Not Another Rebuild Thread....

[jlsanborn]

Way cool Murph! So the inner script is upside down so that it looks right when the the gate is open!

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by msg

That looks real cool McMurphy, the hard works really paying off!! Is the plexi going to be an insert to more evenly illuminate?

I wish the plexiglass was easier to work with (to a point) because I would try again to form it to the letters like I did on the grille, but I dont have time or patience for that right now. When I was a kid there was a hobby set that used colored plastic/urethane to make fake flowers with that would cure solid in an hour or so. I would like to find that stuff again, then I would glue the plexiglass to the inside with a seal around each letter, then fill them with that product. I do have the LEDs running along the edge of the plastic to diffuse the light as evenly as possible, but without some sort of indent or scribing to break the flat plane the light does not have much to bounce off of in there.

[quote=CRGRS 66;6651724The "Jerry" was intended to be Seinfeld reference, but yes a compliment just the same. Shine on you crazy diamond[/QUOTE] I cannot stand watching Jason Alexander, so I never watched Seinfeld. Which would explain why I did not get your reference, sorry....

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Nice job on the tailgate....very cool.

Thank you... looking forward to your engine start up too !!!

Originally Posted by jlsanborn

Way cool Murph! So the inner script is upside down so that it looks right when the the gate is open!

Yeah you caught it, and I took that photo precisely in that perspective just to show that too... The original plan was to make the cut out panel the permanent, welded on one, with the back panel removable, but a lot of factors came into play and the decision was made to do it as it is. Thanks for looking buddy, I should be home (and retired this time, not just visiting) this August !! If you dont have any plans, you should come out to my place for our cook out-camp out weekend (disclaimer: you dont have to cook or camp if you dont want to )

[Ta2Don]

Good eye Jlsanborn!

I sure missed that...

As always Murph... Your creativity is beyond words...

Well Played Sir!!!

[McMurphy]

So todays update.
I made a backing plate that will enclose the LEDs and help hold them, and the red lens in place.
To secure the backing plate I welded 6 of these elevator bolts in. I wish I had come across these a lot sooner, they could have helped me out of quite a few situations where it would have been nice to have a threaded stud emplaced:


The Plexiglass got the Night Shades treatment last night, and despite the ever present dust, it came out very even in color, I am quite pleased with it.
It is resting on some adhesive half inch foam door and window weather stripping that I stuck to the underside of the backing plate.
I used some aluminum skid plate that my neighbor had left over from a project to make the backing plate.


I spent some time sanding the cut out panel, working the edges to bevel them some, and round off the four corners.
This is after some primer:


Here is the tailgate with its second application of bondo. As is my practice, I am again trying to use as little of this stuff as possible, though frankly this is getting the biggest treatment to date on this build.
After I sand all this down, I may mix up one more batch and do spot filling with it, as I am never really happy with how this stuff is to work with:


That is it for today.... work day and all I just dont get that many hours to lay hands on this bad boy, as I am sure ALL of you can understand !!

Rock On dudes, and thanks for looking !!

[likaroc13]

Looks like it's coming together nicely. Keep up the good work!

[McMurphy]

Not a lot of photo worthy progress just yet...still working the tailgate.

You know the drill when you do a mod like this...
Weld - Grind Welds
Weld - Grind MORE Welds
Sand
Bondo
Sand some more
More Bondo
Sand Sand Sand
Primer
Sand
Apply pinhole filler
Sand
Primer

And that is where I am at now:


On a positive note, I REALLY liked how this corner turned out, I just need to go lightly with some sand paper on the other 3 to get them to turn out like this:


For me, and my limited skills, this was a tricky mod to do to marry up the different contours involved.

All I know for sure though is that I will be really happy when I am past this tailgate milestone.

Thanks for looking guys

[Bomp]

Gettin' them body workin' skillz all dialed in. Go Murph Go!!!

[CRGRS 66]

Keep on keepin' on murph, I envy your "limited" skills, as mine pale in comparison, what will you think of next???

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Gettin' them body workin' skillz all dialed in. Go Murph Go!!!

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Keep on keepin' on murph, I envy your "limited" skills, as mine pale in comparison, what will you think of next???

Ditto!!!

