Okay, I have been saving my 100th post here on Mud for some milestone event worthy of it. I think I am finally there.
I have been building this truck for almost exactly 2 yrs now. It has taken so long because I have never welded before, never done body work before, never.... (you get the idea). But, I have been picking up skills through practice along the way, and Mud and all of the people who post here have been tremendously helpful.
I started with a bunch of parts, a 45LWB body, a 45SWB frame, and a donor fj40. I like the looks ofthe LWB bed, but not the length. I plan to off-road this, though not as hard as I do my 80 series, so I dont want that tremendous long overhang in the back. And besides, I already have the short frame.
So, started by stripping everything and had the frame blasted (the only work I have not done myself). Then I boxed and welded the seams fo the frame for extra stiffness. Then POR15ed the thing. Did a Shackle Reversal, and a Spring over, added power steering plate and rear disc brakes (the donor cruiser was nice enough to have a 78 axle with discs up front).
Then figured out where to mount the 98 firebird LS1 engine/4L60E transmission combo, and welded in the mounts. Attached all of the adapters and rebuilt the transfer case, and axles, so the driveline is pretty much done (still have drive shafts to deal with, and setting the final castor angle on the front axle when I have all of the weight on it.)
I sandblasted all of the body parts (except the bed) using a small harbor freight sand blaster. Then primed everything with a good epoxy primer; even rented a real paint booth for this part.
Started fixing rust. I am happy to say (though a little embarassed having seen what so many others have to deal with), that my truck had very little rust. A little rocker panel stuff, and one quarter sized hole in the bed. More patching holes than fixing rust really. But cut out and replaced anything bad. The roof had a couple bad corners and supports, so that was probabyl the trickiest to repair.
Modified the dash, for new gauges, and to add A/C (Arizona is a miserably hot place in the summer). I even chopped out part of the curved section fo the firewall above the tranny hump and pushed it engine-side about 2 inches (I had the room with the LS1 location) to allow me to recess the AC unit back a bit for easier vent routing.
Then spent the miserable Arizona summer doing body work. Hammering, skim coating filler and lots and lots and lots of sanding. I have most of the panels done now, still working the rocker panels and fenders. A few more weekends (nah... several more weekends) and I could be ready for paint.
But the purpose of todays 100th post is to celebrate having chopped the front (cab side) of the LWB bed to fit. Took it apart with the spot weld cutter, chopped it and put it back together. So today, for the first time since I have owned the pieces that became this truck, I can have it all sit together in my garage, cab and bed properly aligned on the frame.
Tomorrow I start taking the back end of the bed apart to chop it. Not quite sure where yet, but something that both looks good and gives a nice departure angle.
So I thought I would share a couple pics, both before and current state. And thanks again to everyone at IH8MUD in both the general forum and particularly here in the 45 forum. Thanks again and again...
Here is a before photo, the frame with engine installed, and the new dash layout.... after photos to follow.
I have been building this truck for almost exactly 2 yrs now. It has taken so long because I have never welded before, never done body work before, never.... (you get the idea). But, I have been picking up skills through practice along the way, and Mud and all of the people who post here have been tremendously helpful.
I started with a bunch of parts, a 45LWB body, a 45SWB frame, and a donor fj40. I like the looks ofthe LWB bed, but not the length. I plan to off-road this, though not as hard as I do my 80 series, so I dont want that tremendous long overhang in the back. And besides, I already have the short frame.
So, started by stripping everything and had the frame blasted (the only work I have not done myself). Then I boxed and welded the seams fo the frame for extra stiffness. Then POR15ed the thing. Did a Shackle Reversal, and a Spring over, added power steering plate and rear disc brakes (the donor cruiser was nice enough to have a 78 axle with discs up front).
Then figured out where to mount the 98 firebird LS1 engine/4L60E transmission combo, and welded in the mounts. Attached all of the adapters and rebuilt the transfer case, and axles, so the driveline is pretty much done (still have drive shafts to deal with, and setting the final castor angle on the front axle when I have all of the weight on it.)
I sandblasted all of the body parts (except the bed) using a small harbor freight sand blaster. Then primed everything with a good epoxy primer; even rented a real paint booth for this part.
Started fixing rust. I am happy to say (though a little embarassed having seen what so many others have to deal with), that my truck had very little rust. A little rocker panel stuff, and one quarter sized hole in the bed. More patching holes than fixing rust really. But cut out and replaced anything bad. The roof had a couple bad corners and supports, so that was probabyl the trickiest to repair.
Modified the dash, for new gauges, and to add A/C (Arizona is a miserably hot place in the summer). I even chopped out part of the curved section fo the firewall above the tranny hump and pushed it engine-side about 2 inches (I had the room with the LS1 location) to allow me to recess the AC unit back a bit for easier vent routing.
Then spent the miserable Arizona summer doing body work. Hammering, skim coating filler and lots and lots and lots of sanding. I have most of the panels done now, still working the rocker panels and fenders. A few more weekends (nah... several more weekends) and I could be ready for paint.
But the purpose of todays 100th post is to celebrate having chopped the front (cab side) of the LWB bed to fit. Took it apart with the spot weld cutter, chopped it and put it back together. So today, for the first time since I have owned the pieces that became this truck, I can have it all sit together in my garage, cab and bed properly aligned on the frame.
Tomorrow I start taking the back end of the bed apart to chop it. Not quite sure where yet, but something that both looks good and gives a nice departure angle.
So I thought I would share a couple pics, both before and current state. And thanks again to everyone at IH8MUD in both the general forum and particularly here in the 45 forum. Thanks again and again...
Here is a before photo, the frame with engine installed, and the new dash layout.... after photos to follow.
