Project Step Aside, 1971 SWB/Step

[AJohn6]

I know it has been a while since I have posted but rest assured because they have arrived.

[AJohn6]

This is the "finished" floor pan and firewall.

[AJohn6]

Here are the new seats I got. Corbeau A4

[Zoomin]

That's looking killer! All you lack is finishing up.

[AJohn6]

Here are a few more pics. I am still in the mock up phase and now trying to figure out a good way to mount the bed and still use the wooden bed. Right now I built a frame work out of 3/4" square tubing and I plan on using some rubber isolater material between it and the frame rails. I got the rear-end completed and welded up, third member installed, and Moser axles installed. I ordered Mar-K bedsides and front bed panel and they are some of the nicest replacement panels money can buy. I am also starting to mock up the radiator and other front end parts.

[raull]

Working progress !!! Love it
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[AJohn6]

If anyone is thinking about getting the 80 Gallon single stage Kobalt air compressor from Lowe's, my advice is get a different one. I bought one a little over a month ago and followed all the lube guidelines, compressor gets hot leaks oil and now seizes up and can't get to 150 psi without blowing a 220v 30a breaker.

I love my local Lowe's and their customer service here, they are coming today with a new one and taking the old one back. The simple fact remains though, I should have done my homework and looked at the reviews of it. That's what I get for trying to save money by using my 10% military discount.

[Bennett68C10]

Truck is looking great, can't wait to see it back on the ground. Sorry to hear about your compressor issues, hopefully Lowes resolves them for you.
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[gdavis]

I bought the same compresser from Lowes. I used it about 6 months now. I had only one thing that went wrong with it. The main pulley on the compresser kept coming loose. I tighten it and now it is doing great. I have sand blasted and grind and used a DA sander and it keeps up with me. I am sorry for you trouble. But sometimes a bad one or a good one gets by. But it does get a little warm sometimes. So I mounted a fan over the compresser when I willl used it for a while. Signed some what happy with it.

[67cheby]

great progress, frame looks great, that radiator is pretty sweet too !

[AJohn6]

Originally Posted by Bennett--G4L

Truck is looking great, can't wait to see it back on the ground. Sorry to hear about your compressor issues, hopefully Lowes resolves them for you.
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Thanks man. The Lowes here have some great people working for them and they got it taken care of. I actually had it on the ground today to shift it around and give myslef some more room on the drivers side.

Originally Posted by gdavis

I bought the same compresser from Lowes. I used it about 6 months now. I had only one thing that went wrong with it. The main pulley on the compresser kept coming loose. I tighten it and now it is doing great. I have sand blasted and grind and used a DA sander and it keeps up with me. I am sorry for you trouble. But sometimes a bad one or a good one gets by. But it does get a little warm sometimes. So I mounted a fan over the compresser when I willl used it for a while. Signed some what happy with it.

The compressor did run good until it stopped, haha. So they came yesterday and dropped off the new one and when I got it all hooked up I ran the break in period. I went to fill the tank and it wouldn't even fill up. After closer inspection someone did not push the compression sleeve on the tank inlet. Easy enough fix though. I called Lowes back up and had them pull the inlet tube off of the old one and swung by and picked it up. Got it put on and I can already tell that this one runs better than the last one.

Originally Posted by 67cheby

great progress, frame looks great, that radiator is pretty sweet too !

Thanks man, hopefully I can get those slosh tubs put in soon.

[AJohn6]

To the few who have been following this, I apologize for the lack of replies. I had to leave town for a few month for work and got home around Halloween. I hit a deer in my '09 right after lifting it an throwing new rims/tires on it. Had to get it fixed and it looks great now just spending time tuning it.

I also took a huge step and proposed to my girlfriend last night and the crazy girl said yes. WOOO HOOO!!! (There goes the money for the motor... Doh)

[BossHogg69]

Congrats on the engagement! That '09 looks sweet as does what you've done to your '71. Can't wait to see the 'Step Aside' finished - great work so far!

[Bennett68C10]

Glad to see your back at it and congrats on the engagement. Can't wait to see more updates on your step side. Oh and your 09 looks pretty sweet too.

[JointTech]

did you fab that frame bracing or is it a kit? I saw a couple pages back you put in some supports and then on this page you magically have a full frame brace. details man!!! looks awesome.

[AJohn6]

Originally Posted by BossHogg69

Congrats on the engagement! That '09 looks sweet as does what you've done to your '71. Can't wait to see the 'Step Aside' finished - great work so far!

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Glad to see your back at it and congrats on the engagement. Can't wait to see more updates on your step side. Oh and your 09 looks pretty sweet too.

Thanks guys, the '09 along with the holidays has been sucking up most of my free time. The big tires are playing hell with the gas mileage and I am using HPtuners to tune it a little better.

Originally Posted by JointTech

did you fab that frame bracing or is it a kit? I saw a couple pages back you put in some supports and then on this page you magically have a full frame brace. details man!!! looks awesome.

Yeah I built it. The only stuff I didn't build was the 4-link and the touring dropmember and A-arms. I made a template I thought would look good and bent it up at work.

[AJohn6]

I realized that I never posted photos of the cab after I epoxy primed it prior to my deployment. I also started to smooth out the cowl.... wish me luck.

[Graham57a]

You're going to have a killer truck when you're finished. Subscribed

[mcbassin]

Love your truck! you have made some killer progress since starting. This thing is going to so nice. I feel your pain with all the rust repair and body work. Subscribed....

[AJohn6]

Got a little done over the last couple days. Finished smoothing the cowl and TIG welded some brackets with nutzerts in them to the radiator to mount it a little cleaner than I had it before. I am happier with the way it looks I just wish my TIG skills weren't so rusty. I also replaced the PS lower lip with a hand made one and modified the radiator opening a bit.

[AJohn6]

......

[Bennett68C10]

Nice job on the cowl, looks great

[Graham57a]

Looking killer man, whats next on the to-do list?

[AJohn6]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Nice job on the cowl, looks great

Thanks

Originally Posted by Graham57a

Looking killer man, whats next on the to-do list?

The to do list is a mile long and I seem to jump around from one part to another. I was at a stand still on the rest of the frame until I figured out how I was going to mount my roll cage to the frame. I need it to warm up so I can epoxy prime some more blasted parts and the frame but it has been too cold to get it done. I am going to paint my frame rather than powder coat since it is going to be a continuing project. I am nearly certain I am going to change a couple things prior to final assembly and removing and reapplying paint is a heck of a lot easier than powder coat. I may make the solid body mounts I need and get the cab mounted and start installing the cage.

[Graham57a]

Originally Posted by AJohn6

The to do list is a mile long and I seem to jump around from one part to another. I was at a stand still on the rest of the frame until I figured out how I was going to mount my roll cage to the frame. I need it to warm up so I can epoxy prime some more blasted parts and the frame but it has been too cold to get it done. I am going to paint my frame rather than powder coat since it is going to be a continuing project. I am nearly certain I am going to change a couple things prior to final assembly and removing and reapplying paint is a heck of a lot easier than powder coat. I may make the solid body mounts I need and get the cab mounted and start installing the cage.

Nice, yea idk about down where you are but up here in Boone we got 5 inches of snow last night. Now exactly painting weather haha. How are you gonna do the cage mount? I always pictured doing mine like an old go-kart, just have the tubing come through the bottom of the cab on all four corners and have a couple of inches of bigger diameter tubing sticking out of the frame so it slides right in and a bolt going through to hold it all tight.