[Modges'66]

Murph, you simply amaze me with your ideas...in a good way!
"Mark my words", by the time you get your body work close to a completed stage, your skills will have increased to a level that you will start to re-address areas that you had originally worked on, and thought were good enough.
And by doing this you will get better at it yet, forcing yourself to re-work areas that you had finished with...Resulting with ALL areas being worked on a minimum of 3 times before all is said & done... "MARK MY WORDS"!!!

[msg]

You keep inspiring McMurphy, excellent progress, skills and imagination.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Gettin' them body workin' skillz all dialed in. Go Murph Go!!!

I am fearing my roll pan, because it is next on the list, so I am going to need any and all tricks I have learned so far...

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Keep on keepin' on murph, I envy your "limited" skills, as mine pale in comparison, what will you think of next???

Hard telling CRGRS, I have already started contemplating new "themed" builds for the future, but for this one, well my days on it are numbered.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Ditto!!!

Originally Posted by Modges'66

Murph, you simply amaze me with your ideas...in a good way!
"Mark my words", by the time you get your body work close to a completed stage, your skills will have increased to a level that you will start to re-address areas that you had originally worked on, and thought were good enough.
And by doing this you will get better at it yet, forcing yourself to re-work areas that you had finished with...Resulting with ALL areas being worked on a minimum of 3 times before all is said & done... "MARK MY WORDS"!!!

I am having to settle for "good enough" right now because on 15 June all work on this build has to cease, and all my attentions need to go to HRSaR to get it ready for the trip south. I have a lot of things I want to do to that rig, but I am going to start with the things I need to do. Sure wish you were in the Seattle-Portland area as we delve back into the lower 48 we are hoping to meet up with as many board members in those areas as possible. Wife and I are really looking forward to the trip with the 66 on a trailer behind the tow truck !!
I wish you would post more often, I feel like a crack addict when I read your thread !!!

Originally Posted by msg

You keep inspiring McMurphy, excellent progress, skills and imagination.

I guess just about anything is possible with these trucks, some tools, imagination, and stubborness....errr determination I mean !!
About time for an update on yours, yes?



I worked up until the whistle went off today, no photos yet, but got a lot of things closer to finished.
The in side of the tailgate is ready for masking and paint... mocked up my tailgate release handle, and got the retraction rods in.... positioned the tailgate, and got the new location hinge plates welded in.... and got the cut out side of the tailgate ready for paint.

I think I have figured out a quick, cool, and unique set of end caps for the bed rails today too.... will cut those out hopefully tomorrow.

The retention arms for the tailgate I am guessing are spring steel ??
I found out that I do not have a drill bit that will scratch them and I need to reposition the mid point piviot (shortend by an inch and three quarters) to get the tailgate perpendicular in relation to the bed sides, and level with the surface of the bed....

So my question for the day is how do I make holes in spring steel ????
I am going to use my plasma cutter unless you guys clue me in !!!

[Jeff La]

Great job, You have given me some ideas but I'm not gonna be lighting it up like you LOL. I think it's great.

[Bomp]

Here ya go Murph,
Don't use the plasma or it will ruin everything. Ask me how I know.
Here's a link.
http://www.race-mart.com/product.asp...FdGUfgodD5QA2Q

Good luck Buddy

[Alan's Classic]

Ok Greg, how do you know.

[Modges'66]

Murph,
Another option is to get a cement drill and sharpen it slightly different for steel. The point on these drills is made from carbide. You need to keep the carbide tip of the drill cooled with liquid as the carbide is only silver-soldered on & the solder will melt at a far lower temp than the carbide itself.
We used to do this at work, in order to drill hardened tool steel from time to time.
Also, it would be wise to use a drill press, as it takes close to the force of 3 titans when using a hand drill.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by Jeff La

Great job, You have given me some ideas but I'm not gonna be lighting it up like you LOL. I think it's great.

It is the idea inspiration that I like man !!
Most of my stuff has been from looking at other peoples stuff, and then my brain twisting it into something that appeals to me, so I totally get you !!
I just hope you share with us what you do

Originally Posted by Bomp

Here ya go Murph,
Don't use the plasma or it will ruin everything. Ask me how I know.
Here's a link.
http://www.race-mart.com/product.asp...FdGUfgodD5QA2Q

Good luck Buddy

Thanks for the link and the PM Greg !!
Wife is going to swing by the local tool outlet and pick me up some drill bits for this... I frankly had no idea they were made of spring steel but after changing drill bits 5 times, and even the drill press could not pierce it, I figured out what I was dealing with (at first I thought it was just dull drill bits LoL)

Originally Posted by Alan's Classic

Ok Greg, how do you know.

