my new project!

[70_boosted]

so have made quite the effort at making some progress but with a 5 month old, times are sporadic with digging into the truck.

I had the day to myself and got some work done. got the bed frame pulled out and did some prep work for the dang thing. I planned on sheet metal for the whole thing, but that got old and tossed. so i tweaked the idea. I am still planning on the flat bed, which you can see from the pics, but instead of covering up the skeleton, im going to use it to my advantage. I built removable backing pieces that will attach to the inside o the bed and allow me to mount my wood planks to. Skeleton will be grinded, prepped and blasted. I honestly think it will give it a different but unique feel and look specific to mine!

More so, i got the top tilt bed on its hinge set up. Havent found side latched for latching the topper down but i found some styles at work that i have to find online now

well here are a few pics of whats happening. Waiting on stuff for the cab to really get it on a steam roll to get finished! but i did add a pic of the firewall started! might be a long and lame update, but it is getting attention!

 

[70_boosted]

issues with pics but here they are

 

[morjeep]

Just came across your build. That's a sharp truck. Like your choice of engine I'm using a 472 in my car. The turbos are killer.

 

[70_boosted]

diggin the black and green combo. My motor is nowhere near that clean, but maybe before its road worthy

 

[70_boosted]

been ages since posting again, but i have been working on it...

have a couple questions tho...whats my best bet for suicide doors...with the way my pillar and the 1x1 bar i put in right behind the pillar/door jamb(?)

 

[70_boosted]

i understand that they have kits, but still not sold on buying a kit if i can help it...may have to tho...

further news...i have a guy at work who is going to hook it up before i get over frustrated and give up. he is going to pick up my cab and take it down to pueblo with him to get his buddies "hot rodding" experience to help him work out the issues with previous owners chop and door issues.

with that happening, will give me the opportunity to hammer out the issues with the radiator support and grill mounting...finishing up the bed, and start fine tuning the front suspension mounts...cab will be about a 6 month overhaul, since guy goes down every other weekend.

 

[Jimmy Wallbanger]

suicide

I have a 44 gmc cab and thought if I decide to go suicide I`d use some speedway economy hingesand just flip them to the back. I`ve used the auto lock oneson a newer truck but they are a Pain! look good all hidden and stuff. but not cheap.

 

[RAT IHC]

If you've never done them before the kit is the way to go. Some of them are cheaply made others are over priced. Also look for the kits that have built in alignment bars like the ones in the picture attached. Makes the install a little easier. Call the company you're going to purchase them from to get an idea of who you'll be dealing with in case there is a problem. Hope this helps.

-Troy

 

[70_boosted]

ill most likely grab a kit...but furthermore...


im looking at making a moon roof on the truck since im having issues getting the cab roof to hold shape...so ill bend a rounded edge rectangular ring that would feature snap buttons so i can put on a removable top. i think it would look pretty good but not sure if i should make more work for myself or not since the cab has the issues with holding its shape in the center...the removable cloth top would help me shape the roof by removing all that material and just worry about shaping around the ring opening...

 

[Snake Farm]

Did ya cut that moon roof hole and fall in it Love'n this build and anxious for an update

[P[P[P

 

[Jimmy Wallbanger]

suicide

the pic that rat ihc posted looks exactly like the autolock kit I used on my 94 s10 the only issue with the alignment bars were that they were dead in the way with window tracks. you couldnt roll them all the way down. an easy fix though would be to section the alignment rods if you have to. I still think I'd go with seen hinges like old school on a rat. if youre going show car or late model hide them suckers. I think suicide doors.com had a how to. they say to plate the door to prevent sag but you can gusset with square tubing to save weight money and still have inner door access

 

[70_boosted]

its very hard to get in and work on the truck, 9 month old, crazy lady, etc. right now i have a couple things going, in, on, and around the truck.

