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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Members Rides => Topic started by: frogman68 on January 05, 2009, 07:44:43 pm

Title: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on January 05, 2009, 07:44:43 pm
Question on installing a new tailpan I dont have any reference and just got the tailgate posts the flange at the bottom of the tailgate post is that to sit on the inside or outside of the tailpan?

(http://store.73-87chevytrucks.com/merchant2/graphics/00000001/tailgatepost.jpg)
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: chevyh20 on January 06, 2009, 10:29:56 am
brian ,
here's a pic for you. Mine was the same , no reference points. Heres what i came up with. i made a couple of brackets front and rear to attach the pillar to the tailpan.

(http://i437.photobucket.com/albums/qq99/jeffreylberry/DSC00534.jpg)
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on January 06, 2009, 10:41:38 am
Great thanks it goes on top glad I asked I was thinking it would go inside for added strength
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: Captkaos on January 06, 2009, 04:45:37 pm
FYI- you got the LAST one of these I will ever get from one supplier.
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on January 06, 2009, 05:48:39 pm
FYI- you got the LAST one of these I will ever get from one supplier.

It wasnt anything I did or asked for ?
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: Captkaos on January 07, 2009, 04:29:53 pm
No ;) , they manufacturer wants them to order 100 of them and they said they it would take 25 years to sell that many..
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on January 07, 2009, 04:36:44 pm
No ;) , they manufacturer wants them to order 100 of them and they said they it would take 25 years to sell that many..

Swee scared me for a minute :) I am hoping to get them in this weekend just have to fix the one hinge
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on March 22, 2010, 06:52:21 pm
Been awhile with my shoulder surgery, putting the garage up and life in general I didnt have the dr's ok but had the wifes :)

Went to work on the tailpan got it lined up pretty good but the rust is killing me .. Lucky for me Chris has the back of the bed part that has the tabs to hold the tail light in so that will be getting cut out. With the tail pan in I saw a piece I think should be there I have fabbed it up hope fully it will add strength from the body to the tail pan.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2221.jpg)


(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2222.jpg)

If any one has the measurement from the wheel well to the ground I would appreciate it this thing was sagging so not sure if I have lifted enough before I put the posts in to the tail pan.
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on March 28, 2010, 01:37:09 pm
Got half the tailpan welded in :)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2236.jpg)

Just have to finish blending it. Took forever since I welded the C-clamp to the post and couldnt get anything in there to cut the weld lucky I had a ton of cut off wheels for the dremel.

Was going to weld the other side in but stopped (one thing I have learned here is patience lol) . I have a 4X4 across the bed hooked to the engine hoist the 4X4 is level put when I measure and the center of the rear wheels I am off by 1/2 inch not sure if I should keep jacking the other 4X4 I put in with the floor jack or just leave it. I have verified the floor is level and the 1/2 inch is also at the rear bumper but my eye cant see it.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2234.jpg)
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on April 03, 2010, 09:05:02 pm
stupid me I found the 1/2 inch. I have yet to change the front cab mounts need to do that before too long :) . Today I had him cut the rest of the floor out after I finished welding the tailpan in.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2244.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2245.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2247.jpg)

Here it is with the floor and wheel wells out. I did weld in some 1 inch square tubing across the front (of the rear section of the Blazer) then two supports to the tail pan it was 1/16 tube but it seems to flex too much I didnt get pics of that was tired. I am thinking of welding in some legs from the front tube to the support that comes back to the rear.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2248.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2249.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2250.jpg)
Title: Re: Tailpan
Post by: frogman68 on April 04, 2010, 06:09:08 pm
Took it easy today since its Easter. Just welding in some supports and had my son grind off the rear body to frame mounts (hope Chris can get them ) .
For the supports I added a piece of 1/8 2X2 angle iron then some legs seems alot stronger now. hopefully the floor will add some more going to add supports to the side wall put going to wait till I get the wheel wells in.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2253.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2254.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2255.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/DSCF2256.jpg)
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on April 18, 2010, 04:43:45 pm
We got alot done this weekend was going to weld together but I figured since its only screwed/clamped in if some one tells me something is wrong I can still change it.
Most of the rust has been cut out of the drivers side but if its not one thing its another when I removed the front cab floor support where it attaches to the  rear cab support it was rusty pretty bad

