Deadbeats 1997 Centurion Conversion

[deadbeat]

I got one rocker and cab corner cut off and am ready to fab my inner rocker/backing plate and cut the rust out and repair it. The doors finally got a nice coat of white epoxy primer put on them as well, I should be able to block them out really nice with it, but besides a few cosmetic flaws they looked really straight. That read hood outline in the bottom picture was my TA I painted 17 years ago, I miss that car. It didn't live long, 5.7 Tuned Port, I think it lasted a couple months before I flipped it.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Cokeman95]

That's nice work. How long have you been doing body work?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[deadbeat]

I fixed my first vehicle at age 13, a 1978 CJ7. I don't do bodywork for a living, I really don't like doing it. My dad did bodywork when he was young and after being a mechanic for 10 years, came back and opened his own garage back up. He shut it down after about 10 years and managed a Ford Dealership body shop for another 6 and then came back. I was 13 then and worked in there every moment I had spare for several years. Now I just do it on my own stuff or helping someone out. If I can get a good insurance job I'll take it in if it is quick and pays good. I'm not trying to make a show truck out of this one, just trying to do things right 1 time and I plan on driving it several years.

 

[deadbeat]

I started making my backing plates since I can't buy them. The old truck bed was worth nothing so it is my sheet metal source. I cut the piece out then laid it over the top and clamped it and used the top as a metal break since I don't have one. It made a nice 6 foot piece with a 1/2 inch lip. The other rocker wasn't as bad but it will get the same treatment. I need to measure the holes for the plugs, they are either 1 1/2 or 1 3/8 so I can use my paint gun with the rubber hose to seal it all off after welding it up. I still have to cut out and fix that hole in the floor as well, then proceed to fitting the rockers. This has turned out to be a lot of work. I looked at my doors yesterday and sighting the primer they are straight but I think I'll still have to use some metal glaze in a few spots, I missed a lot of little dents.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[deadbeat]

I did a little bit more fitting on my drivers rocker today. I welded my backing plate to the rocker and decided to weld it to the existing backing plate after I weld the rocker. This allows me to not weld up(hard) and to paint inside the rocker really well before I hang it. And I made that hole in my floor disappear.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[deadbeat]

I got both my rockers ready to put a few screws in and make sure my doors fit without rubbing before I weld them in place. Now I have to fit the cab corners and fix the rust on the back on the cab on the bottom. Once again, you can't buy sheet metal for the rear of the cabs on these. I would hate to restore one of these trucks that had very much rust, mine is bad enough and it isn't going to be a show truck. The grooves look similar to the front of a truck bed but I don't think they are exact. I have another cab here that I was going to junk that may become a donor for the bottom 8 inches of the cab. I hate doing that because I will have to pull the bed off of it, drill it out where it welds to the floor and be very careful not to make a mess of it. It looks like I will have to drop my gas tank and possibly my exhaust to be able to access the bottom where it rolls under.

 

[deejaaa]

what is the difference between yours and a crew cab?

 

[deadbeat]

Mine is a crew cab, as far as I know the back of the cab is the same on all the gmt400 cabs. I just haven't seen a source to buy the back new from. This is the area on one that isn't rusted that I need, it welds to the floor board and is bent to roll under at the bottom.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[deadbeat]

I've also got to cut off the body lines in the rear pillar from a single cab and put them in mine, that really looks out of place flat between the doors and bed which both have the line.

 

[deejaaa]

i see. i thought it was different since it was a conversion. is that area different from a crew and a regular cab?