Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

One more picture:

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Its a lot of work, but your efforts are paying off. From the pictures, the alignment and gaps look good to me!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Last night after partially installing the cab corner and calling it quits, I slept on the fact that I was still a bit off on my cab corner, rocker panel (inner/outer) and kick panel. I knew that the inner rocker was about 1/4+ inch away from the inner cab mount and that the cab corner was out about the same!! I couldn't give in to the urge to not fixing it, even though I did say it was good enough last night......!

After work this afternoon I went out in the barn and grabbed a 1x1 square tubing (1/8 wall) and cut it at 42 inches. Then drilled two 1/4 inch holes through the tubing and clamped it to the bottom of the rocker and drilled through the tubing and into the rocker panel then attached two small turn buckles to the frame and rocker. I cut across the new outer rocker panel (horizontally) to allow for movement at that area. Keep in mind, I had not welded in the cab corner at the back of the cab, so movement was available there as well - also, no floor installed. I turned the buckles by hand and was able to draw in both the corner and the rocker approximately 1/4-3/8, and was able to get the inner rocker and inner cab mount to meet. After that, I finished tack welding the outer rocker where I had cut to allow movement, the cab corner at the back of the cab, and filled the spot welds at the inner cab mount and inner rocker junction.

BTW, the door needs aligned since i had it off today.

Pictures:
1-2 1x1 attached to rocker.
3. Turnbuckle, inner cab mount and inner rocker. This picture is after I tightened up the turnbuckles and drew in the outer rocker etc.
4. Before tightening the turnbuckle.
5. After tightening up the turnbuckle. If you look close, you can see at the bottom or the picture, the rocker has moved inward.

More to follow.

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

More:

1. Before (bad angle)
2. After
3. tacked-in back of cab corner.

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Everything on this truck will line up better than it did when it rolled of the assembly line! Good work!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Excellent work Mike!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Thanks Fella's!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

I think the idea of using turnbuckles is an excellent one. I'm sure that they will come in very handy when I reach this point on my own project. And this is one very good reason why we support these forums and exchange ideas. Thanx so much for sharing, Mike.

For me personally, my biggest concern is going to be that my truck is a crew cab. I'm wondering how much more complicated it all will be. But I will know more once I get into it deeper.

Also, I think this is a good time to add this one additional thought. I'm actually looking forward to working on my truck because threads like this one have inspired me with confidence. I have very few personal friends who even understand why I would ever want to fix my old truck. They look at me like I had two heads and ask me, "Why don't you just buy a new truck?" So, I try to give them that same look in return and ask them, "Why in the world would you ever want to take on ten years of payments, interest and high insurance costs just to drive the same thing everyone else is driving? Where is your sense of individuality?"

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Woodyboat, great points and thanks for commenting - this is a great site. Also, there is really no way the full rocker assembly would have moved if I hadn't left so much undone, especially the floor. Had the floor been in, the rocker assembly would have just buckled or something like that.

Most everything I've learned I've learned on here and trial and error. JaysonB is now working on my Dad's 79 GMC and he's replacing much of what I did 11 years ago. Yesterday I found the original cab corner that I lopped-off of that truck back in December 2006. After looking at it, I noticed that all that needed replaced was the outer cab corner, not the inner, that was solid as could be, however, I just unknowingly cut it all off. Duh!!! So, that's is just one example of "by doing you learn."

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Hey Mike, so was the rocker sitting to far outward such that you couldn't get an acceptable panel to panel plain? or was the lower weld seam (or whatever its called/pinch weld maybe) kicked out at and angle such that it did not maintain the correct body panel arc?

thanks man! any way you slice it, the perfectionist in you is starting to show! and I like it!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Yes Sir! Also, the cab was off line with the box at the bottom line. This move corrected the panel to panel as you spoke of and improved the alignment with the box, that will remain good enough!!. I'll now have to remove a couple shims on lower part of the fender so that'll align as well.. :metal:

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

I've been working with an Army Guard unit in Bismarck ND since Friday. Glad i have my security camera now set up. My 17 year old was in there the other day looking for tools to work on his antique gun(s) and the camera snapped a pic of him and notified me of the movement!! It's on battery backup (UPS) so if the power is cut it'll still operate. Also sends images to the cloud! Love it. Didn't really have a time to clean up the garage before I left, it's a mess.

Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

This is becoming my favorite thread on the entire site! I'm tuned in for sure :)

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Eric, thanks much for the compliment!!!! I’m getting the shakes to get back in the garage, been in DC for the last few days visiting friends and the Capital with my wife and our last two kids that are still home with us. I’m hoping to get more done this weekend, even though I have other work to do . Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

So, I thought I'd get a lot accomplished after returning from a short trip to DC, but, it didn't happen. I wanted to get the front suspension totally taken apart, cab off the frame after tacking in the floor, tearing down the rear end and welding in the Built-by-Boyd LWB to SWB brackets; didn't happen quite that way!!!

