Re: 75 Dually build
 

I know those seats are not for everyone.... But they were cheaper than any upholstery kit I could find, and way more comfortable than the stock bench. Especially with my lower back....

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Just a quick pic on the seat frame I have been working on. I have the 3 other frames getting close to finish welding. Should be done by mid day tomorrow with those, and then it is on to the rest of the interior. Gotta get that dash finished and in paint!

I have also been working on a lot of small items so I can get the truck turned around in the shop, blow the bed apart, and finish all the items on my check list for the rear of the truck. I am tired of seeing the bed area not finished and sitting there unpainted.

Remember to thank the men and women who serve and have served our country in the armed forces. They are amazing people, and deserve our thanks and friendship!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

I did get all the seat frames completed today (just have 2 of them to paint tomorrow)! 3 just like the above frame (see above pic), all holes drilled, tapped, fully welded, and ground smooth. Whew it was fun, but I am glad it's done!

Kaotik79 stopped by today and picked up my old seats. Great to meet him and I hope those seats help out the cause. Glad they are out of the shop, they were taking up too much room!

Tomorrow after church I am going to drill all the mounting holes into the floor and get all the seats bolted down. Then after that (if I don't have any gremlin's to fight) I will try and work on the dash to get the bondo finished.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

I ordered my stereo from Crutchfield! See the enclosed pics. I have used Kenwood systems for years, and have always been impressed with the sound and quality of their products. I hope this system is as good as the last unit I bought. I am also putting 2 10" Kicker subs.

I will try and post a rendering of the center console I am working on. It should really be nice when completed. :metal:

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Here is a quick rendering I did of the center console. The lower color will be white and upper will be red. Both will be the same as the body color.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Another really cool day for this build! My son and I got it out of the shop running under it's own power. All we did was turn it around so I could blow the rear of the truck apart for paint, but still IT RUNS! :D :D

Check out the video my son took of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcAXglYetT0

Re: 75 Dually build
 

It has been raining like cats and dogs here in Lubbock today, so it was the perfect day to clean out the shop. Because the truck now runs I decided to pull it out of the shop, and power wash the underside before we start on paint. Snapped a couple of pics before putting it up before the next big cloud came along.

I got all the seats finally mounted today. They look cool! Now to get that dash done and out of the way... ;)

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Wow! It's coming up great!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Looks good sitting outside! Your rendering of the console looks good.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Got some work done on the dash tonight. Started working on fitting the side vents. The pic below is only in a very rough stage. I worked the rest of the night refining the hole and the vent to fit perfectly in the space. Started on the passenger side, but that will have to wait until tomorrow.

My stereo stuff showed up today! Can't wait until I can start on the center console.

Slowly but surely this dash will get done...;)

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Looks good so far

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Working on the dash this evening. I got the holes cut for the passenger side AC vent, the stereo, and the eLevel rocker switch.

So after I finished cutting all those holes out I started work on the AC ducting. I am going to use as much of the stock ducting as possible out of the donor burb, but every vent is going to need a custom attachment point and ducting to be made. So I started with the passenger vent which was going to be the easiest. It has a flex hose running from the main plenum over to it so I made the rest of the duct out of fiberglass tonight. See the pics below. Once it dries I will see if it needs a second layer of fiberglass. Other than that it is just a simple 90 degree elbow.

The 2 center vents are going to be the most difficult. Both of them use the same ducting and there is not a lot of room in there. Also I have to deal with the new stereo as well. The space limitations are tight, but I will do what I can to make it as clean as possible.

Other than that the dash is really coming along. I want to have it finished up as quickly as possible because the center console and the body work is going to take up the bulk of my time from now on. :)

Re: 75 Dually build
 

So I added another layer of fiberglass this morning to the elbow I made last night and let it dry. Then I did a trial fit and that is the pic below. Fit perfectly!

I mainly worked on the two center air ducts today. I started making the mounting plate and cutting up the ducts so that it will all be one unit when finished. So far I am about half way done.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Been away doing some training for work, and have really missed working on the truck. I did get back to it tonight though. I started on the tailgate panel. This panel sits in between the gas tank and the actual tailgate.

