71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Milestone Updates:
11/19-New Rearend Installed (3.42 with Posi)
9/19 - Bodywork and Paint Complete
5/19 - LS Motor and Manual trans dropped in
5/19 - Frame cut for a proper short bed
1/19 - Pulled old motor/trans
12/18 - Converted long bed to short bed
10/18 - Made a new wire harness and finished interior

Hello, new to the forum and Chevy trucks. I have put in a lot of wrench time over the years on various other vehicles. I purchased a 71 Cheyenne for a resto-mod project in fairly decent shape compared to others I could find locally. I live in a downtown apartment building so I am doing all of the work on the roof of my parking garage which is challenging at times as I have no power. The known issues are: rough idle, severe drip rail rust, door rust, leaking gas tank, and nearly every electronic accessory is not working. Since acquiring this behemoth I have stripped out the interior/dash, put in a new Grant steering wheel, snapped all my j-bolts, and installed aftermarket gauges. My next tasks are fixing all of the wiring issues, replacing the heater core/blower motor, and relocating the gas tank so I don’t have to work on the vehicle high as a kite. My goals are new stock’ish interior, paint/bodywork, static lower a bit, big wheels/tires, and down the road a LS motor and manual trans swap.

Once I can figure out how to shrink pictures down I will upload some. It is red/white for now but I will be doing a color change to (more than likely) black.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Also, has anyone ran a 92-93 S10 fuel sender in a 87-90 Wrangler tank? I am wondering if the "lock ring" fits without modification (welding). I think the full size Blazer fuel senders requiring cutting and welding to not hit the bottom of the tank if my research is correct.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Welcome to the forum. I used to do parking lot/deck repairs on my other project when i was in college at ASU. You definitely have to get creative with it sometimes! Looking forward to seeing some pics of the project.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Here are some photos, I have the interior stripped out with just the seat bottom sitting in the truck. I removed the heater boxes and I am replacing the blower motor and heater core. I am taking my time cleaning and painting everything before reassembly.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I have the heater boxes nearing completion. I replaced all the hardware, gaskets, cables, blower motor, heater core, and heater hoses. I need to paint the fire wall on both side and then I will reinstall. Removing the heater boxes wasn't as bad as I had thought it may be. Thus far, replacing the side windows and regulators has been the biggest pain.

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I have not been able to work outside much although I did mock up my Wrangler fuel tank brackets and filler assembly. I am working on reupholstering the seat. I picked up the carpet trick to keep the old foam from sinking through the frame from an old magazine.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Lookin forward to watching your progress! Looks like you have a pretty clean truck there. I personally like the 2 tone red and white on this year truck. On my newer GMC daily driver yes, black all the way. Welcome aboard and thanks for the pics! My truck is completely apart as I am doing an air ride / LS swap / long bed to short conversion and a repaint all at the same time. Im thinking about starting a thread also as I feel it might help keep me motivated and inspired, we will see...:metal:

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Nice, that is a big project. I have considered converting to short bed as well. I will start a thread for the fuel system soon as I built it for the LS. I have it mocked up at this point. It is carb right now but will work with EFI by dropping in a EP381 in the baffled Wrangler tank.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Got some underhood paintwork done so I can reinstall my heater boxes. I also have the underside of the bed undercoated and my Wrangler tank bracketry mocked up. Here is my filler holder (ammo can). I don't have access to power so I had to work around that but I think it will look decent once the bed liner is put in. Here is the tank ready to drop in as well.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Very nice clean work, your getting more done out in the open than I get done inside....Looking forward to how you mount your filler, in bed? Seat looks awesome as well BTW.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Thanks, I am attempting to do as much of restoration as possible without removing the cab or motor/trans (yet).

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I got the cowl and kickpanel ducts all clear of debris. I wire brushed everything and sprayed rust encapsulator, primer, and paint. I am putting a "gutter guard" on the cowl to prevent this and it seems like it will be an easy $5 preventative measure (the wire ties are temporary to hold it in place so I can screw it down and then cut them off without the mesh moving). I also got my ammo can/filler box finished. I am going to bed coat the box when I do the rest of the bed so it looks a bit crappy at the moment. Lastly, the interior is stripped out and I am sanding that down to paint and put all the new goodies back in.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Filler box.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I am unsure why all of the pictures post sideways.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Nice build. Could you show some more pictures and give some details on how you mounted the wrangler tank?

