Shortbed Stepside 4x4 Build

[Jakes-66-K10]

I've been meaning to post this build thread for quite a while, and I'm finally to a point to begin working on this and may soon need all of your help! Here's the background story of what's happened so far.

Years ago, my first classic truck was a '66 2wd long bed fleetside. It had a big back window, and boy did I love that truck. Sadly, I had to sell it to help pay school bills and I promised myself I would rebuild that truck or something even better later in life.

Well, fast forward several years later and my new wife and I began the search to find a truck to start building. Our plan was to find a cheap one (even if it was a rust bucket) and just build slow. So we first found a running, drivable '66 short bed stepside with a 327 for just $200. This truck had holes just about everywhere, and needed ALOT of work.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Several months after buying the blue stepside, we found another short step '66 for a great price - this time from Nevada and had waaay less rust. It didn't have an engine, but I figured I'd just swap in the 327 from the blue truck.

[Alan's Classic]

The one from Arizona looks really solid. Looking forward to more progress.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Months went by owning this truck, and I was torn between how to set up the tires and wheels on this two wheel drive frame. I am not a fan of low riders by any means (I'm quite against that look, but to each their own) so I was thinking of running larger sized wheels and try to get this thing off the ground. I never dreamed that I'd find an original 4x4 chassis but I did (in Tucson Arizona), all blasted, painted, and assembled for a price far less than I could refinish myself. Here are pics from the former sellers ad

[Jakes-66-K10]

More

[Jakes-66-K10]

Here are pics of it loaded up in Arizona, headed back to Utah. We got to make several stops along the way. How many classic trucks can say they've been to the Grand Canyon? We'll have to take it back once it's actually drivable.

Along the way we also had a fun roadster leapfrogging with us (we'd pass them, they'd pass us) for quite a while. It was fun to see.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Here it is at it's new home. Not long after bringing this third truck home, we knew it was time to start thinning the heard. We sold the blue truck after yanking it's 327 engine, and started to compare which pieces would be best to keep between the 2wd white truck or the '64 4x4's pieces. We decided to keep most of the white's body, and will be transferring this onto the 4x4 chassis.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Had to grab quite a few helpers to move the cab with the doors on. At this point I was trying to just get it off the frame so it would be ready to sell.

[Jakes-66-K10]

I had found someone selling a big window panel, and I absolutely loved that from my original truck (my first '66 GMC) so I began the process of removing the small window panel to install the new one.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Here's my better half helping me remove paint to see if or what repairs will be needed to the floor. She even took the time to write me a message while working, which I thought was pretty creative! She's awesome.

[Jakes-66-K10]

After examining the metal in the rockers (which we though would be fine, and wouldn't need replacing) we were glad we took them off. Even though it's a desert truck, we found it's share of rust that needs replacing.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Here is the cab getting stripped. To save money, we've done most of it with abrasive wheels for stuff we can easily get to. And I have a small soda blaster to get the areas we can't reach. I've been pretty happy with this process, it's saved us hundreds by doing it ourselves, even though it's time consuming.

I figure I'll do as much as I can, and can always take it to a media blasting company towards the end. Most of the work would be done by then, so they'd only have to do the stuff I can't do.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Since I have just a two car garage (and need the work space from the other stall) we went ahead and threw the cab on temporarily. Not only did it help save space, but it gave us an idea of just how big this monster will be! I was a little worried if it would even fit back in the garage, but even on wheel dollies I had *inches* to spare.

[Jakes-66-K10]

And... the most recent update. It's in the garage for winter, and I just received patch panels to get started on rust repair. One of the areas I'm stuck on what I should do for rust repair. I know it's best to try and replace only the areas that need replacing, and try and keep as much original metal as possible right?

Is this the correct train of thought? Cut areas of rust out and leave the shiny original metal in tact, or just cut and replace the entire floor panels? I've read through Alan's build, and I noticed his cab mounts weren't were they should have been on the replacement panels... so that's got me thinking of leave them in place and cut around them.

[Captainfab]

Looks like you have a nice build going on.

When you are replacing rust, only use as much of the patch panel as you need to replace the rusted area. And be careful when removing paint and rust with an angle grinder. It is easy to create heat with those, which can warp the sheet metal.

I would recommend using some sort of abrasive media versus soda. Soda does not remove rust, and is not a good media to use. It is hard to get out of the nooks and crannys, and will cause problems with primers and paints.

[1963c-10]

Nice project and looks like the work is going nicely.

[chevy_man5]

Nice build, and welcome to the site!!

It's good to see more 4x4's popping up on here!

[McMurphy]

to the site!!
Looks like a really nice build so far, hope you keep up with the photos!

It certainly is great to have a wife or significant other that not only is supportive, but helps too!! I know mine is irreplaceable and fun to have helping!

Keep it up, if you post it, I will read it !!

[Jakes-66-K10]

McMurphy, funny that you mention that. My wife isn't just supportive, she's a huge help in this project. So far, she does all the welding I just gotta work fast enough to keep something in front of her to weld! She loves it, and I love the help! She wants to do all the welding on her project after this one is done (a '67 Camaro).

Tonight we welded up an X brace in the cab since we're about to cut up the floor and replace some rusty spots. It may not be necessary since the cab is on the frame, but I don't wanna chance things getting out of wack.

[Jakes-66-K10]

Just for fun, here is her car that gets our full attention just as soon as the '66 is done (getting to working on it next is a motivator to get the first project done asap).

[C@rnut001]

Man, I love your '66 and your wife's '67 Camaro too (two of my favorite vehicles of all!). I also think that it is crazy neat that your wife loves working on and welding on your truck! You are one lucky guy (although my wife has helped me work on cars and trucks before too, it just isn't her favorite thing to do). Keep up the progress. I think you have a great start and are making good progress so that you can move on to the wife's '67!

[Jakes-66-K10]

Just a quick update, I've been working on the truck a little bit here and there. I've never done a floor replacement so kinda learning as I go (and from what I read here).

I have done a quick mock up with masking tape to eyeball where the new floor plan will fit. Here are a few quick observations/questions.

1. I am using a low hump cab, and it's not a separate piece. The floor panel will take care of some of the rust, but it doesn't quite make it to the the low hump area which has rust on each side of it. Is it best to just get a new low hump piece from another cab? Or just try and seal in the pitted/rusty area around the hump?

[Jakes-66-K10]

Question #2:

The front of the stock floor floor has a "lip" (kind of like a downward facing L at the tip) which buts up against the bottom of the firewall. There are several spot welds that I have drilled out, so when I remove the old floor I will have the old firewall lip, but the new patch panel doesn't use a lip at all.

How do most people take care of this, just fabricate an L type of lip so it matches the lip of the firewall? Or just do a butt weld to the bottom of the firewall and bypass it all together?

Or is there anything else I am missing?

[allaboutchevelles]

Thats the problem with most of the replacement panels. They seem to never be like the orgionals. I was lucky mine had a small lip but i just welded it to the toe board and seem sealed it from the bottom. You will never see it after the carpet or rubber mat is in. Im figuring if the origional floor lasted 40-50 years then ill be about 80 years old when it needs replacing again and it will be someone elses problem then if the truck is still around then. LOL. If or when you fit the panel you may find it over sized and be able to bend it over and make a lip yourself. anyways good luck and do your best and im sure it will turn out fine.

[C@rnut001]

How is your build on this truck going? Hopefully you have been able to get some more progress completed on it. As Allaboutchevelles mentioned, replacement patch panels are never quite the same as the originals. Every one that I have ever messed with had to be massaged and fitted, but it is always worth it in the end. As they say, measure twice and fit it twice and then it will work better. Good luck.