Pictures of what really got done:
1. Friday afternoon I made a sandwich, started to enjoy it, when suddenly my front tooth fell out!!!! I first knocked out three front teeth in 1983 while Pole Vaulting in High School and then had them recapped in 2004....well, that one lasted 14 years..OK! So that shot my Friday night!!
2. Adjusted the driver side to better align the lower door and outer rocker with fender. The Harbor Freight jack tool, or whatever it's called, is awesome! Also, sliced the forward outer rocker as I did on the passenger side and welded in a filler piece, I'll clean it up later.
3 Started tearing into the rear end. Got the leaf springs off and the shocks.
4. Pile of crappy parts from rear end.
5. Picked up a second 350 trans from a buddy of mine as an extra down the road.

More to follow!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Follow-on Pictures:
1. Took cover off rear end to inspect, was going to remove axles, take off backing plate and brake assembly in order to rebuild/media blast etc. Well, that didn't happen because when I removed the retaining bolt that holds the rod (whatever it's called) it came out easy, however, it was snapped and the rest of it is inside, thanks somebody along the way; so much for pulling the axles and getting the other stuff done.
2. Not being able to go any further on the rear end, I transitioned to the disassembling the front suspension. I got real tired of trying to do it meticulous and right, I went ahead and cut the out tie rods in half, cut the brake lines, took off the shocks then unbolted the u-bolts on the lower control arm; it went to the floor rather easy. I then removed the nuts holding the upper control arms to the crossmember and slid the upper/lower control arms, still attached to the spindle away. I then repeated process on the other side.
3. Pile of parts.

I'm done for the night, nothing seems to be going my way, it happens. Have to work with an Army Guard unit tomorrow here locally, so nothing will get done until maybe tomorrow night???? I need to get the floor in and the cab off the frame.

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Any ideas on getting the bolt out of the carrier. Can't do much until I get that out?
Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Last night I ordered this: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/yga-56061/overview/
Hopefully it'll work. A little pricy, but, what can you do? Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Worked on fitting and tacking in the passenger floor tonight. Seemed much easier than when I 11 years ago!!! No overlap weld this time around. Taking my time and slowly butt-welding in the floor.

Pictures:
1. Put a 16ga plate at the intersection of the floor brace and cab support and plug welded in place. Seems like the right thing to since the original floors have??
2. Used self-tapping screws to affix the floor to the appropriate surfaces. This allowed the piece to press against what is left of the existing floor, cab support and floor brace. I then crawled under the cab and scribed around cut floor, frame brace and cab support. This gave me a pretty good fitting panel after it was cut. Was also able to more accurately drill my holes for plug-welding as well.
3. Under cab view of self-tapping screws from the bottom and fitment.
4. Plug welding floor to floor brace, cab support and started tack welding the new piece to the existing floor.
5. Another pic of under the floor after plug-welding.

More to go. Would like to get the driver side done tomorrow. Hopefully what I learned tonight will speed along the process tomorrow.

Thanks for looking. Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Looking good Mike!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

WOW, you're not only making it look good, you're making it look easy! The best part of this is that I will be tackling exactly these same probs with my truck because I have exactly the same patterns of cancer. Honestly, these photos sure do make me feel so much better.

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Best of luck with your future work. I've received a lot of advice and tracked several builds on this site. Jaysonb, who posted just prior to you, has several build links in his signature block, goes great detail on these types of repairs, especially the 77 4x4 he did last winter: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=716884

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Good progress in a few hours late this afternoon and a couple hours after supper. Received some parts from Summit today and a delivery from my Classic Industry distributor (free shipping). From summit I received a new master cylinder, front rubber brake lines and the extraction kit for the rear end retainer bolt that broke off inside the carrier. From Classic Industry I received a full-set of OER exterior trim and the correct dash bezel, looks good! I then cleaned up the passenger side floor, trimmed it to where I wanted it, then traced the new floor from the bottom......Etc.

Pictures:
1. Broke retainer bolt (whatever it's called)
2. Extracted bolt end; way easier than I thought it would be.
3. Cleaned up the floor opening, grinned the areas for the plug welds
4. Test fit floor panel
5. Tacked in the floor. Need to fix a few places where the gap will need patching.

I'm certainly ready to get this thing off the frame so that I can take a brake from the cab for a week or so and work on the frame.

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Kind of a task hopping day! I did some welding on the cab; one little weld after another - I got bored with that so I started in on the completion of tearing down the front suspension. When I completed the front end, I started in on getting the firewall cleaned up. The firewall overall is surprisingly clean except for down by the AC opening, that'll need a patch...blah! I uncovered some factory marking on the firewall, that was kind of neat. Also took a wire brush to the frame for a few minutes??? That's about it.

Pictures:
1. PITA getting this out!
2. Pile of good and bad!
3. Factory markings??? Russet Neutral - 4 IDK Russet is the base color of the truck
4. Dang rust
5. Done for the day!!!

Now it's finally time to get the cab off the frame!!

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Excellent progress Sir! Now you need to slow down a little, your making some of us look like slow pokes!!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

LOL, he's making me look like a slowpoke ... because I AM a slowpoke!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

You've got a lot done. Good job Mike!

