I hope I'm not coming across poorly, I do genuinely appreciate any and all feedback/suggestions/ideas, and the discussion about them is helpful even if it's something I'm already aware of!
Thanks everyone who has chimed in, seriously!
CK5
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'85 K5 "Denali" Blazer: Front 4-link
- Thread starter Conner
- Start date
The goal is to restore and upgrade this truck for mixed use on/off road (ex: drive across the country to a national park to 4x4 camp).
Thanks everyone who has chimed in, seriously!
Got the front of the drip rails put back on tonight. The driver side one also needed a small patch, but thankfully the passenger side one cleaned up fine. These had to be cut off to get the windshield frame panel off, for anyone wondering.
I’ve been working on the driver side B-pillar. I think this rotted because the roof leaked (from rotting out after the topper seal went bad) and/or water got between the drip rail and the body panel behind it.
I’m not done yet, but posting here because it makes me feel some accountability, which motivates me to keep working (and I need some motivation, I’m super tired of this LOL).
As you can see, this spot previously had a flexible self-adhering patch panel (duct tape LOL) installed.
I cut off the lower section of the drip rail, then the outer layer of the B-pillar, so that I could repair the top of the bedside.
I patched a small section of the door jamb that was underneath the drip rail. Then I made the patch for the bedside. As best I can tell from looking at this area on the other side, from the top and underside, this is pretty much how it looked before it rotted.
Getting a little closer every day…
I’m not done yet, but posting here because it makes me feel some accountability, which motivates me to keep working (and I need some motivation, I’m super tired of this LOL).
As you can see, this spot previously had a flexible self-adhering patch panel (duct tape LOL) installed.
I cut off the lower section of the drip rail, then the outer layer of the B-pillar, so that I could repair the top of the bedside.
I patched a small section of the door jamb that was underneath the drip rail. Then I made the patch for the bedside. As best I can tell from looking at this area on the other side, from the top and underside, this is pretty much how it looked before it rotted.
Getting a little closer every day…
Little more progress. Only thing left (in this little area) is repairing the bottom of the drip rail and putting it back on. Hoping to have that done before the end of this long weekend.
It took longer than I hoped, but I got the drip rail rebuilt on the driver side B-pillar. I made the patch piece with 4 separate pieces of 16 gauge. I wasn't sure I'd be able to accurately bend the 16 gauge at all, plus upon looking closer, the bends are on slight curves, which I don't think I could have replicated any other way.
Please ignore my runny paint job LOL, I'm just hosing stuff down with cheap paint until I do the actual paint job. I'm pretty happy with how the patches came out. It's not perfect but it's pretty good.
Please ignore my runny paint job LOL, I'm just hosing stuff down with cheap paint until I do the actual paint job. I'm pretty happy with how the patches came out. It's not perfect but it's pretty good.
Next up is the same thing on the passenger side. Thankfully the passenger side is much less damaged than the driver side was.
I've been using this cool 360 degree spray nozzle hose attachment for a spray paint can to get paint and/or rust converter inside areas that are otherwise inaccessible. It's been really handy. You can snake it into places like inside the rockers from the little holes in the front of them, into the A-pillars from the corners of the front cowl area, etc.
The sprayer is from Eastwood (I'm sure you can get it other places too) and comes with a hose that's about 3 feet long. The hose is 1/8" internal diameter, 3/16" external, and various lengths are easily available on Amazon (probably hardware stores too), and it's easy to swap out on the kit if you need a longer one like I did. You do need a paint can that has the nozzle like in the picture with the stem on the nozzle/button, and not the can. Seymour rust converter and MRO paint both have the correct can/nozzle type.
I have reused it several times now, and just spray some brake cleaner through it when I'm done, and haven't had any problems with it being clogged up the next time.
Hope this info is helpful to some of you guys if you weren't already aware of these! I think it goes without saying, but I have nothing to do with these companies, I just found the sprayer useful and had to check a couple paint can options before finding one that had the right nozzle type.
The sprayer is from Eastwood (I'm sure you can get it other places too) and comes with a hose that's about 3 feet long. The hose is 1/8" internal diameter, 3/16" external, and various lengths are easily available on Amazon (probably hardware stores too), and it's easy to swap out on the kit if you need a longer one like I did. You do need a paint can that has the nozzle like in the picture with the stem on the nozzle/button, and not the can. Seymour rust converter and MRO paint both have the correct can/nozzle type.
I have reused it several times now, and just spray some brake cleaner through it when I'm done, and haven't had any problems with it being clogged up the next time.
