Meet Homer

[swamp rat]

Your making nice progress!

[CRees]

Looks good! Wish I was able to get as much done as u in a weekend.

[nlped]

Impressive work for sure. I guess I need to get my a$$ in gear and get to work on mine

[cooperhw]

Thanks to all for the kind words. It did feel good to get some noticeable progress made Sunday. (Back is still killing me) Hell to get old.

[flashed]

Its hell to get old and have a bad back ,I got one too .I ignore it as much as I can .

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by flashed

Its hell to get old and have a bad back ,I got one too .I ignore it as much as I can .

I know exactly what you mean. I ignore the signs and just keep plugging away knowing full well I will be paying for it for the next few days. Oh well, sux to get old, but beats the alternative.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Nice build thread Wayne.
Looking good.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

Nice build thread Wayne.
Looking good.

Thanks Chris. It was good visiting with you yesterday. Later.

[cooperhw]

Little progress yesterday and today. Got the doors adjusted, inner & outer fenders back in place, gravel pan installed, bumper, push guard, & hood installed.

I know a lot o you would not be "bolting together and old used truck without painting it", but paint is a long ways down the road. I don't know if this motor is any good, etc. Just trying to make a truck first. Sort out the bugs as I go. Then a year or so down the road once it's humming down the highway as a completed "1 ton dually short step side pickup" then and only then will I worry about paint.
I have done too many in the past where I jump into paint and body work before sorted them out and then I have to do it and be careful not to scratch em up.
So here He is,

[nlped]

Awesome! You're killin' it. Homer is coming along great

[flashed]

I think Homer looks great just like he is ,staying tuned .

[66-PMD-GMC]

What differential are you using and out of what?

[cooperhw]

Thanks for the kind words Ed, Flashed. I just keep putting one bolt at a time in, hopefully one day I will run out of bolts.

Chris, I am running a 14 bolt free floater out of a 79 Chevy 1 ton dually.

[cooperhw]

Well boys, it's been just a few days over 3 months since I started this journey. Today I finally was able to set the bed in place and see (in reality)what up until now has existed in my mind only. A short step side 1 ton dually. Gotta be honest, more that once I have questioned my sanity on this thing. Wished I never would have seen that dam craigslist ad. But I kept telling myself (or trying to talk myself into it) that "It could look cool". Well still a long ways to go but I got the rear brake lines run and set the bed on him for the first time to see how it looks.
I will either be widening the bed itself 6 inches or the fenders 3 inches each side.
Anyhow, whadda ya think?

[cooperhw]

few more;

[nlped]

The front simulator on the driver rear threw me off for a second. I like it.

I vote to widen the bed. The extra width of the bed will be useful, but that does mean widening a tailgate...or fitting a fleet tailgate.

[flashed]

I think it looks great ,giving me ideas on mine if the flatbed on mine now wears out its welcome .

[rcrahn]

Just thinking how it would look with an aluminum flatbed.

[cooperhw]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

Yeah, my thought has always been to widen the front header panel and the tailgate. Kinda thinking about grafting in the R and O letter panel and it will read Chevrorolet. People will be doing a double take. I think that will be the easiest to graft out in the center as opposed to out on the edges. I bought some pieces to do this with so now I will start looking at this challenge for a solution that is easiest to do.

[cooperhw]

One last update. took those stupid hubcaps off. I think it looks much better without em.
Anyhow, can you tell I am postponing going back outside to work the last bit of day? It's 95* out right now. About a half hour and the whole backyard work area will be in the shade and really nice. Get another hour or so in before dark.
Too dam hot already.

[66-PMD-GMC]

Yes, I think it looks great too.
I wouldn't widen the bed. I'd leave it as is other than a clean set of mud flaps. Maybe run them up the back side of the wheel openings.
Raw and dirty... that's how I likes my duallys. ..
BTW... the shortest I can make mine is a long bed... :-/
127 inches.. >:-(

[swamp rat]

Maybe another option would be to widen the fenders a couple inches. If you were to widen the bed you would also have to consider the possibility of the bedsides contacting the inner tires, then you would have to clearance them and add inner tubs.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Maybe another option would be to widen the fenders a couple inches. If you were to widen the bed you would also have to consider the possibility of the bedsides contacting the inner tires, then you would have to clearance them and add inner tubs.

Mine is a cab and chassis so I have already opened up the inside of the bed wall in the area of the tire. I will be installing a sliced inner fender from a 66 fleetside bed to cover the tires.

I need 5 inches to clear everything and give some clearance so I am leaning towards widening the bed itself and leaving the fenders as is.

[swamp rat]

it was just a thought.. I didn't know you already clearanced the bed sides, or just forgot, by all means contunue with widening the bed, its gonna look great!

[flashed]

I bet one thing for sure ,people will be looking at your truck and asking how did he do that ,LOL. I want one just like it ,but I dont have your mad(Great) skills at fabrication but I do know a guy now that does .