73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Body, Glass & Paint => Topic started by: 78 Chevyrado on April 01, 2011, 12:19:38 am
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Kinda putting some feelers out there... debating... I want it, but I'm not sure yet. but as always I wont be totally sure until I get it installed or they quit making them... :D
What do you guys think? How do you think the one piece side windows and flush mount rear glass would look on my truck?
And one more question: How do you think my doors would do, with dumbo mirrors, and having to cut the brace under the vent window off to make the one piece glass fit? That's really the only reason I haven't tried their stuff yet. There's no way around cutting that brace, but do you think it would mess up the door the first (or any other) time somebody slammed it. and it will very likely get slammed now and then.
This tab.
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/Parts%20n%20Pieces/tabondoortocut.jpg)
Any photoshoppers in the house?
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20%20-After%20New%20Wheels/GEDC0008.jpg)
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20%20-After%20New%20Wheels/GEDC0051.jpg)
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20%20-After%20New%20Wheels/GEDC0048.jpg)
Might look something like this but with dumbos...lol
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20%20Rebuild%20Stuff/REASSEMBLY/GEDC0022.jpg)
(http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t195/wes2880/78%20C20%20Rebuild%20Stuff/REASSEMBLY/GEDC0021.jpg)
Wonder what I could do to brace the mirrors without connecting it to the inner part of the door shell?
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I like the originial look of the vent windows even though they are a little noisy. If you can stand a smaller mirror; I think the sport mirror would look nicer anyway and solves the problem of the heavy mirror.
I like the look of the flush mount glass, but if you do; I think you should get rid of the chrome trim around the windshield.
Nice truck.
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What do you consider a dumbo mirror? http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=17738.0
A large mirror will vibrate without reinforcing the structure. If it's not an aftermarket cheap door and you are running a standard or sport mirror you'll be ok. You can also modify the mirror bracket to the bottom of the door.
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Kenny, I really like your truck, but of course, if you've had it a while, you may be getting bored with it the way it is and want to change or improve on something...That being said, I see no good change or improvement on the looks of your truck by losing the vent windows...I think one-piece door glass is great on some slammed, radical, hot-rodded altered trucks, but yours has too much of that old school elegance to be a fit for that type of mod...JMHO,YMMV....
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I love the OPP windows on these trucks, stock, jacked up or burried. I ran them on my 84 one ton a few years ago and they were great. I think they'll look great on your truck, and that flush back glass makes me drool.
I say do it, and I'd prolly go with a sport mirror instead of whats there now.
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I had bad luck with them on my truck, seals and window don't seal, the ice scraper that they came with was a joke also. It had no curve in it to match the door panel. Also you can see the inside seal where the rivets are from outside the vehicle if you don't get it just right.
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My personal opinion is I wouldn't touch a thing! That truck is a head turner just the way it is. Just call me old school I guess. I bought mine because it brings back so many memories and like the classic look. I have a set of the sport mirrors that I might be willing to trade for a couple of parts I need if you decide to go that route. Mine had them on it when I bought it, but it still had the reinforcement brackets in the door. I took them off and installed a set of Dumbo's because I want to do some towing. Had to modify the support brackets to make them fit the new mirrors.
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I call dumbos the "below eyeline" mirrors I have now.
Thanks for the replies fellas, Yeah I am getting a little bored I think. I've got it like a new truck, so now I'd like to add a couple of accessories without auto westernizing it totally. All I have left is redoing the engine and trans. after that it's all finished.
Thanks simonZ! your comment makes me not wanna do anything to it, and go wax it some more! :)
I'm really not sure about the back glass, but the main reason I'm thinking about side windows is that I'm getting to dislike the vents. They don't whistle, but when you do open them they're 3 times louder than rolling down the big window, and I can't fins a locking set of handles that aren't crap. The GM ones I have now keep coming apart on me, So it's just a thought.
I am of coarse VERY concerned about the fit and finish and if it's not Excellent out of the box quality, and will stand up for a DD, I don't want to bother with it. I want functionality above all else, then looks.
I may forget about it till I ask again in another year or so...lol I don't think I want to do it though, cutting that support tab by the mirror still makes me cringe. Also it's hard to get rid of the vents when they seal up so well.
I have the toolbox off of it now to see how I like it without it. I also take it off every so often to check for rust, of which there's plenty around the holes. That I don't like, and it'll be a while before it goes back on there. If I get around to having a bedliner sprayed in, I'll have em weld the holes up and run the bedliner up over the side onto the top of the rail and that'll hide it well.
I'm diverting my attention to other things, I'm debating getting a bedliner and rollbar (light bar) like I had on my 77. I miss that bar. It was excellent for tie downs! :)
Maybe one like this style, in Black.
(http://www.truckrollbar.com/3barphotos/slides/M352TGS_Photo2.JPG)
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Kenny, please don't put bedliner on the bedrails or put a light bar in your pickup. If you do though, I think a chrome bar would look better. I have to give a thumbs down to the one piece window idea too. If I had your truck, I personally wouldn't make any aesthetic changes to it. It's classy.
