Gary's Cruiser Build (1 Viewer)

[Cruising Canuck]

Had a great day today, I have a local shop bending me up a bumper shell. And I got started on my exhaust manifold.
Please excuse the booger welds





Tomorrow I hope to clean up my welds and fab up the adapter for the turbo.

 

[cruisermatt]

That manifold looks killer, although I'd watch that those welds don't leak or might actually kill.

 

[Cruising Canuck]

I wired up the heated seats today, the switch does not look stock, but I like the location.



I also did a leak test on the exhaust manifold I welded up yesterday. It failed miserably. So i loaded it up with way more welds. I'll post a picture later, it's pretty funny.

 

[Cruising Canuck]

My dad picked up the bumper shell and sent me this picture.





I can't wait to get started on it.

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

My dad picked up the bumper shell and sent me this picture.





I can't wait to get started on it.

That shell looks familiar. Are you going to break the wings back or leave it straight?

J

 

[Cruising Canuck]

That shell looks familiar. Are you going to break the wings back or leave it straight?

J

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery

I'm going to try an combine your design with the stock bumper.
The straight bumper just doesn't look right. It needs angled wings

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery

I'm going to try an combine your design with the stock bumper.
The straight bumper just doesn't look right. It needs angled wings

I had intentions of making a front and rear BEEFY OEM style, but not that much interest.. Let me know if you need a picture of anything to help you along.

J

 

[Cruising Canuck]

I got started on the front bumper today.

I started with a wooden template




then I set myself on fire grinding the frame mounts. TWICE!!



I got the center section roughed in today




I started on the wings, but they are proving to be difficult. The shell was not perfectly bent, and the wings are misaligned due to the order in which I cut them.

More to come tomorrow

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I love how you went around the frame instead of cutting it. Looks awesome

 

[Cruising Canuck]

Got the wings of the bumper roughed up. I need to chop the ends and get more steel to make caps.






Overall I am very happy with it, I made a few novice mistakes. I am having troubles with the wings deforming from the heat.

My welding skills have increased 10 fold since I bought this truck.



Productive day

 

[TLC Norway]

Good job! Nice to keep the frame stock too!

 

[Cruising Canuck]

Good job! Nice to keep the frame stock too!

Thanks, you and @GLTHFJ60 both commented on that.

I honestly didn't know that the frame got molested on most trucks. I just made them the way it makes sense to me.

Hopefully tomorrow I can tack the final product together. I am so nervous about welding it. My ability has increase alot this year, but I am probably only a 5 out of 10 welder.
She'll hold, but I want it to look nice

 

[jzilla]

Hi G, have not been on here for a while, things are looking good! I sent you an email a while back about a good time to call but you never replied...
I did what you did as far as mounting the bumper on the frame, no reason to hack the frame...to avoid warping just do 1 or 2 inch stitch welds, don't weld one long bead (as fun as it is), let things cool then go back, also, tack things in place and clamp things in place if possible.

 

[Cruising Canuck]

Hi G, have not been on here for a while, things are looking good! I sent you an email a while back about a good time to call but you never replied...
I did what you did as far as mounting the bumper on the frame, no reason to hack the frame...to avoid warping just do 1 or 2 inch stitch welds, don't weld one long bead (as fun as it is), let things cool then go back, also, tack things in place and clamp things in place if possible.

I'm calling you tonight

Made progress today, got the shell all welded up. Just need to clean up all the welds then weld on the frame mounts.

 

[TLC Norway]

Nice work, any updates?

 

[Cruising Canuck]

Nice work, any updates?

I really wish there was progress. I finalized the wiring for the seats. But that is all
I've been too busy lately. I am planning a dirtbike trip in Utah, which has taken alot of my spare time.

Yesterday the weather finally went above freezing for the first time since november. I will be able to wheel her soon

 

[Cruising Canuck]

We've been locked at about 5 degree ferenheit for about 3 months.
We finally got some reprieve, it's 30F today, so I set up shop outside and finished up the welds.



Big shout out to @reevesci for the advice, my one flat weld joint is a bit wavy, but the rest are all pretty good.



I'm just having lunch. I'll finish it up in the next few hours

 

[TRAIL TAILOR]

Looks good... It takes a bit to get it down, I'm still "practicing" too... HA!

J

 

[Cruising Canuck]

I've been away for awhile so there has been very little progress on the truck. With that said...

Bumper is DONE!!!



It only took me 3 months to bang out this shell. But it's finally done.
It's also not -20 outside. So I can paint both front and rear bumper today and tomorrow.

Not truck related, but I went on a spontaneous dirt bike trip to Utah, Made me really jealous of what you folks have down south.



I will go back to Utah, but next time I want to do it in the truck.

 

[Cruising Canuck]

Put the truck on the road this weekend. Felt awesome to drive it again.
my exhaust broke in half right in front of the muffler. Every time I hit a bump it sounds like the truck barks haha.
Got the bumpers on and proceeded to load up and take a bunch of my stuff I was storing at my dad's.



I was thinking of running the new exhaust on the outside of the passenger frame and doing a side exit in front of the rear wheel.