Barn find '72, first solo project

[AWEGS72]

I've been a member on here for a while, but haven't posted in a long time. I haven't started a build thread yet either. I found this truck looking for some wood for a gun cabinet. A friend of a friends restored an old barn and had some old barn boards. I saw this truck and had to have it. I picked it up for $1800. He had it for 14 years and only really drove it for 3-4 out of those. The rest of it was stored inside. When I bought it I was truck nuts and started buying stuff for it(not a great idea). I ended up burning myself out. I put on new exhaust from the headers back,new lights, lowering spindles,de-arched the leaves,and bought lowering shackles. I put new brakes(brembo) up front and rotors. New dress up parts under the hood....etc, you get the picture. Its been sitting in my garage for the last year and a half. I've tried selling it but it wasn't selling. So I figure I might as well work on it since I can't sell it. I've been pacing myself this time. And only allowing myself small amounts of time on here. I enjoy working on it and don't want to burn myself out again.

Here are the first set of pictures showing the before state as I bought it.

[AWEGS72]

More before pics. Both rocker panels need to be replaced but the Right side shows through. There is some rot on the bottom of the tailgate. I'm up in the air as to if I am going to put a CD player or leave the dash uncut. I know leaving the dash uncut is probably the best.

[AWEGS72]

The under cab took the brunt of the rust destruction. All four of the cab supports need to be replaced. I will most likely need the typical patch panels for the floor,front and rear. Cab corners will most likely follow.

[AWEGS72]

Here's the rest of the before pictures. You can see that stake pocket is mangled, and both bedside tops had almost a dozen drilled holes on the top. The engine is stock, ugly. The PO painted the whole underside red. I think this saved the wheelwells and under the box.

[AWEGS72]

Now for the fun stuff. I took the bed off and replace both leaf springs, both had broken leaves in the packs. I installed 2" lowering shackles. The PO had 3" lift blocks. I had the springs de-arched 2" for a total drop of 4". I don't have pictures of it but I installed 2" lowering spindles for the front to complete the 2/4 drop. I like this look a LOT better.

[72BlckButy]

Glad to have you back!

It looks like you found a real nice project to start on. Good luck with the rebuild!

[OARNGESI]

Nice project are you gonna keep the roof lights

[AWEGS72]

This is what I looks like after the 2/4 drop, clear lights,and new grille. I put a new roll pan on the rear but took back off to remove the box side.

[AWEGS72]

Now for the revived efforts. I haven't worked on this truck in, like I said, 1-1/2 years. Here's what I have done in the last week. Working just an hour here,hour there. Removed the rear wheel well,cleaned up the burned rubber and THICK flaking paint. It just has some dings that pounded out pretty well. Its ready for primer now. The exhaust was done a while back but is a 2.5" from headers to Magnaflow polished mufflers with a "H" pipe. The engine dress up is all edelbrock, with an accel blaster coil. Performer intake and 650cfm carb.

[AWEGS72]

I liked the look of the shaved stake pockets. I had to fill some holes that were previously drilled also. So I made some fillers and plugwelded the holes shut. I got ambitios and removed the box side since I had some more work to touch up on the lower part of it. That was fun,by myself. I was happy to see that I just had some light scabbing between the wheel well and the box side, no cancer. That came off.

What does anybody on here use to go over rusted pieces. As far as rust prevention? Por-15? I want to coat these pieces that had some flaking,or pitting so they won't rust again.

[AWEGS72]

One last batch of pictures and I will be caught up to where I am now. With the box side off, I can get more of an idea of how the bottom looks. I will need to patch the back by the tailgate as you can see. Is there a complete 8' replacement floor available. What have people on here used to replace sections of the floor that have rotted? I work in a fab shop and bent up a new rocker panel backing from a piece of 18ga. cold rolled steel. Same as the stake pocket fillers.

Next I am going to finish the box side and remove the trim. I'm planning on keeping the Cheyenne trim pieces as they are all in good shape.

What patch panels are available for tail gates? Are they straightenable? Mine has a slight bow, or would it be better to replace the whole thing. I'm on a pretty tight budget and am trying to keep costs down. I have more time than money at this point.

[AWEGS72]

Originally Posted by OARNGESI

Nice project are you gonna keep the roof lights

I am in the air on the cab lights. I don't want to warp the roof by welding all the holes shut, but I don't really care for them. There is a CB whip holder bolted to the center of the roof too,but I like the clean look. Either way they need to come off for paint, they might just stay off when I get that far.

Right now I'm working on the box, because it has the least amount of work to be done on it....I think.

Thanks for looking, and the encouragement.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Nice truck, I like the revamped front end with the lights and grille. And the motor looks great with the edelbrock goodies

[jljohnson3579]

Great job. I like what you've done with the engine. I'll probably go the same route.

[Tx Firefighter]

As far as cutting the dash for the radio, why not ? Look at it this way, all the trouble you're going to to repair the rust with welding and all, why not cut the dash? If these trucks ever become that collectible, you or the next owner could always weld the dash hole back up original. As soon as the demand for uncut dashes arises, the aftermarket will start selling dash patch panels just like they sell rockers and cab corners nowdays.

As to the cab lights, you could do like I did to my stepside (used to be a 1 ton dually)...

flat aluminum plate and short stainless steel machine screws...

[AWEGS72]

Originally Posted by jljohnson3579

Great job. I like what you've done with the engine. I'll probably go the same route.

The spark plug wires were compliments of the PO. I just haven't gotten around to fixing them yet.

[thirdstreettito]

Nice truck and build! Hope all goes well.