'88 K5 - Running Down A Dream

[kennyw]

I think your pics just prove how bad the rust can get no matter what you do for maintenance on the exterior surfaces. Just about every piece of sheetmetal has an area that is unprotected hiding on the inside that allows rust to fester if water ever get in.

 

[jimmyleetn]

I think your pics just prove how bad the rust can get no matter what you do for maintenance on the exterior surfaces. Just about every piece of sheetmetal has an area that is unprotected hiding on the inside that allows rust to fester if water ever get in.

I agree 100%. Those windshield skins were bare metal in most places too. I was surprised by what I found in the windshield header and under the trucks drip rail. Definitely a good reminder to paint the backs of panels to at least slow it down.

 

[jimmyleetn]

I'm in spot welder prison right now. It's not as terrible as I thought, but I have all this other stuff not truck related I'm supposed to be doing so finding the time has been more challenging than I thought. Hopefully I'll get it knocked out soon. All I have left on the inner skin are the spot welds on the inside that are overhead and awkward. I've got them tacked but getting them finished is going to be terrible.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Inner skin is burned in, you'll notice clamps in the pictures. That's just to see if everything still fits. It does. I did get in my own head a little bit about whether or not I had everything set right front to back, but best I can tell from the bolts running the bed rail that hold the top down, you should have at least 3/8in of play front to back on the top. So surely it'll fit. I had about convinced myself the hard top wouldn't butt up to the two gaskets on the windshield frame, but it I measures out the same as my other windshield frame.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Got back at it after being on vacation last week. I spent a ton of time today measuring and remeasuring because I had about convinced my I mess up on the lower skin. I referenced five different locations off the rockers on each side and got identical measurements on passenger and driver side which was a big relief. I did learn that the middle piece that holds the two skins together. It's just hammered on there because it is not any kind of square. Finally got the end caps to fit and went ahead and painted them. So while the pain dried I started on the driver side bed rail. I need a break from the windshield frame anyways.

 

[kennyw]

You are getting some mileage out of those pieces...

 

[jimmyleetn]

You are getting some mileage out of those pieces...

I'm just glad you sent me all that stuff, it's really helped out. Those bed rails cleaned up really nice too after some rust treatment and a wire wheel.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Precious little time in shop these past several days. Here's a compilation of the work I did to get the end caps on. Been sneaking away an hour or so here and there. Had to reuse a hole I cut with the spot welder on the RH side. Had to break out the sheet metal screws too. I only did more than tacks in areas people will see after assembly. These pieces don't do much structurally from what I can tell. These were not fun.

 

[jimmyleetn]

Got a few hours in today. Sprayed a little paint on the end caps so I can put the outer skin on next. While the paint dried I started working on the b pillar on the passenger side and learned something new, the front of the bed rails are wider than the rear. Never would have guessed. Can't really tell until you put pieces next to each other.

 

[nvrenuf]

The detail in all of this is really cool to see!

(oh look, a built in “roll bar” lol)

 

[jimmyleetn]

I'm in spot welder jail. It's terrible. I think there's probably 75. Maybe 80 spot welds on that outer skin. I've been working on it for basically 2 days. I think I'm down to like 20 spot welds. I think I was putting a little more work into welding those giant holes up than needed. A buddy of mine that does body work gave me some guidance. On the upshot, I convinced myself to go buy a mini belt sander. Should have bought one of those years ago. That thing is awesome. Currently, the plan is to fit the top Thursday. I am ridiculously nervous and anxious about it. Should have that outer skin finished tomorrow too so I can start working on the bed rails but I can fit the top whether those are done or not. Also, you'll see a burnt shirt in one of the pictures. It was underneath the truck on a box that had one of my bumpers in it. I started smelling smoke. I looked down and there was a flame underneath the truck. Molten metal went through the shifter hole. Fun times.

 

[folkenheath]

Hopefully that was a rag and you weren't wearing it at the time of ignition...