For a little perspective I hauled about 72 of those castle retaining wall stones from lowe's to my home before i began this project. so that's 1,800lbs in the bed with that rusty *** frame holding it together. and i also towed the donor truck home using that rusty *** frame and it held together. if the crappy rusty frame held together after all that than the new frame will handle a lot more.

 

Does your doner have an engine?

 

I think it looks great! I also think its great that you and your pop worked on the truck together and did in the back yard! I hope I have the same type of relationship with my boys as they get older and we can do the same. Do us a favor and drop a few more pics of the completed truck with the bed back on it and the new door. I always love to see the completed job, plus I'm in the middle of reworking my 86 short bed 4x4 so it is exciting stuff!

Thanks for the posts.

 

Thanks. I actually got the new door on yesterday. Aligning it was about as fun as going to the dentist. Still doesn't seem right but it doesn't leak air (although it sounds a little drafty) when driving so I'll live with it.

Today I transferred the vent shade and trim over to the new door. Interesting the old door trim is held on with some plastic pieces that hook into small bumps in the door (they look almost like pop rivets). Anyway, the new door didn't have them so I used 3M double stick tape on the plastic pieces and drilled holes for the bolts that connect at the ends of the door. Unfortunately I couldn't get one of the nuts on the bolts cause it was too close to where the door starts to bend but the tape should hold up fine. The real challenge is what I'm going to do as far as the pinstripe replacement. It's too expensive to buy a replacement kit online. Hopefully I can find something at Pep Boys this week and make something close enough.

Remaining items on the to do list:
-Pull gauges and paint them white
-Replace axle pivot bushings
-Replace radius arm bushings
-Drop rear gas tank to install the stupid gurgle hose within the hose
-Swap passenger side glass
-Pinstripe drivers side door

 

So I checked this thread out since you linked it in the 86-97 forum.

The welds dont look pretty-but that doesnt matter. What matters is penetration and it looks to me like it got plenty. Im sure the repair is stronger than when the truck rolled out of the factory. About all I would have done different is bolted the sections together as well.

PS. Where ya in South Jersey, I think I mighta seen your truck before.

 

Good golly miss molly must be one awesome truck to go through that hassle?

 

If I were you I would have drilled two holes in the frame and then added a horizontal piece of plate across the cut and bolted and welded it the whole way.

 

I'm in Gloucester Township near Camden County College. (about 15 mins outside philly).
The truck isn't anything special. It's a hobby and it' been fun working on it. When I get to a point where I can't do anything to it I get bored. I think I might have A.D.D. cause i need to be busy all the time.
What do you mean? Like added another crossmember? If so that wouldn't have been feasible. There's already crossmembers from the factory that are strong enough. Plus they would interfere with the fuel tank/bed.

 

Dang was hoping you were closer, im in monmouth county near six flags.

 

So Saturday I brought my truck over to the scrap yard. Got $275 for it. And I still have to take the bed over there (didn't have time to make 2 trips). Anyway, not bad considering it cost me $30.

Anyway, here are the pics. I'm so pissed I didn't have my phone ready to take video when the picker pulled the truck off teh bed like it was nothing.

 

We've had a big crackdown at the metal recycler in my area. They won't take a vehicle without a title and it has to be in the name of the person who brought it(has to match your driver's license). I am assuming it's not the recycler, but the DMV who wants their $35.00 for title transfer. It's put the brakes on a lot of recycling/clean-up around here.

 

yeah, I didn't have the title so I had to fill out a slip that basically says I promise that I own it. I wrote down the VIN but it was hard to read so God only knows if I got it right. Anyway, they took it so my hands are washed of it.

 

Damn! I couldve used those leaf springs and hangers lol... (jk, shipping wouldve killed me)

 

That happened 2 years ago here in florida. With scrap prices going up, lots of parked cars and trucks were scrapped out by crooks. They would pull up to it, chain it up drag it off! My friend lost his car that way. Found it crushed at the local scrap yard. He tried sueing the scrap yard for dealing in stolen goods, but they have some stupid law protecting them(same with pawn shops too)!

I ran off a few crooks during that time frame, they tried taking my Blue Mule and the 73 Buick Lesabre! I chased them with a old 93 explorer I had and would of rammed them if I got up to them! Should of seen the looks on their faces when I got back from riding in the woods, kicked out the family and went after them, jumping ditches and crashing through trees... After that, never had any more problems with scrappers in my area!

 

Looks like you did a good job!! Great write up