Hope this info is helpful to some of you guys if you weren't already aware of these! I think it goes without saying, but I have nothing to do with these companies, I just found the sprayer useful and had to check a couple paint can options before finding one that had the right nozzle type.
Passenger side B-pillar is fixed
After getting the B-pillars fixed, I revisited the roof skin. I must've warped it slightly when repairing it (despite being careful not to), and/or just not gotten the curve of the back edge quite right. When test fitting it, there was some oil canning, I suspect caused by shrinking. I have spent significant time/effort getting it mostly back to looking right when clamped down. Thankfully I think I have it well within range of a body filler skim coat, which I was planning on eventually doing anyways.
Additionally, as can be seen in these pictures from when I took the roof off earlier this year, there was some factory installed closed cell foam rubber (neoprene?) inside the roof. I assume this is to help support the otherwise unsupported outer roof skin and minimize any oil canning.
One note, my gut instinct would normally be concern for this foam holding moisture and causing rust, but the spots where the foam sat were actually the only spots that didn't have any surface rust. So I think the closed cell foam, and the fact that moisture really shouldn't get in there, makes it a non-issue.
This foam got relatively torn up when I removed it, and it was visibly compressed (permanently) from what appeared to be its original thickness. I found some seemingly identical neoprene foam on Amazon. I got slightly larger (12"x12") than the original (about 5"x10"), in 3/4" thickness. The pack came with 4 of these pieces, but I am currently thinking I will only use 2.
I also am thinking I will line both the inner and outer roof skins (both on the inside of the roof cavity, and not visible once the roof skin is back on) with Kilmat insulation. My thought is that it will add a little insulation and vibration deadening as a might-as-well while I'm in there, and also on the outer skin help stiffen it up a little bit and maybe further prevent any oil canning. And maybe even protect the sheet metal a little, but I'm not relying on that (I will be painting it of course).
That brings me up to date, I test fit the roof skin with 2 layers of Kilmat and a layer of foam in roughly the spots I am planning on. I have maybe a couple more minor tweaks to the skin itself, but it's basically ready. And the foam/Kilmat seems to fit very well, and also support the roof skin very well. It is surprisingly solid feeling compared to how it feels when there is no foam.
Anyways, I'm mostly just journaling and thinking out loud here. Massaging the sheetmetal is painfully time consuming. But I'm learning a lot and slowing moving things forward every day.
Additionally, as can be seen in these pictures from when I took the roof off earlier this year, there was some factory installed closed cell foam rubber (neoprene?) inside the roof. I assume this is to help support the otherwise unsupported outer roof skin and minimize any oil canning.
One note, my gut instinct would normally be concern for this foam holding moisture and causing rust, but the spots where the foam sat were actually the only spots that didn't have any surface rust. So I think the closed cell foam, and the fact that moisture really shouldn't get in there, makes it a non-issue.
This foam got relatively torn up when I removed it, and it was visibly compressed (permanently) from what appeared to be its original thickness. I found some seemingly identical neoprene foam on Amazon. I got slightly larger (12"x12") than the original (about 5"x10"), in 3/4" thickness. The pack came with 4 of these pieces, but I am currently thinking I will only use 2.
I also am thinking I will line both the inner and outer roof skins (both on the inside of the roof cavity, and not visible once the roof skin is back on) with Kilmat insulation. My thought is that it will add a little insulation and vibration deadening as a might-as-well while I'm in there, and also on the outer skin help stiffen it up a little bit and maybe further prevent any oil canning. And maybe even protect the sheet metal a little, but I'm not relying on that (I will be painting it of course).
That brings me up to date, I test fit the roof skin with 2 layers of Kilmat and a layer of foam in roughly the spots I am planning on. I have maybe a couple more minor tweaks to the skin itself, but it's basically ready. And the foam/Kilmat seems to fit very well, and also support the roof skin very well. It is surprisingly solid feeling compared to how it feels when there is no foam.
Anyways, I'm mostly just journaling and thinking out loud here. Massaging the sheetmetal is painfully time consuming. But I'm learning a lot and slowing moving things forward every day.
Moisture gets in between the roof panels when it sits in the sun all day and then gets cool at night. It took me awhile to realize how so many older trucks had rotted roofs even when they were in dry hot areas, then I changed a dome light bulb in the early morning once and there was water droplets hanging inside the roof skin. I've since used one of those 360 degree spray nozzles you have to spray fluid film inside the roof until it runs out the pillars.