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

If you have some polyurethane caulk or seam sealer, a couple dabs on the back side of your screen will glue it in place. Fuel filler looks great.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

The tank isn't in yet but it is mocked up. Below is what I did and I will add pictures this weekend once I install it. I used a 87-90 Wrangler Tank and a 92-93 S-10 sending unit. Since I am still on a carbureted 350, I just put in a hose to bypass the in-tank fuel pump the S-10 sender normally has (I wanted a baffled tank and in-tank fuel pump option for my LS conversion down the road). I ran 6an fittings off the sender and a short 6an steel hose to the frame rail where I will convert to 3/8" hard line and join to the existing line under the cab via a rubber hose (down the road I will convert this back to 6an steel hose to connect to the LS. I capped the return line off and just ran 2' hoses on the 2 vents on the S-10 filler to let it escape to atmosphere. For the filler, I cut that ammo can and used the stock wrangler filler/gas cap. I cut a hole in the bed for the filler hose and put in L-brackets and riveted it in. I will put sealer around it and bed line over the box with the rest of the bed. To mount the tank I had to put in 1.5" metal spacers and long L-brackets bolted to the tank in the front and back so the tank is "hanging" below the frame a bit and I had to cut into the bed crossmember ~2" as well to put the tank as far up as possible. I will add pics this weekend as I just sprayed undercoat in this area before I put the tank in.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I am not a technology wizard but I believe I read once that it is how you held your phone when you took the photo if you are doing mobile uploads.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I have the Wrangler tank installed now. I had a heck of a time cutting the bed support without power but was able to get it with a cordless jigsaw, not pretty but it gets the job done and is hidden. It is mounted below the frame rails 2" or so using angle iron and "spacers".

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I will take pics of the filler line, I put an elbow in the filler line to make the bend from bedside to run across the bedfloor (keeping the whole setup flowing downhill to the tank). I also used a hole saw to put a 1.5" hole in the frame so the filler could connect. The feed line is 6an for 3' and then 3/8" fuel line up the rail to where it mates to the stock line using a 3/8" ID rubber hose.

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I have been doing a lot of wire brush/rust remover/undercoat beneath the bed and cleaning up the engine bay a bit. I painted my booster/master and replaced the leaking gasket/cap and have replaced springs and re-upholstered the seat. Now, I have the interior all painted. I did the floor/rear/cab corners flat black and covered the floor and rear wall area with dynamat(ish). I spray bombed the rest of the interior with Jeep Anvil Gray which is what I am going with for the outside. Once this cures (70 when I sprayed it yesterday, supposed to snow Wednesday), I will start putting all the fancy bits back in. I had to replace every single item in the interior that bolts in. I will add progress as I put in the new seatbelts, speaker boxes, seat, etc. in the cab corners, etc.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Nice build. Kudos for the progress without power. Seems like cordless is the way on that one.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

That tank doesn't have straps that go underneath to support it? Seems like a lot of weight to be on that flange.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I wondered about that myself. The flange is fairly sizeable and I have seen others mount the same way but I will probably add either a center strap or a stock wrangler tank shield as it will be lowered. The tank is in and functioning but I haven't buttoned it up yet (fuel line isn't secured, sender wire isn't hooked up, etc). Thanks for pointing out though as I debated a bit on whether or not it was overkill to add one.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Great work man, looking forward to seeing you driving it again:burnout:

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I painted the inside Jeep anvil gray which is a great color but I am having a hard time visualizing this entire truck anvil gray. I also think this gray would not look so great in a 2-tone. My dilemma is that I prefer long beds in 2-tone so I am thinking about sanding that paint off and respraying it back to red. This makes my head spin but the truck looks good (in my opinion) red and white and I don't really want to jack it up (although it was originally green). Any opinions on the color scheme?

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Id say if your paint quality is at least a 20 footer stay with the red interior. If its got some serious issues and you want to change, then do it...with that gray color inside the cab I can envision the body in a olive or deep green or how about a gray two tone truck with white roof and sides?

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

It is going to need painted either way; now just to decide on red/white or gray/white....

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I have painted the interior Jeep Anvil Gray which is what I decided to go with on the outside in a stock 2-tone pattern. I also started putting the new bits back in. I used the bent fork method for the ignition bezel and this worked out well. I should have the inside done in a week a couple weeks. I got my 5x7 speaker boxes done as well to put behind the seat.

