Holy crap! Boy, what the hell are you doing!
I know its been awhile since I posted anything on the truck. It takes time to download photos and think of clever things to write. and It just seams like i cant find time to get everything I want too done. I try to work on the truck every night. somtimes i go out and just stare at it, trying to figure out my next move. and other days i can actually spend a few hours on it. either way it just doesnt seam like i cant get that much done on it. so my apologies for slacking on the thread.
When i last left off we had a sanding party, getting ready for some paint on the door jams, lower dash, and inside of the doors. well we got it painted. it turned out pretty good. I didnt do any body work just scuffed it and shot it with some epoxy primer, then painted it black then sprayed some SPI clear. Everything went ok till I shot the first coat of clear. As soon as i was done I got terribly sick to my stomach. spent the rest of the night... Incapacitated, therefor I only got one coat of clear on the jams. But no worries it looks pretty good, and SPI is the best clear in the world, so it should hold up good.
Before I painted I went out to the scrape yard and took off some OH sh!t handles from a burb and fabricated a mounting system in the crew. I also grabbed all the power window regulators and motors as well as the power locks and harnesses.
I measured and drilled some holes
ground down to bare metal. then welded in a 1/4 lock nut
once the headliners is in they should bolt right up.
I had planned to put the interior back together and start driving it till the fall again. But like everything else in my life, it never goes as planned. I been going back and forth with making this truck a short bed. Short beds up here are not very common. and when you do find one its either a rusted p.o.s. or it way too much money. 2 weeks ago I found a guy on craigslist looking for a long bed. I gave him a email, sent some pictures and the next thing I know He's on his way to come pick it up. Great! ( I really wasn't expecting it to happen that fast.) Now I thinking where the heck am I going to get a bed. I think it was the next day or the same day (dont remember) I found a "rust free" shortbed on craigslist about 3 hours away. fearing some other nut job would buy it out from under me. Me and a buddy drove down that night to check it out/ buy it. Well it was Rust free unfortunately it was not dent free. somebody was awfully mad at the left side of their truck. it will probably need a new bedside. but I got it for less then I sold my long bed for. so at this point Im ahead.
With the new bed in storage for one month. I started measuring and cutting the frame. 14 inches in the front is what needs removed.
I went back and forth on how to cut this. I have seen some use diagonal cuts, z cuts, and the straight cut. I did a little research I couldnt find a true answer on which one is better. each one has its week points. (pun intended) I live and work in the RV capitol of the world. Out of the 30 or so plants I make deliveries too 6 of those build or have units with extended frames including ARI they build and and add custom sleepers to semi's. every one of them uses the straight cut and butt weld. I figure if its good enough for them it should be good enough for me. Plus its easier. and it cant be wrong Lou and Jared did it!
I marked the frame and cut it! tyler finished all the edges and got it ready to weld. I had to rent a welder because my little 110v welder is not going to get it. at least i didnt feel safe using it. so I rented one from the local rent a center. I got a huge one. I had to tow it behind the truck. So im sure it was over kill but it got the job done.
With the 14 inch piece we removed I cut 4 1/2 diamond out of it and welded that to the back side fusing the two half's together.
The remaining 9 1/2" piece is where the gas tank saddles were mounted. so I cut the top part off, drilled it so it would mount to the side and bottom of the frame. the top part I cut off slide under the top part of the frame and bolted it in. Now it is braced on both sides of the weld and the top and bottom.
Obviously the 20 gallon tank is going to be to long. Craigslist to the rescue again. Found a guy about 25 min. away sell a 16 gallon tank and thats it. Its the only thing he had for our trucks. I gave him $40 for it. Turns out he is wanting a long bed tank for a buddy. so I sold him one. for you guessed it $40. Cleaned the inside good, and transfered over my pump and hanger, got some new hose. ( from 3 different parts stores). incompetent freaking autoparts stores now days. You would think I was asking for a fuel hose for the left side rocket booster on the space shuttle. god dont get me started on them tards
The rear section is suppose to get cut 6" but I going to put on a different hitch. I'm questioning the one me and Tyler just put on. so its getting a different one and it is long I don't think i can cut the full 6" off. and still make it work. Iv measured a couple of times now and it looks like I can cut as few as 4" off. Today is trying to get the hitch mounted up along with the bumper. and hopefully I can get the short bed out of storage and mounted on the truck. Im anxious to see what it looks like shortened up.