[bk2life]

Dropped off the chassis, and some sheet metal parts to be stripped.
It was 113 out today, so getting the leaf springs and steering gear box unbolted and then loading the chassis into the truck by myself was a warm one. The trick is to stay hydrated..
Anyways, a 15 mile drive down the street and dropped the parts off. I have lots of fabrication to do on the chassis, and 57 years of road grime, oil leaks and u joints slinging grease all around has made a bit of a mess to the frame. So much easier to weld on clean ‘fresh’ metal then dirty metal.
Got the old 454 onto the engine stand, and will be swapping over the accessories to the 489 in preparation for the completed chassis.
One day I will have the chassis powder coated, but not sure what color, and at what time, as I like to put my builds together, and drive them for a few thousand miles to work out the bugs. Then blow them all apart and finish paint and what not.

 

[nfamus10]

Go go go. You make me want to work on stuff dude. Stoked to see this one together man.

 

[bk2life]

Finally got time to finish up the scout stand and got the body off the lift. A few of the top bolts for the fuel tanks broke off, and I’ll have to reach up in there with some vice grips to get the nuts off. Then I can pull the fuel tanks out.

By the looks of the zero rust on this truck, literally zero rust, the fuel tanks I’m guessing will be in pretty good condition. I am not using them, so they will be for sale soon.

Since the scout has been a catch all for parts and what not for the last few years, it's time to drag the trash can over and empty the tub. It's currently slightly sad to look at.

The plan is to get the body off to the strippers to be blasted top and bottom. I plan on a ‘real’ name brand bedliner on the top surfaces, and a spray on like raptor on the bottom.

The battery or batteries will mount where the pass fuel tank was, with an access door on the inner fender well. I might do something similar on the driver’s side to have a small space that is able to place things, ie fix a flat, oil, coolant etc.

All the other parts, such as the chassis are still at the blasters, it’s only been 4 days, so I anticipate picking up those parts next week. Then I can start fabrication on the chassis. Still up in the air if I’m going to powder coat it, or just paint it.


.

 

[bk2life]

Just got a call, and some of my parts are blasted and ready to be picked up. woohoo!

Also, i was able to get the front inner sheetmetal, pedal assembly, and hydroboost set up removed. A few more small things, and the body will go get stripped as well.

 

[bk2life]

Took advantage of this rainy weather and finished stripping the scout tub, and got it hauled over to be fully stripped to bare metal.
Planning on ‘raptor brand’ spray in bedliner on the bottom, and actual Inyati or Line-x in the interior areas for sound deadening and to add some thickness to the sheetmetal.

 

[bk2life]

New steering column arrived... sometimes it's just easier to buy a brand new piece. I had shortened a stock GM tilt column for this build, but it still was nearly 40 years old, and for the price of columns these days, $338 dollars later, and a brand new summit 'brand' tilt column showed up, with a GM wheel adapter already installed. billet tilt and turn signal arms, and 100% brand new. You can't really beat that, even if rebuilding a worn out 40 year old GM column..

 

[bk2life]

Got the body parts dropped off today. All looks pretty good, there are a few surprises of thick bondo in a few spots, but that is to be expected.
One small dime sized rust hole on the drivers side where the seat riser was spot welded. When I drilled the spot welds and removed the riser before being stripped, it looked as if it collected mud/leaves over the years, so there wasn't any real surprise the metal was compromised in that area....a small 2"x"2 patch panel will fix the rust hole.
The floor pan is pitted from rust and whatnot over the last 57 years. The metal is compromised, so I'll probably just do a skim coat of filler and sand it all smooth before the tub goes to the Line-X place for a full interior coating of the bed-liner.
Over all, I'm pretty happy with the outcome, and from top to bottom I know what I have and am working with..

 

[bk2life]

Frame is back home now too... wooohoooo

 

[bk2life]

Got some epoxy sprayed on the “top surfaces” this weekend. Going to let it sit for 48 hours and then flip it over to do the bottom. After the bottom cures for a few days I’ll spray the Raptor Liner on it. Then it’ll get flipped back over, and I can start the body work on the quarters, and the tailgate.

 

[bk2life]

So got the body flipped over and was able to lay eyes upon the inner structures. The only rust is on the driver’s floor where the seat riser was once welded. I’ll cut out a panel and weld in some new sheetmetal. Then will be spraying the epoxy and the ‘bedliner’ in the next few days. Then get the body flipped back over.
There is a good sized dent on the passenger quarter, I’ll get that worked out, and I saw one or two other areas that need attention.
I also need to shave the two fuel doors. Once that is done, I’ll get the first coats of primer on the body.
Once the body is in primer, It’ll get moved out of the shop to sit and shrink. Then I can move the chassis in and start the fabrication on it. Need to cut the brackets off the new axles, and make the chassis a roller. From there will fit the engine back in and modify anything that needs it.
If everything goes well, it’ll get pulled apart chassis sent out for powder coating, and spray some color on the body.

 

[bk2life]

quick fix of this little rust spot, cut it out, weld in new piece, etching primer, bedliner.

 

[bk2life]

..now that the bedliner is on, it can sit and dry for the next few days before being flipped back over.
This will give me some time to work on Alice..

 

[MyWorkInProgress]

Did you end up using Raptor?

 

[bk2life]

...was able to pick up the wheels from powder coat

 

[bk2life]

Did you end up using Raptor?

Thats the only product i have sprayed in the last 10 years or so

 

[nfamus10]

Good color on the wheels. Liner looks good too man.

 

[bk2life]

Good color on the wheels. Liner looks good too man.

thank you..

What have you been working on lately?

 

[bk2life]

got the tires mounted up.. going from 37s to 40s is an eye opener. i knew they were big,but wow, they really shocked me when i look at them

 

[nfamus10]

Snagged an old project from Bob grant and Sisco. Pics in our partners in crime thread. Wow dude those are freaking huge.

 

[Mad Max]

WOWZA... HUGE!!😮