Kechi 1949 3100 4.3 4L60e

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yesterday I did the rear fenders and taillights, also dropped the rear with some 3" angled blocks. it was a little low with the 205/75/15 but it will be perfect with a 235/75/15, and plus I plumbed the air shocks so I just bumped it up a little.


also got the taillight brackets drilled for the 36/37 taillights, I cant find the second led insert though, so thats causing me some consternation.

the picture of the bolts inside the bed are my "son in law" holding the backsides for me. :)
 

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I greased up the hinges and got the doors on, I use the trick of getting the bolts started in the doors and then shutting the door and working out the gaps before tightening the bolts. both doors went on great.

then I put the front spacers on, if you run spacers please take this advice, dont use the lug nuts that come with the spacers, buy and use ET (extended thread) lug nuts, they are the middle ones. more thread length is more holding power.

wheels fit and turn well, ready for glass and running boards.

more coming!
 

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Looking good. I've never been a fan of wheel spacers. I just don't trust them for everyday use.(I know it's probably just me.:eek:)
Good advice on the ET's though.
[P [P [P
Torchie
 
Looking good Joe, and thanks for the tip on the door fitting. I'm just about to pull mine off so that I can weatherstrip them, so your timing is perfect!
 
thanks fellas.

Bill if you were setting up new or reworked doors on new or reworked hinges on a reworked cab with new or reworked latches, that may not be the method. but with the door side latches already bedded and the cab side latch plates already installed, and the hinges already used, shutting the door and working the gaps with a screwdriver is fast and easy.

glass! the corner rubbers were coiled the wrong way and it made it difficult to lay the rubber in, so I stuck them in a low oven for a while. worked great! the real star of the show was the little hooky thing from LMC, last truck the single rear window took over a day, on this truck the hooky tool let me do all three rear windows in about an hour. I borrowed the lock strip tool from a friend and only scuffed the chrome strip a couple places. eh, character.

I rebuilt both doors, this is a budget truck so cracked glass will have to do unless someone wants to pay for new glass. it may seem counterproductive to put it all together with cracked glass, but I can change a door glass in about an hour, it really comes down to not nickle and diming it to death. I dont think I am installing bed wood, for the same reason, and I may not do bumpers either.

the inside frames I bonded the felts so that they were drying when this photo was taken. (I made sure to slam the drivers door with the frame off and mess up my sealant though haha)

at this writing I am fighting the windshield. last one gave me fits but this one is the cake taker.
 

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Thanks Joe! I appreciate the guidance. I'll let you know how I make out with mine. I know what you mean about getting knickled and dimed to death, but I promised DW that I wouldn't cut any corners on this build. This one is supposed to be a "keeper" (the truck and DW!) so that makes opening my wallet a tad easier. LOL.
 
bill, I dont have a DW on this project, just a GET IT DONE edict from her. as if I didnt spend MONTHS working on a house for her mom :rolleyes:

but my reasoning is, the guy buying this truck wanted NO FRILLS. it is an affront to me to do one without doing the front suspension and brakes, water pump and rad, plugs and wires, new glass, gauges or wheels (it is literally BYOW!) etc. the price we agreed to, I would be throwing away money to put new glass in. I did the weatherstrips because the first one I did I didnt do weatherstripping and the guys number one complaint was leaks. second was wind noise.

anywho. windshield fought me like a devil, one of the original windshield halves cracked under the slaps. luckily I had one spare half. after that the center bar was being its usual pain in the poker, so I bought some longer bolts, lopped the heads off, and made it a stud install with hex nuts to cinch it down and cap screws after trimming the screws to length. done and done. I could install the stock screws I suppose but the cap screws look nice and if i want a rear mirror its an easy install with the threads/nuts there already.
 

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Good job on the glass.[cl :cool:
Especially if you did this by your lonesome. I've always found this to be one of the jobs that a set of extra hands makes easier.
[P [P [P
Torchie
 
my wife helped with the second passenger side windshield, luckily after I broke the first passenger glass I was able to wiggle the spare in without taking out the drivers side that was almost done. she wiggled the gasket while I kept pressure on the glass.
 

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