Thanks you guys for the compliments...

Enough of my hijack!

Stephen, just take it one piece at a time. Do something everyday, no matter how small. Even if it's just cleaning a fouled spark plug. If you keep that up it will be done sooner then you think. It only takes three things to make a bad a$$ truck, time, money and effort.

As a side note do yourself a favor, take a lot of pictures. I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced my own pictures to figure out how I wan't to build that bracket, etc. It also helps with going back together. Believe me forgetting things like that one odd oil plug in an engine can ruin your month.

 

From what I've noticed on here, you've walked into an excellent source for finding needed parts, advice and motivation.
You've got a nice looking truck there, I need to stop looking at these CC threads cause I like them more and more...
I just got my SC this summer and haven't got anything done on it other than park it in the barn while I'm gone. I'm anxious to just go look at my SC and fire it up leaky exhaust gasket and all LoL

[Stephen, just take it one piece at a time. Do something everyday, no matter how small. Even if it's just cleaning a fouled spark plug. If you keep that up it will be done sooner then you think. It only takes three things to make a bad a$$ truck, time, money and effort.] Dangit.. now that just made me feel like a bad dent owner...

 

Looks good over all. Yea cab roof & drip rail rust is common on them. And yes I read most CC guys have to fab that middle chrome piece upper and lower. I have some spare trim pieces you can have to practice on.

FYI that Humvee spare tire/rim will not fit on the front axle, the rim itself being so back set/deep set, it will hit the tie rod.

 

Call me crazy, but I actually dig the original pic the best.

Don't get me wrong, the new wheels and the photo shop job looks good too, but my preference would be more original appearance and upgrades to the mechanical.

I do like the clean look without the trim, that's actually what I'm doing with mine. What a PITA though, sometimes wish I would have just decided to go with the original trim to save all the extra body work.

Of course, not having any of the original trim and the daunting task of finding CC specific trim pieces affected my decision.

 

Thanks and I really appreciate all the input - really glad I joined FTE in the first place and happy I started a thread too. I'm in the "think about it" stage and pretty soon, work slows down so I will be in the "do it" stage.... With the great info on here, I would have been stupid not to at least hear the opinions and options.


I'll be taking plenty of pictures... started tonight.. but pics as I work on it, thats happening too.

 

I found some trim at a junk yard... with fab work in mind just in case...

Hummer tire/wheel came with the truck when i bought it... but I never thought about that... i guess for the time being if a flat happened, I hope its in the rear or I'm gonna have to swap a rear to the front and put the hummer tire on the back to get home...

 

Yes that rim will fit the rear D60..doing a double tire swap on the side of the road PITA for sure.

 

That's a good looking truck Stephen...you'll have a lot support here no matter what end of the truck you decide to work on.

Just remember, a good looking Ford that can't perform makes us all look bad

 

Stock rims, bald tires and grey primer that always starts, beats bling rims, big tires, and shiny paint and setting there broke. lol I'll repost a statement that makes me laugh every time.

"Everyone can build a truck in any order they wish, but it seems to me that most build them backwards.
They lift it, put some big honking meats under it then struggle with broken parts, and have to limp a sorry engine around to try to turn the things. Backwards I say.

Gimme a nice 460, and some 1 tons that won’t break, I’ll throw in a Detroit out back, and Ill wheel it with white wall tires. Probably do as well or better than so many of those other trucks that I see on the trail. Wimpy little engine, no traction devices, we can see this because it is stuck on wet grass. Busted axle or u-joints, Oh….but it has some big ol meats and it looks nice, But can’t get out of its own way."

 

Since you have mentioned a couple times about being able to sell the truck if you need to, I do agree that shiny paint sells better than fresh rear axle rebuilds.

If you want to make sure you don't get upside down, money wise, I suggest:

Get roof repaired and repainted and get a clean tailgate painted. The white should be relatively easy to match and also cheap.

The truck, IMO, will look far better with those two things done, and the repair cost of those will add the same amount in value to the truck.

With that, I wouldn't even paint it and I would put the 8k I saved on the proper paint job toward the mechanicals.

To me, that is a sharp looking rig already.

 

"Spot on", great shot, bit of advice right there, you hit the nail on the head. And that makes all parties happy. lol

 

Black= FAST




Black= Loud and Fast!!!


Very good advice in this thread, The common sense kind, sometimes we don't want to hear it, but we need to. Good luck on your plans and if it were me, I'd follow what the guys have said... All except for the color choices. Blue??? Red??? Copper??? Everyone on this forum knows, but just doesn't want to admit that BLACK is the fastest color!!! Just a good black paintjob adds at least 50 HP!!! LMAO

 

This thing is going 110 just setting there.

 

sharp truck with a paint job.... lol - but i get it... give the truck a solid dependable driveline, and then make it look good....

20 foot paint jobs aren't anything to be embarrassed about - I have had them on my other older trucks (100 footer on my last one)

I was talking to my wife last night about this thread - and she said "you know that truck will look the same until you get it where you can drive it without worrying about it" she known me since second grade and seen every rig I have ever had. - she is a good wife

So I guess I have settled that debate....

Thanks that's good advice. Other than the rust on the cab and floor pans, the hood has peeling clear coat. Maybe I have it painted too, cheap for the time being... I don't want rust showing up while I'm getting the truck right.

I need to bite the bullet - I really don't plan on selling the truck - I guess I'm trying to be a responsible adult about all this (on the thinking of what if I have to sell it later).... I need to change my perspective and realize its my responsibility to have a truck I can take anywhere and do whatever I want without worry.

 

If your long term plan is to keep the truck, you're going to "do it all" anyways...right?

Sounds like you're contemplating which part of the elephant to eat first.

IMHO, the truck looks fine for now, get the mechanicals over and done with.
37's on a stock 44? That might be one area I'd start with.

I might get the rusty roof/drip rail patched up for now. How much rain do you get where you live in CA? Do you park the truck in a garage or does it sit out?

"its my responsibility to have a truck I can take anywhere and do whatever I want without worry."

Exactly, if the SHTF and you have to get out of Dodge you'll want a reliable rig.
Is this truck going to fill the role of a daily driver?