Build: I've never done bodywork...but I can change if I have to! (bagged '67 SWB BBC)

[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

Keep it up, you will figure it out but if you dont there is nothing wrong with handing it over to the professionals either !

Here is a preview of my paint, this time things worked out by not trying to paint so much at once, just did the interior and so far and I like it! Absolutely pops when it hits the sunlight.

[smoknbarrels]

Well I got a lot done today, which is nice. I reinforced my C-notch as I didn't really trust it, since I plan to pull a small trailer or a boat with this truck, so I boxed in that small area of the frame on the inside. Also I welded in some studs to the trailing arms so I could mount the shocks in the one and only place I had room for them, just between the tire and the frame rail where it narrows in the rear.

My high tech template


found a nice piece of scrap plate that was just the right thickness as the frame and enough material to make two notches


welded it in, had to do a little fill job on the bottom as the C-notch had a gap there.


this is my shock mock up, I still need to make a bracket to weld to the frame, I am going to use 1 3/4" channel, its a tight fit between the tire, but will work awesome in this location, way better then stock even. You can also see I had to cut the bolt in c-notch as the bolt heads and plate were too thick and would have too little of clearance for these wide tires, so I cut it back and welded it to the frame, so now I have a partially welded and partially bolted notch! haven't decided if thats a good or bad thing yet! haha!

[smoknbarrels]

had some progress today, mounted the shock brackets.. its a tight fit, but will be very effective in this location. used some 2X1 channel, had to notch it quite a bit as the shock tube would have hit the sides, also had to make little ears for it up top as 1 inch isn't enough to drill a hole and mount a bolt.

[canadian sledneck]

looking great with those big meats on the back! Sweet set up!

[chevy88]

Great job on the body work/paint, looks like your a fast learner.
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[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by chevy88

Great job on the body work/paint, looks like your a fast learner.

Looks like i have it figured out but i made my share of mistakes! But i am happy with my last attempt. I hope you challenge painting your project, its a rewarding experience.


Today, i got a few things done, did the last of the brake lines, had to move a shock mount for the third time... Hopefully tomorrow is more productive, running behind on this as spring is coming near.
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[Graham57a]

This is a great build. I'm late to the show but I'm subscribed now

[54belair]

I can relate to your initial fears, it looks like you have "overcome and adapted"---truck looks good man,,,

[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by Graham57a

This is a great build. I'm late to the show but I'm subscribed now

Thanks, you have a nice clean build goin on, i like what you're doin!

Originally Posted by 54belair

I can relate to your initial fears, it looks like you have "overcome and adapted"---truck looks good man,,,

Thanks, its trying sometimes.


Well I got a little more done, not a whole bunch, but some... got my sensors located and mounted in the rear for the Accuair, also test fit my box and made some fixes on the aftermarket sheetmetal bedsides, had to drill out a few spot welds are re align one corner.
also welded in a marker light filler too fast and warped half the bedside, so now i have to cut it out again and redo it all..

this is as low as I can get with a c-notch, not as deep as I would like, but I guess it will have to do for now, when I get 20's they should be able to tuck the rims a little better in the fenders.


well here I can finally see I went a little too narrow on the rear end, I guess I will have to throw in a 1/2 inch wheel spacer for these rims, and when I go to the 20's I will make sure to order the rims with 7 inch back spacing instead of 7.5 like these ones, then it'll be perfect. good thing i test fit with the el cheapo drag lites for now.

[smoknbarrels]

learned a few things, I guess its not a good idea to try weld sheet metal with .035 wire in my mig, haha! no wonder I am having a heck of a time trying to weld anything other then the floor! gonna hold off on welding anything else until I get some .023 dia wire.

I welded in a marker light with the .035 wire, and warped half the bed side, so I had to cut out the messed up marker light haz area, lucky the metal came back for the most part, so I've already got a new filler cut out and test fit, just needs to be welded in. then do some planishing and dolly work to get the filler to a minimum.
but since I have no wire at the moment, I might start looking at painting the doors and building front shock mounts tomorrow.

[ddubbs]

Coming along sweet. Subscribed!!!
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[Bomp]

.023 in my little Lincoln sp-100 is my favorite sheet metal welder.
Take your time. Slower is almost always better.
Looking great.

[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by ddubbs

Coming along sweet. Subscribed!!!

thanks!

