Builds Body work - fixing my '79 floors and other stuff (4 Viewers)

[Burbot]

This is an area where you don't have to reinvent the wheel. Amazing how many parts can be made with a hammer and a leather purse lol. Lots of DIY videos and watching others with skill. O

 

[Burbot]

Thanks for the posts. Nice not to be only one fighting the rust demon. At least now you know it's solid won't leak exhaust gases in or water etc. po filled in with bondo tar and glass. It's worth the time to do it right. 1-2 repairs pays for the welder. Or in the case of striking the fender while pounding out bushings. Oops. Was all trash anyway never woulda passed safety. Love your truck

 

[MOTOV8R]

Pre game body work, tacked in, first pass grinding.

 

[Burbot]

Looking good. Will you fill in between welds? Hafta here. Amazing how much quieter and cleaner your ride will be.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Looking good. Will you fill in between welds? Hafta here. Amazing how much quieter and cleaner your ride will be.

Oh yeah, lots more tack welds to go... and grinding.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Added 3" to the front of the rear wheel well, added the lip to the rear wheel well and added the missing part of the rear panel.

Almost ready to move on to the rear sill and floor.

 

[1Fine40]

Brings back memories....not all of them good!!

But it gets better!!

 

[MOTOV8R]

Out of the garage for a couple trips around the block before dropping the gas tank to take out the floor. And some time spent cutting spot welds. About half done, passenger fender is divorced from the floor.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Out with the old... And test fitting the new. This is a LCH panel. It looks ok and the dimensions are pretty good but the accuracy of the bends are not right where the floor angles up near the gas tank access cover.

 

[Fedtime]

What gauge is the LCH rear floor panel? I've got to replace mine, and I'm looking at the usual suspects: LCH, EBI, CCOT and Real Steel.

 

[MOTOV8R]

What gauge is the LCH rear floor panel? I've got to replace mine, and I'm looking at the usual suspects: LCH, EBI, CCOT and Real Steel.

18 gauge by my micrometer. The stock panels on my 79 mic'd out to 19.

 

[tstepp920]

What gauge is the LCH rear floor panel? I've got to replace mine, and I'm looking at the usual suspects: LCH, EBI, CCOT and Real Steel.

nix LCH. Save yourself while you can.

 

[Fedtime]

nix LCH. Save yourself while you can.

Yeah, the reviews seem to suggest trouble, don't they?. Right now, I'm leaning towards Real Steel.

 

[MOTOV8R]

So I got side tracked with frame work. Seemed like this work would be easier now while the floor is out.

Moved the shock pins to the back side of the cross member.
Moving the bumpstops back 3"
Pulled the rear spring hangers and plates (1/2" of rust had curved the plate - bought new plates)
Removed all the flaking rust I could and treated it with a couple soakings of phosphoric acid (that is what leaves the white powder look in the pics)

 

[oldschool4wheeling]

What does the underside of your new bed look like?

I had to transfer all the old brackets to the new bed.... gas tank brackets and body mounts....

I reused my body bushings.

 

[White Stripe]

So I got side tracked with frame work. Seemed like this work would be easier now while the floor is out.

Moved the shock pins to the back side of the cross member.
Moving the bumpstops back 3"
Pulled the rear spring hangers and plates (1/2" of rust had curved the plate - bought new plates)
Removed all the flaking rust I could and treated it with a couple soakings of phosphoric acid (that is what leaves the white powder look in the pics)

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Looking good Moto. Its not too hard to pull the rear crossmember and angle pieces, I found tons of rust on mine once I got them off. Electrolysis did a nice job breaking down the majority of the rust. A wire brush took it the rest of the way off.

 

[MOTOV8R]

What does the underside of your new bed look like?

I had to transfer all the old brackets to the new bed.... gas tank brackets and body mounts....

I reused my body bushings.

I am going to have to transfer pretty much everything. I will take a pic. I got new poly body mounts.

 

[MOTOV8R]

Looking good Moto. Its not too hard to pull the rear crossmember and angle pieces, I found tons of rust on mine once I got them off. Electrolysis did a nice job breaking down the majority of the rust. A wire brush took it the rest of the way off.

What did you do for the rivets on the rear cross member? I am replacing the ones on the spring hanger with bolts. My 40 is far from stock and that location isn't super visible but I would rather keep the stock look on the cross member.

 

[White Stripe]

What did you do for the rivets on the rear cross member? I am replacing the ones on the spring hanger with bolts. My 40 is far from stock and that location isn't super visible but I would rather keep the stock look on the cross member.

I used bolts. The heads are painted black like the crossmember. I personally don't think its noticeable very much on mine. Their was substantial rust underneath the joining pieces and it was deforming the pieces. I think its page 17 in my build if u want to look.

 

[MOTOV8R]

I used bolts. The heads are painted black like the crossmember. I personally don't think its noticeable very much on mine. Their was substantial rust underneath the joining pieces and it was deforming the pieces. I think its page 17 in my build if u want to look.

I checked out your rear frame work. I decided I will pull the cross member. Did you just bolt the gusset plate and spring hangers on or weld them as well (similar to how they are originally)?