I have the cab out at a buddies who is doing me a huge favor and fine tuning it. He is redoing the roof strip to help with the dip from the chop by previous owner, so its going to look prestine!! as well as working on the door gap issues, which fall hand in hand with the previous owners chop. handling the rear cab corners that are trashed, and replacing with the tin pops i bought. he said he is looking into possibly hand fabbing the suicide mounts from the plans i purchased, so honestly he is hooking me up. only catch is he said it had to go to pueblo, co with him for the winter. NO PROBLEM!!

the bed i have...REDESIGNED, AGAIN!! very simple this time, not sure why i kept trying to make things hard on myself, glad MOST the metal was free from work. this design makes for easy pop riveting sheet metal, or street signs to the side and calling it done. Allows for the ammo storage cans, and fuel cans to mount with ease as well.

The frame is still with me and still slowly making progress. I am finally getting to the front air brake brackets on the control arms and frame. I decided last night to cut some brackets i was originally going to keep for mounting lights, but that changed and should def help the look of cleaning it up. As well as just cleaning up welds, holes, old brackets from donated metal.

i will shoot some pics tonight and hopefully can help get me motivated again. I am recently changing jobs, and complete field of work!! So i may be more sporadic, but updates my come in bigger quantity! thanks for asking, tho that was 2 months ago lol

 

[70_boosted]

been cleaning up the new bed frame. I picked up some sheet metal for it, but gotta cut it away from the steel framing they tacked and welded it too.

Til then, i am readjusting and adding to the bed i have going now. I have been kicking ideas around for as far as what the rear tailgate section should do and look like but as i continue working on it, it constantly changes. So for right now the idea is to have a bottom portion i have just laid into place, cut and fit into the small gap i show pics of. Ill round the edges to the side so wont shoot out past the sides but still have a clean rounded edge.

The bottom portion will serve as a light bar/bumper type fixture, but i think it should look good overall.

If you guys have any ideas feel free to chime in because i always second guess my decisions or add and have to change

 

[andyspinstriping]

Thats a great looking little truck!

 

[70_boosted]

should look better when my buddy gets the cab all lined up for me, and i can get the bed and frame all tied up! have a good amount of down time from work so just may get the bed completed!! *cross fingers*

 

[70_boosted]

so i got the bumper piece cut in. not really a bumper but is giving the look and i will be drilling the 4 holes for the 2" round led lights( 2 per side).

i will be getting some more 2x3 tubing to run vertical along the same depth on each side on the inside. i will be mounting my 4 2.5 round led lights(2 per side)

not much of an update, but with the new job, gearing up to move, and scoring another truck, this one is kinda sitting idle until warmer weather and i get moved into the new work shop

 

[70_boosted]

now here is the 2 min, crude version of what i was talking about! nothing is to scale nor fully depicted but only meant for a general idea of whats in my head.

the turn signals are the side mounted bullet pieces, have 4 so 2 per side, the vertical lights are the 2.5" and will be my running lights and brake lights. the bottom bumper piece will hold the 2" lights and will be the brake and possibly running as well depends how it all looks, or vice versa. finally i have some old fog lights that are HID, and thinking i may fab those in nicely somewhere to have as the back up lights and just bright white lights for the back.

but feel free to post any combo of lights that you think looks good and may just click for my taste!

 

[70_boosted]

so i did the posts on the bed frame like i was shooting for, yet i did them a bit different for it looked better than cutting and fitting them in round the bed side post.

all i have to do is cap the bottom with some flat stock, and cap the top with the same. i will be adding some mounts to hold the gas cans on the front of the bed sides once i lay the sheet metal down.

 

[70_boosted]

porbaby nothing worth while, but me posting up what im doing, keeps me going strong. i only got one side panel tacked up. need to finish weld, rivet the interior, and put the 2x3 post on the front end of the bed. tho i go back to work tomorrow for some time so hopefully soon i can have the whole thing done and finally be happy and complete one design of the bed that i officially like and stick with!

 

[70_boosted]

so i have redesigned the tank and fuel cell area, and i have a sneak peak of the tank mounting position. i will quick etch the way i plan the support the cell and how i mounting the tank and compressors.