment...
I am sure you will find the best solution...

Your Tailgate cables are...

and those side marker lights...

Well Done Sir!!!

[Low Elco]

Dude, really, that cable bit is slick. Nice job.

[Jeff La]

Again your hitting it out the park. Love the fender marker. I'm sure you already have those pesky letter figured out and they will be great.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Looking Good Murph!!!

Wish I could offer some words of advice concerning the lettering...
Encouragement is the best I can do at the moment...
I am sure you will find the best solution...

Your Tailgate cables are...

and those side marker lights...

Well Done Sir!!!

I am already collecting the stuff to do this again, just going to be a matter of setting the time aside to hit it!

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Dude, really, that cable bit is slick. Nice job.

thanks man, I am super pleased with the way they turned out. I have them hanging in place now, with large paper clips holding them to start them training how to hang with the tailgate on.

Originally Posted by Jeff La

Again your hitting it out the park. Love the fender marker. I'm sure you already have those pesky letter figured out and they will be great.

Thank you Jeff !! I am getting pretty lucky with some of this stuff, as it is actually coming out better than I had imagined it in my head. It is starting to look like the rear lights and the side markers are really going to compliment each other when it is all said and done !! But more to follow on that



I hope this isnt violating any board rules, but I had to share this what my wife found on her facebook this morning:



Isnt that the truth though?
I had one of those moments getting my step support bolted up. I had forgotten that it was the only one that bolts to the frame and not the bedside!
Off to a car show in North Pole today, will post some pics and maybe some progress later !!

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by markeb01

I've been studying the above photos, and the more I look at them, the more I see a Gothic look to them. Rather than sharing any disappointment in how they turned out, I'd be inclined to share how many different experiments you had to go through to get them to turn out exactly how you wanted them. As if it was purposefully done to make it look more sinister!

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Gotta agree with Mark… Sinister is a good description...

Well guys, I really wasnt going for a "Blood Bath in the Truck Bed" sort of look, but if I had, this would have been awesome indeed !!
Sometimes the best things in life happen by accident.

Thanks for the positive remarks, it certainly helps get over the internal disappointment !!

[flips72]

not sure how you come up with these ideas but keep it up, tailgate looks great, need to hook you and bomp up and see what rolls out of the shop. keep em coming.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by flips72

not sure how you come up with these ideas but keep it up, tailgate looks great, need to hook you and bomp up and see what rolls out of the shop. keep em coming.

Some days I feel it is a curse... LoL

If I could assemble a team from this board, we would put any reality build show to shame !!

*********************************************************************************

Ok back on 10 April I mocked up my tail lights on the frame to see if I would like how they looked, and I did like it.
I knew with the bed and tail gate mods I would have to do a roll pan so this is what is happening now...
Here is the 10 April photo:



Then I made a template and with that, cut these large panels out of what was left of the GMC hood I had left over:


I made buckets for my tail light lanterns to bolt into, and here I am checking them in the roll pan panel:


Here is the roll pan panel with the buckets and lanterns mocked up in it:


And a shot of the back side of it showing the 1x1 angle I welded in for support and stiffening, as well as the integrated fuel fill well:


More later this week guys !!

[Ta2Don]

Gotta agree with Mark… Sinister is a good description...

[C@rnut001]

Man, that is looking awesome. You have some great ideas. You should really try writing up a reality build show, you have such excellent build and fabrication ideas.

[bj383ss]

Man that is wild!

[Grizz1963]

Mike, despite your own view on the outcome thus far, be under no dis-illusion that this is a fail.
You continue to inspire loads of us with your creative ideas and execution thereof.

Unless you try, it will never happen.

I continue to be addicted to your thread and share it out on internet world with friends.

Thanks as always for posting up your progress and descriptions.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Mike, despite your own view on the outcome thus far, be under no dis-illusion that this is a fail.
You continue to inspire loads of us with your creative ideas and execution thereof.

Unless you try, it will never happen.

I continue to be addicted to your thread and share it out on internet world with friends.

Thanks as always for posting up your progress and descriptions.

X2!

[aggie91]

Just caught up again on your build. Your tailgate cable idea looks great!

Don't be too hard on yourself for the tailgate letters. Like everyone else, they look great to me. Even it it didn't meet your expectations, the fact that you are thinking out of the box and trying new things is a win for everyone including yourself.

I say leave it as is and get the rest done. Its always something you can redo later down the road if you really want to do it. Who knows, you may come to like the look!

I really hope to get back to mine sometime later in the summer or early fall. You guys that work in the ubsurdly cold areas of our great country are die hards for sure!

[piratexpress1369a]

wow that is going to look killer

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by C@rnut001

Man, that is looking awesome. You have some great ideas. You should really try writing up a reality build show, you have such excellent build and fabrication ideas.

If I only had the time, facility, equipment, and skills..... LoL

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Man that is wild!

Congrats on your progress too, your red wheels look pretty cool as you get your frame done!

