My 'day off' daily driven project.

[TA^Guy]

Don't know when/where are we having another mod day?

I plan on keeping the door handles for a while, maybe I'll do those last since it's a daily driver still.

I think next Saturday I'll yank the bumper backoff, do some body work on the lower be corners, cut the bumper brackets in half and weld them back together so they lift the bumper up another inch to remove the gap between the bumper and tailgate. If the chuck in my drill would accept a large enough bit I would just redill new holes into the brackets.

[blazedime]

ok cool. hope your drill works, if not harbor freight is around the corner

[BigJoe]

Wow, thats some sweet work. Looks better in person though. John lets have a Mod day next month. I have a free weekend in mid September somewhere. I badly need my exhaust taken care of by RJ anyway. Lets spend the whole weekend on your truck. I suck at the weld but you know I like to dabble in body work lol

[blazedime]

^ whats your fat ass doing here? is he your only means of conveyance?

mod days FTW

[TA^Guy]

Damn guys I can't get away from you two... lol

I was thinking this afternoon I'm might remove the bumper, cut the brackets and raise it up to get rid of the gap. Then next I'm feeling either order my mirrors or headlights.

[purevil115]

love the bumper I would steal that idea but I want to keep mine chrome

[blazedime]

Quote: Originally Posted by TA^Guy

Damn guys I can't get away from you two... lol

I was thinking this afternoon I'm might remove the bumper, cut the brackets and raise it up to get rid of the gap. Then next I'm feeling either order my mirrors or headlights.

why order that? i thought you are working your way back to front?

[blazedime]

Quote: Originally Posted by purevil115

love the bumper I would steal that idea but I want to keep mine chrome

cant you do that and rechrome the bumper

[GreatWhite00]

I think the work looks fukin good. Is that a custom plate?

[TA^Guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by blazedime

why order that? i thought you are working your way back to front?

I am, but the last thing I want to do to the body is shave the handles since it's still my daily driver. Maybe I'll atleast wait untill spring.

Quote: Originally Posted by blazedime

cant you do that and rechrome the bumper

It could be done. If I were to have it chromed instead of doing each small hole on top I would cut a flat peice of metal to cover the entire top and weld it around the edge and then use a grinder to smooth out the welds. Just have to make clean welds and filler panels so no body filler is needed to smooth it out.

Quote: Originally Posted by GreatWhite00

I think the work looks fukin good. Is that a custom plate?

Hahah, nope just a photoshopped one.

A old friend/club member had the plates I'm getting, but I have to wait 4 more months for them to be avalible from the DMV.

[TA^Guy]

Hey Mike, just thought of something. Next Mod Day we have maybe we an lift my bed off, shave the fuel filler door and relocate it to the inside of the bed.

I know Tom wants to hide his behind his tail light. We were thinking of using drawer sliders and a electric actuator so the tail light slides out at the flip of a switch. That and he wants his trunk lock shaved.

[BigJoe]

Quote: Originally Posted by TA^Guy

Hey Mike, just thought of something. Next Mod Day we have maybe we an lift my bed off, shave the fuel filler door and relocate it to the inside of the bed.

I know Tom wants to hide his behind his tail light. We were thinking of using drawer sliders and a electric actuator so the tail light slides out at the flip of a switch. That and he wants his trunk lock shaved.

Hummm, maybe Ill shave something.

[01cherryreds10]

I saw this thread and got all excited that there was a new post.



I wanna see that LED light

[TA^Guy]

Quote: Originally Posted by 01cherryreds10

I saw this thread and got all excited that there was a new post.

I wanna see that LED light

Right now the LED is mounted on the inside of the rear window. Not sure if it'll stay there or not. We'll see when I pull the bed off if I want to do it then or not.

[TA^Guy]

Ok I finally made my new brackets. I don't have any senic photos yet but I got one that was taken while I was tightening the bolts down. I ended up raising it up about 1 1/8".

Before-


After-


I'll get better photos later.

I think next sunday my antenna is going, and my fuel filler door.

[TA^Guy]

Got a few small things done today. We had a mod day at my house so I worked on other vehicles more as much as my own. I taught a newer member how to weld and then he did his first major peice of body work and shaved the trunk lock on his custom Grand Am. Next week he's going to do the antenna. It's a shame it was just painted a few months ago. lol

My truck I shaved the hood pissers and antenna off. I them mounted my antenna under the fender lip from heater box to behind the head lamp. Reception isn't as good as I thought it would be. So far I just have the one photo I took. My friend who was snapped the photos has a two hour drive home so I'll have to wait until he sends me his photos.