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...and more sideways pictures, I don't think I will ever figure that out.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I have not updated in a long time but I have been working on the truck. I recently did some body work at my parents house. I cut out the PS front cab support, inner rocker, outer floor (the "gutter"), and outer rocker and welded some new metal in. My welding is in its infancy but I know how to use a grinder. I also welded up the gas filler hole and the "gutter" area of the floor by the DS door. I have done a lot of patches on the lower doors inside and out. Lastly, I need to tackle the drip rail as it is rough. I replaced my head gaskets recently as I had a leak but I didn't take pictures. Last for this post is my distributor wires were hanging by a string so I rebuilt this whatchamacallit.

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I hammered out a bunch of small dents and scrapes in my inner fenders and painted those. Here is a picture of my dash when I finished it, I used anvil gray but I am having 2nd thoughts about painting the whole truck 2-tone gray and white. I may go with the red and white on it now. Opinions? I ordered a set of these FCF lower seat brackets so my head isn't crammed into the ceiling and looking through the blue at the top of the windshield. A picture of the drive from my parents house in PA to NC. Lastly, the last picture, can anyone tell me what this part is for? It was laying in the bed along with other random parts when I bought the truck and I have never figured out what it is.

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Oh really don't judge my welds on the outer rocker, I cut it a hair short and had a decent gap to fill so I tried my hand at the stick welder for the first time. I prefer to use a mig welder but have difficulties filling larger gaps so I tried out the stick. It worked but I went a bit overboard.

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I enjoy reading about your build man ! Good effort !

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Here are a few pics of the engine bay. The stuff I have done here is: painted everything flat black, replaced throttle cable, head gaskets, painted motor/headers, new battery, new PS pump hoses, new belts, new valve covers, new master cylinder, new plugs/wires. Now if I could just get the carb tuned up properly.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I am not so good about taking pictures as I am working but I did put on a new carb and tune the motor a bit. I have been driving it around a bit here and there. I also have about 50 hours in scraping, wire brush, cleaning, rust coating, and undercoating the cab/bed now. This would have been so much easier to pull the bed/cab. I will post pictures of this when complete. I got my FCF lowered seat brackets installed and they are very nice. Now I am not hunched over the steering wheel or looking through the blue tint at the top of the windshield. The work I still have left to do is: vintage air, drip rail rust repair, door rust repair, install new PS window, install new rear window rubber, respray the interior (back to red)/reinstall all my new interior parts, replace suspension/steering components, paint, and roll in a bedliner.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I have sort of forgot to update this build thread. About 100 hours of wire brushing, rust coating, undercoating to the underside is done finally. I am working on priming the bed to put in a roll in bedliner. Lastly, the interior is all painted and complete with all new stuff (headliner, cluster, visors, seat, carpet, radio, AC vents, dash pad, steering wheel, gauges, etc).

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

I also keep having overheating issues I was working on previous to another issue popping up. I have reset the timing a couple dozen times and replaced head gaskets, thermostat, radiator hoses, heater core, and this pic is when I replaced the flex fan with an original fan with new thermal clutch. Still didn't cure my issue so I will get back to this.

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Lastly here is my current project that I am about 20 hours in and half way done. I am building a complete headlight to taillight wiring harness. The reason why is that mine had a small fire (hot wire got smashed by battery and grounded on the firewall) and it melted all the hot connectors (firewall, fuse panel, ignition, horn, headlight switch). I am also building it in preparation for a NV3500/5.3 LS swap and wiring in my add-ons (wiper module, tach, gauges, radio, glovebox light). I am using a 92 Blazer fuse panel and designing it off that.

Re: 71 Cheyenne Rooftop Build
 

Once the harness is complete I will get some pictures of the interior. It is looking real nice but I spent around $2,500 on new stuff (ouch). I think the only original thing left is the heater controls and lighter. Next projects are TH350 to NV3500 transmission swap (she wants to be a manual), front suspension rebuild, and neverending body work. Thus far on body work I have replaced PS inner/outer rocker, new drip rails, new rear bed floor, new PS front cab support, new kick panels, new outer cab floor areas, welded up gas tank filler hole, fixed windshield pinchweld, new battery tray floor, smoothed front inner fenders, and started welding on the door bottoms. My truck was pretty clean when I got it but I will cut heck out of it to eliminate any spot of rust.