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2258.jpg)

So I cut a patch from some sheet metal.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2259.jpg)

I added some angle iron to the bottom to add strength

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2260.jpg)

I then moved onto the footwell

Again nothing easy it was actually rotted above that so I had to patch it

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2261.jpg)

with patch

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2263.jpg)

So now I have the cab floor brace , cab support and the foot well in.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2264.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2265.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2268.jpg)

Finally I moved on to the rear cab support

Of course there is issues the "B" pillar is in pretty bad shape I will fix that after the floor is in.


There is a piece like a inner cab support that isnt made and of course its shot

So I made one will add some angle iron or flat bar to connect the body and rocker to it once I am at that stage.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2267.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2266.jpg)

Here is a shot with the door closed with the rocker.

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2271.jpg)
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: overthepond on April 19, 2010, 03:30:51 am
Your both doing a great job... ;)
Fantastic to see skills of old being passed on to another generation in a world full of throw away/recycable cars that we are living with now,my son is taking interest in my truck so he'll be taught the same way by getting his hands dirty.
Keep on it.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on April 19, 2010, 05:57:35 am
Your both doing a great job... ;)
Fantastic to see skills of old being passed on to another generation in a world full of throw away/recycable cars that we are living with now,my son is taking interest in my truck so he'll be taught the same way by getting his hands dirty.
Keep on it.

Thanks , actually its a learning experience for us both. I never did any work like this.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: howlinwolf on April 19, 2010, 07:01:16 am
its similar for me and my dad, but the first car we did together was a sixty nine gto judge.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: rainman15 on May 02, 2010, 01:45:07 pm
Could you have done the rocker panel without removing the front fender?

Also did you drop the fuel tank to do the floor and cab work around the front door areas? 

I'm working on a similar project and will be doing nearly the exact same kind of patches you have done there, and I have ZERO experience with metal work or welding. Your posts have been very helpful to me. 
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on May 03, 2010, 04:51:56 am
Could you have done the rocker panel without removing the front fender? No I had to cut out behind the fender plus the door needs  to come off in order to line it up

Also did you drop the fuel tank to do the floor and cab work around the front door areas?  Yes I dropped the tank for two reasons. Safety and ease of access to under neath

I'm working on a similar project and will be doing nearly the exact same kind of patches you have done there, and I have ZERO experience with metal work or welding. Your posts have been very helpful to me. 

Before you weld anything screw it together take pics and post this site has got me to this point. Practice welding on scrap for some time till you are good at it.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: rainman15 on May 07, 2010, 09:30:32 am
Turns out I'm gonna get very lucky on this welding thing.  I just learned that I have a certified welder at my boat shop at work (I'm in the Coast Guard).  We spent a ton of money to train this guy and I didn't even know he worked here... Anyway, he's agreed to help me out by providing some training on scrap metal before I actually start on the truck.  I don't want any help on the actual truck, just some training and a place to practice ahead of time. I want all this project to be my own work, not someone elses.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on May 07, 2010, 01:34:48 pm
Turns out I'm gonna get very lucky on this welding thing.  I just learned that I have a certified welder at my boat shop at work (I'm in the Coast Guard).  We spent a ton of money to train this guy and I didn't even know he worked here... Anyway, he's agreed to help me out by providing some training on scrap metal before I actually start on the truck.  I don't want any help on the actual truck, just some training and a place to practice ahead of time. I want all this project to be my own work, not someone elses.

