72 k20 project

[Keeferishere]

Sweeeeet project. Looking frigin awesome.

[brimc]

Nice !

[ryanroo]

Thanks fellas

i finished these things. not a perfect re-creation, but very few will ever see the differences on these sills vs. an OEM. always fun to make your own and i am not stickler for OEM.... haha



needed a 1" spacer to match the body lift. i like this better than a lift puck



the boards clear the hitch due to that 1" body lift. i will still have some funk to get the hitch accessible with the wood, but i dont think it will be difficult.



one day i will get to start mocking up the bed.




some more supplies showed today so i can finish the wiring up a little better before the bed goes together to much farther. it will come off again for paint, but who knows on that timeline...

[Dieselwrencher]

Those cross sills look awesome! I like the body lift pieces too. Way better than a puck and longer funky bolts.

[ryanroo]

thanks man!

i had a little spare time today. spare time seems to be the bane of this build... haha



i wanted a little tool box. i dont like the ones that are so big you can loose everything in the inevitable clutter. i want to have trailering necessities and some must have tools in the truck at all times. having some extra fuel is a good thing too. i didnt want to advertise that there was a box full of liquid gold in the truck, so a hidden combo was the idea. i dont like most of what is offered for sale, and thats no fun anywhoo.

mine is baffled. tanks with no baffles speak of hackery.



nice little cubby for tools and whatnot, should look like a toolbox from the outside. i didnt get it welded out today, still have struts and latches as well as fittings to do and the lid is ready to cut and form, just not done yet. i had this cooking in my head for a while, but figured to get it done now so i can drill the mounting holes in the bed before the finish goes on the wood.



i did this out of 304ss. i learned on the fuel tank that the cost of coating a steel tank makes the cost of materials difference get really small. this should hold 60 gallons. combined with the fuel tank i will be able to start a trip with 100 gallons on board.

[brimc]

Awesome fab skills. The tool box is great. Let me know when you start taking orders

[Dieselwrencher]

That is one superb cell/tool box combo!

[Keeferishere]

Awesome tool box indeed. I'll take an order for 1 to haha.
It'll be nice for the fuel to be hidden under the tools.

[72MARIO]

Are you going to weld studs into the cross sills and hide the bed fasteners ? Awesome build I have been creeping for a while now. Planning my own Cummins build for next winter.

[mx289]

Looking good Ryan.
Soon we will see some more 518 green !

I too really like the tool/fuel box.Very nice.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by mx289

Looking good Ryan.
Soon we will see some more 518 green !

I too really like the tool/fuel box.Very nice.

Thanks!

hopefully. i am going to try to get some assembly done on the bed soon. once its together i can figure the fuel filer out and it should be ready for the paint dood. he will have to deliver or i am going to take my toys and leave. once i drop the bed off, he will have all the parts left that need to be green and no excuse to be slow. once it is all green, the majority of my chores will be plumbing of various systems and interior. and the trans and tcase. oh, and steering. and, and, and... haha. i have an event i would love to be at in june, but i just dont know about that timeline. my real drive it day is labor day. that was the day i started pulling it apart, so if i can get it done by september i will be happy. and fall is a nice time to be in the midwest, and i want to drive it back to Iowa to show dad and grandma my version of grandpas old truck.

[mx289]

That sounds like a plan.

Like you said.The paint guy may need a knock on the head to get him going.

Its coming along good.
If you think you can have it done by then,you will.

I'am sure the family will get a smile out of seeing it again.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by brimc

Awesome fab skills. The tool box is great. Let me know when you start taking orders

Thanks! i'd like to offer some bits and pieces for sale, but i am always trying to work on this truck. all my time goes there. maybe one day i can do something. i would have to sell you a water tank though...

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That is one superb cell/tool box combo!

thanks buddy. i think a guy could get a couple bang sticks in this if you wanted. it will have just over 63.75" of space inside.

