70 Jimmy--Rusty Rebuild

[toomany]

Im in the same boat on waiting for in stock to add one to my f150 trans.

I wasn't even expecting to get one when I did. I kept the Core website open in a separate tab and would just refresh it every couple of days. For some reason I typed "GM Nv3500 Core shifter" into Google hoping for an Ebay or Amazon hit and their website popped up with one in stock.

 

[toomany]

Took the Jimmy out for a little bit longer of a drive today. Made a stop at Menards and TSC.







Got on the highway on the way home. Other than the 30mph crosswind, it wasn't too bad as far as wind in the cabin.




The shifter works great. Very much like a performance car shifter. Going from 2nd to 3rd or 4th to 5th is easy you don't have to think about it. Each gear is exactly where you think it would be.

Probably done driving the truck until I get the fenders back on, or atleast something to hold the core support. Not really concerned with the wind pushing it back, but the garbage roads we have. Don't want it flopping around over the bumps.

Should have the door done tomorrow and might get a start on the fenders.

 

[83ChevyK5Blazer]

I really liked the gear splits with my nv3500, for a daily it was so nice to have a great where you actually want it.

 

[6872xtc]

Took the Jimmy out for a little bit longer of a drive today. Made a stop at Menards and TSC.


View attachment 469799

View attachment 469800


Got on the highway on the way home. Other than the 30mph crosswind, it wasn't too bad as far as wind in the cabin.

View attachment 469801


The shifter works great. Very much like a performance car shifter. Going from 2nd to 3rd or 4th to 5th is easy you don't have to think about it. Each gear is exactly where you think it would be.

Probably done driving the truck until I get the fenders back on, or atleast something to hold the core support. Not really concerned with the wind pushing it back, but the garbage roads we have. Don't want it flopping around over the bumps.

Should have the door done tomorrow and might get a start on the fenders.

That's awesome to see you driving it with the nose half missing!

With my luck, I would take a rock in the windshield off of my own front tire, since I have already had that happen with fenders and a hood!

And I was wondering if the core support was braced or something.

But you're making me want to build my "spare '90 K5" more now. The LS and a manual is sounding more fun with the NV3500!

 

[toomany]

I really liked the gear splits with my nv3500, for a daily it was so nice to have a great where you actually want it.

I'm thinking it was the right choice for drivability. I'll need to remember to start off from a stop in first instead of 2nd like I was doing with the 4500. It'll do 2nd but I'm trying to take it easy on the clutch.

That's awesome to see you driving it with the nose half missing!

With my luck, I would take a rock in the windshield off of my own front tire, since I have already had that happen with fenders and a hood!

And I was wondering if the core support was braced or something.

But you're making me want to build my "spare '90 K5" more now. The LS and a manual is sounding more fun with the NV3500!

It's been unseasonably warm here this winter. Was 65 when I got home from work today. Normally we'd have a couple inches of snow still and be low 30's this time of year.

It's no coincidence that everything needed to run/drive hangs from the core support. Only thing really holding it up besides the body mount bolts are the radiator hoses. It moves around some but not as much as you'd think. I was more surprised on how much you could see it twist compared to the cowl while driving. Tub would stay level and the frame would twist a couple inches up front.

It is fun to drive and handles well for what it is. Rides way better than my 86 does. I intend to use this as my main summer vehicle.

 

[toomany]

Found a little bit of time to work on the fenders over the last week or so.


Knocked down the old paint with some 80 grit to see what I was working with. For the most part they were in decent shape considering how rotted the tub was. Just the passenger lower needed some real work.




Like most parts for these trucks, there were a lot of options for a patch panels. Assuming they were all made by the same place I bought the cheapest one I could find. For the $10.99 it cost, I got about what I expected. Sure wasn't going to pay $119.00 for what was probably the same thing.

It's missing the style line on the fender lip otherwise it's decent enough for what I need.




The patch had a bent lip on the rear, don't know if it was intended to be folded over, I wasn't planning on using it so it came off. Mainly needed the bottom couple of inches so it got cut to leave the factory edge on the radius.




Close enough for some filler. Bottom needs to be trimmed. And I should really hang the door and fender back in to be sure the curve is still the same.

 

[toomany]

Two rounds off filler. It's close enough that the next one can be done with blocks. The first couple I hit with the DA to get the rough shape I'm after, then use flexible blocking to get final finish.




