Build starting my frame off

[effjay76]

76 Refresh

Ive had my truck for about three years, its been my DD for the whole time, finally decided to start the resto. here are some pics of how it is now. I have already done the exhaust and im currently working on the wheels. I do my own powdercoating and i have a set of 5 steel wheels. Ive done one of em in white and im liking it alot so ill probably go with that. Ill post some more pics shortly. Edit: I will be doing a piece by piece restoration instead of a frame off until I graduate college and actually have spare time(hopefully).

 

[effjay76]

That is the old exhaust it had when i bought it, not the picture i had in mind to start this off, but i realized all the other pictures i have on this computer are .bmp so ill post some more shortly.

 

[JohnnyC]

look foward to the resto of your DD...just got done with a quick resto on mine...the 3.5th resto for the truck...salt areas stink

is it the 1st resto for the truck?

Location?

 

[effjay76]

The p.o. had done alot of mods but i dont think he ever restod, Its my first complete resto, i took the fenders off and did part of the frame and the engine bay a while back but i used spray can rustoleum so naturally its back to its unrestored beauty again.

 

[effjay76]

more pics, the first one is the wheel i powdercoated, the second is next to a beached mexican fishing boat after the hurricane, the third is of the new led turn signals i installed, i removed the original ones. I'm in south Texas, mcallen to be specific.

 

[JohnnyC]

going back to same color on body?....i always liked the tans on a cruiser

 

[effjay76]

most likely, i like it too

 

[bikersmurf]

Which powder coat gun do you use? Does it work well?

 

[effjay76]

I recently started using a WAI gun that has its own air supply, I used to use a chicago gun with an air compressor, it worked much better. The WAI one is cool because you dont really have to worry about moisture but the chicago one was easier to get a uniform coat. In the end they both produce great results for next to nothing, I powder coat pretty much anything that fits in the oven and i have started experimenting with using a heat gun to powder coat bigger things.

 

[Jacket]

Man - it already looks pretty good from that picture in front of the boat.

 

[wichitakid]

Like how the reflectors in the bumper look. Hope you keep them.

 

[effjay76]

yeah i like them too, those are actually the led turn signals/running lights

 

[effjay76]

Here are some pictures i took today, this is how im driving it right now, i have a few more things to do before i start the tear down.

 

[effjay76]

Interior + close up of the spare, which will be the new wheel/tire set up im going to use. maybe new tires.

 

[effjay76]

seats that i will be using (came from an 86 mr2) along with my new wiring harness and a close up of the rust and new tail lights

 

[effjay76]

I made the battery tray out of sheet metal that i used for the block off plate, and I rearranged some of the supports that the tray came with. Then I powder coated the whole thing chassis black.

 

[effjay76]

I also got the seats installed, i basically just welded sections of square tubing across the existing seat mounts and welded the seat to those. I had to dismantle the gauges to replace one of the bolts that the wires connect to the ameter so i powder coated the casing with the hopes that it will make my gauge lights perform a little better.

 

[effjay76]

I did alot of electrical work this weekend, The circuit board that the guages run off of was fried in the process, so the left turn signal indicator light is eternally on and neither turn signal works, although both running lights are functional. I did re-wire the main power wires and the alternator and modify the dash light with some l.e.ds. Ill post some pics up later.

 

[mydogpea]

So you're already installing the new wire harness??? I'm confused, I thought you were doing a frame off resto???

 

[effjay76]

well I'm trying to do all the things that I can before i tear it down to minimize the resto time since it is my daily driver, so things like installing the seats that i can do before its in peices. I have not installed the new harness, I basically just re-wired the starter and alternator set up.