75 Dually build

[75Dually]

Karl, yup 4 of them. I hope it all comes together and looks good...

[75Dually]

Man this has been a long week... work has been super busy with lots of traveling, but I did get some work done on the truck.

I got the mounting tabs done on the dash last night, yeah I know parts you can't see, but they take as much if not more time than the parts you do see. Especially if you want them done right.

I have started working on the drivers side dash sheet metal. Should have it completed tonight. I also took out the old ash tray and cleaned up and metal worked the opening. I am going to use the old stereo opening for the AC controls. Next I will have the dash sprayed in primer so I can start to work on the body filler (bondo). After that I will shoot another couple of coats of primer and then shoot the interior in the final color.

My seats came in as well as the carpet. Can't wait to get them installed. Things are starting to come together...

[75Dually]

The dash is now in permanently! I got it sanded down and the bare sheet metal primed. Then I got out the Bondo and slung some of that goo. I like body filler, just don't like to sand it, but them are the breaks!

I also got the first color on the glove box laid down. I will do the second color tomorrow once it has time to dry over night. It is going to be subtle but very cool once it is all done. I think you guys will like it once it is all done.

I hope to get lots of work done tomorrow. Stay tuned...

[75Dually]

Got to playing around with then new seats today. I just pulled them out of the boxes and set them inside the truck. They are going to need frames fab'd up for them, but I just wanted to see them inside the truck. They are super comfortable, beats the heck out of the bench seat any day!

I started tonight to look at the center console, but it got late and that is a task for another day...

[mooseknuckles]

very cool..

[aggie91]

Looks great. Dash looks good in there...

[SCOTI]

I like the dash. Withholding comments on the seats....

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

I like the dash. Withholding comments on the seats....

I know those seats are not for everyone.... But they were cheaper than any upholstery kit I could find, and way more comfortable than the stock bench. Especially with my lower back....

[75Dually]

Just a quick pic on the seat frame I have been working on. I have the 3 other frames getting close to finish welding. Should be done by mid day tomorrow with those, and then it is on to the rest of the interior. Gotta get that dash finished and in paint!

I have also been working on a lot of small items so I can get the truck turned around in the shop, blow the bed apart, and finish all the items on my check list for the rear of the truck. I am tired of seeing the bed area not finished and sitting there unpainted.

Remember to thank the men and women who serve and have served our country in the armed forces. They are amazing people, and deserve our thanks and friendship!

[75Dually]

I did get all the seat frames completed today (just have 2 of them to paint tomorrow)! 3 just like the above frame (see above pic), all holes drilled, tapped, fully welded, and ground smooth. Whew it was fun, but I am glad it's done!

Kaotik79 stopped by today and picked up my old seats. Great to meet him and I hope those seats help out the cause. Glad they are out of the shop, they were taking up too much room!

Tomorrow after church I am going to drill all the mounting holes into the floor and get all the seats bolted down. Then after that (if I don't have any gremlin's to fight) I will try and work on the dash to get the bondo finished.

[mrolds88]

Originally Posted by 75Dually

Tomorrow after church I am going to drill all the mounting holes into the floor and get all the seats bolted down.

Make sure you put some decent backing plates under where the holes are drilled. Safe!!

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by mrolds88

Make sure you put some decent backing plates under where the holes are drilled. Safe!!

Will do! Already have them made, just waiting until I put the new carpet in...

[75Dually]

I ordered my stereo from Crutchfield! See the enclosed pics. I have used Kenwood systems for years, and have always been impressed with the sound and quality of their products. I hope this system is as good as the last unit I bought. I am also putting 2 10" Kicker subs.

I will try and post a rendering of the center console I am working on. It should really be nice when completed.

[75Dually]

Here is a quick rendering I did of the center console. The lower color will be white and upper will be red. Both will be the same as the body color.

[75Dually]

Another really cool day for this build! My son and I got it out of the shop running under it's own power. All we did was turn it around so I could blow the rear of the truck apart for paint, but still IT RUNS!

