Little more work done on the truck today.
I pulled the rear bumper brackets, bolts & fender braces from the Evap-A-Rust. Had to do a little more clean up of the brackets then a few coats of black paint.
Between coats and drying I cleaned the bolts up on the bench grinder wire wheel.

Paint drying I moved to running boards. I have 2 sets and went with the best and just happened to be the ones off the project truck.
I cleaned them, sanded them to get to good base as they had a few coats of paint and then flat black the whole truck was done in.
I sprayed them with acid to kill what little rust they had and are now sitting till I get primer on them.

Rear bumper brackets dry I put them together and loosely mounted to the truck. I then mounted the bumper made sure all looked good and tighten all the bolts.
I had to do this to make sure the brackets are straight on the truck so I can pull the rear bumper for my custom touch.
Here it is now what ever I do to it I can't hurt it!

I then moved on to the front bumper. I had to mount it so I could mock up how it will look with the lights I want to mount in it.
Once mounted and the "mocked" lights on it I had to dig out a grille and head light doors to get the full effect.
The green rectangle is the size (5-3/4" x 2") of the light that is a fog & driving light, I want a driving light.
This is where I was thinking they would go and would be easy to mount there as it is the flat part of the bumper.

But it just did not give me warm fuzzies so I moved the "mocked" light. I did not measure I just placed it there.

I like the out board spot better. In the LMC catalog it looks like they are mounted between where I have them but they are for the late 70's trucks.
Truck Parts and Truck Accessories where the frame is in farther then our 80's truck.
It will take more work to mount them to the out side as that part of the bumper is angled back and the light would need to point straight.
I guess the next step on the front bumper is to get the lights if the banker will let me.
Dave ----

 

I also found 2 things when installing the grille.
Both of them are broken. I will have to look them over better but I am sure I can fix them both but will start with the best one first.

The other thing is when I moved the center support forward because of the AC condenser the grille does not fit right. I will either have to cut the tab off the support and move it back and re-weld it (easy) or mod the grille (hard) where that tab would screw to. I think both grilles that center tab is broken but if I mod the grille then no stock grille will fit down the road.
Dave ----

 

Banker said no to spending money for a bit so I will do what I can with the bumpers and other little things till I can get a "loan" LOL
Dave ----

 

Did the first step of the custom bumpers, can you tell what it is?
Non-custom front

Custom front

Non-custom rear

custom rear

Wife also gave the OK to buy the lights for the front bumper so when I have time I will order them and the switch assy.
Dave ----

 

Spotted the difference right away, you knocked a little dirt off of them. Lol

 

Yes no chrome bolts anymore

 

Yep they are now floating bumpers a trick my dad said they did way back in the day.
Once I get the lights ordered and in hand I can cut the openings in the bumper for them.
Then I have to check on chrome and have a trick for that also ...... I hope.
Dave - - - -

 

The driving / fog lights came today so after a little yard work I will work on putting big holes in the bumpers for them and a tab or 2 to mount.
I will take pictures but my web site is down so cant post them at this time.
I just hope I did not loose all the pictures of this and my other projects.
Dave ----

 

It's just about painting season isn't it?

 

Hey Dave when it does get paint how are you going to paint the two tone like an 80's model or like the later ones?

 

Just about was warm yesterday & today but getting cold again.
I got to get my butt in gear before it gets to hot.

I don't really under stand the question? It will be painted in the factory colors, red & white, and the way the factory did it.
Red is the main color and the white is down the center of each side. It will be a single stage paint, no clear.


Picture found on the web but the paint will look like this.
Mine will have duel fuel tanks and will have the badging on the fenders.
Dave ----

 

From what I have seen the 80's trucks had a pin stripe on the edge of the painted white out and stopped before the end of the front fenders. The later one looked like they were painted like the picture you just posted. I only asked because as I want to paint mine with the white stripe as well

 

Oh OK got it now.
Because we cant get the factory stripes I have been kicking around a few different ways of "finish" the edges.
1 thought was to use 1/8" or 1/4" gold leaf pin stripe on the color edges.
Then thinking of when I paint I would like a 1/8" white strip on the red and a 1/8" red in the white.
I also found some tape stripes in 2 colors that may also work kind of like the factory stripes.
There was a post not long ago I think on here asking about the factory stripes, I listed links in it.

So right now I will worry about that bridge when I come to it .......... soon I hope
Dave ----

 

Hi Dave
Don't do a single stage paint....
A scratch in single stage is, well, in the paint not an easy repair.
two stage, color then clear, the clear takes the beating, and you don't damage the color, (most of the time...)
Reamer

 

This is his beater go to the dump truck lol