Recent Progress! Pics Inside!

[Russell]

Hey Guys!

Just figured I'd do one of my updates for all of you who may be interested in how my truck is coming along!

She is getting big time close to being put on the road, down to some very minor electrical, some mild body work, and a few small odds and ends like shocks, a cone air filter for the throttle body, etc

My most recent major project that I tackled as installing a rear fuel door for the Suburban fuel tank I have between the frame rails out back. I had to cut out a peice of metal from the wheel tub, and a filler door from a junk box I had, then welded the filler door into the wheel tub. The plastic filler neck peice is originally from the Suburban, and the metal filler neck came from a late 80s Chev crew cab with a big wooden box out back. I personally think it should work great! There is a ton of clearance between the rear wheel and the hose, I'd be surprised if I had clearance issues, esspecially considering I have no intention of taking the truck offroad, and that it has a 1 ton suspension.

Here are a few pics of what I came up with -- What do you guys think? I still want to notch the bed crossmember so I can tuck the hose up into it and keep gas from settling in the elbow, and provide just that much more clearance.

[Russell]

Oh, and since you guys love pictures so much, here are some more pics of my truck

[bigblock73]

Love the fuel door mod Russell, awesome!! I would also like to add that mod to 73-87.com, interested in writing up a small tech article? Some advice if you don't mind, paint the underside of the gas door assembly...or it'll rust out FAST! Also, might want to consider fabbing up a removable cover for the hoses and stuff, a little extra protection from the elements and flying debris.

Your progress pics are cool too...can't wait to see more of it as it comes together!

[Russell]

Yep, the box comes off either tonight, or tommorow, so I can get the bottom half prepped up, and undercoated. My plan for the welds is to use some seam sealer, then press a few strips of sheet metal overtop with tack welds on each corner. Should make it very rust proof, and look far better than the current exposed welds do

I also want to find some way to protect the hoses, but haven't come up with any good ideas yet.

I didn't take any progress pics while I was working on it (sorry, forgot!) but I suppose I can write up a bit of a tech article after I figure out how to protect it.

[cliffsta]

Sweet, that's pretty cool. Great stuff Russ!!

[bigblock73]

Russ, how about replacing the rubber hose with metal tubing bent to contour to your placement/routing? You could use a small piece of rubber hose to joing the two together at each end...this would expose less rubber to deteriorate or get damaged, and you could paint it all black and hide it sort of.

I still think the article would be sweet...even without "during" pics.

[Russell]

Actually, I like the idea of that Jeff...

Maybe I can get the local exhaust shop to bend something up for me!

Russ

[Palf70Step]

Nice job Russell. That door came out nice. That was one of the ideas I was contemplating for my 70.

[N2TRUX]

Nice progress! I love the filler door in the wheel well. That should give nice access...

[Russell]

Only thing I don't like is that I lined up the filler door with the body line on the tub, which apparantly doesn't go at quite a 90 degree angle with the box side. Makes it look a bit crooked, doh!

[cliffsta]

Originally Posted by Russell

Only thing I don't like is that I lined up the filler door with the body line on the tub, which apparantly doesn't go at quite a 90 degree angle with the box side. Makes it look a bit crooked, doh!

Psh... if that is a "Doh" for you then I'll def. let you do my body work any day.

Speakin' of... planning any trips to Louisiana any time soon? I hear it's uh, cold, up there, always could come defrost down here

[Russell]

lol, its nearly 100F in the sun today, lol

Though, it would be an honor to work on a truck as cool as your stepper, but I'd be afraid to cause I'd probally mess it up somehow :P

[cliffsta]

Originally Posted by Russell

Though, it would be an honor to work on a truck as cool as your stepper, but I'd be afraid to cause I'd probally mess it up somehow :P

1. Psh, honor.
2. I doubt you could mess it up... all I need is to weld in my new rockers and repair the floor of my cab, a lil work on the driver's front fender.

What sucks is I know a guy that welds and does body work and paints really good but he's got a job and a family and a new house. Skill and desire aren't the problem, its time

[Ric83]

Wow, sweet. Looks like it is coming along pretty nice.

[84 400]

great stuff russ great

[boxrodz]

Looks like a cool mod. It doesn't look too bad in the pics as far as the alignment goes. The curvature of the fuel door looks to match the surface of the fenderwell, too.

[Russell]

Yeah, it worked out perfectly that way! I rotated the door on it's side, which put the little indent at the top right, but also made the curvature nearly perfect

The downward curve on the right was a bit tough, but for having no filler on there yet, I'd say it turned out pretty good!

I plan to get the box shot with some LineX or something after I paint the truck, so I'm not going to worry too much about putting filler etc down. Just used some etch primer in a can, with some red oxide epoxy in a can (expensive stuff, dang!) to hopefully keep it from rusting till that time.