Thinking on how I want to go about painting. As it is, I'm going to have to build something to hang the parts. I'll probably get the doors done first, hang those then continue on with the fenders. Check the fit/contour of this one with the doors (all the front sheet metal alignment starts at the B-pillar and goes forward).

Might be able to sneak in the cowl panel and glove box with this round of color.

Still unsure of what I want to do foe a tailgate. Mine is fairly rotted along the bottom and no one makes a patch for that part. I know of one decent Chevy gate I could use for parts. Or, buy a reproduction one. For close to 1k (for one of the "good" ones) after it's shipped here, I've heard they aren't the best. Could buy the cheaper ones and cut it up for parts. Even those are close to 300 before shipping.

 

[6872xtc]

I haven't heard anything good about reproduction tailgates except that if you are racing, they are lighter.
Now with that in mind, I wouldn't cut up and OEM one for repair pieces if I could get a metal guy to make me a piece. But that could be a difficult task to find a guy capable of the task.

 

[toomany]

I haven't heard anything good about reproduction tailgates except that if you are racing, they are lighter.
Now with that in mind, I wouldn't cut up and OEM one for repair pieces if I could get a metal guy to make me a piece. But that could be a difficult task to find a guy capable of the task.

That's about what I've heard too. Thin and bend easily if you sit/step in the middle.

I wouldn't argue about loosing the weight. This isn't built purposely for racing, but will admit that is one of the deciding factors when considering certain things. Going fast on the sand is a real close 2nd to driving it on the street.

The other OE gate I know of has been sitting for quite a few years. He sold the truck and forgot to send it along. I wouldn't feel bad about cutting it up and I'm almost positive he'd give it to me and insist I use it to fix mine.

I could make a piece...or pieces, but my brake is only 12" wide and I'd end up having to do multiples which is something I don't want to do. That is the one piece I don't understand why they don't make a patch for. I could call the guy we get all of our steel at work from. He regularly bends 1/4" in 10' lengths for us.

 

[6872xtc]

So the other tailgate is a barn find???
Ya gotta preserve that, right?


Just a reminder here to explain to your guy that it needs to be a rolled type bend, not a sharp "brake style " corner. I am guessing that it would take a size of radius die.
Otherwise you don't have much choice but to cut up an OEM one.

I wish that I was closer and could buy the upper part to fix one that I have, but I don't need it, yet, so...

 

[toomany]

If by barn find you mean sitting on the side of it in a stack with some square body gates...then yeah it's a barn find.

I think you'd almost need a die to press into to get the shape correct. The OEM on is two pieces that overlap along the bottom. Would be more work to do it that way, but easier to fab up.

 

[toomany]

Gor the doors to the point where I could spray some primer.

Built a quick rack to hold them.




Was hoping I could move right into color and clear but I got some decent runs in the driver's door that will need to be sanded out.




Need to get some more primer before I do a second attempt.

 

[USSkoval]

That's a nice looking Firebird. All stock?

 

[toomany]

That's a nice looking Firebird. All stock?

It's all stock for now. It's a 91 that I bought off a good friend of mine that bought it new. He brought it over a few years ago for me to replace the gears in the headlight motors. Was late October when he dropped it off and the weather was getting bad so he asked if he could just leave it in my garage for the winter. Told him yes and that if he ever wanted to sell it I would like first chance at it. A couple weeks later I ran into him and he said he'd sell it and gave me a price. It was probably too much for what it is, but I didn't think twice on it.

It's got 53,xxx miles on it and 100% original other than the tires and radio (still have the stock one). Jim (original owner) owned the local hardware store, he put a garage door in the side of the building and built a special room for it. Car has never seen winter and rain only a handful of times. Looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

It's only a v6/auto car. It runs like new and just floats down the road. Over the years I've bought a few donor cars to LS swap it. I'm either working on something else or can't bring myself to tear into it. It runs flawlessly and is a joy to drive as is and I don't want to loose that or screw it up.

3rd gens are my other automotive addiction. Always have one or two kicking around. Right now I've got this one and a 91 RS. The RS has an LS6/T56 magnum and a whole bunch of suspension work. I bought it after it got side swiped with the intention to use it as a donor for the convertible. But again, can't bring myself to tear into it.

I'm thinking/looking for a clean 91/92 Formula or Z28 will be my next one. Something I don't have a history with and not so attached to. That will get the LS and all the other goodies I've collected over the years.


Not the best picture, think this was shortly after I bought it.