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

I'm in a race to get it "rolling" before the GMC comes back from MN!!!! I'll have to send JaysonB some curve balls in order to slow him down a bit. Jayson received my Series 62 Wheel Vintique wheels last week, so, I can slow him down by having him paint those frost white. :jest:

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Today I started out by preparing the rust on the firewall by the Heat/AC rectangle, then I propped up the cab after disconnecting it from the frame. I then lowered the frame and slide it out of the garage. I have a dolly that I built years ago that was upstairs in the garage attic so I had to drag that down and put it together before slowly lowing the cab onto it. Kind of nerve wracking by yourself. Did some garage cleaning then did a little work on the frame.

Pictures:
1. Cut piece for patch duplication
2. Test fitting patch
3. Tacked-in patch
4. First step of taking cab of frame
5. Finally, separated

More to follow from today.

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

So, turned my attention to the "Built by Brooks" LWB to SWB conversion brackets. First I cleaned frame on the inside of the brackets (cut line) and then put about 10 good tacks along the vertical cut in the frame and then a good bead of weld along the horizontal cuts at the top and bottom of the frame. After doing both side, I then removed the passenger bracket (I had not put in the inner bracket, so it was easy to accomplish), cleaned the cut line on the outside then welded the cut. After grinding it smooth, I put the bracket back on check it for fitment, no change, fit perfect and holes lined up. After work tomorrow, I'll weld the inner cut completely, then test fit the whole bracket system, both inner and out brackets together, then take it apart, again. I plan on leaving the bracket off while I clean the overall frame, then bolt in the brackets and weld the outer perimeter of outside bracket. Should be more than good!!

Time to get after this frame and get this thing rolling!!!!!

Pictures:
1. Welded frame.
2. Outside Built-by-Brooks Bracket w/out bolts, holes line up.
3. Bolts pushed through holes, snug.

That's it. Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

UPDATE, CHANGE 1 (right)!!!

I just posted this on the "Dads 79 GMC Build Thread" below:

Jayson is doing some smoke'n hot work on my Dad's 79 GMC. The other night while I was traveling to Fargo, ND from Des Moines, IA late at night Jayson and I were talking about this project and my 78' build (Addiction). During the conversation, it was decided to take all the original parts (350/350, rear end with drum brakes) and put Dad's 79 GMC back to stock, except of course for the drop and that it's about 14/6" inches shorter. Will maintain the rally wheels, 8's in the back and 7's up front with white walls all the way around (Jayson didn't know that part, he's asleep right now). Matter of fact, I just ordered the tires last night. So, I've temporarily put a halt on the 78 while I work on gathering all the parts that are needed to put this 79 back to "ALMOST" all stock.

This also means that all the LS/4L603, fuel system, cooling system, disc brakes in the rear etc will go into the 78 after we make the swap in a few weeks.

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Some nice work going on here. I'm looking forward to seeing more.

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Thanks Silvertoneguedevil! Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Wow, that is a bit of change. Looking forward to see the out come of both projects.

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Sounds like a good plan! ;)

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Mike has been busy rounding up the parts for "Dads79gmc", so the wheels for this truck made a pit stop here to get a coat of frost white paint! They will look nice with some skinny white walls, and some nice clean hub caps.:metal:

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Sorry for the confusion, I moved this and the next post from my Dads79GMC build thread. Didn't want to intermix this post with what Jayson is doing with my Dad's 79 GMC.

*******

Like most of you, I live in a somewhat normal neighborhood. I do have a second detached garage (24x30) with an enclosed staircase going upstairs. So, I've been thinking about how do I not upset my neighbors, when, at some point I do more that just rattle-can painting (or harm myself)? By no means will I ever paint a whole vehicle at one time....I will do cab, or do a fender or two at a time, spread over a long period etc. I decided to utilize the space under my stairs to assist in my attempt to cut-down on vapors heading outside. I got a hold a 1600 CFM fan that I mounted on the exterior wall, installed a solid exterior door with a threshold and created a space for the 20x20 filters. I need to finish drywalling the interior and sealing the room from within. More work to do. Hopefully it works. I will frame in a temporary booth when needed that will include intake filters. I'm using 20x20 Paint Pocket Aerators. I guess it'll be better than nothing!!! ?

Pictures:
1. After installation of exterior door and removal of drywall
2. Had to cut a couple 2x4" studs (not load bearing)
3. Replaced Drywall and cut openings
4. Exterior shot of exhaust fan
5. Framed in 20x20" in opening. I build some inner frames for the Paint Pockets exhaust filters.

Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Here's a couple more shots of the closet and filter banks. Again, I still need to mud and seal the room from the outside. The staircase going upstairs also has an exterior door at the bottom of the steps, so it's basically air tight as well. What I really need to do is tape and mud the garage area, especially the area within the temporary booth and existing wall. Last night I turned on the fan and it sucked the insulation out between the studs and pulled the front door open because it wasn't latched. That's about it. Thanks Mike

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Some serious metal work good progress :ito:

Re: Sparky's 1978 Silverado Build "Addiction"
 

Thanks smokedat!

There aren't a lot of real good solid trucks here in the salt-belt. In order to save one from the grave you have to really dig into it to get rot out. :lol: