71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build

[TA_C10]

Yeah man, big hassle moving around like you do. Great job

[cebra]

A few more pics of the bed floor and door welding. Also, sitting in the rain waiting on the first LS swap oil change. The only place I have to change the oil is gravel and has a boatload of glass so I don't do much crawling around out there. Yeah, it is a pain to load up and especially put stuff away at the end of the day. I have to carry an armload at a time up the hall, in the elevator, and across the parking lot....it is a pain but I have stuff boxed up like welding stuff, painting stuff, electrical stuff, etc. so I can grab and go more quickly. I have probably carried my welder over a mile going back and forth so many times.

[MDPotter]

That is dedication. I lived in a couple apartments when I lived in Denver and I never imagined taking on a project like that. But that was before I got hooked on restoring my truck, so I can understand the motivation to get it done.

[cebra]

Thanks for the encouragement, that and the random thumbs up driving down the road keep me motivated.

[cebra]

I finally got all the body work complete and painted the truck. I ended up replacing my PS rocker for a 2nd time (it was too high on my first go round encroaching on the door), replacing the DS cab corner, and bottom rear of DS fender. It turned out really nice but I have one place to deal with where the door rubbed the insulation piece inside the front fender after we aligned it during paint rubbing the paint off. I didn't notice this until after I sprayed the clear.

[cebra]

more pics

[cebra]

and more. I also changed out my front suspension to just the 2.5" spindles and stock springs/shocks. Much better ride as I bottomed out probably 50 times on the drive up to PA on rough roads with the truck loaded up. I replaced my sliding back glass with a flat glass I tinted. It looks nice and keeps the sun off my back. The truck is near complete but I need to install bumpers, door seals, a couple pieces of trim left, and door panels. I plan to raise the rear to 3" drop springs from the 5" I have on there now as well (basically raising the vehicle up 2" all the way around from where it was) and roll in a raptor bed liner and it will be 100% done; hopefully by the end of October.

[MDPotter]

You have been working hard! It sounds like raising it back up will improve your ride quality a lot.

[TA_C10]

You painting without a respirator? Take care of yourself man, I hear that can screw you up later on! Truck looks good man.

[cornerstone]

Thanks for taking us along the ride, showing what worked and what didn't. Many guys wont show what they view as their mistakes made along the way, so I appreciate your honesty. From these pics I'd say your paint work is a success! How many hours do you estimate to prep it for spraying, not including bodywork? I bet your excited to get all the trim on and get that baby out in the sun for a photo shoot!

[cebra]

I spent 300 hours on it in the final push to get it painted but that includes a lot of time welding in PS rocker, DS cab corner, and DS lower fender and mud work. From the time I finished mud until final buff probably 4 days from 6am to 9pm. I spent about 25 hours wet sanding and buffing. I will add pictures now that it is semi-reassembled when I get a chance to take some. Will spend the next few weeks getting the last bits reinstalled as well to wrap it up.

[cebra]

Near complete pictures...still need to align the grill and polish it and install front bumper. Other larger remaining things are putting in a raptor bed liner and replacing the 5" drop rear springs with 3" springs. I installed the back bumper, cab trim, door seals, and a new ecu this weekend. This tune is crap again but the ECU I mailed out today just needs the fans turned on (fingers crossed this takes on the 5th time) and it will be good to go.

[cornerstone]

Job well done man. I hope no love was lost with all of the headaches you had to go through during the build. It really is a beautiful truck for sure.

[cebra]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Job well done man. I hope no love was lost with all of the headaches you had to go through during the build. It really is a beautiful truck for sure.

No, I knew it was going to be a big challenge not having a workspace but I choose my city living over a garage so it is my own decision. I saved my 350/TH350 for finding a 32' Ford to do next but I will wait until I have a house/garage before starting another project. For now, just lugging my 350 around when I move.

