87 K5 Build...Hmmm, whats that Ryoken up to? stay tuned...

[ryoken]

Looking real good on the circuit breaker panel and toggle switches. What did the steering column come out of? I have a wiper switch and a blinker switch on mine. Only now the wipers almost don't work when it rains, or when the windshield is too damn dirty. I'd hate to tear apart the column to replace what broke or is disconnected. Be so much easier to work with the dash instead.
Thinking of doing the column swap and do the switch panels too but it'll take a while before getting around to it.

Thanks man....

I gotta say, I'm running around with holes in the floor, crappy seats and no glovebox door, but I'm loving how it's coming together... I think I giggle everytime I hit the blinker...

no frills, manual doors, going pickup tailgate soon, essentials only... Obviously there are other ways to achieve the same switch features, etc... The breaker panel even unfinished has been getting quite a few "holy sh*ts!".... Makes ya feel good after the labor ya put in..

The column ended up being pretty simple.. It's the manual column from my 77..

I found a hairline crack in the turn signal of the 77, so I swapped in the 87 turn signal actuator..... Turned out to be a blessing in disguise, I was able to just plug in on that... The ignition switch is the same wire colors and positions, just the plug-ins are different.. I soldered in the 77 plugs to my ignition wires.. I also don't run a neutral safety anymore... One less failure point..

Haven't done much the last week or so, other stchuff going on.. Put in my H4 lights... Can't believe how well it did on emissions last week... Want many of my projects done for my vacay in sept, so expect big changes over the next couple months, axles, suspension, tires and my floor project..

Running gear is just coin, the floor gig is extensive labor, gonna be some long nights on that one... New tranny tunnel, 2x4 cab supports, 1/8 plate floor, sliders...

Next winter I'll start tube work...

 

[lectric80]

Ryoken are you coming in for BB07? I am actually thinking of going down to that this year, and would love to see your beast up close. You have some pretty cool things going on there.

I had to replace the floor on the driver's side when I got it inspected, they wouldn't pass it because it had the potential for sucking in exhaust gases.

 

[ryoken]

Ryoken are you coming in for BB07? I am actually thinking of going down to that this year, and would love to see your beast up close. You have some pretty cool things going on there.

I had to replace the floor on the driver's side when I got it inspected, they wouldn't pass it because it had the potential for sucking in exhaust gases.

hehe, beast is far from how I would describe it, interesting DD'er might be more appropriate... Hopefully I'll have my lift and tires done soon and it'll be a bit more beast-like...

No BB 07 for me, maybe next year, where's it at?

 

[lectric80]

Moab is where they are going this year. I have been checking out the really light trails for sat and sun, since I know the lift won't be done on mine by then. Mine is far from a beast but that's still the wife's term for it.

On the plus side I just found me a set of Silverado rear quarter panel emblems to replace the cheyenne ones that are there. NOS rocks.

 

[ryoken]

Well, a huge thanks go out to Patrick, Ramjet GMC, for hooking me up with a STC softtop... Great guy with a nice family...

Threw it on this afternoon.... gonna ditch my blazer tailgate in favor of a pickup one.. Once all the sheetmetal is copper in a couple months, the black softtop should set off nicely...

 

[76zimmer]

Paul, are you panel painting?
I like the top, easy rollup sides?

 

[ryoken]

haha, you should see the other side, the door is in epoxy primer all trimmed out in copper.... I had that drivers door apart to go manual, so I trimmed out the top in copper while the weatherstripping was out...

Sort of panel painting, trimming out as I go along.. But there will be a bit of that.. Here's what I mean, I have a Lund visor for the front that is going to be black, so I'm gonna paint the roof and posts copper over the next couple weeks... So I can put the visor on..

Then in a month or so when I do the qrters, I'll trim em, paint them and the doors... Then when I do a new front clip I'l trim and paint that...

Not a good color to be panel painting, but I have a gallon, can match the metallics pretty good and eventually, I'll wetsand the whole truck out and overcoat the whole thing one last time...

The top was unexpected, but perfect timing... Didn't even wash it... Should smooth out some over the next week... Don't think I'll be rolling up the sides, more than likely just take em off...