Originally Posted by Keeferishere

Awesome tool box indeed. I'll take an order for 1 to haha.
It'll be nice for the fuel to be hidden under the tools.

i like the idea. i like making people wonder too. haha

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

Are you going to weld studs into the cross sills and hide the bed fasteners ? Awesome build I have been creeping for a while now. Planning my own Cummins build for next winter.

Thanks! i always love watching another swap!

the bed and bed strips will be exposed. i like the OE look. smooth is nice, but exposed hardware fits this truck better i think. and, it is the most cost effective path. it just wasnt something i wanted to spend on right now. there are plenty of more function oriented things i want that are expensive, so i have to be frugal when i can.

since 304 is so cheap... haha

i did do a lid and hinge today.





a few burned rods.



i stitched some hat channel to the bottom. these are spaced to correspond with the unused wider set of holes in the cross sill. there is only one bed mount that uses them, but i drilled all the sills so they looked sort of stock. now i have a perfect use for them! the hat channels will span the first two cross sills in the bed and be fastened down well. they also mount directly under the baffles so the tank itself is very well supported.

[ryanroo]

...





if i can get it solidly mounted, i am going to need to air up the bags, get the front fenders on it and push it outside so i can see it from a few feet away. it has been some time since it had most of the major body parts installed.

[mx289]

Looks like a truck again !

Good work.

[6BT 56]

Will it go out the door aired up ? Lol. Looks great. It's always motivational once they start to resemble what you had in your head for so many years.

[Dieselwrencher]

That tool box is so nice. Are you going to have it PC'd truck color, white, or leave it natural SS? The timeline sounds like a long time, but we know how that goes. Good luck with it!

[brimc]

Looking real good! You are getting closer to completion. Can't wait to see the new box painted with the new wood and tool box. That's going to look awesome

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by mx289

Looks like a truck again !

Good work.

Thanks Tom!

i have to admit, i have taken a few gratuitous moments to stare at it like a high school kid in love. haha i can see it and feel it in my head. i am so looking forward to the day i can stand on the pedal and listen to it whistle.

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Will it go out the door aired up ? Lol. Looks great. It's always motivational once they start to resemble what you had in your head for so many years.

Good question! i doubt it. the tires are going to be a little smaller than i had in my first draft ideas. that will help. but i also hadn't planned on the body lift. so if i remember, the last time it came in and out on the roller tires i had room. not a lot, but it was hide height. maybe it will. at least this one i can dump and go in. the sad old jeep is just stranded outside forever. my yellow truck goes fine with 33s and 3" ish.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That tool box is so nice. Are you going to have it PC'd truck color, white, or leave it natural SS? The timeline sounds like a long time, but we know how that goes. Good luck with it!

as much as it feels wrong, i think i am just gonna paint it semi gloss black on the outside and leave it as is finish on the inside. white would look out of place in the bed i think and the powdercoat dude would probably make me cry for this much footage. i have a vision...

Originally Posted by brimc

Looking real good! You are getting closer to completion. Can't wait to see the new box painted with the new wood and tool box. That's going to look awesome

i am looking forward to the next time i assemble it. not because its any fun, but because that means its all pretty and fresh. the inner bedsides are getting a spray-on at some point, so they wont be totally finished till its running.

[ryanroo]

I almost cashed out and went inside this afternoon. i was just going to fiddle for a few minutes...



the tubs are ugly, but i am betting the bed liner will cure that.

[Dieselwrencher]

That looks real nice!

[1985-GMC]

Everything is looking awesome!

[ryanroo]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing it stained and sealed and ready to go! I looked last night at how I'm going to access the hitch. That shouldn't be terrible. I'm headed out for the weekend to visit the lady. Last time I did that, I ordered bed sides. I've accomplished all I needed to on that, so I think I may order the exhaust brake this time. My friends at Lusk brothers diesel performance are getting me set up with trans parts too, so I'll need the brake soon to work on the exhaust!

[shopteacher]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmGQbhwJ_CQ

Great Build and Great Video! Looking forward to seeing a video of you rolling down the road when you get it finished ! Keep up the great work!

[ryanroo]

uh-oh. ive been found out!