Originally Posted by Bomp

.023 in my little Lincoln sp-100 is my favorite sheet metal welder.
Take your time. Slower is almost always better.
Looking great.

well this time I got all set up for the .023 wire, it is much easier to work with, but still warped the bed side massively, but only about half as much as the first time. I welded spots only one on each side of the patch at a time, then let it cool completely, I even tried to whack the welds with the hammer and dolly, that did absolutely nothing... How hard do you have to hit them? Same force as flattening a rivet? I swung pretty good and it didnt do a thing.
So it looks like i am gonna have to go buy a stud welder/puller and go to town on this thing.
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[Bomp]

Originally Posted by smoknbarrels

well this time I got all set up for the .023 wire, it is much easier to work with, but still warped the bed side massively, but only about half as much as the first time. I welded spots only one on each side of the patch at a time, then let it cool completely, I even tried to whack the welds with the hammer and dolly, that did absolutely nothing... How hard do you have to hit them? Same force as flattening a rivet? I swung pretty good and it didnt do a thing.
So it looks like i am gonna have to go buy a stud welder/puller and go to town on this thing.
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Glad to see you got some .023
Im no expert by any means but is the welder set a little hot?

[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Glad to see you got some .023
Im no expert by any means but is the welder set a little hot?

I have it on the lowest setting I can put it on, and the wire feed is set to just about 50 so its pushing it pretty fast, if I set the wire feed any slower it burns the wire back and sometimes gets stuck in the gun even. I dunno if its possible, but I wondered if my mig was maybe too big? its a miller 212 and is not a small unit by any means..



had some progress today, got the parking brake cables all finished up, was nice to use the wilwood brake cable kit, so now I did away with my intermediate cable! by some miracle, the brake cable threads were the exact size as the generic equalizing block that came in the kit from Wilwood, Finally something that didn't require modification!


Here is my shock relocation set-up, pretty simple but effective, still allows for full suspension travel. looks funky in the photo, but the angle is lined up nicely.

[Bennett68C10]

Just caught up on your build. I admire the fact that you have decided to take on the paint and bodywork yourself. Everything looks awesome, great job.
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[jae]

Looking good so far. I'm definitely going to be following the rest of your build.

[BossHogg69]

What part number was that parking brake cable kit?
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[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by Bennett--G4L

Just caught up on your build. I admire the fact that you have decided to take on the paint and bodywork yourself. Everything looks awesome, great job.
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Thanks, it is quite the learning process!

Originally Posted by jae

Looking good so far. I'm definitely going to be following the rest of your build.

cool, thanks.

Originally Posted by BossHogg69

What part number was that playing brake cable kit?
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the Wilwood prake brake cable or the or the inline tube pedal to intermediate cable?
I assume wilwood, they only have one park brake cable kit, its a universal fit, that only works with their disc/drum combo units.

Originally Posted by BLUIDVL

...I would also recommend using a epoxy primer on all your metalwork or bare metal spots before you apply any fillers.

As for fillers i like to use a skim coat of evercoat everglass over all my metalwork areas. Lets say you have a pinhole you missed welding up the everglass will resist moisture where bondo or filler will absorb the moisture.

After you layed down a skim coat of everglass and sanded it, you can use your choice of fillers. I perfer rage gold or extreme body filler(nice stuff to sand).

In no way am i telling you how to do your build but offering some advise that i have used for many times and had great results.

yea, I do use an etching primer on parts I sand right to bare metal. then start using primers after I do filler jobs, once I learned how to block things out properly i got better results. I welcome experience and advice! Thanks.

[smoknbarrels]

well things are progressing... finally finished destroying my nice new bedsides, used a stud puller to bring it back a bit then filler'd her up! just need to do a few touch ups and fill a few bubble pockets, then scuff it up and start the paint process on them.


got sensors mounted up for the e-level up front, had to mount them a bit lower so it would clear the shocks which i relocated, so i just welded on a plate to the bracket I had already made for the shocks.


and here is the cab right in the middle of being wet sanded, what a long process, i really don't care for the orange peel look though, so I hit the clear with 800 then again with 2000. hopefully I can find materials I need to buffer it tomorrow, then I can put the cab on the frame for good!!!

[67cheby]

Looking good !
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[Bomp]

Good steady progress.

[smoknbarrels]

Originally Posted by 67cheby

Looking good !

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by Bomp

Good steady progress.

thanks! hows the recovery going?


here are some shots after the wetsand of the clear coat. I am new to this so i didn't want to go too aggressive, resulting in a little wave here and there.. but wayy better then before! I was doing some reading on the internet (which was a bad thing this time) read some info and started the wetsand with 800, well that turned out to be much to aggressive for what I wanted, and now I have little micro scratches and I'm a bit too affraid to keep hitting it with 2000 to remove them and end up sanding off the clear is some areas.
I buffed it and polished, came out good, minus the micro scratches and the odd spot where the stupid 8" knuckle buster caught the drip rail for a split second and burnt the paint off right to the primer!

I dunno how I will buff the interior? I tried by hand, seems completely ineffective...

[YBNORML]

Looks great!! You'll be driving long before I will
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[PHAT TONY]

Originally Posted by YBNORML

Looks great!! You'll be driving long before I will
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Probably,.......he may never let you drive it at all!