1976 Chevy Truck 3/4 ton 4x4 - 2nd rebuild

[thirsty]

We always say that the devil is the details at our shop. Looks like you got the devil by the horns with your build making sure all the details are worked out! By now you must have some front fenders on that thing...(hinting around for pics) 

Nice Chevy II! The roll bars in that just finish it off if it was a street car. Or did you ever run it on a track? Kinda looks like you did with the wheelie bars sticking out the back.

I guess people just don't much respect anymore for other peoples stuff.  ( which I totally blame parents for not taking enough interest in the children's upbringing ).

I learned about not touching cars at a young age from my dad. When I would stop by his shop as a pup after school if I touched or leaned on a car that he was working on he would make me wash it for the customer. Didn't matter if it showed or not where I touched it. Didn't matter what the weather was outside (winter or summer). Didn't matter what condition the vehicle was in...I was told when he would be done with it so I could wash it for them.
I never forgot those few cars I washed for not respecting someone's vehicle when it was in his shop. I also raised 2 kids the same way. You touch it you wash it. Like my dad I never had to worry about either one of my kids around anybody's vehicle after. Now if we could only make other peoples kids learn respect we would be all set.

This is the one we have the most trouble with. My dad's original 71 Maverick. For some reason everybody feels the need to touch this car. There can be a $50,000.00 car parked beside it but people will their hands all over this one for some reason.

[bake74]

This is the one we have the most trouble with. My dad's original 71 Maverick. For some reason everybody feels the need to touch this car. There can be a $50,000.00 car parked beside it but people will their hands all over this one for some reason.

     Man you guys are killing me with these car pics, ( I am going to show my age here ), in high school I had a friend with the same 71 maverick ( it was yellow and looked different, higher in the back with 50 series tires ), he had "poor white boy" painted across the back after the song.
    He could be driving down the road and start tapping on the gas and pretty soon the front end would be bouncing a foot off the ground.  I had a 71 Chevell Malibu at the time,  Ah good times.

[firefighter]

Well guys, I still have my truck rebuild going, although my updates don't reflect it.

During the final stages of the assembly it seems a person runs into the point where you have to make decisions on what direction you're going to go. This really slows down progress, especially if you have to order parts.
I still haven't installed the front fenders, grill, hood, etc...
I'm really taking my time on doing that because if I have to do anything in the engine compartment, it's way easier doing it now than leaning over fenders or the radiator support !!

In the interior, all the glass is in and now I'm into stereo mode.
It's taken me way too much time making decisions and installing this phase.
Thank you for all your ideas, comments and suggestions in the other thread I started about stereos.
I did some creative mounting of the DIN cage for the stereo and it should "blend in" with the dash when I'm done. Nothing fancy, just solidly installed.

After the stereo/amp/speaker installation is complete, I can finally install the dash pad and then the instrument panel the final time. I think I've had the instrument panel on and off about 8 dozen times during the stereo head unit installation.   

Then carpeting...... then I'll have to make a decision about the seat.
Totally redo the seat, or just put on a seat cover........ Hmmmm.......

Anyway, moving the rabbit along at a turtles pace.
Have a great day guys.   

[thirsty]

Patience grasshopper...It will all come together.
I ran into the same thing with mine. A lot of progress and that gets you motivated to do more then when it comes to the small things that don't show it seems to slow to a crawl. The speed of my build seems to be directly proportional to the amount of funds. 

Can't wait to see what you came up with for a DIN head unit install.

