Thinking about building a truck from basically scratch

[Don B.]

Well another tank of 75/25 later and 97% done with the cab. Wide transmission tunnel welded in solid, as now is the rear bed wall. Had a bit of a problem with 2 places where whoever put this cab wall in, not cleaning the original seam sealer off either the original cab or the donor back wall. Had to backtrack a bit and separate them enough to get a 4" wire wheel in between them. Funny once I did so how much better that the pieces fit up .. had 5 holes in the roof to fill in, one for what I assume was a coax cable or wiring for a beacon, etc that instead of putting a rubber plug in one hole someone before me pulled out the wires and put a piece of sheet metal over top with 4 more self tappers to hold that on.... Idiots.
Also found some cracks in the cowl at bottom of windshield posts, and a factory service bulletin from back then about some repair plates I guess they sold back then to rivet, panel bond into place over this area.
I cut some metal from a 55 gallon drum lid and made my own, welded them in.
Luckily none of the bodywork I have had to do will be seen once the truck is done. The bed will cover the back wall. Upholstery of some sort over the inside back wall. Rug over the floor. Cowl panel, doors and fenders covering the plates I made for the cowl cracking condition.
The rest of the cab which everyone else will see is great.

 

[Duner Wi]

Ah idjets , you just have to love them!

 

[Non-farmer]

Rug over the floor.

Is that instead of summer, or in addition to it?

Forgive me, I love autocorrect shenanigans (from your OP)

 

[Don B.]

Been on a "small parts" Hunt.
Went camping in Ohio this past weekend and found a bunch of goodies that I can't seem to find by home, definitely not for the prices I found. The trip wasn't for the purpose of hunting truck parts as we go that weekend every year, but more of a "long as I'm there" thing as I scouted MP and CL a couple of weeks to a month before, knowing I was gonna be in that area during that time.

 

[Don B.]

Well took Friday off work and 2 trailers plus another 8' pickup truck load of parts to the sandblaster.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Dang! this is quite a project. I like following along the progress. It's a labor of love so keep going. When I restored tractors from the ground up I took pictures regularly to document the work. I lost money on every one but I loved doing it.

 

[Don B.]

This is for my usage not to be built to try to sell
So though the cost is a consideration I'm also putting in a lot of things (and time)! that I certainly wouldn't be if the plan was to build and flip.
As trucks get newer, and extra doo dad's get added that really aren't needed (computer control radiator shutters and a movable front air dam for instance) and trucks that put themselves in park when I open the door to spot them on the lift at work, or worse yet refuse to come out of park unless the damned seat belt is latched
is all unnecessary crap. I deal with these daily at work. And then spend $600 (and that was a deal, usually $1200) just to get my scanner updated and then I still can't scan (for instance) 2017 and newer dodges without spending MORE for some kind of "gateway clearance" even just to get codes let alone any other parameters, id rather use a timing light, vacuum gauge and a screwdriver.... Which I will be able to do on this truck. While the engine I'm using was originally fuel injected I have an intake manifold that will allow me to put a plain old 4 barrel carburetor on it... Vacuum advance, distributor weights and springs, etc are easier to do. I have a few to pick from but for towing it will probably get one of my Carter thermoquads on top. I always had good luck with those. No Holley for me
And no matter how much you spend there's no more stick shift, no more wing windows, no more dimmer on the floor..... Which are all features I want. I'm painting it the color I want, I'm adding (only) the options I want, there's less going to the stealership and checking boxes on an order form these days....it's already got the rear gear I want, it'll have a complete new suspension and brakes, basically it will be a brand new truck for much less than actually buying a brand new truck.
And the best part? The absolute minimum "made in China" crap I can possibly get away with. There's lots of American made parts for these trucks still collecting dust in warehouses...

 

[Don B.]