No it is no where near finished. The top portion that is bent over the top tube needs to be metal worked, and I ran out of welding wire tonight just as I was tack welding the fuel door on... Naturally... It's 10 o'clock and I run out of wire... Perfect...

The fuel door is out of the donor burb. As you can see I will have the OEM door on it. I do not have the rubber bumpers inside it, but when it do the door will sit flush. I plan on making a box behind the door bolting to the filler tube to give it that OEM look. Should look cool when it is all done and painted up.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

OK I have been a bum lately... We just got back off a long vacation, but before we left I did get the inner tailgate finished. I got the inside sprayed with bed liner and welded in. I also got the frame work for the air tanks done as well but don't have any pics right now. Maybe tomorrow I will take some and post them.

Glad to be back! Ready to get back to work on my ride!

Now the push to get it done is really on. My goal is to have it (at least in primer) before the end of July so I can take it to the Heat Wave show in Austin. I actually like to have a dead line. To me there is nothing better than a thrash to get a project done. I did so many of these during the years we did Power Tour that I have lost track. We finished one car at 3 AM the day we left, and that ride went over 3000 miles on it's maiden voyage and never missed a beat. I just hope this truck follows the same track... :D

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Got busy today and took both of the rear fenders and the front of the bed off. My son helped me get it done quicker than I could have alone, and those bed sides are a bugger to handle alone so I was glad for his help.

As you can see it is a naked bed area now. In one of the shots I have pulled the tank out. I am getting ready to finish this portion of the build. All I need to do right now is do the inner fenders, clean up the welds, and wire brush everything down getting ready for paint. I am going to do the tubes in black and the inner portion of the fenders in black bed liner.

After all that I am going to start on the body work on the rear fenders and the tail gate. If that goes well I will most likely shoot the primer coats, and then a color coat before reassembly. I will do the final color coats once I have everything back in place. That way I won't risk scratching everything up.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

So last night I was in the shop doing some tear down on the rear end and suspension getting ready for paint. I also did some finish welding on the bottom of the notch. Stuff I had told myself I would get to eventually, so last night I procrastinated no longer!

Funny thing was that we have had some actual rain in Lubbock recently (Gasp! I know right!!) So my 13 year old son came out to the shop to keep me company and talk my ear off (naturally while I am trying to weld!) And due to the rain we now have mosquito's and some flying ants. Well these guys just love bright lights! And every time I was using the welder my son was noticing how I was attracting an entire congregation of mosquito's and flying ants. They were not messing with me at all, but were just hanging around. So when I crawled out from under the truck there was a ton of these critter's crawling around. Most of them I helped out the door with my big shop broom, no rent check no stay! Man the things I put up with to build hot rods!! :D

Oh well it is a thousand times better than sitting on my rump watching ESPN!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Great work on your truck! It's looking great!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Thanks man! Trying to get it done!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Make sure you put some decent backing plates under where the holes are drilled. Safe!!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Will do! Already have them made, just waiting until I put the new carpet in...

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Tonight I got the inner fenders installed. I now need to fill in the gap with sheet metal, but that is tomorrows job.

Been getting a lot of small parts painted up. Now I just need to wire brush everything, shoot the black paint, and get this rear end buttoned up!

Stay tuned... :D

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Got the inner fenders just about completed. Bought a new electric metal sheer this morning and put it to use immediately. I cut out the filler plates for the inner fenders. Man you talk about a tool you wish you had 10 years ago... All I have left to do is sand the Bondo down and shoot the bed liner on them.

Tomorrow I will shoot the rear frame, rear end, and bed area. Whew I am ready to be done with this portion of the build...

Re: 75 Dually build
 

PAINT SHINNY PAINT! Another major milestone for my ride! Now to let it dry and then put everything back together.

Whew it was HOT this weekend and the shop was even hotter! Lucky we had a nice breeze the whole time. I finished up the couple of last items and then shot the black. Glad to have this behind me and moving on to the body work and finishing the interior.