[firefighter]

Well I feel like I finally made some progress in the interior.
I've finished with the cutting of the dash for the new radio, mounted the unit and ran the wiring along the floor to the rear of the truck for the speakers and amp. And yes, I did run my amp power wire and speaker wires separately.   
I'm using the same behind the seat speakers I had last time (although I may change them) but added a couple 5 1/4" ones in the kick panels. The amp was a bonus.   
The hard part was the wiring under the dash. I ain't getting any younger ya know!!  A video of that feat would not be pretty.
It was way easier to do the under dash wiring while there was no seat, dash pad or glove box in place.
After the wiring was done, I was able to install the carpet, and the side aluminum trim pieces.
And finally....... I could install the dash pad and instrument panel cover. Gosh I've been waiting to put those on it seems like forever to give it a finished look inside.
All interior electrical is done and all I have to install is just the seat and seat belts. Some work still to be done there.
Nothing fancy or frilly, just a nice clean Chevy truck, made for doing work.

[bake74]

     Fire fighter I am really impressed with the quality of work from your pics.  I only hope you get to enjoy the truck for many years with all the hard work that has gone into the truck.

[thirsty]

Looking good firefighter! That dark interior is an awesome contrast to the green.

Nothing fancy or frilly, just a nice clean Chevy truck, made for doing work.

I would say you nailed that.

Was that a carpet that you had or did you just get it? If it is new, it sure does fit nice.

[firefighter]

Thanks for the compliments guys. I do appreciate it.

Yeah, it's one of those things that right after doing a major rebuild like this, you hate to take it out to the timber and scratch it with bushes and twigs or take it out and load the bed with a full load of freshly cut oak firewood.
You almost need to get that first scratch in the paint to get it out of your system. It's a work truck, not a show truck. But after totally disassembling a complete truck and spending all the hours in the shop doing everything "right", you want it to be new looking forever. The fact is, it most likely won't stay that way. It will get battle wounds. I got over that 15 years ago when I rebuilt it the first time, and I'll get over it this time too. It just takes a while.   

This was the replacement carpet I bought brand new 15 years ago through a local car parts distributor. If you look closely you can see where my floor mats were before. It's a different color.
The carpet wore very well, and I always kept floor mats in place.

I feel what rusted the floor before is that when the carpet got wet from getting in and out during hunting etc... that the carpet and insulating pad beneath took too long to dry and started the rust cycle. I've got plenty of precautions now with layers of undercoating, primer, paint and then foil lined sound deadening material. I've got new floor mats with the 1" lip around the edges to contain any water from your feet instead of it running over and into the carpet.

It's going to be nice here this week and I think I'll open the shop doors periodically and just let the motor run and move it back and forth to shift the tranny and get the fluids circulating. I want to make sure there is no leaks of any kind before I do the next step of installing the front fenders etc....

I'm excited to make more progress and get it closer to being road ready.

[mikek20]

Im loving it. Interior is some of the most fun. Before i tore mine all out i had to sit in it and drink a beer (of course in the barn without it running) as will i do the same once its all complete. I think of it as the christening of the truck.

[87454westernhauler]

is that a new dash pad or just a cover over the origional?

[firefighter]

is that a new dash pad or just a cover over the origional?

It is the original dash pad. I painted it 15 years ago and it held up pretty well but I did spray it again just to make it look nice.
It has some very minor cracking up by the center speaker but other than that, it's in great condition.

[thirsty]

It has some very minor cracking up by the center speaker

Oh Man...now the whole build is ruined for me! 

Just joking...That interior is in awesome condition for a 76. I'm just jealous. 

[firefighter]

Progress update is that I finally got the front fenders installed on Sunday. It really only took me a couple hours to do it because before I had painted them, I test fit everything. I already knew how many shims the different locations would take.
I was really happy to have this step done.
Last night I installed the front end valance, side marker lights, front turn signal lights, grille and headlight bezels.
That all went off without a hitch.
After I install the inner fenderwells, front bumper and hood, the whole front end will be complete.
I could actually drive it right now if I wanted to, but just haven't had a chance to move it around in the garage to get it out yet.   

Here is a short video of Sundays progress and a few pics of the front end progress as of last night.

Video of around the front end.


Drivers side front


Passenger side front

[Captkaos]

Looking good!

[reload]

Love this wl!