Seriously, when are you and Chops going to quit playing around and actually get some work done...:rolleyes:

You have without a doubt learned more building this truck than anything you have ever done. Keep up the good work!

I know, SLACKERS! :lol: I can't disagree with that statement. It's been the most fun and frustrating all at the same time.

First Side Fender Repair
 

I finished the passenger side fender, well somewhat. The front points on the hood and fender need more work when the hood comes back off. The metal is puckered from the original stamping process and needs reworked. That's why the very front of the gap narrows up a bit. Now on to the driver's side.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-36-21_464.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-34-05_324.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-34-38_694.jpg

Thanks for looking!

Looking good Chad! You and your dad are doing an awesome job!:thumbsup: hope all is well! Tell your dad I said hey.

Thanks Paul! Will do!

And the beat goes on!
 

I got the drivers side fender finished up last week.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-11-16_896.jpg

After that, I decided to mount the new Ringbrothers billet hinges and see how she opens and closes.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-35-37_754.jpg

Well guess what, yep it doesn't line up. Surprisingly, I am not shocked. The silver lines are where the hinges hit the hood. You can see the nutserts in the hood. Not even close!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-11-06_892.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-11-20_327.jpg

After measuring a factory hood, and comparing the hinges to factory ones, it turns out that the fenders are to blame. The mounting pads for the hinges are not formed correctly. If you are using factory stamped hinges, you could probably make them work. But, when you are using a stiff precision piece like the Ringbrothers hinges it's got to be better. We spent 3 hours just bending and tweaking the mounting pads on the fenders so the hinges go up and down straight and on plane. Then after a lot of thought and staring we decided the fix was to move the nutserts in the hood. Right or wrong off we went! Out with the old.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-14-05_199.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-13-45_100.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-13-56_715.jpg

I then made new plate that I welded nuts to the back side of in the new locations. Clecos hold everything in place while marking, drilling, and welding.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-48-48_834.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-48-02_129.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...2-08-09_80.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...2-07-52_46.jpg

Done, hopefully this weekend we'll see if she bolts up. It was too late to continue last night. Hopefully the front clip saga is coming to an end!

Something new!
 

As a distraction from the hood saga, we got one of the new tires in for fit up. This the tire we are going to use on the rear and hopefully (fingers crossed) the front. Nitto NT05 315-35-20. I likey!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-31-11_890.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-52-29_907.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-52-09_913.jpg

This is a big decision for my Dad. He really doesn't like the thin sidewall. We are going to leave it hang there for a bit and let him contemplate it. What does everyone think? There is nothing out there that will give him the sidewall and performance we want. This was a compromise. Thanks for any input you give!

Looks Awesome !!!

Looks good!

Sorry --- Gotta say it..... WAY TOO SMALL

Moving Along!
 

The hood opens and closes. Go figure! :lol:

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-33-46_404.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-33-52_544.jpg

Now that the hood opens and closes and fits well enough for the bodywork it is time to move forward. The truck now steers with with the sterring wheel for the first time in about 4 years. We put the steering column in and installed the u-joints with DD shaft. We did this is an effort to check the front end for tire clearance. As much as I would like to, the 315-35-20 is not going to work on the front. It is too big in diameter. If this were an all out race truck and we didn't need to worry about inner fenders etc, they would work. In the end this is still a street truck that will have a "finished" look. So, it's on to a 26"-27" tall tire. Here are a couple pics.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...0-23-56_82.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-23-44_817.jpg

Thanks for looking!

That hood gave you the blues, huh? Nonetheless, looking good. I bought a NOS one for mine about 4 years ago and I'm gonna s#!t a brick if I gotta put a whole lot of work into it.

I can tell you the work done to get the hood hinges to bolt up was a problem with the fenders and not the hood. If you can find rust free oem, DO IT!

Thanks for the kind words! :thumbsup:

OD or Sidewall?

I think he is leaning toward a change. I think we are sticking with the same O.D., but using a smaller wheel. Now he is thinking a 295-45-18 on the back. Same O.D., but 1" more sidewall. Front will probably be 295-35-18. We'll see. There was a lot of head scratching and math going on last night! :lol:

Just wanted to say in this post how nice the Ring Brothers Hinges are so far. After I fixed all the mounting points on the sheet metal, man are these things smooth. They really have a great feel compared to stock. You can also stop the hood wherever you want and it will stay. Check it out.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-39-48_440.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-40-07_541.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-40-26_397.jpg

:thumbsup:

Well, I should be safe then because I've got both, left and right, NOS fenders too. :unibrow: Looking good sir. Hood looks good closed and the gaps are on point too.