Kinda curious about this too....

Originally Posted by Modges'66

Murph,
Another option is to get a cement drill and sharpen it slightly different for steel. The point on these drills is made from carbide. You need to keep the carbide tip of the drill cooled with liquid as the carbide is only silver-soldered on & the solder will melt at a far lower temp than the carbide itself.
We used to do this at work, in order to drill hardened tool steel from time to time.
Also, it would be wise to use a drill press, as it takes close to the force of 3 titans when using a hand drill.

Thanks Modges !!
As a rule I generally oil anything that is thicker than 1/8th inch to keep the drill bits healthy (especially my slugger bits) and I use the drill press every chance I get; much cleaner results that way.

Good thing I have other phases of this to work on today, otherwise I would have to make a trip into Fairbanks just for these drill bits, and that takes a large chunk of the day away. Wife can jet out there real quick from post during her lunch break and I can have them tonight when she gets home.

I need to get these retention arms adjusted because the receiver latch is getting welded in and I cannot work with them after that.

Thanks again for the input guys !!
Your comments and wisdom are always welcome

[chad64chevy]

love the tailgate, was kind of what I was thinking you were going to do, just didn't think of you shortening the height! looks really good, nice job for sure!!

[Low Elco]

Love the mods! Great to hear the end's in sight for you!

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by chad64chevy

love the tailgate, was kind of what I was thinking you were going to do, just didn't think of you shortening the height! looks really good, nice job for sure!!

Yep it should all look right when I am done....

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Love the mods! Great to hear the end's in sight for you!

Either I drive it up onto a trailer done, or I push it up...either way, nothing is getting in my way of escaping Alaska !!
It was a swell tour of duty up here, but the swelling has gone down....

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

So a summary of my weekend efforts...
This is me checking the level height for how I want the tailgate to sit, once I get the retention arms under control:


A shot of the tailgate down, a peek at what JL Sanborn caught onto... I figured what the heck, I am doing all this mod work anyways, why not make it so the CHEVROLET is readable when the gate is down ???


Got the new height for the tailgate figured out, here is a photo to show:


And one of it in ride position:


Worked with the back lighting panel some more today, had to resolve an issue I had with some door/window seal I was using as a gasket of sorts that was blocking some of my LED light strips. Then it was more sanding and prepping the tailgate for paint as well....

[piratexpress1369a]

looks awesome !!! i was thinking maybe you were going to change the gate to open side ways but i see the you are keeping it the up and down

[McMurphy]

Well the masking tape came off the in-side panel of the tailgate today, and I started laying paint on the out-side panel.

A quick peek at what it is coming to:





Just a couple shots of it out in the sunshine...you can still see tape glue if you look close enough LoL

[Ta2Don]

Very Nice Sir!!! Very Nice!!!

[CRGRS 66]

Looks great buddy

[McMurphy]

Thanks for the kind words guys !!
You all keep me motivated

I took my retention arms to a machine shop today and for $5 they drilled the four holes I needed to adjust the level of the tailgate when down. So far it looks like they are going to be just fine !!



Ok, for my tailgate release latch...
The stock lift handle type that came off the 85 Sierra required too much operational space for me to adapt to this build, so I had to come up with some other way to get the catch latches to retract. I looked high and low for a "C" ring handle that would lie flat when not in use, but to no avail. I finally settled on a garage door latch that I can lock.
Here is that story:



I had to shorten the square rod to fit inside the curl of the tailgate frame, not a problem, and drilled a hole for a retainer cotter pin while I was at it.


One reason I did not want to go with this idea initially was the handle plus the base made it sit too high/stick out too far from the body of the tailgate and I didnt like that look. Then I got the idea of mounting the base from the inside.....


Here is the whole thing in final assembly, and it works like a charm !!


After this weekends efforts I will have to remember to shoot a pic with the cut out panel on, (it has wet paint right now) and show just how low profile I was able to get this handle.
And yes, I am just a tad proud of this one, as I was not sure at all it would work out....
Actually I am getting a bit too pleased with myself over this entire tailgate so far.

Thanks for looking guys, good luck and good progress on your projects this weekend !!