[cruiser_guy]

Matt,
Are those the ones SOR had on sale last month? I was going to get a set till I found a good set of OEM later model fenders at a wreckers in Honduras for about $120 including the aprons, and washer bottle mount and portions of the signal lights.
Are emblem holes different? I haven't checked yet. Not a huge deal if they are. Easier to drill a few holes than massage fenders that don't fit nice!

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by cruiser_guy

Matt,
Are those the ones SOR had on sale last month? I was going to get a set till I found a good set of OEM later model fenders at a wreckers in Honduras for about $120 including the aprons, and washer bottle mount and portions of the signal lights.
Are emblem holes different? I haven't checked yet. Not a huge deal if they are. Easier to drill a few holes than massage fenders that don't fit nice!

I got mine from CCOT, but they are the same thing Sphincter-off-Road sells.

I got my Aprons off an ebay special about 2 months ago for $20 bucks for the pair. They are a newer style set of aprons with new emblem holes, but that was my plan, weld them shut and drill new ones. My old aprons were bent up and full of bondo pretty bad, un-usable in my opinion

I will get the fenders to fit, there somewhat close now, more massaging.

Matt

[treerootCO]

Originally Posted by buckroseau

Pic

Exactly

[treerootCO]

I am having withdrawals ...it's been like 4 days. I'm guessing the camera broke but he got the body on, all the electrical is done, and the interior is almost finished

[usmcruiser]

sounds about right. I would expect nothing less from Matt.

[buckroseau]

Yea, I've been so busy driving it I haven't had time to take any pics

I wish I've been pretty good about posting pics of anything I do on the lv. Last time I made any progress (at least worth posting) was Wed. night into Thursday. Pic(s) of the front clip on. I spent a few hours here and there the last few days playing with the front fenders. I drilled out the coil mount, so that's gone. I was going to drill out about 10 spot welds on the upper fender on each side, but decided to wait until the body goes back on. The body will bolt to the back side of the fenders and confirm that location. So I decided to wait unti I do anymore major massaging to the fenders. I think once the body is on and bolted to the fenders it will take 4 to 6 hours to get them pimped out. There fine where there at right now, I know exactly what needs to be done to get them to fit perfect.

Almost all of this weekend was dedicated to my wife and making her concrete countertops for her new kitchen island. In between making forms, pouring concrete and trowling I cleaned up in the shop quite a bit and got pretty organized. Hey, I also had to go flying last night for a couple hours, my airplane needs love'n too

If you guys want pics of my 500lb concrete countertop that is drying in the shop, I'd be more than happy to post that?

I've got a couple work related things going on the next 2 evenings and then I might be grinding concrete the next night or 2. I also have to work this weekend at my store, so unfortunetly not any major progress will happen this next week......well, maybe a little .

Treeroot (Mike), did you confirm those bushing measurements this weekend?

Matt

[treerootCO]

I didn't.....I don't have any that are apart yet. All of mine are still attached to the truck.

[buckroseau]

Still been busy with work these past couple nights and the wifes stuff, but managed to sneak out to the shop for a little while tonight.

Took almost a couple hours but I drilled out spot welds for a while and got some rusted floor bracing out. This is going to allow access to the floor from both sides now. Basiclly going to run the metal shear up each side of the floor on the outside of the spot weld holes. Shear a piece of 20 ga. approx. 2 1/2" x 5' and then butt weld it in from B pillar to B pillar. Couple other small floor spots where the seat brackets will have to be butt welded in also. I still have to grind out those triangle pieces, that might be tomorrow nights project if I can fit it in.

I think I'm going to make all of those brackets that I cut out tonight brand new. They all have rust through them in some form or another.

Couple questions, middle pic. What is that recess piece in the floor for that came out with the U channel and is still attached in the middle?

2nd question, last pic. What was the little pan for?

Thanks, Matt

[cruiserbrett]

little pan is for the jack. did it have the rubber pad still in it?

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by cruiserbrett

little pan is for the jack. did it have the rubber pad still in it?

No pad. Not sure if I'm going to put in back in, has some holes in it? I don't know if I need it or not?

Anyone else know why that other recess piece is in there, about 6" x 8"?

Thansk, Matt

[Mikesta]

thanks for the detail on the floor fix... if you could for a "rookie" (me) go into detail as to how you do this process (not that you havent done this with the rest of your restore) I really appreciate it in advance!

cheers

[Ground Up]

The recess is for the bump in the cross member on the frame.

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by Ground Up

The recess is for the bump in the cross member on the frame.

Thanks, that's what I was thinking, but wasn't sure? Well, then it goes back in.

Matt

[treerootCO]

Here is a pic from Abe's 45 and I think the jack handle goes under the spare tire.

[buckroseau]

Cut and drilled out a few more brackets tonight after work. I think at this point I'm going to weld in some floor and brackets, I don't want to take to much apart? Thinking it might start getting loose and bend or something?

Inside of the B pillar door post near the floor, holes rotted through on each side where those triangle pieces were. Debating whether to start cutting into the door post or just cut out around the hole, square it up and weld in new steel and not worry about the inside of the door post? Or, do I start taking apart the door post? Where does a guy stop? Maybe you don't?