Ready to drive this beast!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Looks nice!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Progress, progress, progress... I tell ya there is nothing better than having all your tools laid out, the shop locked so no one can bother you, and the right tunes cranked up. I can make some serious progress if that is the case!

Well as you can see I got a lot of the major items put back on. The tank got some paint thrown at it, the air tanks have a new home, and the rear end is back together.

Tomorrow will be the rest of the small items and getting the air system all hooked back up.

Getting closer...

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Got the rest of the parts on the rear bolted back on finally, and got her off the jack stands. Still need to finish up the inner fenders, but that is not super critical right now.

Starting back on the interior tomorrow. Hope to get all the new AC ducts molded and button up the dash. Tons of fun!

Hope everyone has a great and safe 4th of July! :D

Re: 75 Dually build
 

So tonight after I got back from a week long business trip I went out to the shop and cleaned off the fab table (badly in need of a major clean up!) and laid the passenger rear fender up on the table getting it ready for body work. The only real thing I got done on it was removal of the trim and getting the running lights out.

Tomorrow I will start to weld up all the holes and get the body work cleaned up and prep it for primer. :D

Got a lot of body work ahead of me... Better get to it and get this thing in paint.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

It's looking great work! Keep at it you're getting really close!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Thanks so much! I hope to have the rear fenders in primer by the end of the weekend. I will take some more pics as I progress.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Worked all day on the passenger side rear fender and the dually fender. I welded a small plate over the old gas filler location. Shot primer on everything at the end of the day. The pic below is the passenger fender on the drivers side. So not only is it on the wrong side, but it is backwards! Actually it was just left there to dry... So I had to snap that shot...

I will start on the opposite side tomorrow. I still have some small spots on the passenger side to finish up, but that will only take a little while. Have I mentioned that I don't like bodywork, but I am to cheap to pay someone to do it for me. :D :lol: :D :lol:

Can't wait to get this rear end painted up and put back together!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Hood meet Truck, Truck meet Hood. Long time no see...

Got the hood in primer and the tailgate also... Lots more to do... Did I say before that I am not a big fan of body work... I am getting closer though...

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Good progress!

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Thanks man! I can't wait until I get to the painting stage! However it feels lately like I have Mr. Miyagi saying "Sand the deck!" "Right circle, left circle... Sand the deck Danielsan." "Breath in, breath out..." I did not know that doing the body work on my dually was going to teach me Kung Fu, but what the heck!:lol:

Re: 75 Dually build
 

What machine work did you have done on those wheels to run 22" tires? Was it just cutting the OD to 22" specs or did you have the face milled too?

I was on TW&T site and they only list the face milling service and not the OD turning. Do you mind telling me what they charged to machine the wheels?

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Karl,

TW&T did all my work as you know. They are really great to work with! If I remember it right Trevor charged me $125 per wheel for the machining from 22.5" to 22". He cuts the inner surface where the bead sits. I also got the rear 4 rims face milled 3/8". That gave me the correct dimensions to tuck the rear with stock fenders. That was $75 or $100 per wheel for the face milling, for some reason I can't remember the exact cost on that. Maybe I am suffering from CRS... Can't Remember Stuff! ;)

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Sounds like you did good w/TW&T.... I've heard others were not so fortunate. Did you swap rear ends (I don't recall)?

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Scoti,

Never heard anyone having issues with Trevor. He runs a good business. I like dealing with him and would do it again.

The rear end is out of my donor 3/4 ton burb.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

Ahh.... That's right. The 3/4 single wheel housing is narrower vs the dually version. I don't remember if the difference was just the dual wheel hub or if the housing was narrower too.

Re: 75 Dually build
 

So much for the last week thrash. I got a thorn in my right hand while dirt bike riding this weekend and had to have a surgeon remove it. Ouch! So can't do much in the shop for a couple of days to let it heal. So there goes the shows I was trying to get to. Well I guess I am going to have to find some other shows later in they year, or maybe shoot for some of the early show like the Lone Star Throw Down in February. Bummed... :(