Had some surprises once some of my panels were stripped bare, good thing I have a stockpile of doors and fenders.... It's all in the paint shop now.... Except for the frame. I painted that myself. It's at my son's house, got an impromptu repair job dropped off at my house, his daily driver, miles eater (that keeps the miles off of his truck) gotta order some flex couplers for it and cut the bad ones out, weld in new ones in gia car before I can get my frame home and start building that up .. all new springs bushings ball joints tie rods, stainless steel lines, and brakes piled up in the living room (the Brown truck has been busy) waiting to go on once I get the kids exhaust job done....
id rather have good used original sheet metal than overseas repops.... And I have plenty... Just don't know how I ended up with so many extra passenger side parts and barely enough driver side door and fender...

 

[Don B.]

I've blasted a bunch of small parts (door and hood hinges, battery tray, tank straps, misc brackets etc) in my home blast cabinet that I am dropping off to be powder coated.
Aggravated with the kid dropping his car off as a "surprise" tie up of my 2 post lift rather than working on my own project

 

[T in NE]

Some of the Cummins guys cut a plate and box the lower control arms, helps stiffen them.
Jegs has a 3.58" (360) crank with 318/340 journals. A 318 .030 over with the longer crank makes a 350. Make people scratch their heads.

 

[Don B.]

Slow going but still going

 

[m16ty]

This is for my usage not to be built to try to sell
So though the cost is a consideration I'm also putting in a lot of things (and time)! that I certainly wouldn't be if the plan was to build and flip.
As trucks get newer, and extra doo dad's get added that really aren't needed (computer control radiator shutters and a movable front air dam for instance) and trucks that put themselves in park when I open the door to spot them on the lift at work, or worse yet refuse to come out of park unless the damned seat belt is latched
is all unnecessary crap. I deal with these daily at work. And then spend $600 (and that was a deal, usually $1200) just to get my scanner updated and then I still can't scan (for instance) 2017 and newer dodges without spending MORE for some kind of "gateway clearance" even just to get codes let alone any other parameters, id rather use a timing light, vacuum gauge and a screwdriver.... Which I will be able to do on this truck. While the engine I'm using was originally fuel injected I have an intake manifold that will allow me to put a plain old 4 barrel carburetor on it... Vacuum advance, distributor weights and springs, etc are easier to do. I have a few to pick from but for towing it will probably get one of my Carter thermoquads on top. I always had good luck with those. No Holley for me
And no matter how much you spend there's no more stick shift, no more wing windows, no more dimmer on the floor..... Which are all features I want. I'm painting it the color I want, I'm adding (only) the options I want, there's less going to the stealership and checking boxes on an order form these days....it's already got the rear gear I want, it'll have a complete new suspension and brakes, basically it will be a brand new truck for much less than actually buying a brand new truck.
And the best part? The absolute minimum "made in China" crap I can possibly get away with. There's lots of American made parts for these trucks still collecting dust in warehouses...

They started the gateway mess after some kids with a laptop took control of a Chrysler car. They could control steering, brakes, and other things remotely. They went to Chrysler and told them what they had done and they quickly started looking for a solution. Since then all the manufacturers have pretty much everything except obd codes on lockdown.
Partly because of the safety issues, but I think most of it was so they could make people pay them to do repairs.

 

[Duner Wi]

Forward progress is good. Standing still and going backwards I have experience with.

 

[Don B.]

Well I've been a die hard Dodge guy since I got my license in the 80s, have never owned anything else. But as a fleet mechanic for a living I refuse to have a vehicle I can't access with my high dollar snap on scanner and I refuse to pay even more for the "privilege". This may be what makes me buy something else next time.
And why in restoring a carbureted vehicle for my own use as we speak.

 

[Don B.]

I know that John Deere has similar BS and lawsuits over farmers having no choice but to call Deere and pay out the azz for THEM and THEM ONLY to access and repair their Deere machines. I hope that the Deere lawsuit has a positive outcome for consumers and is farther reaching than just John Deere in the process.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Totally agree Don. Our newest vehicle is a 2013 Ford Expedition which my wife loves. I run a 2008 GMC gasser with a tuned 6.0L, a 2008 Dodge 3500 with a fully deleted 6.7 (this will pull anything you put behind it), a 2005 Chevy Duramax (deleted but still a pig), 2002 S10, and a stable full of old tractors.
A note about that 08 Dodge, it was the first year after they moved production to Mexico and when I got it I couldn't keep it running due to the regen related crap. I finally ripped all that emissions choker junk off and tuned it with a Smarty full delete and that 6.7 came alive on steroids. It has been trouble free ever since. Best truck I've ever owned.
I'll never have anything newer.