Probably going to take 2 brackets out underneath the floor where the seat gets supported and cut a little more floor forward where those 2 cuts going forward are now, probably another 4" or so. Holes through the floor where those brackets were? Might as well do it now. I figure I will get the floor I've cut out now welded back in and then do some more.


Gotta work all day tomorrow, maybe try to get some steel welded in after work?

Matt

[buckroseau]

more

[buckroseau]

more yet

[buckroseau]

even more

[buckroseau]

2 more

[buckroseau]

Well, got some time tonight. Drug out the shear/break and figured it was now or never to start welding some steel back into the floor. Even got the wife out in the garage to pull on one of the handles, 4ft piece of 20 gauge is about all she can handle.

Took 2 pieces, approx. 2 5/8" wide, seamed in the middle. Approx. 53" wide, so instead of a 4ft piece with a seam offset, I cut them equal lengths and seamed in the middle. Probably wouldn't have matter, but I would have known.

Time consuming work, about 3 hours just to get those pieces cut, welded in, ground down with the air grinder and sprayed a coat of DP on tonight. I was going to do a little more, but ran out of gas in the welder.

Had a few extra minutes so I figured if I couldn't weld I would try fabbing up the U-channel that runs across the floor underneath the seat. Included a pic of my first attempt, not to bad. Tough to make all the bends because of how close they are to each other. Probably going to go buy a 4ft piece of 1 1/2" square stock and clean up the bends and straighten it out over that. The ID of that U channel is 1 1/2"

Matt

[buckroseau]

some more floor pics

[buckroseau]

some more

[buckroseau]

even more

[buckroseau]

And the last 2 are, besides having to work everynight and weekend this week, what the wife has had me doing.

Finished it about 3 days ago, still have to seal it, took a while to get it sanded down and installed.

[phishtaco]

Concrete?
I poured my own about 5 years ago, still doing great

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by phishtaco

Concrete?
I poured my own about 5 years ago, still doing great

Yep, I know it's not cruiser related, but I don't you guys thinking that I'm sitting my ass. I really have been busy lately with work and my wifes shit, but just the nature of my business. Sometimes all the time in the world, the next minute full throttle.

The wife is heading down to her parents for memorial weekend, leaves me alone for 3 full days

Assuming everything goes good and I don't run out of welding gas, my goal is to kick some serious ass this weekend. It probably won't look like much when I'm done, this metal work takes time. Kinda hoping I could get my floor, all bracing inside and out and all new rockers made up and welded in my Monday night.

We'll see?

Matt

[cruiserwanted]

Looks Awesome Matt.

If it was not for the differance in paint I would not have been able to tell where you welded the new metal in
I know it takes time but if it continues to look like that I say that is time very well spent. I would love to spend 3 hrs and have it look like that. So clean. Guess I better sign up for some welding classes.
Kitchen looks nice. You had mentioned the counter before and nice to see it. Good luck on this weekend. Looking forward to seeing pics on Tuesday. This is one of the best if not the best threads I have seen on here. I know it takes time to take the pics and write it up but I love it. To watch the progress. Makes me want to grab a wrench, get in the car and drive up there and help you out. Keep it up.

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by cruiserwanted

Looks Awesome Matt.

If it was not for the differance in paint I would not have been able to tell where you welded the new metal in
I know it takes time but if it continues to look like that I say that is time very well spent. I would love to spend 3 hrs and have it look like that. So clean. Guess I better sign up for some welding classes.
Kitchen looks nice. You had mentioned the counter before and nice to see it. Good luck on this weekend. Looking forward to seeing pics on Tuesday. This is one of the best if not the best threads I have seen on here. I know it takes time to take the pics and write it up but I love it. To watch the progress. Makes me want to grab a wrench, get in the car and drive up there and help you out. Keep it up.

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement I need it, especially for this portion of the project. This will be the hardest and most time consuming part of the project. I've actually spoke to a friend of mine who is a body man about some work? The same guy who straightened the front of the frame. I consider myself to be a pretty good body guy, but the rear quarters.............

I believe I am capable of doing the work, but he is damm good and fast and with both of us tackling it, probably could do both rear quarters on a good weekend, maybe? He wouldn't charge me hardly anything and we would work together on it, works out pretty good. It's not written in stone, yet, but we have been talking about it, so it will probably happen.

I would like to get the floor, rockers and new bracing made and done up front, I have to remove the wheel wells also, but after all that is done, then rear quarters with him.

I also haven't told anyone yet, but I will be removing the entire roof

Matt

[buckroseau]

Originally Posted by cruiserwanted

Makes me want to grab a wrench, get in the car and drive up there and help you out. Keep it up.

If you want, let me know? I have an extra bed in the house, could keep you busy for a few weeks

Matt

[buckroseau]

Got about another 3 hours out in the booth tonight. Amazing how much work it takes to make 1 piece and install it.

Doesn't look like much, but the break and shear got a little work out tonight.

I've got to work late at the store tomorrow, but hoping to hit it hard Friday night and all weekend again

Matt