Orangutruck

[SuperBuickGuy]

Forgive the title, but it's so much easier to search for a weird-named truck when you're not as fast to complete as you hope to be.

I needed another truck, wanted something cool and something that at least has a chance of returning some of the money sunk in it....
so this

was $500. transmission was in plastic bags in the back (and full of water), but I had a spare turbo 350... so here we go



First was to make it look a little less meth and a lot more 'work in progress'


so cleaning and tires and wheels and this is what it looks like now


mostly I've driven it for the year I've owned it, but now parts are collected and it's about time to start on this, especially since my last project is done
this

is now this


back to the truck....
the plan is orange and white, again. A/C, power windows, air ride (but otherwise leave the suspension alone), 496 bbc, 3 or 4 speed automatic..... I know, not anything really outlandish, but should be fun.

First step, though, will be replacing rockers and fixing a couple holes in the floor...

[flashed]

Im in ,I like orange trucks .

[Deer_hunter_088]

Im in. Lol mines in the same boat yours was minus itl pull 40s as it sits.

[70cst]

Hey SuperBuickGuy ...

to the forums and from Ohio.

Looks like a great start - also looks like a solid truck you have

[LongBox]

Looks like you really enjoy this sort of project, and that's a great truck to work with.

Mind if I ask what size those "corvette style" rallys are?

[SuperBuickGuy]

15x8 front with a 245 tire on it,
15x10 rear with a 295 tire on it.

[Mollzyie]

Looks know like u got some work to do . Based on your other projects looks like u can handle it .

[SuperBuickGuy]

Originally Posted by Mollzyie

Looks know like u got some work to do . Based on your other projects looks like u can handle it .

Thanks - my enjoyment is taking junk and making it into something cool... another of my builds

started as

[Mollzyie]

Damn very niice

[SuperBuickGuy]

A bit of love happened, then I got stopped


test fit.... then I notice the top bend is completely gone... ut oh


I really was going to order the inner - but convinced myself not to because from the bottom it looks totally fine and is solid...


​ fortunately, I'm still waiting for the other side rocker so this was just a start - plus, I need to haul a christmas tree - and this beast gets the nod for that (and it's supposed to snow tomorrow, so it should be entertaining)

[SuperBuickGuy]

I like AMD, ever since I got the panels for my Skylark I've thought their cost/quality was steller. They even send it in huge boxes


mind you, I got the same part, other side, in a box 2/3rds the size

I would love AMD if they'd put a blasted air bag or three like Summit did with the one they sent me in a box 2/3rd its size


Fortunately these are so cheap (like 20 bucks) that it's pointless to call them and whine (like I did with the Buick parts).... but why they don't put something in the box to keep it from rattling around is beyond my comprehension. As you can imagine, the Summit part came without damage.... That said, I wonder how cheap these things are to them because the box had to cost at least $10.00....

[SuperBuickGuy]

so continuing with my slow progress
parts


to say it took very little effort to remove these would be an understatement






​onward tomorrow.

[SuperBuickGuy]

This should rightly be in the projects thread (didn't realize it was there when I started)... perhaps the moderators could move it? thank you

[67 chevelle]

to say it took very little effort to remove these would be an understatement

Tin worms did most of the work for you

[Ol Blue K20]

I'm in to watch. You've done some nice builds.

[SuperBuickGuy]

fitting, take 1


take 2


fitting the back piece


more trimming... I'd like to do all the holes in one shot, but no.... better/easier to do it this way.... especially since I have a lift


for what it's worth - that back piece lines up with the bottom of the upper bend on the floorboard.... there will be more pieces added


that said, bitter experience has taught me that taking an extra evening and reinstalling the door a couple times during the fitment is time well spent



Sunday I think I'm illuminating a Jeep - or fixing whatever I break on Saturday.... so this may get another break
​
Since most don't know me here - I build them, beat them like they owe me money, build them again then usually sell.... so for those curious, the FJ40 is in the beat portion of my ownership....

[SuperBuickGuy]

after a weekend of playing with my 4x4, then fixing at least one of the issues... time to get back at it.
pictures of aforementioned playing
I laughingly say, that between those three Toyotas (ignore the truck) you couldn't make one all-toyota vehicle... anyway, it was a blast, and the dog is Buick - my mastiff attachment

who got stuck, high centered

put it into 4 paw drive
then woofed at me for laughing at him

then ended the need to break out the winches


anyway, I digress

apparently the prior owner (actually, the uncle of the prior owner) felt there weren't enough rust holes in the floor so he put a few more in (which let mice in - more on that later)


You've no idea the temptation to simply cover this and wait to watch the episode where some punk kid complains about the terrible repair job done 20 years before... alas, I'll only give in a bit to that temptation


make a panel


and another panel (note the 90* bend - so much easier to weld when at least one part isn't moving.)


fitted... tomorrow welding


so when I was cutting, I got the smell of roasting dead mouse.... decided to park the truck outside tonight, it was a couple hours between cutting and putting it outside, but safety 3rd is my motto

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm saying this as a statement, but it's more of a question.

I'm probably going to make this a short bed - not because it's worth more, but because it would fit in my DD garage far better....

[SuperBuickGuy]

carrying on, tack the patch in place


the grey is weld-through primer and that was after I used copious amounts of rust converter


inner panel


screwed back on because I may not be able to dink with this tomorrow night.


it fits a lot better now. I still need to fix the front post and door jamb... but it bears retelling - this isn't a restoration, this is a repair and a nice looking truck in the end that I'll use to haul my dirt bikes and anything else that needs hauling in an open bed....

[SuperBuickGuy]

back to this

A bit of a disclaimer first. I do 3 general types of build. 1) get it running, 2) run/upgrade, and 3) show cars. This one is 2, solidly a 2. I'm building a truck to haul my dirt bikes so some of what you will see may make your blood boil - I'm not sorry about that, but would like to give you the opportunity to avoid making your blood boil by warning you now.

we good? good.


So there was a leak... and I'm sure the prior owner thought it was coming from the door.... so he added some weather strip and adjusted the door so tight that sometimes it needed to be kicked from the inside to get it open.... time to fix this


there's the leak


someone drilled a hole for an antenna wire

no more hole

and some sealant to make it water tight


while I had it apart....


oh blast




copper on the front, weld on the back


and while I was at it, time to make the mice find another entrance








I seriously considered not fixing this


weld patch over top, if I ever do a frame off, weld under the floorpan.... or more likely slather with rock-guard and let someone whine about it in 40 years when they rebuild it again

[SuperBuickGuy]

well, this one is going to my dad - he wanted it, and I needed the space for another more pressing project (a Suburban)... never fear, though, heaven forbid, but it may come back eventually from him....

[El Dorado Jim]

sub'd