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

[gto109]

Sweet looking truck.

[bake74]

      Looking very good, like the stance of the truck.  Will look even better when the front is done.

[firefighter]

Well another week later and a few more steps have been taken.
The baby steps were that I got the hood and bumper on.
The giant step was that I backed it out of the garage yesterday under its own power. It felt really good to get it outside as a running truck.
I have a longer driveway so I drove it up and down there a couple times. Got out and checked everything quick, then decided to take it for a short ride around a couple blocks close to my house. I really don't want to show the truck much until I get the box painted and put on. Something about having the truck look more complete when people start seeing it around. I know, weird, right?
You know, you do so much to a vehicle that before you begin driving it, I find myself checking all the leaf spring U bolts, lug nuts, radiator clamps etc... multiple times. You find you begin second guessing yourself like maybe you forgot to tighten something up as you were installing it. It's not like you just did a tune up, you had this thing all the way down to the frame. I'm sure some of you know what I mean.
Anyway, I was happy to be behind the wheel of a running truck with all rust free sheetmetal on it.
I know one thing for sure however...... with just a 4" lift kit and 35" tires. I WILL have to put some kind of step on so I can get in to this fool thing more easily !!   

[BigHemi353]

Mighty big change from before. Very Impressive!

[bake74]

     See, better with the whole front done.   

[mikek20]

That first drive under its own power is an amazing feeling. Enjoy it! Your making awesome progress.

[thirsty]

Looks real good firefighter. When I see that truck now I see a solid, tough, useful, dependable rig. That color looks great outside too. It's going to make the ford owners in your area feel mighty insecure when they go to get into their trucks!

You know, you do so much to a vehicle that before you begin driving it, I find myself checking all the leaf spring U bolts, lug nuts, radiator clamps etc... multiple times. You find you begin second guessing yourself like maybe you forgot to tighten something up as you were installing it. It's not like you just did a tune up, you had this thing all the way down to the frame. I'm sure some of you know what I mean.

There is nothing wrong with that. It's a good thing to do with anything. We do it with race cars all the time instead of sitting and waiting to run them we double check everything, even stuff that we didn't touch that week. It has proven to be worthwhile. I know that after converting my frame to 4wd I will be doing a lot of bolt checks.

So is there an estimated date for when you will be done and out terrorizing toyotas?

[firefighter]

Thanks all.
Warmer weather is here way earlier than expected this year so I feel like I'm behind schedule. Mother Nature is ruining my schedule, but that's OK.   

I've worked on the tailgate a few hours the last couple evenings. I may even get it primed tonight if I have time.
Although I have no rust on my new box, there is still a lot of surface area to work on. I have to remove some type of sticker material all the way down both sides, remove the left over sticky stuff from the factory trim, inspect for small dents or dings, prime bare spots and get the thing ready to paint.
My goal would be to have this done in 2-3 weeks. The clock is ticking........

Did I mention that either I'm too short or this thing is too tall? I have to grab the steering wheel and take a BIG step up onto the rocker just to get in.
At 5' 11", I can't believe this is called short guy syndrome.   

[thirsty]

Did I mention that either I'm too short or this thing is too tall? I have to grab the steering wheel and take a BIG step up onto the rocker just to get in.
At 5' 11", I can't believe this is called short guy syndrome.   

If this becomes too much of a problem for you than I will trade you my daily driver mazda b3000 for your 76 just to help you out. It's pretty low compared to a lifted square body. 

[79k30guy]

lookin great!  i love the color, can't wait to see it with the bed on!

[hotrod24]

Looking good firefighter...

[bd]

Firefighter, you make all your truck buddies proud, while providing encouragement to those of us who might otherwise be on the fence about starting our own projects!  Thanks!  An impressive project, well done....

[firefighter]

Well the small step of progress for mankind is that I now have the tailgate and side metal supports painted and ready to go.

I'm now working on the box. There sure is a lot of surface area on a box!!
The box originally had the flexible factory trim down and side and it peeled off pretty easily. What isn't so easy to remove is some kind of decorative sticker trim material that runs down the length of the box on both sides as well. I'm having to use a razor scraper to get it off and then I'll have to use something to remove the sticky residue left over.
It had a few small dents and a few small holes from trim brackets I had to deal with. That's all pretty much done and there is no rust to fix.
I'll do some light sanding and prime the bare spots and hurry on to paint here soon.

To paint the box.... I'll most likely split it up into two, or maybe even three, stages.
I'll paint just the inside and floor of the box first. Then I'll cover all that up and paint just the outside areas.
I hope to have the box done within a few weeks.

Here's the tailgate although I'm sure you've all seen many.   


Now painted

[thirsty]

What isn't so easy to remove is some kind of decorative sticker trim material that runs down the length of the box on both sides as well. I'm having to use a razor scraper to get it off and then I'll have to use something to remove the sticky residue left over.

Before you take too much more off try a heat gun. Sometimes you can get the adhesive to lift with the sticker. If it works for you it will save you some time and effort.

This progress makes me want to get the paint gun out again!
It doesn't matter how many tail gates I have seen, I still like seeing pics of one that I know smells like fresh paint!
Keep up the good work.

[mikek20]

Just to comment on the "sticky situation" with the bedside stickers, i support thirtys idea on the heat gun, and add that you should follow that up with a 3m eraser wheel. If you arent familiar with them they are miracles! They go in a drill and you run them over all the areas where leftover sticky adhesive is, it will literally erase the adhesive much like a pencil eraser would work.  To make it better, it doesnt burn paint or scar anything, perfectly safe on new paint!