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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Got the frame power washed this evening. Of course for the first half hour there was something amiss with the motor and the prossure wasn't that high so it wasn't doing much. Tinkered with it and got it working better and it took off most of the grime and loose paint from the PO's spray bomb job. Going to hit it with a wire cup and take off the rest of the unneccessary brackets Sunday or Monday. Also going to mock up the drop battery box, compressors, air tank, c-notch, and bags to get holes drilled. Then will get it painted in Rustoleum hammered finish.
Jason (the guy helping me with the welding/body work) was working on welding the couple of holes in the rear floor and the cab supports. Had one fender sanded and fillered then sanded back down ready for primer. Looks and feels smooth as a baby's bottom ;) A lot of work even though it was a new repop. Here are the before and during pictures of the frame. Too dark for afters tonight. Will get them after I wire cup it... http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009001.jpg TONS of grease in the crossmember http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009002.jpg Tranny crossmember had 1/2" of grease on it from leaky tranny pan and old engine. Found out it had exactly ZERO bolts holding it in :devil: Really upset with the PO...between this, the motor mounts having no bolts to the crossmember, and one bolt holding the tranny mount in, I'm surprised the drivetrain didn't fall out while I was driving down the road :lol: http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009004.jpg Engine crossmember halfway clean http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009007.jpg Note the clean mark on the front of the tranny crossmember....those familiar with pressure washers will notice I had the tip adjusted smaller than I should...it was the only way I was getting enough pressure to start with...after tinkering I got it working with a wider fan spray which worked better of course... http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009008.jpg Bare metal on the tranny crossmember :chevy: PO must have cleaned this up when he did the motor/tranny swap but whatever paint he used didn't stick or the tranny fluid made it come off... http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009009.jpg |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
now that looks cruddy
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
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But it looks much better now and in a few days when I paint it all the work will be worth it :chevy: |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Good job, dirty filthy but good. And what the PO did, or rather didn't do. :lol:
I like the hammered finish you picked. I can't wait to see it. I need to go to Ric this week some time, hint hint. :metal: |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Here's pictures from last night. Went over any rough areas with my grinder and a rust/paint removal tool. Started grinding off some old exhaust hangers. Looks to be two sets....one from the PO and one from someone before that. I am running a custom exhaust through the rear crossmember so it's all got to go... Frame looks pretty good. Nice and solid with no rust to speak of. With the hammered paint, I don't have to get it 100% smooth but I'm doing my best to get it cleaned up well so the paint will adhere nicely. Will do a little more this evening and start mocking the air ride tank/compressors, etc that will need to have holes drilled in the frame. Will do all that I can think of that will need drilling before painting of course.
Cleaned crossmember http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009119.jpg Before http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009002.jpg After http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009126.jpg http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009121.jpg http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009120.jpg You can see in those pictures where I had turned the tip all the way to the smallest setting to get the junk off which I wanted to avoid because I knew it would leave marks, but you can't feel them. |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Here's the rear cab patch tacked in. It took out the rest of the cancer in my truck. After the final welds and it's smoothed we'll be adding plating on top of it to run to the cab corner. Underneath I have a full weld on cab support we will be welding on top of the factory one. That will reinforce it and be the main structure. I am using sleeves for the other cab corners that will be bolted and welded on. They are intact with some rust in them and I'm going to sleeve them so they're all the same thickness.
http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009127.jpg Underneath http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009128.jpg Fenders being worked on http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009129.jpg Inside scuffed up from PO's Paint job http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...4th2009130.jpg |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Nice progress Jonathan.... starting to shape up!!!
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Coming right along bud. Looks good.
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Nice work - I wish I had somebody close by who knew how to weld - my neighbor says to use pop rivets and bondo over it - NO - I will not be doing that.