Check out the video my son took of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcAXglYetT0

[75Dually]

It has been raining like cats and dogs here in Lubbock today, so it was the perfect day to clean out the shop. Because the truck now runs I decided to pull it out of the shop, and power wash the underside before we start on paint. Snapped a couple of pics before putting it up before the next big cloud came along.

I got all the seats finally mounted today. They look cool! Now to get that dash done and out of the way...

[CDNchevydude]

Wow! It's coming up great!

[aggie91]

Looks good sitting outside! Your rendering of the console looks good.

[75Dually]

Got some work done on the dash tonight. Started working on fitting the side vents. The pic below is only in a very rough stage. I worked the rest of the night refining the hole and the vent to fit perfectly in the space. Started on the passenger side, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

My stereo stuff showed up today! Can't wait until I can start on the center console.

Slowly but surely this dash will get done...

[79azc10]

Looks good so far

[75Dually]

Working on the dash this evening. I got the holes cut for the passenger side AC vent, the stereo, and the eLevel rocker switch.

So after I finished cutting all those holes out I started work on the AC ducting. I am going to use as much of the stock ducting as possible out of the donor burb, but every vent is going to need a custom attachment point and ducting to be made. So I started with the passenger vent which was going to be the easiest. It has a flex hose running from the main plenum over to it so I made the rest of the duct out of fiberglass tonight. See the pics below. Once it dries I will see if it needs a second layer of fiberglass. Other than that it is just a simple 90 degree elbow.

The 2 center vents are going to be the most difficult. Both of them use the same ducting and there is not a lot of room in there. Also I have to deal with the new stereo as well. The space limitations are tight, but I will do what I can to make it as clean as possible.

Other than that the dash is really coming along. I want to have it finished up as quickly as possible because the center console and the body work is going to take up the bulk of my time from now on.

[75Dually]

So I added another layer of fiberglass this morning to the elbow I made last night and let it dry. Then I did a trial fit and that is the pic below. Fit perfectly!

I mainly worked on the two center air ducts today. I started making the mounting plate and cutting up the ducts so that it will all be one unit when finished. So far I am about half way done.

[75Dually]

Been away doing some training for work, and have really missed working on the truck. I did get back to it tonight though. I started on the tailgate panel. This panel sits in between the gas tank and the actual tailgate.

No it is no where near finished. The top portion that is bent over the top tube needs to be metal worked, and I ran out of welding wire tonight just as I was tack welding the fuel door on... Naturally... It's 10 o'clock and I run out of wire... Perfect...

The fuel door is out of the donor burb. As you can see I will have the OEM door on it. I do not have the rubber bumpers inside it, but when it do the door will sit flush. I plan on making a box behind the door bolting to the filler tube to give it that OEM look. Should look cool when it is all done and painted up.

[75Dually]

OK I have been a bum lately... We just got back off a long vacation, but before we left I did get the inner tailgate finished. I got the inside sprayed with bed liner and welded in. I also got the frame work for the air tanks done as well but don't have any pics right now. Maybe tomorrow I will take some and post them.

Glad to be back! Ready to get back to work on my ride!

Now the push to get it done is really on. My goal is to have it (at least in primer) before the end of July so I can take it to the Heat Wave show in Austin. I actually like to have a dead line. To me there is nothing better than a thrash to get a project done. I did so many of these during the years we did Power Tour that I have lost track. We finished one car at 3 AM the day we left, and that ride went over 3000 miles on it's maiden voyage and never missed a beat. I just hope this truck follows the same track...

[75Dually]

Got busy today and took both of the rear fenders and the front of the bed off. My son helped me get it done quicker than I could have alone, and those bed sides are a bugger to handle alone so I was glad for his help.

As you can see it is a naked bed area now. In one of the shots I have pulled the tank out. I am getting ready to finish this portion of the build. All I need to do right now is do the inner fenders, clean up the welds, and wire brush everything down getting ready for paint. I am going to do the tubes in black and the inner portion of the fenders in black bed liner.

After all that I am going to start on the body work on the rear fenders and the tail gate. If that goes well I will most likely shoot the primer coats, and then a color coat before reassembly. I will do the final color coats once I have everything back in place. That way I won't risk scratching everything up.