 

[NEK5]

Well, a huge thanks go out to Patrick, Ramjet GMC, for hooking me up with a STC softtop... Great guy with a nice family...

Threw it on this afternoon.... gonna ditch my blazer tailgate in favor of a pickup one.. Once all the sheetmetal is copper in a couple months, the black softtop should set off nicely...

Looking good Paul!

 

[76zimmer]

cool, I was thinking it might be hard to match the panels with that paint, a final overcoat will bring it together beautifully. Keep em coming.

 

[ryoken]

yeah, it's got course silver in the mix, so it can be tough...

So goes the existence of a DD, piecemeal.. strip a section, prime, paint, repeat... I don't mind, bodywork stuff is second nature... Eventually it'll all be good..

Now I need to place an order with Kert...

 

[Big91RustyBucket]

Nice Build

 

[ramjet gmc]

Well, a huge thanks go out to Patrick, Ramjet GMC, for hooking me up with a STC softtop... Great guy with a nice family...

Threw it on this afternoon.... gonna ditch my blazer tailgate in favor of a pickup one.. Once all the sheetmetal is copper in a couple months, the black softtop should set off nicely...

Looks good on ther and i hope you are happy with it and your batt setup is sweet and shamed me in to making a plan for mine

 

[ryoken]

Nice Build

Thanks John... Hopefully it'll get real fun when I throw my bank account at the suspension...

 

[ryoken]

Looks good on ther and i hope you are happy with it and your batt setup is sweet and shamed me in to making a plan for mine

Love it Pat, thanks a bunch... Just FEELS so much more summery!

Fits good mostly.. gonna see about adjusting that back bar 1 hole on the frame, see if I can tighten up the back section a tad...

The only issue I've had is, that I can't seem to get the back corners to stay under the rail on the tailgate section, they keep popping off.. Seems like the hard plastic lip is too short there.. That and the rear window being a tad long and not clipping in...

Neither seem to be a big deal to fix... I'll have my canvas guy shorten up the window, and I guess redo the corner stitching to expose more of the hard plastic..

Thanks again man, getting lots of compliments on it.. 99% of the common world has never seen a softtop on one, go figure...

 

[lectric80]

After seeing yours, now I really want a soft top for mine. Just to keep the kids out of the sun on the long drives. Especially since the top is coming off pretty quick to do the repair work you instructed me on. Should be posting some pics of the repairs next month.

 

[ryoken]

 

[ryoken]

 

[uao85]

I am assuming this is fiberglass...if so, thats awesome. I am still deciding whether I want to trim my factory shroud and graph it to the windstar shroud, or mold a new one like you have done. Awesome build by the way, top notch. I have been thinking about doing the circuit breaker conversion thing to rid my truck of all the fuses, but too many other projects at the moment to think about that.

Remington

 

[Xtremegmc80]

looking good.. i dont know how i mange to miss this thread until now... good job and keep it up!

 

[ryoken]

I am assuming this is fiberglass...if so, thats awesome. I am still deciding whether I want to trim my factory shroud and graph it to the windstar shroud, or mold a new one like you have done. Awesome build by the way, top notch. I have been thinking about doing the circuit breaker conversion thing to rid my truck of all the fuses, but too many other projects at the moment to think about that.

Remington

Thanks man...

yeah, it's that same composite glass I've used thruout the thread... couple more projects down the pike with this material too... rear side panels, door panels, maybe some speaker enclosures......

Trial-fit looks good... Should be pretty trick with how it covers the rad on top and the sides....

The circuit breaker job is still not 100%... SUCH a pain doing it with a DD.. If I had it off the road for a month or so, it would have been much easier... Nothing is where it was, wire wise anymore... there are no wires coming out of the driverside firewall... I have a square hole where my fuseblock/junction block was... Everything runs down the passenger side now..

I'm now running one of those watertight bulkhead connectors (that I showed earlier in the thread) down between the bat box and fender, below the hinge... here's an older shot of where I'm talking about... everything now runs from there right into the electronics box... then whatever needs to go on to the rad support comes out the bottom of the box to feed the lights, fans, horns, and eventually winch and Offroad lights...

Boy, I should really get myself one of those "Built, Not Bought" stickers...