[72 tigger]

Looks really good! I admire your tenuous spirit! Hopefully you’ll find a house/garage someday

[cebra]

A picture of it more complete. Got the door panels in, I installed some I did not like and went back with the stock steel ones. I got the front bumper on and all lined up. Underhood wiring is all cleaned up. I am taking it to a drive-in movie tonight and to a cruise-in tomorrow. I have a bunch of small things left to do but the major 2 left are swap out 5" rear springs for 3" and roll in a raptor liner. May get to the springs this weekend but mostly just enjoying putting miles on it.

[cornerstone]

So after the miles you have had in it are you still having regrets and hating the ride quality? Personally I love the look as it is, but I don't have to drive it!

[zicc1835]

been looking in since last year ...really turned out super...... congradulations

[cebra]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

So after the miles you have had in it are you still having regrets and hating the ride quality? Personally I love the look as it is, but I don't have to drive it!

I changed out the front suspension while I had it in PA for paint (now has just 2.5" spindles on it/removed 2" drop springs and swapped in stock springs). The back springs I am changing out this Saturday as it not practical to drive due to it bottoming out frequently. I could do a c-notch but I want better ride quality too. Once my front tires wear, I will replace those with 50 series and that should be good. I am not going back to stock suspension/wheels like I thought I may but definitely finding a happy medium between looks and drivability.

[cebra]

I put my 3" ECE rear springs on this weekend and I swear the vehicle raised up about 4" so I ordered 2" blocks to bring it back down again. For some very odd reason, ECE decided to ship the springs coiled together. I had to use a 4' crow bar and a big hammer to get them apart which took longer than the install did. While I was under there I noticed my pinion seal is leaking pretty bad so I ordered 3.42 gears and an install kit and will have that done soon. I did a lot of other small things this weekend: installed glovebox, courtesy lights, and door sills...did a lot of touch up painting on the interior, and various other small things.

[cebra]

I really like the courtesy lights, nice kit by a member on the board.

[cebra]

I had a leaky pinion seal and bad pinion bearings so I am in the process of installing a new rearend with 3.42 gears and positraction. The first time through did not yield good results, squealed like all hell. Gotta blow it apart and reset the pinion depth (I believe). I did get my raptor bed liner mostly in but have found more issues while doing the rearend to deal with (axle with heavy wear and lug studs very short on new wheels). Also, my alternator seems to be going out...never ending saga.

[cebra]

I ended up having a bad gearset (Excel by Richmond) and after taking it in and out 4 times I installed a new gearset (Motive Gear) and everything is good to go.

I got my bedliner done this weekend and installed a new alternator (didn't need it but trying to resolve my belt squeal on my VA top mount compressor...needless to say it did not work). Next up, continuing to battle the belt squeal, install my hitch, and shim the pinion from the new springs/blocks.

[Madkidd007]

Originally Posted by cebra

I really like the courtesy lights, nice kit by a member on the board.

Funny as many times as I’ve looked at this thread it never dawned on me till I seen this post. Trucks lookin damn good

[cebra]

Thanks, I guess I have not updated in a while. The truck is my daily driver now, I am putting a bit over 2K miles per month and just ran it about 700 miles roundtrip for Christmas and I am taking it on a snowboard trip on Monday. I really like getting thumbs up and stuff driving it every day. The drawback is thus far it is drive during the week and fix on the weekend until the bugs get worked out. Currently I have a DS headlight pointed at the ground that is being stubborn and a leaking driveshaft seal on the transmission that popped up this trip. I resolved the following issues: belt squeal (got a new bracket from Kwik, this was a 4 month battle that instantly resolved with their new bracket), leaking windshield (3M windoweld in top corners), leaking cab (filled hole for antenna wire), driveshaft vibration (replaced worn rearend yoke and added pinion shims on top of my 2" blocks). I also got new headlights (the clear ones from LMC) for Christmas and a much needed ashtray cupholder dealio. Here are some pics on various roadtrips.