A Real Update!
 

It's been a while, but I have done some work. Christmas and New Years took it's toll on progress. I just couldn't pull myself away from my twin girls over the Holidays! :)

It looks like after more fitting, moving, turning, and measuring that I care to think about we are going with a 26.65" diameter front tire. Most likely a 275-35-19. With this tire size and moving the the front tire up a full 3" and turning full lock it's going to take a custom inner fender well. OF COURSE IT IS! First comes clearancing the inner structure of the fender. Then I started with the stock inner fender for some of the more complicated curvature to save time. I'll then make the rest. Here is the beginnings.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-14-59_336.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-15-30_853.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-28-54_896.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-29-06_473.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-58-03_164.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-58-28_679.jpg

We'll keep plugging away!

Chad -- you're a regular master.... (okay I won't finish that the way I wanted to)........ Craftsman!!!



Nice work! It's looking really good!

looking good! You better get busy racing season is around the corner.

:thankyou: I think!:)

Thanks Trent, I think this season is out. I'd be happy to step into your monster if you need help! :idea:

Who knew you could have so many hours in a fender well. Ugh! :bang: I'm continuing to make progress, but it is going sloooooooooow. We are really trying to get a full 3" of wheel travel and be able to turn lock to lock with no rubs. We are close. I can now see why most trucks being built don't have inner fenders. Here's some pics.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-19-06_716.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-50-12_126.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...1-03-55_83.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-13-46_518.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-14-10_384.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-14-20_566.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...-14-36_178.jpg

As always, thanks for looking. :D

It's looking good Chad. I have to ask, and I'm sure that yins have already checked, but....how's clearance at actual ride height and loaded?

I have had issues in the past with my motorcyle and clearance issues didn't exist until the suspension was compressed. As tight as it looks in the pics, I would think it would get tighter still on the road

BTW, did you ever pick up a stud gun?

Nice work! what bearing is that on the steering column?

Oh, Scott, you should know me better than that! The pictures are actually with the wheel at a simulated 3" of compression travel. At ride height, I have a mile of room. It's at max compression and full steering lock that I am working on. If you look at the second to last picture, see the square tubing where the coilover would go? The upper hole is ride height and the hole that is being used is full compression. But good call, I thought you forgot everything about 4 wheels! :lmao: Thanks Buddy!

Thanks much. It is an Ididit swivel mount. Check here:

http://www.ididitinc.com/accessory_p...oor_mounts.htm :thumbsup:

Looking great Chad. Say hi to your Dad for me . :thumbsup: Joe

Thanks Joe! Will do. :thumbsup:

Who needs all this fancy metal work !

Just use some A/B exterior grade plywood - screw it together - spray some raptor on the thing and be done with it....


:lostmarbles: :lostmarbles: :lostmarbles:



:lol:

Jim

Oh you are a laugh riot! :warning:

Chad - your fab skills are awesome!

Keep up the good work.

Thanks very much! I am sure trying hard! :thankyou:

Still Working!
 

It's been a while, but I wanted to prove that we are still working. Life has been busy, but we are still forging ahead. There has been a ton of planning mocking up etc. on the inner fender well. Check out the progress, we are really happy so far!

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps257c7fca.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps30cc5b8f.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...pse3fda615.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psc86f690a.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps0205e1ad.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psf1ccb89f.jpg

The panel cover will be fastened with rivnuts for a clean look. Thanks for looking, as always! :)

It looks good. Its coming along nice.

Fender Well
 

Well here it is, the drivers side front inner fender well ready for final welding and metal finishing. This took way too long. Hopefully the second will go much faster. Anyway here it is. Not much of original is left.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psd4f32ee9.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps7ca5caeb.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psaf66fab0.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps283f10fb.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r...psa7ec19a6.jpg

Nicely done!

That is impressive Chad! Post a mock up pic when you get a chance? :thumbsup:

:trophy-1302:

:idea:

Dang, turn that baby over, fill it with soap and water and you could wash a load of clothes it there !

:lmao:

Nice fab work Mr. Maytag !!!


Jim

You're a riot! :guns:

Beautiful work on the entire truck. The wheel wells look great and it's given me inspiration. I have to do the same on my chevelle to clear the turbo etc.

:popcorn2: hurry up!