1971 GMC lwb to 1968 chev swb project

[chevy88]

I used this pen and nail to give me an exact cut, it will make up for any places I went off my first line when cutting , and give a near perfect match up.



Here I got the extra 12 inches out of the front part.

Started cutting the back 8 inches out.

[mcbassin]

Looking good buddy! I bet it was a major step cutting into that bed...oh well its just metal.

[CheyenneShop]

Looks great so far - keep it up!

[chevy88]

I am still leary about cutting bed up let alone welding it up nice. But if it don't work out I can always spend a $1000 on new bed sides. I have a lincoln 100 flux core mig welder and I still hate welding thin stuff, oh well wish me luck.

[Normy71]

Can you add gas to your Lincoln welder? you would like the results!
I will be doing the same thing to my box some time!
Any hints?
Looks good..

[chevy88]

For $130 I can get a tank $34 to fill and $150 for gauges/kit. But I don't want to spend the money, but I read up on flux core compared to mig and mig welds lighter steel better so I should just order everthing. Hey Shawn come and get that front floor piece I will have enough on the back now.

[mcbassin]

chevy88, you can weld it with flux core for sure. I have done a bunch of sheetmetal work with flux core. As a matter of fact I have welded many a panel with an old miller stick welder using real small 6013 and 7014 low hydro rods and turning it way down. On our old bedsides the metal is pretty thick compared to todays sheetmetal. With all that said, the biggest problem with the flux core is the flux....if you can get off the metal when your done it will be better to prevent voids or areas for rust to develop. Wire wheels on the grinder work pretty good (safety goggles a must!) Trust me on this one. If it doesn't look like it will work out maybe spend the cash for the gas kit....don't spend the $1k for bed sides.

[chevy88]

Thanks for the encouragement mcbassin, I will probably be okay, I'm orderring panel clips just to make job go smoother, or might they be a waste of money also?

[mcbassin]

I don't have any but I would definetly like to get some. I use some rare earth magnets that are super strong and will hold pretty good. But the panel clips would be handy for your project.

[chevy88]

Took 8 inches out of the back

Waiting for panel clips to weld together.

[Normy71]

Looks good !
You can use my panel clamps if you like I have 4 of them.

[chevy88]

Thanks for the offer, but my clips should be here any day. I ordered them from the states as I could not find any up here.

[chevy88]

Got bed all aligned and spot welded together, and I have to say thanks to everyone here with posts on how to do all this as it saved a lot of time.

[epashhans]

Holy smokes K, that thing is looking great! Talk about some progress...seems like just yesterday to me that you had just bought it. Did you ever get anything figured out about those wheels? Whats your plans from here...lowering it? Color? Are you going to go black? We are going to have almost matching trucks. Looks great!

[chevy88]

Originally Posted by epashhans

Holy smokes K, that thing is looking great! Talk about some progress...seems like just yesterday to me that you had just bought it. Did you ever get anything figured out about those wheels? Whats your plans from here...lowering it? Color? Are you going to go black? We are going to have almost matching trucks. Looks great!

The rims are in Great falls if you tend to go there once in a while, I could send you a cheque to pick them up but I see it's far enough away from you also. (he will not ship them), then I could get purolator to pick them up or get you to ship them to Scobey, Montana or just wait and see if your heading up through Rosetown and meet you. Either way I am in no hurry for them. Still looking up here for aluminum slot rims, but no luck so far. No plans on lowering it just yet, hopefully paint by spring and leaning towards black for color.

[C10-Driver]

Your truck is looking great... Nice progress so far. I'm a former prairie boy (Saskatoon area) now living in Kelowna. I was reading your last post about slots and remember seeing some advertised here locally. Not sure what you're after but they look in decent shape and are a 5 on 5 bolt pattern which fit our trucks. If you were interested, I could possibly throw them on a Greyhound bus for you. As I'm sure you are aware, getting stuff across the border is not always the easiest.

http://classifieds.castanet.net/show...576987/cat/335

[chevy88]

Hey thanks C10-driver, I phoned and rims are going to be be put on the bus tonight or tomorrow. I also checked your build site out and I have seen it before. Nice transformation, that is mint.

[C10-Driver]

Originally Posted by chevy88

Hey thanks C10-driver, I phoned and rims are going to be be put on the bus tonight or tomorrow. I also checked your build site out and I have seen it before. Nice transformation, that is mint.

Perfect... I'm glad that worked out for you. Make sure you post some pics once you get them installed and keep us posted on the rest of your progress.

[70stroker]

the bed looks good. when are you gonna finish welding her up?

[br161]

nice work man that firewall and lower pass side fender mounting area is in very good shape there good to see that thats hard to come by round my way

[nuke1]

Nice truck and progress you have going on there. It is not all that bad to get stuff across the border at scobey, i grew up in Coronach, and most of my family is in assiniboia. Now in saskatoon, and the wifes family in elrose. Sometime when i come through i will have to stop by and see it.

[epashhans]

Hey K, can't wait to see what those wheels will look like on your truck. We aren't coming up until april, so that would have been a wait on those other wheels.

I would love to have my truck running reliable enough to take a trip up there this summer. That would be fun to get you and nuke1 to go for a tour around. 3 swb cruising around would be sweet!

Nuke1, I have looked at your truck on here and seen you around but I never realized you shortened your truck as well. Nice looking. You crazy canadians are a lot more ambitious than myself!

[chevy88]

nuke1 - I grew up in Fife lake, 12 miles from you, small world huh. Yes, stop in some time hopefully with your truck. I have a daughter in Saskatoon, I will stop by when you get the dust off your truck this spring. Pm me your last name.

epashhans - Thanks for being willing to help me out, and stop by too some time.

C10 - Also thanks for the ad. This is what makes this site so great.

[epashhans]

k, not a problem. Wish I could have actually helped you out!

I will definitely try to swing in some time. Keep up the good work on the truck, I enjoy following it.

[chevy88]

Here is the bed all welded up. Today I got my rims. I have got new chrome nuts coming tomorrow, but I can't find new centre caps yet. I am going to install rims tomorrow and grind down all bed welds hopefully. Just have to pick up flexible aluminun oxide discs and get at it.