91 Rs. Passenger side is pretty wrinkled. I've got a good door and piece of the quarter needed to fix it. It's actually a clean rust free car, just hasn't been taken care of.




91 Formula that I sold because I got tired of paying for a storage unit for it. TPI 383/T5/4.10 I don't regret getting rid of it....but I should have kept it.

 

[USSkoval]

It's all stock for now. It's a 91 that I bought off a good friend of mine that bought it new. He brought it over a few years ago for me to replace the gears in the headlight motors. Was late October when he dropped it off and the weather was getting bad so he asked if he could just leave it in my garage for the winter. Told him yes and that if he ever wanted to sell it I would like first chance at it. A couple weeks later I ran into him and he said he'd sell it and gave me a price. It was probably too much for what it is, but I didn't think twice on it.

It's got 53,xxx miles on it and 100% original other than the tires and radio (still have the stock one). Jim (original owner) owned the local hardware store, he put a garage door in the side of the building and built a special room for it. Car has never seen winter and rain only a handful of times. Looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

It's only a v6/auto car. It runs like new and just floats down the road. Over the years I've bought a few donor cars to LS swap it. I'm either working on something else or can't bring myself to tear into it. It runs flawlessly and is a joy to drive as is and I don't want to loose that or screw it up.

3rd gens are my other automotive addiction. Always have one or two kicking around. Right now I've got this one and a 91 RS. The RS has an LS6/T56 magnum and a whole bunch of suspension work. I bought it after it got side swiped with the intention to use it as a donor for the convertible. But again, can't bring myself to tear into it.

I'm thinking/looking for a clean 91/92 Formula or Z28 will be my next one. Something I don't have a history with and not so attached to. That will get the LS and all the other goodies I've collected over the years.


Not the best picture, think this was shortly after I bought it.

View attachment 476620


91 Rs. Passenger side is pretty wrinkled. I've got a good door and piece of the quarter needed to fix it. It's actually a clean rust free car, just hasn't been taken care of.

View attachment 476621


91 Formula that I sold because I got tired of paying for a storage unit for it. TPI 383/T5/4.10 I don't regret getting rid of it....but I should have kept it.

View attachment 476622

I've always been a big third gen guy too. All my current ones are in various stages of a project. Resto, modified and stockish drivers. I know what you mean about not wanting to tear into a nice one.

 

[toomany]

Round two of trying to get the doors done.

Knocked most of the primer off the driver's side. The passenger side probably would have been good to go as is, but I only got one coat on before. That one got hit with a ScothBrite pad to scuff it up some.

I'll admit I was probably in too much of a rush the first time and take the blame for the runs. That and the primer I was using had been opened well over a year ago and supposedly is only good for around 9 months.




Primer laid down real nice this time. No issues so I went right into the color coat after it flashed off.




Clear went on about as well as I expected. I must have something wrong with my gun settings or running the wrong tip size as I'm still get a fair amount of texture with the clear. Primer and color go down perfectly flat.




Will wet sand/buff next weekend and hopefully hang the doors back on. Need to do a quick inventory of what I need to reassemble them and get that stuff ordered.

 

[toomany]

Started wet sanding last night, got one door done yesterday and finished the other this morning.




After the first round of compound with the rotary buffer.




Installed but not adjusted yet. Waiting on some pieces before I put the latches and windows back in.

 

[toomany]

Doors back together. Bought new outside handles, lock cylinders, inner handles/cranks, lock knobs and window sweeps.

Took a chance at tinting the windows while they were out. I had never attempted it before. Went about as well as you'd expect a first try to go. Have a couple small bubbles I couldn't get out on the passenger side. And despite my best efforts, I ended up with a stray dog hair on the driver's side. Noticed it on the very first one I did, pulled the sheet off and called it a night. This morning I put on a fresh shirt, blew myself and window off with air and cleaned the glass. Thought I was good. Wasn't till I got done and was putting it back in I noticed it.

Still on the fence about pulling it all off and trying again. Have another set of glass I actually might do. Doors need to come apart again for window channel rubbers eventually.






Picture of the most likely offender.




Next weekend I think I'll be able to finish getting the fenders ready for paint.

 

[Truckman4life]

Dang dog hair. I've got a Lab and that crap is everywhere.

 

[toomany]

Finished body work on the fenders. Adjusted the doors a little better and test fit the fenders.






Took it for an ice cream run to get some heat into everything again.




Will pull fenders back off and try getting them into primer and paint next weekend if it's not so hot/humid out.