the stepside: a drivabeater thread

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dusterbd13

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My father beat the "do it right or go the **** home " lesson into me HARD.

Started the day i bought good headers and used brake pads.

Hopefully this truck serves me well for a long time. Especially since i think i accidentally bought a 5.3 ls today.....
 

dusterbd13

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since last update, ive been busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.


First, I got the new fuel sending unit and pump assembly swapped in. the new pump died after about 3 seconds, so I hung the old pump on the new sender. Didn't fix the gas gauge issue. And I didn't take any pictures.


Then I moved on to the overhead console. I did a little bandsaw work to the camera monitor to give it more of a flat back. The way it was delivered was with a stand and knob attached, which wouldn't allow it to lay properly. Five seconds with the bandsaw, and....

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20180410_082902 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


went ahead and used my hot glue gun to attach it to the console. Used the nubs and screws as the locations to glue.

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20180410_082910 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180410_083340 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


then went on to cut up an old mud flap as a piece to fill in the hole left by the HVAC controls, and to mount my gauges in.


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20180410_084232 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


we also got the rear cab wall painted. I scrubbed all the plastidip off, feathered out all the chips and gouges, primed the bare metal with etching primer...

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20180409_184316 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


pulled it out in the driveway, ran 50 foot worth of air hose, wiped it down, masked it off, and had art shoot it.

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20180410_173752 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180410_175952 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


color variation between viper red and victory red. Its a LOT more different in person.


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20180410_182235 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


in the meantime, art had fixed all the rivet holes and damage on the bed, as well as sprayed it in high build and blocked it.

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20180411_193026 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


he then painted it, I cut and clearanced the center bed support, and we put it on.

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20180412_184323 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


when I got it home, I refinished the step pads with sem bumper and trim paint, installed the stake pocket plugs, cut down the bedliner, and reinstalled it all.

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20180413_085947 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180413_085954 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


I then went on to install the tonneau cover and tie down hooks. The tie down hooks are from harbor freight. I first used them in the el camino, and find them incredibly useful, especially since there's no place to hook a ratchet strap in this bed just like there wasn't in the elky. Im adding 8: front/back floors of the bed, and then on the side walls in plane with the floor ones. Gives so many attachment options that I haven't ever wished for anything else. I also Modified every single piece of attachment hardware on the tonneau cover to make it work. I believe this is due to the bedliner and the way it makes the cover clamps fit. But its done now.

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20180414_191708 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180414_191717 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180414_184120 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180414_195245 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


I also got the wheel from the elky installed. I couldn't get comfortable with the idea of a 23 year old explosive device manufactured by the lowest bidder staring me in the face. And the leather was trashed. I still need to work on it some, as it drags on the column plastic enough to make wheel return annual effort. Thinking there needs to be some trimming done.

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20180414_194824 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


lastly, I need to give a huge THANK YOU to the staff at grassroots motorsports. See, I have a thing. I like decals on my back glass. The GRM Dork sticker is my favorite ive ever had. I got my original when we stopped at the GRM world headquarters on the way to taking my daughter to Disney. It was on the passengers bottom corner of the elky, and died with the truck. I was actually heartbroken over that sticker more than the truck. Also the memorial sticker to Walter B. Jones. I had reached out to the magazine about getting a new challenge specific windshield banner, as the windshield in this truck is cracked and pitted. While talking to them, I asked for permission to have the dork sticker cloned. Instead they sent me the whole registration packet of stickers/lanyard, as well as a new dork sticker. That may be the most awesome thing a company has ever done for me. Wouldn't even accept shipping charges. Hopefully this set of stickers stays for many, many years. I don't want to lose another set. Im also talking to mazduece about the stickers he made at the challenge of the names that were on the hood, as well as the super slow team logo as replacements for the glass of this truck. I may be radically changing what I bought, but don't want to lose its history. The goal for this truck is really to make what jeremy had intended, only nicer. Low, comfortable, capable, and awesome. A good drivabeater.


I will eave you with pictures of the decals provided by the most awesome company I have ever been involved with.

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20180414_194849 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr
 

skylark

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Looking good! A heads up from personal experience with hot glue. It doesn't hold up in interiors. On a hot day, 80+, with the windows rolled up it will get hot enough inside to remelt the hot glue. Epoxy is your friend here.
 

dusterbd13

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Ive used the same hot glue on a few instrument cluster builds over the years and never had a problem. However, the overhead console will be subject to gar more heat. Well see what happens. Worst case i redo with epoxy.
 

dusterbd13

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Budget first:

previously was 2142.41

new money:


100 for stud install and fender rolling

50 for gallon of clear

200 for used michelin tires

42 for side mirrors



new total: 2534.41


ok, long story short: truck is painted. And abso-*******-lutely BEAUTIFUL!!!!!


long version:

test fit ebay billet grilles, ebay clear lights, junkyard painted bumper

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20180514_174502 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


mud work on dents, primer where needed (highbuild/etch/epoxy as necessary) and new door swapped in


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20180524_173856 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


wiped, scuffed, taped, ready to spray

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20180526_202432 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


4 coats of color, 3 coats clear

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IMG_20180527_0910030011 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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IMG_20180527_0909577461 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


paint quality after it flashed and cured

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IMG_20180527_0909514781 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


untaped, and halfway reassembled (enough to get home)

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20180527_191757 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


backing out of the shop to come home, with the new lights

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20180527_202853 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


paint reflection in the lower part of the door (worst spot of orange peel)

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20180528_193836 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


fully assembled back end. Refinished step plates, refinished license plate lights, installed bumper, etc.

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20180530_071556 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


air dam on, shot bowtie black, reassembled the rest of the truck. Im in love.

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20180530_075316 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180530_075237 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


lastly, we did a quick cut and buff on a quarter. Didn't even really try, as the paint is still a little soft according to art. So well do the whole truck in a week or so. Then a full detail.

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20180529_191301 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


friday I go to wilmington to grab race car parts. Sunday it gets tint. Soon it will get cut and biff and interior work.
 

98chevy2500SS

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Wow, I am amazed with this project! You guys did a wonderful job on this build. The viper red and victory red look kinda similar in that comparison picture. I do like the viper red on that truck, looks a bit orange-red.

And I totally agree with you on the air bag, that's why I removed both on my truck (I installed the 95-up 3/4 non-airbag steering wheel and 95 dash), don't trust air bags and never will. I just feel like it's gonna blow at any minute.
 

dusterbd13

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I'v beed saved twice by airbags. However, they were less than 5 years old. All systems degrade over time. Seatbelt webbing i can visually inspect. Airbags i can't. Can't say this is the solution for everyone, but it is for me.
 

dusterbd13

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Budget first:

previously was 2534.41

new money:


headliner material: 19.59

spyder headlights: 76.99

dash cap: 210


new total: 2840.99


my test driving and tint revieled a flaw with the cheap ebay headlights I ordered. They sucked at night. Horrible beam pattern, and useless. Couldnt have that. So I ordered what I should have in the first place, the spyder glass headlights. The lens is glass, the reflectors metal. The backers fiber reinforced plastic, etc. much. Much higher quality pieces. The benefit is the fit better too. At the same time, I tossed in some cree switchback LED bulbs, and the clear corners that I used krylon stained glass paint on to turn orange. Came out nice!


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20180608_135433 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


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20180608_140648 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr

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20180608_152120 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


lights need some more aiming, but far better already.

Also finally got my new hitch mounted.


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20180610_143443 by Michael Crawford, on Flickr


getting ready to do interior and call it done!
 
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