'69 Longbed Daily Driver - Project

[Frizzle Fry]

You probably know this, but you can't be too careful about protecting your glass from weld slag. Double or triple layer of protection (depending on what you use). Same procedure as a one night stand...

[IvelDesigns]

heh, yeah, i plan to wrap it up well. not sure yet what I'll use, but i figure some poster board should work pretty well.

What are you thoughts about potential fire between the inner and outer rook skins? I don't plan to cut any metal when i clean the seam, just get the gunk from the factory out. so maybe it won't be a concern.

[Frizzle Fry]

If you do get a flame going in there it won't last very long before it chokes out from o2 deprivation. I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Maybe be sure your dome light hole is plugged.

[Slmd92DIME]

Very Nice looking truck.. I like it A LOT... keep that clip also

[jwcardy]

back from the dead kinda, but im axious to see the progress made on the truck since i just picked up a 1970 longbed...
-wes

[SBCustoms]

i noticed you have a two piece driveshaft... i was wondering where you got the new carrier bearing for it and how you replaced it b/c i need a new one for my 2-piece. thanks, phil

[IvelDesigns]

not much happening on this over the past couple months. been working on a new business i'm starting, so hopefully the cash and time start getting better soon. I did do some work on the bed, and have started some of the other body work. also have a complete 68 clip that i've peiced together from various board members. just need to get out to loc doc's to get the core support.

i did put a new carrier bearing in, however, i bought it from a board member (it was new in the box) and i don't remember who made it. I drove it all summer, with no issues. probably put 3-4k miles on it in 4 months time.

hopefully i have some updated pics soon.

[IvelDesigns]

not much of an update here, but i've ordered the filler plates for the door handles and gas filler and will be getting the fuel sender and lines next week.

I'm also looking for info on installing a door popper kit.

i'll be taking the truck to a couple body shops to get a quote on paint in the next couple weeks. I'm trying to decide if i should go the same color as it is now, or if i should use the Hot Rod Flatz Red. what do you guys think?

hopefully it'll all be done before the Midwest Get Together - May 31st.

[IvelDesigns]

here's an update... minus the pics. i left my camera at work.

I now have done the frizzle fry fender mod to both of my front fenders. I need to grind the weld and skim coat the D side, but i got the P side done today.

I also pulled the rear bumper in preparation for the body guy that i lined up today. I'll be dropping the truck off tomorrow to get the cab corners and finish what i started on the rust on the bed.

That'll give me time to finish the fender mod, and fill all of the holes i don't need and sand the the whole front clip. Once i get it back, the clip is coming off and the 68 clip will go on.

I doubt i'll get it painted before the midwest meet, but i have decided to go with Hot Rod Flatz Hugger Orange, and will have my dad do the paint job.

If anyone within a few hours of des moines has a long bed steel floor they don't need, let me know. That's the next project.

I also need to say thanks to LockDoc for the core support and door panels i picked up today. Both cleaned up nicely and pretty much finished off my list of parts i need to get before paint.

until next time...

[IvelDesigns]

PROGRESS!!! although not by me. Got some pics today from the body guy. Looks like he's doing some great work and i can't wait to see it tomorrow in person when i pick it up. gotta love a 1 week turn around!!

here's some pics.

sorry for the tease... the pics are too big to upload, and i need to head home. i'll upload them tonight.

[LockDoc]

-
Hey, we've waited long enough.... Ron and I want pictures...

LockDoc

[IvelDesigns]

here ya go.

I'll be posting up some more pics of the work i've been doing on the front fenders.

[IvelDesigns]

and more...

[IvelDesigns]

and more....

[IvelDesigns]

btw, how do you guys like my garden hose air line / wiring grommet?

[Palf70Step]

Good idea about the garden hose. I used some on mine as an insualtor for vibration between the fuel tank and the frame when I relocated my tank.
Your work is looking good. Can't wait to see the end results.

[19723DR]

Keep up the good work. This is one of my favorite LWB trucks.

[IvelDesigns]

ok, so this weekend was productive. I have to say that most of this productivity was due to LockDoc a) having the core support i need and b)referring me to a body guy to tackle the work i was to chicken to do.

with the truck at the body man all week, i felt like i needed to get stuff done. First, the fenders. I did the "Frizzle Fry Fender Mod" aka FFFM to both fenders. I sectioned a 14" strip, 1" tall above the arch where the inner fender mounts. This should give me another inch of clearance when aired out. this should be all i need to travel 5-10 mph w/o hearing my tires rub on the inners. I still have to do the actual inner fenders, but the outer fenders are done.

here are the pics:

[IvelDesigns]

then it was on to shaving the trim holes. this was my first time block sanding. I had purchased a 15" and 5" flat block a while back, and got some 80 grit paper this weekend. I have to say it was a lot of work, but it turned out really well IMO. I used evercoats metal to metal filler. seems to work well, but i will need to get some finer stuff before paint.

i only got to the P side fender this weekend. 14 holes in all. no rust, just holes. this week i will work on the D side holes and 2 rust pin holes.

I didn't take many pics, but here you go.

[IvelDesigns]

so today i got the truck back from Ron the body man. I have to say, great work, and great time. I met the guy last saturday, dropped my truck off on sunday, and picked it up 7 days later. very affordable too! during that time he did all of the work posted above.

anyways, when i got home i started in on shaving the stake holes in the bed. I had the filler plates sitting in the tool box for over a year now and wanted to get to it.

I had ordered the fillers off of ebay, and on first fit, they were slightly too big. A quick trip to the grinder took care of that. Oh, one word of advice for anyone doing this. KEEP A MAGNETIC SCREW DRIVER HANDY! lets just say i dropped them down the stake hole more than once. and i more than once went to the tool box for a magnet.

So far i just have these roughed in. I hit them with some metal to metal and then the DA with 40 grit. I'll go over them again later this week.

here's the pics:

[IvelDesigns]

ok, so now for the fun one. at least i think it's fun. My wife also took this time to snap a few "action shots" of me. she thought i looked like darth vador with my respirator and "saftey" glasses on with my hood up. Not sure about you guys, but i don't like bondo boogers or grey hair...

So a while i back i said i was gonna shave the roof seam line above the back winder. today i started that task. All i did was remove the paint, but i think i'm going to just use filler for this. I had planned on welding, but i'm not sure it's worth it. in the end, after welding and grinding, i'm still gonna have to use filler, and we're not talking about to much of a fill here. just enough to smooth it out.

what do you guys think?

anyways, here's some pics:

[Hart_Rod]

I wonder how much that area flexes? That would be my only concern with using filler.

[IvelDesigns]

ok, now for the last one. when filling the holes in my fender, i needed something to back the weld. So, i did a little research on the forums and found that weld doesn't stick to copper or brass. So, i headed down to Menards and picked up a dowl and a 6" piece of copper pipe. I made sure the dowl was the right size for a snug fit.

When i got home, i hammered the dowl into the pipe, then put the pipe in the vice. once i got it nearly flat, i took a BFH to it, and made it flat. I then put it back in the vice and gave it a little bend.

It worked AWESOME! each weld went fast, and i had no blow throughs. having the wood handle also allowed me to keep right on going, not worrying about burning my hand. All in all, i think it took about 10 min to fill all 14 holes.

Here's the money shot:

[IvelDesigns]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

I wonder how much that area flexes? That would be my only concern with using filler.

yeah, mine too. that's why i didn't jump right in with the filler. figured i'd think about it for a bit and see what you guys think about it.

[IvelDesigns]

post 100!! woot! i'm a bone-a-fyed triple digiter now... even if most of the posts are my own