Yeah I'm sure you're right. I think mine originally had issues partly because of that, and partly because all 4 corners were rusting through, letting even more moisture in. I am hoping that by getting in there and cleaning everything to bare metal, painting several coats, and running a 360 degree sprayer with rust converter and paint inside all the pillars (to coat the areas I didn't have to repair), I shouldn't have any further problems at least in my lifetime.
It was reassuring though that the areas touching the factory foam were completely clean. Otherwise I wouldn't be reinstalling any foam.
Tonight I put the Kilmat on the roof skins (inner and outer), as well as the foam to replace what was there from the factory.
I also got the outer roof skin back on the cab, and started spot welding it down. So far so good, I am being extremely careful to control the heat out of fear of warping it at all. I am even laying a wet towel down on the top next to where I'm welding to try to keep the heat out of the main part of the roof skin. I only have a few of the spot welds done but hopefully will be able to finish up this weekend.
I also got the outer roof skin back on the cab, and started spot welding it down. So far so good, I am being extremely careful to control the heat out of fear of warping it at all. I am even laying a wet towel down on the top next to where I'm welding to try to keep the heat out of the main part of the roof skin. I only have a few of the spot welds done but hopefully will be able to finish up this weekend.
I finished welding the roof skin back on today, and with that, the rust repair is finally done.
I'm very stoked to work on the cool stuff! Next up I think will be getting the engine from the Yukon into the Blazer.
I'm very stoked to work on the cool stuff! Next up I think will be getting the engine from the Yukon into the Blazer.
I ran into a little snag installing the ORD engine crossmember. Underneath my passenger side motor mount box, the frame is bent. It looks like the axle may have bottomed out hard there or something. The driver side is basically flat so I’m assuming it’s not supposed to be like that.
Thankfully it does look relatively superficial (the overall shape of the frame rail seems to be correct). So I’m going to try to straighten it as much as possible with a hammer so I can get the middle bolt hole for the crossmember drilled and bolt installed.
It is nice to be using some of my tools that aren’t a grinder and welder for a change LOL
Thankfully it does look relatively superficial (the overall shape of the frame rail seems to be correct). So I’m going to try to straighten it as much as possible with a hammer so I can get the middle bolt hole for the crossmember drilled and bolt installed.
It is nice to be using some of my tools that aren’t a grinder and welder for a change LOL
I use a pipe wrench. Closed to about 1/4" it has the leverage to straighten without hammering
Thanks for the idea, I think I'll actually try that first. Seems less prone to causing other problems than the big hammer.
And it's tight in there for a hammer swing
If you can find a piece of flat bar thick enough and stiff enough, you could bolt it on top, with the crossmember on bottom, and use some sacrificial grade 8 bolts to smush it flat. The bolts will probably stretch so I wouldn't trust them after going apeshit with the impact gun but it's a small price to pay. Maybe two pieces of overlapping angle iron lined up in a "U" shape would resist bowing enough?
A large adjustable wrench would have the bite and reach for that as well. May also need some heat
I was able to get the frame mostly straightened out. It's not perfect, but it should be good enough. I used a combination of heat, a big hammer, a big pipe wrench, and C-clamps with a rectangle tube to brace to. I also got all the bolts in the crossmember other than the 3 that require new holes drilled, so I'm confident it all lines up correctly.
Thanks for the suggestions on the frame re-shape by the way!
I then pulled the motor mount boxes back out to blast and paint. I'm going to pull all this back apart later to paint the frame anyways, but the more little stuff I do now is less I have to do later.
I wanted to drill the new holes, but the axle is right in the way. I could use a right angle drill, but rather than bother with that I'm just going to drill the other holes when the axle is out for the front suspension build.
I de-riveted and removed the bump stop brackets. I also took out the sway bar and shocks, just to get some little stuff done as I have time. Over the next couple days while I wait on paint to dry on the motor mount boxes I will probably try to remove some more random little riveted on brackets and things that I won't need.
Thanks for the suggestions on the frame re-shape by the way!
I then pulled the motor mount boxes back out to blast and paint. I'm going to pull all this back apart later to paint the frame anyways, but the more little stuff I do now is less I have to do later.
I wanted to drill the new holes, but the axle is right in the way. I could use a right angle drill, but rather than bother with that I'm just going to drill the other holes when the axle is out for the front suspension build.
I de-riveted and removed the bump stop brackets. I also took out the sway bar and shocks, just to get some little stuff done as I have time. Over the next couple days while I wait on paint to dry on the motor mount boxes I will probably try to remove some more random little riveted on brackets and things that I won't need.