I have a welder - just haven't had a chance to use it - but I will on the next few projects - that is good and bad I guess. |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Got more grinding done on the frame tonight...it sure is a slow and tedious process....but worthwhile when you step back and look at it. Frame is looking better and better. Got a bunch of the brackets off tonight. SHould have time to work on it Saturday and will hopefully get the springs off and mock up the air ride/battery stuff and then finalize the prep and paint this bad boy (frame) sometime next week:metal:
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Only damage on the entire frame is this boogered up hole...I will have that fill welded and ground smooth shortly ;)
http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...5th2009001.jpg http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...5th2009003.jpg Will be smoothing out the front end components once I get the small bumper bolts off and get the shocks and springs out... http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...5th2009004.jpg It's getting there...if the frame looks racked it's because we're using a spare toyota wheel/tire he had laying around after one of my tires developed a decent leak.... http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...5th2009005.jpg A small sampling of the brackets, etc I grinded and pried off this evening http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...5th2009006.jpg |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Looks good. Did you hose it down with oven cleaner prior to pressure washing it? I've used that stuff a couple of times and it works great. Keep plugging away, you'll have it done before you know it.
R/ |
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I got some 20 gauge steel for my smooth cowl and some other ideas I have.... Also got some drops of 2" round pipe to run the exhaust through the rear crossmember. For future reference, go with 4"....I got 5" and will make it work and end up with good clearance for my planned 3" exhaust, but it will need to be tweaked (read: Flattened slightly) to fit within the confines of the rear crossmember. |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Looks great! Is your mechanic only working on your truck or is he working on others at the same time?. I've seen ads on craigslist as low as $30 per hour for body work but i'm always leary. Great progress on the truck.
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
what are your plans with the truck?
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Well, I went back to my second post and looked at my initial list, but that has changed....so here is the updated list
Add Power Steering Add Power Brakes Add inner fenders (none currently) New Rad support (current is swiss cheese) New bed to save body work Spray in bedliner New Tailgate (duh) with flip handle and some custom touches Move Tank to rear Hidden gas fill (stake pocket) New deluxe clear sidemarkers 1 piece windows Chrome Train Horn Drop Spindles with cross drilled disc brakes in front RE-7 Airbags w/ Dual 380 Viar compressors and Accuair manifold Chrome 5 gallon air tank with 8 ports New ECE Super Trac Bar New CPP rear shock relocators New Shocks with relocator brackets New Sway bar New Rear 2" drop blocks Poly trailing arm bushings Flipped carrier bearing (new) New dual exhaust with H or X pipe tucked up through rear crossmember Chromed Tilt steering with billet wheel and half leather wrap Newer truck seats New Carpet New deluxe pedals and trim Stereo with subs behind seat New 70 Grille surround New factory grille Euro clear headlights with HID Clear Front Parking lights New chrome front bumper New rear chrome bumper with brackets (none currently there) Marquez designs taillights/bezels or something similar Shaved door handles with powered bear claw latches Shaved locks with remotes New windshield trim with the stainless trim New rear window trim with stainless Tinted windows Chromed/billet engine bay Blue or Red metallic paint 20/22" Billet Rims Leather seats/door panels/dash pad/sunvisors |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
i have front inner fenders if your interested. im not going to use them and there's nothing wrong with them. if you want them let me know. well work something out
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
I appreciate the offer but I have two new ones ready to go on. Thanks though!!!
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
Just a quick update....no work today because of family and church obligations...I am speaking tomorrow afternoon and trying to finish preparing the message.
I filled out a claim for the damaged rim but for some reason when they picked up the wheel to inspect it, UPS returned the damaged wheel to the guy I bought it from...so we'll have to see what happens there... I'm still waiting for the other 22...somehow they lost that so I've got two 20's right now and no 22's :lol: With the way my budget is going I might have to sell them anyways and go with a "standard" 20" instead of the billet ones. We shall see.... |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
nice progress.
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Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
I've got to catch up on a lot of progress and will try to do that tomorrow after church....here's three teaser pics and see if you can figure out what has been accomplished....
:lol::lol::lol: This was exhausting to do..... http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...t302009059.jpg I think I need to smooth things over with everyone for lack of pictures http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...1st2009001.jpg The picture in this frame is in need of cleaning http://i562.photobucket.com/albums/s...t302009081.jpg |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
the first picture looks like your making room for exhaust in you factory trailing arm crossmemer
the second your beginning stages of smoothing the cowl the third you need to wash your hairy arm or leg... ha ha ha |
Re: 1970 VA Longbed Project
she is really coming along, looks great and the new list is even better, sorry about the rim situation, that just plain sucks. things will work out. later
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