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Mike, despite your own view on the outcome thus far, be under no dis-illusion that this is a fail.
You continue to inspire loads of us with your creative ideas and execution thereof.
Unless you try, it will never happen.
I continue to be addicted to your thread and share it out on internet world with friends.
Thanks as always for posting up your progress and descriptions.

Thank you Rian, those are some kind and enheartning words !! I did not mean to sound like I was sniveling, just saying that the result was not what was intended.... I need to do better.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

X2!

Hahahahaha thanks Don !! you my world dude !!

Originally Posted by aggie91

Just caught up again on your build. Your tailgate cable idea looks great!

Don't be too hard on yourself for the tailgate letters. Like everyone else, they look great to me. Even it it didn't meet your expectations, the fact that you are thinking out of the box and trying new things is a win for everyone including yourself.

I say leave it as is and get the rest done. Its always something you can redo later down the road if you really want to do it. Who knows, you may come to like the look!

I really hope to get back to mine sometime later in the summer or early fall. You guys that work in the ubsurdly cold areas of our great country are die hards for sure!

Aggie, I love it when you post, I just wish you could get back on yours sooner than later !! And like I mentioned to Rian, I did not mean to sound like I was whining.... But I dont mind sharing my mistakes as well as my successes. I learn more from the boo boos than I do the Oh Yeahs !!

Originally Posted by piratexpress1369a

wow that is going to look killer

thanks Pirate, I really hope you enjoy the whole package as I start to button it up here in the next few days....


****************************************************************************************


Ok kiddies !!
Some success stories now !!
This is Mister Roll Pan all welded up, stripped down to metal, and primered to bring out all the areas of attention, which I outlined in red sharpie:





Then a light application of bondo...... lots of sanding...... then glazing putty to fill the cracks and pin holes ...... more sanding ....... then filler primer and more sanding..... more filler and MORE SANDING ........ until it all started to look like it was meant to be all just one piece of auto body:


Then before I came up for dinner today, it was the first shoot of the flat black:


As I was waiting for the paint to dry today, I got some other stuff done too. I prepped what is going to be the new (and hefty I might add) bed support rails. I elongated my tailgate mounting holes to hopefully help me correct the offset tailgate latches due to the tailgate warpage I did. I also remounted the front grill so it marrys up with the head light doors better, and fixed a lighting issue in them. I also got some time on the Tow Truck today too rerouting the heater hoses so I can drive it tomorrow and Friday....

All in all a very productive day, I hope you all had a great one too !!
As always, thank you for taking a look !!!

[coulter]

i know your not happy with the tailgate letters but i think it looks pretty damn sweet!!! if i didnt know better i would think you made them look that way on purpose!! As always you come up with some awesome ideas!! keep killin it man

[Ta2Don]

Progress being made!

Driving the Tow Truck...

[chad64chevy]

its been a while but checking in!! and I got to say you have done a lil of killer work, I have realized are trucks will never going to be done! theres always new things coming out that we all would think that would look cool on my truck!! I like that tailgate and think when you get to it it will look great, just like the grille and everything else you have handmade on this truck!! keep it up, your getting there, man!!

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by coulter

i know your not happy with the tailgate letters but i think it looks pretty damn sweet!!! if i didnt know better i would think you made them look that way on purpose!! As always you come up with some awesome ideas!! keep killin it man

Thanks man, and congrats on TOTM !!!! I knew you were going to own it !!

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Progress being made!

Driving the Tow Truck...

Yeah that Tow Truck is a hoot to drive, I really enjoy it !!

Originally Posted by chad64chevy

its been a while but checking in!! and I got to say you have done a lil of killer work, I have realized are trucks will never going to be done! theres always new things coming out that we all would think that would look cool on my truck!! I like that tailgate and think when you get to it it will look great, just like the grille and everything else you have handmade on this truck!! keep it up, your getting there, man!!

I see you are making more progress on yours as well sir !!

*************************************************************************************


Well today was pretty productive, the whole weekend was actually...

As the back end of my truck started coming together, I realized I only had 5 wires coming back to power everything I was going to be running back here, so I happened to be looking at some of the left over Sierra parts, and spotted this junction box.
I got some new pins from the local GMC dealership and repinned it to distribute the power more cleanly, and with better options for future workings:


Then it was time to hang the roll pan:


That last pic was at about 1100 this morning, things kind of snowballed from there for the rest of the day until 6 hours later I had this:


As a total teaser, this is with the flash on the camera:


And without the flash:


And that is where I am now.
Mostly all that is left is I need to rehang the license plate, the tail gate hits it when lowered.
Exhaust.
Mount in the new bed rails.
Lay in the bed, once I get my hinges from Jay....
New Tires all around.
Tweak the doors so they open and close right.
100% lube job and front end alignment.

I am going to refurbish my old bumper as best I can, they are only $100 from LMC for a new primer one, but the $248 shipping was a tad too steep for me.....

Well that is where I am at today, even got some stuff done on the Tow Truck this weekend too so, all is well !!

Thanks for looking.

[piratexpress1369a]

that is awesome ..just wondering did you wire the tailgate as a third brake light