Find a frankensteined mutt squarebody like mine that you could hack up and bolt stuff to if you have the itch ;D my $.02
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If you change anything go with a chrome rear step bumper.
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If I do get the bedliner, I'm going to have them color match it to the paint so it will be grey too. The roll on one I have now is black and it looks fine, but I'd rather have it match the truck. I have 2 ugly spots up top on the rails where the toolbox was and if I go over the rail, it will cover them up, as well as I'll be able to get rid of the chrome protection strip at the top ot the tailgate too.
Vile, that's another thing I'd love to have. I may have mine chromed one day or something because I only like the Stock GM step bumpers. the new ones aren't wide enough for me.
I have been debating really strongly getting a sport bumper for the back. I call a sport bumper the one that matches the front bumper. I think that would make it look a little nicer. Plus it doesn't cost too much to do, relatively speaking.
I have found several things that need attention right now though, so the body is safe for now... hahaha
Gotta get some rear springs, and shocks. then maybe an E-Fan for the engine. I found my drivers side rear leaf is bent and sagging. Musta happened in the wreck way back and fell in the cracks. I also noticed the other day when I had about 2500lbs on it, the left side dipped lower than the right, so it may be weakened as well.
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You would have to Bond a reinforcement strip to the door on the inside to give it more rigidity, but I have ran doors without them.
This is the mock-up on my Blazer Project.
(http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/projects/JamieK5/opp_up.jpg)
(http://www.73-87chevytrucks.com/projects/JamieK5/opp_halfdown.jpg)
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I'm back on this again. I'm thinking it's time to buy the kit. The vent windows have been pissing me off a lot lately, nothing wrong with them, I'm just not liking them too much. Plus being a smoker, I'd rather ash out of the one piece window than the little vent. The vents are just a pain. I been cracking the big window to smoke out of and noticed its like 10x quieter to crack the big window 1" than to open the vent window any amount.
It's my birthday the 28th so I either want this or a Grant 1180 steering wheel. hopefully I get both! time to buy me something for once. last thing I got to buy myself period was the wheels and tires.
I'm thinking I'll just jump on this kit and iron out any problems as they come up. that's always worked so far. :D
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Nice,
I hate the vent windows more and more every time I drive one of my trucks.
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i just ordered mine from Chris. hope the install isn't too much trouble to get them adjusted and sealed up.
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i just ordered mine from Chris. hope the install isn't too much trouble to get them adjusted and sealed up.
lemme know how it goes for ya. doesnt look bad, just gotta do it is all... ;D
I thought about it, the thing i hate about the vent wings is the bar is in the way all the time. when i smoke ir goto the drive through somewhere, it really gets in the way and makes the window hole a lot smaller. I keep having to reach back to get around it with my long arms. and closing the vents going down the freeway is a chore too. that dang steering wheel is right in the way... ;)
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No smoking in your nice truck!
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I don't know man. Most of us here are just trying to reach the level of niceness that the body of your truck has. If it were me, I'd leave it like it was. Unless those fold in mirrors are generating too much noise. I can understand that problem. But I solved it by just siliconing up the seals.
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No smoking in your nice truck!
I hear that a lot. ;) only thing fabric in it is the seats and carpet, so it cleans up pretty easy. i keep everything inside waxed well, and nobody ever smells it, they actually comment on how nice it smells. I also never keep butts in the ashtray, thats my coin holder.
I don't know man. Most of us here are just trying to reach the level of niceness that the body of your truck has. If it were me, I'd leave it like it was. Unless those fold in mirrors are generating too much noise. I can understand that problem. But I solved it by just siliconing up the seals.
I have liked them for the first year or so and theyre the first set i didnt have to silicone shut because or leaks and noise, just that center bar has been giving me fits for a while. I've started chipping paint off the bar with my watch so i dont wear the watch anymore... :D I'm also spoiled driving the focus with its nice big side windows... ;)
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either way...beautiful truck
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It will only take one time dropping your cherry and you might not have a truck anymore.
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very true
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A smokers going to smoke.
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It will only take one time dropping your cherry and you might not have a truck anymore.
Most smokers are very aware of where there cherry is, because if the cherry falls off, they wont be able to smoke it. Its like a 6th sense for them.
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It will only take one time dropping your cherry and you might not have a truck anymore.
Most smokers are very aware of where there cherry is, because if the cherry falls off, they wont be able to smoke it. Its like a 6th sense for them.
Too late at that point
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I'm interested to see what you do with the mirrors Kenny.
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It will only take one time dropping your cherry and you might not have a truck anymore.
Most smokers are very aware of where there cherry is, because if the cherry falls off, they wont be able to smoke it. Its like a 6th sense for them.
Exactly. ;D
I'll do like capt said and add some reinforcement behind the skin with some of that structural adhesive. ill add A couple more pieces than recommended since the mirrors are heavy and catch so much wind.