'74 K5 build: Smurf

[dremu]

As with any doors, they take adjustment, and they aren't a swap-on-swap-off affair. I've messed with quick-remove pins in the hinges and hate it, the factory doors just weigh too much for me to move solo. I figure these are my summer doors, and so twice a year I'll switch from factory to tube doors and back again.

Apparently I didn't take any close up pix, but you can -- just barely -- fit the factory mirrors onto the sheetmetal sides of these doors. You can only get two bolts in of the three, and it's at a bit of a weird angle. So far, though, they haven't come loose and they adjust enough to work.

The paint is Rustoleum Hammered, hides many sins, but especially from a short distance, I think it works. Here's that money shot again for good measure

-- A

 

[78K30]

Man that's sharp. excellent work ​

 

[Phil513]

That looks really great.

 

[Bent77]

It occurs to me no GMOTM yet for Aaron. That's BS...

 

[sreidmx]

I agree this is first rate, great use of items around the shop. That mesh should keep rocks out pretty well too.

 

[GWeakland620]

Great works, and great ideas. Doors look good.

 

[secutright]

I like the mesh idea also. Open, but not gonna let little crap fall out...

 

[Greg72]

I like the mesh idea also. Open, but not gonna let little crap fall out...

Plus..... it will give Dremu a sexy "fishnet stocking" leg tan.

He will deny it of course, but that was his real motivation for adding the expanded metal to the tube doors.




-G

 

[dremu]

This is why I wear socks with sandals

 

[dremu]

More usefully, thanks all for the good words. I spent as much time *thinking* about the doors as actually doing them, maybe more. Those half doors I did years ago were a step in the right direction, but just weren't quite right ... these rock. They still look and feel like doors, but you can lean way the hell out to get good visibility, both on the trail or in the parking lot

-- A

 

[cybrfire]

Looks great! Like the mesh and what you did with the handle and gotta say, glad you added a spring. The added mass can cause problems.

 

[dremu]

Necroing my own thread for random thoughts and status update.

First, thank you Kert! It's a good sign when the guy who *made* your doors approves of what you did to them. I'm still very pleased with them, and haven't gone back to full doors yet. Winters here are mild enough I may not, just drive a normal car if it's THAT cold or wet.

I may however have to 3D print new knobs for the doors, as the wife and stepson get outsmarted by the blank ones, can't figure which direction to pull them. Yes, "wife." After dating for years and finally buying a house and cohabbing, we decided we'd go to the courthouse and do the deed. Got me one of those silicone wedding rings so I don't lose a finger while metalworking.

Took the Blazer into town today, haven't started her for a coupla months as she's been blocked in by a still-secret welding project. Shuffled that out of the way, unplugged the battery tenders, and foom, she started right up. Once again I have proven that the TBI installation is, hands down, unequivocally, the single BEST thing I've ever done to this truck. It just works. I like things that just work.

-- A

 

[tRustyK5]

...wait, Wife?

I admire your tenacity, and wish you all the best. Many of us would not have dipped our toes into that pool again.

 

[UpnAdam]

How are the custom hubcaps holding up? Any tweeks to be had?

 

[dremu]

...wait, Wife?

I admire your tenacity, and wish you all the best. Many of us would not have dipped our toes into that pool again.

Thanks. The key of course is to choose wisely, like in the Indiana Jones movie. First two times I didn't. This time, I believe I did. Plus we've been "dating" longer than either of those two relationships lasted in their entireties

How are the custom hubcaps holding up? Any tweeks to be had?

No melting or anything. Shoulda checked 'em today to make sure they still lock, but I was just mall crawling down to the Home Despot.

-- A

 

[nedceifus]

Fiddled with the springs -- including painting leafs alternating colors, which is dumb -- and eventually settled on six leaves from various sets.

LOL!!!! I had tears in my eyes!

 

[nedceifus]

LOL!!! I had tears in my eyes!!!

 

[dremu]

LOL!!! I had tears in my eyes!!!

Ugh, as did I when you reminded me of that. Matching accessories to the truck's color scheme is one thing, but springs ... camo ... stripes ... no. Just, no.

-- A

 

[dremu]

When I upgraded from 35"s to 37"s, I found my tire carrier a bit short on strength. I was just buying the new house, didn't have time to spend on it, so I scabbed on some reinforcements for the short term. Finally got around to redoing the whole thing in thicker/larger tube for the extra weight. The 37x13.50 weighs 134 pounds, so I went up to 2" .187 wall for the center and 1.5" .187 for the wings. Added about 40 pounds of steel, but it's rock solid now.

The design is basically the same, though I did simplify the wings a bit, and built in holders for the gas/water can, so I don't have to strap them in any more.

A few regulatory pix:

Just a frame of flat stock around the can, does wonders to keep 'em in place.

As before, the center tire carrier proper hinges down (here held up by a strap to the cage), and then the side wings fold out

Final result is

The other simplification is that I switched the fasteners that attach the wings to the center. Before I had a a hitch pin through a bushing, but Ruffstuff recently introduced spring-loaded T-handle latches ( http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/R2215.html )

That's latched in the up/open position, and then when the wing is in place you pull the T-handled up a bit and rotate it 90*, and it snaps down into place nice and snug. As with all Ruffstuff items, they're well engineered, and over-engineered. They stay latched even when the truck is bouncing and swaying, and are easy to un-do too.

 

[Bent77]

That's kinda cool. Like how you reengineered that