So here is the one I had to snap in the dark. More are on their way.

[blazedime]

lookin good man, wish i was there for that. cant wait for more pics

[TA^Guy]

Some more photos. Thx Joe.








This is where I mounted my antenna, reception isn't that great.


And a few of my friend's Grand Am SC/T. First time he's welded, I think he's addicted.

[syclonekid43]

great work. i like the way the bumper turned out

[blazedime]

bumper looks amazing man

[TA^Guy]

Ok well had alot to do today so I didn't get started until late.

I started with the smaller seam on the drivers side.

How the stock filler looks covering the cab seam. Just a peice of tin held in with double sided tape.


Tin and tape removed.


First I made a very small end peice and welded it from the inside so I wouldn't have to worry about grinding down welds around the glass. Too bad I scuffed the frame of the glass with the grinder anyhow... DOH!

Tacked in my filler peice made from a 1" strip steel. Had to bevel the edges to get it to sit flush.


Welds ground smooth.


I covered it in a quick coat of USC All Metal filler. I then hand sanded it quickly and sprayed some white primer over it because it was getting dark. I'll finish it when I get the other side started.

[blazedime]

Quote: Originally Posted by TA^Guy

Ok well had alot to do today so I didn't get started until late.

I started with the smaller seam on the drivers side.

How the stock filler looks covering the cab seam. Just a peice of tin held in with double sided tape.


Tin and tape removed.


First I made a very small end peice and welded it from the inside so I wouldn't have to worry about grinding down welds around the glass. Too bad I scuffed the frame of the glass with the grinder anyhow... DOH!

Tacked in my filler peice made from a 1" strip steel. Had to bevel the edges to get it to sit flush.


Welds ground smooth.


I covered it in a quick coat of USC All Metal filler. I then hand sanded it quickly and sprayed some white primer over it because it was getting dark. I'll finish it when I get the other side started.

where else did i see this thread???

anyhoo, about tom, im been meaing to shave my fuel door as well. the new filler spot might be behind the light or just in the trunk. but i dont know if i want to do a tail light conversion yet

[TA^Guy]

Mike, Tom and I have discussed putting it behind the tail light and having the light on and electric motor and slides (simular to a kitchen drawer).

When he gets a winter beater and his comes off the road that is what we will be tackling, along with shaving his door handles.

[93blazer4dr]

nice i like the mods you have done to this keep em comming

[bdydrp18]

looks good. got be carefully with the grinder man

also what are you using to grind with a stone or pads.

if a stone switch to a 40 or 80 grid part. works a lot better and you can to a better metal finishing job ie less filler

[TinaBanana]

that bumper looks sooo much better now that you got it raised up. good job

[Myst]

yea and dude ...your rear window looks all jacked up now ...remember to cover that stuff up AND also watch for pitting in the glass

[Droppedime08]

I was thinking about doing that but didnt want to remove the glass..Doesnt look like i will be doing it.

[TA^Guy]

Finally had a day off of work and tackled the passengers side.

Before.


After. This is with one coat of filler, almost straight but just going with one more coat of filler to get it prefect. I ran out of daylight.

Quote: Originally Posted by bdydrp18

looks good. got be carefully with the grinder man

also what are you using to grind with a stone or pads.

if a stone switch to a 40 or 80 grid part. works a lot better and you can to a better metal finishing job ie less filler

It's a stone, not sure what grit. I would like to get one of those sanding disks with the flaps but not sure how it would work grinding down the welds.

Quote: Originally Posted by TinaBanana

that bumper looks sooo much better now that you got it raised up. good job

Yeah mkes it look like it fits better, I hate big gaps.
I still plan trimming the sides down a little further and making metal fillers to the side of the bed and molding them in.

Quote: Originally Posted by Droppedime08

I was thinking about doing that but didnt want to remove the glass..Doesnt look like i will be doing it.

Still can be done, the passengers side came out much better. I taped it off with layers of aluminum tape to make sure I didn't catch it. And welded a small end peice from the inside before I capped it all off. When I used the filler I ran some between the glass and end peice. Now I just need a small bit on a dremel to clean it up.

[LilMike]

looking good, i like what you've been doing very cool ideas