 

[Don B.]

Exactly why I'm building an 83. Don't want anything newer as I get older.
Gonna have to go have a "come to Jesus" meeting with the paint shop. How long ago did I post the pix of the body among 2 trailers, 3-4 months ago? I gave them 40% down and yea I know I was told "6 mo to a year" completion but keep I was in there last week and they haven't even started on it ... I'm NOT happy
I brought them a stripped sandblasted bare body in pieces so they could paint every nook and cranny, cut down on their sanding/stripping time, no glass, no wiring, bare firewall, completely gutted. They have nothing to mask even. Fill in a few holes, sand, pound out a few dents and spray. It's been at least 2 months they haven't touched anything. I even brought them doubles of some parts so they could cherry pick the best. The only thing they have done is straighten some dents in a door for which I brought them one in better shape so they wouldn't have to mess with the original one.... Which once blasted, also looks like it was peppered with BBs .... Holes from someone prior, trying to straighten that door?
They do have it nice and straight now but with the 2nd passenger door I brought them it should have saved them that work....
I don't get it. No primer on anything yet even, still bare

 

[CEP ACB]

Depending on the bodyshop that type of work isn't desirable for the tech to work on.
You can produce more dollars per paycheck on collision work than restoration.
If you have a 5 hr dent and get it done in 3 hrs you still get paid 5 hrs.
You can spend more time than you get paid for fixing up old trucks ,unless you can find a customer with deep pockets.
That type of work is usually fill in work and if the shop is busy it can sit a long time.

 

[Don B.]

Went by the body shop a couple of days ago and finally some progress on the bed, they have it pretty much ready to prime and paint, at least the outsides. They haven't done the bed floor yet (lotsa holes to fill, mostly from various tool boxes etc having been mounted over the years but there is one spot on Swiss cheese at the back behind the wheel well on driver side)
Having had it sandblasted bare before I took it in has been both a blessing and a curse. The guy promised me he would "dustless blast" it with a water/sand mix but rather instead he black beauty'd it.... I could have done that myself, exactly why I took it to someone else to "have" done.... The blaster guy lied and screwed me....

 

[Don B.]

Another development is that I got blown out of the water when quoted to powdercoat the parts mentioned a few posts earlier. I went to a different guy than I've had do powdercoat for me before, because I couldn't get to the place I used before without taking time off of work.
It's been some years ago but I had a 48" snowblower attachment for my tractor blasted and coated and know what I paid .. these are all small parts (largest are the gas tank straps and the hood hinges) and I blasted them myself in my cabinet to save time and materials again and this guy wanted double what I paid for getting that whole snow blower done and that time they dis all the cleaning and prepping.
Maybe the original place I used would be as high, in this day and age. My son actually worked at the first place I used some years ago and he was the powdercoat guy when he was there.
He was gone from there by the time I took that snowblower to them to be done
I did all the disassembly and assembly, they did the blast and powdercoat.
So my solution was to buy my own setup from Eastwood with several bottles of powder in the colors im using/ some green (" close enough" to the paint code I choose for the truck) some black. Mt son says I should check with the place he worked for on the black stuff and see what they say for a $$$. I might, I have a couple of days off coming. The only thing I didn't get from Eastwood was their oven which is about the size of a toaster oven, for 1/5 of that I can get me an old used electric kitchen oven to do that part of the process
I missed Eastwood's January powdercoat class, I got late notice that it was happening. I called there today and they're having the next one either 2/28 or 3/7 and I'm on the list. They're supposed to set the schedule for sure this coming Monday or Tuesday and call me. Their closest store is only about an hour north of me give it take.
My son says it's a piece of cake, not much to it.... He has more room in his garage than I do for an extra oven, plan was to ask if I could do it there but now it looks like they might be buying a different house here soon so that would put that on hold.... I have 1 spot I could probably move things around in my garage for it....