That is great . I havent had time to work on the truck Boy Scout leader training is going to take all my time for the next month :(
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on July 26, 2010, 11:44:07 am
This summer has been too hot to work on the Blazer. But this morning it was in the low 80's :)
The frame to body mount in the middle of the bed were rotted , checked with Chris and he could not get em :( so I made some .
I think they will be ok (only made 1 so far) what do you think

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/frame%20mount/DSCF2459.jpg)

That is a piece of 1/8 plate drilled to the specs of the old mount then I welded a piece of 1/8 X 2 angle iron then cut that to the correct angle

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/frame%20mount/DSCF2458.jpg)

I cut and drilled another piece of the 1/8 X 2 angle and drilled a hole in the bottom frame rail


(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/frame%20mount/DSCF2463.jpg)

cut some 1/8 X 1 square tubing and ran it between the 2 pieces on the frame then put another piece of the 1/8 plate with the proper hole for the bushing cut out

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/frame%20mount/DSCF2465.jpg)

all welded and bolted in the bushing is in with the washer (the angle iron is representing the floor)

Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: Old77 on August 24, 2010, 09:22:54 am
Wow! there is a lot of work to be done with that blazer but you guys are doing a GREAT job on getting the panels repaired. I experienced some of the same headaches with my C10 but the good thing about trucks is that if your bed is rusted out you just go grab another one! :) That's got to be a chore to replace the whole floor of the rear of your blazer.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on August 24, 2010, 06:54:41 pm
Wow! there is a lot of work to be done with that blazer but you guys are doing a GREAT job on getting the panels repaired. I experienced some of the same headaches with my C10 but the good thing about trucks is that if your bed is rusted out you just go grab another one! :) That's got to be a chore to replace the whole floor of the rear of your blazer.

Thanks its going slow (that is a good thing one thing among many this site has taught me is to go slow) since its hot and my son is working on his Eagle project. I havent taken any recent pics but I have the rear floor screwed down now doing some extra bracing, making sure the wheel wells fit  then I will pull the floor back out and prime and paint the supports then weld it in. Hopefully this will be the last weekend for his Eagle project then Labor Day weekend I can get back on this in earnest
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: Blazin on October 17, 2010, 06:48:45 am
Wow! All I can say as a body man, thats allot of work. As for your first time, looks like you jumped in ankles deep head first. Looks great though.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on October 17, 2010, 12:41:33 pm
Wow! All I can say as a body man, thats allot of work. As for your first time, looks like you jumped in ankles deep head first. Looks great though.

Thanks you taught me most of this :) The rear floor is in if I find the camera I can finally take pics :)
Had some issues with the wheel wells meeting the floor and body. So I just welded them in instead of bolting :).
Last piece of the body (major anyway) is the DS rear quarter. Then she will be ready for some primer.
Right now I have way to many projects going so the 76 is on the back burner, with that means I will be putting the 76 front end on this.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: Bitzer! on October 18, 2010, 08:09:12 am

Just a little concern > great use of good welding gloves but the bare arms! :o

Seriously thats some good work you two are doing. A saying over here is "slowly, slowly catches monkey!"
Not sure where it comes from but it fits the bill  ;)
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on October 24, 2010, 11:03:49 am
Here is the floor in will get better pics thru my back out and cant clean it out lol

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2692.jpg)


(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2693.jpg)

(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff310/frogman1968/blazer/DSCF2694.jpg)
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: jaredts on October 25, 2010, 06:48:32 am
Starting to look like something again.  Nice work!  Just don't get frustrated and give up.  It'll be worth it in the end.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: Captkaos on October 25, 2010, 05:09:57 pm
WOW!! Great progress!
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on October 26, 2010, 03:46:04 am
WOW!! Great progress!
It would not of been possible with out you
From the parts (and great customer service) to this site without any of em this truck would not be where it is today
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: Captkaos on October 26, 2010, 10:10:17 am
Thanks for the kind words but you deserve the credit.  That is a serious undertaking.  I scraped one like that.
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on November 22, 2010, 07:34:28 pm
Not a truck update but good news anyway.
Just got the word from the BSA Headquarters our son is now a official Eagle Scout
I am so proud of him we were going to drop the engine in over thanksgiving weekend but one of his friends turns 18 on 11/30 and he rather help him finish his Eagle Project
Title: Re: Son and Dad rust experience
Post by: frogman68 on February 05, 2011, 06:09:34 pm
Got most of the Ds Quarter panel in cant find the camera,
I now know why body man get paid so well :) 10 hours of cutting, welding,  grinding (still not done grinding) to get this last major welded piece in.