Did You Go All The Way?

[Snowbound]

So I'm laying under my truck with a grinder and wire wheel, removing undercoating and dirt from my frame. Arms are burning, crap dropping in my face....I'm thinking it would just be easier to pull the cab and sandblast the frame.

Front clip is off for the engine swap, pulled the box to make the frame detailing and exhaust job easier. All that's left is the cab. Few wires, E-brake, brake lines, steering column and 4 cab mounts......off she comes.

Pull the front suspension - dozen or so bolts.....Rear end and trailing arms/springs, 4 more bolts....

Bare frame ready for the blaster.

Holy snow ball Batman! Started as an engine/trans and disc brake swap.

Does this happen to you guys? Have you ever gone all the way? I'm rounding 2nd base and headed for 3rd.........

[ol_skool_chevy]

sorry to say but if its one of your first..most of us have dreams of grandeur.until we are so into a project its really hard to know where to start frist...almost to the point it never gets done.
I have learner to segmint my proect with realistic goals.
maybe start with the farme but ONLY work on it from the back of the cab to the rear...Or ONLY work on the bed...Or ONLY one door at a time until its DONE.
any project can become overwelming in the BIG picture.
focus on the smaller picture..
Good luck............

[66clow]

I know what you mean, I've been there. I have a 64 el camino that I was repairing a dent on the top of the fender. There was a softball size dent on the top and pretty deep. The po made it easy for himself and just laid down an inch of bondo that started cracking. The only was to really access it was to pull the fender off. I had to go in and repair it correctly. Unfortunately I ended up pulling the hood off, hlamps, grille, and pulled the left fender off as well because they screwed that side up also. All that to repair a small dent that took about 10 minutes to easily knock out once everything was out of the way. I'm exhausted thinking about it now. Gotta go all the way sometime!

[66clow]

Originally Posted by ol_skool_chevy

sorry to say but if its one of your first..most of us have dreams of grandeur.until we are so into a project its really hard to know where to start frist...almost to the point it never gets done.
I have learner to segmint my proect with realistic goals.
maybe start with the farme but ONLY work on it from the back of the cab to the rear...Or ONLY work on the bed...Or ONLY one door at a time until its DONE.
any project can become overwelming in the BIG picture.
focus on the smaller picture..
Good luck............

Nice truck btw! Gotta get me some WW.

[markeb01]

My last two builds were like that. I didn’t take apart every single nut and bolt, but one thing led to another until almost everything was disassembled.

On the 46 sedan I started out wanting to steam clean the engine compartment and swap in a small block Chevy. It made it this far apart before going back together:



The truck was rebuilt in stages, but when it came time for the first paint job it got taken apart this far to gain access to everything that needed to be painted:

[198plus]

All the way......It's a sickness

[Narxoleptic Customs]

It's tough... The simple c-notch has become hangers, rear axle, 2-link, bags, and a tranny...
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[ChiefRocka]

This is my problem, and has been since I got bit by the 'bug' since I was a child.

"There has got to be a way to make this thing cleaner ... Lets take it apart !!"

I have tons of projects waiting there turn.

Just plan for it, and if you know you can do it ...then go for it.

Otherwise, consider it a 'mock-up' ... get your swap/brakes going...then someday rip it apart.

[RockTonka]

Tough call..."it will never be easier than now" can bite ya in the ass.

We have projects going on for years now because we have taken that route (for all the right reasons) and also a couple that we are working through in stages so we can continue to enjoy them while we are working on them...I think I like it better this way.

[LT1 Burb]

Powder coating is the way to go, I didn't have to wire wheel anything.

[Snowbound]

My biggest issue is lack of space.

Not sure where I would put the cab if I pull it. Up hill driveway with a gravel pad at the side. Can't wheel the cherry picker out there.

I guess the small space keeps these projects withing my abilities!
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[BR3W CITY]

Mine started as a "Clean up to drive and maybe a rattle can paint job to get one color" to "full drivetrain swap, new interior, new stereo, new wheels, new paint, new brakes" and I'm still waiting on the bed part of the project along with other stuff. I'm 3 years into a 3month project.

I was lucky in a since that although the P.o mostly screwed up my truck, he did 2 things right. He did a body off to clean and paint the frame and put the 72 front and rear ends under it. So pulling the cab back off didn't need to happen for me.

[pdxhall]

I went in to mine with the purpose of a total tear down and rebuild, but as others have said, it is important to have a plan before you start and try to keep to it. Being able to see progress on one part gives you incentive to finish so you can start the next phase. I too had limited space so I started in sections. The front suspension first. Tear down, cleanup, paint, and rebuild the front suspension. Then the rear suspension. With both ends done, the cab came off next and the remainder of the frame was completed. Now it's rust repair on the cab so the bottom of the cab can be cleaned up and set back on the frame....and on and on it goes.

[61K10]

the rewards at the end justifies all the hard work. time is one of the biggest problems as is funds. many years ago i took 4 layers of paint off a Nomad with paint remover. took forever.(had the car for 24 yrs) I have the time now being retired, but only so much funds per month being on a fixed income. posting some pics of some stuff to see the results of some projects. just keep it fun----first is my new project 61k10 the rest is kinda before and after. saws were like the before bike------hope i am not boring anybody with this post.

[61K10]

forgot my new project------and the saws are 1st one with the long bar is a 1964 Mccullach red one is a 1957 Homelite and the other yellow on is a 1958 Mac. would like to display these in back of the truck someday. thanks for putting with me----

[hopped up]

Originally Posted by 61K10

the rewards at the end justifies all the hard work. time is one of the biggest problems as is funds. many years ago i took 4 layers of paint off a Nomad with paint remover. took forever.(had the car for 24 yrs) I have the time now being retired, but only so much funds per month being on a fixed income. posting some pics of some stuff to see the results of some projects. just keep it fun----first is my new project 61k10 the rest is kinda before and after. saws were like the before bike------hope i am not boring anybody with this post.

Nice yz!! 85? I have an 85 too!
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[61K10]

yes a 85 125. did an 82 also and a 85 TT600.

[Rich 5150 69]

This time around will be do all the changes while driving it, rear is just about done, front will be next, aguire evrything thing I`ll need in the soft ware that I`ll need..then blow apart for paint. Try to minimise the down time. Last one I did took four years down, originally started as engine transplant, yes they snowball in a hurry.