60 replies to this topic

[Big G]

Started by stripping the fender flair, gas filler, licence plate holder and tail light.



Then I made a template





Then marked and cut 'er up!



Got some 3/16th and transfered the pattern



A jigsaw can cut 3/16th, but it's a mayjor PITA



As you can see I have so much room in my garage, I had to suffle her over to get to the other side.
Same deal, fender flair, tail light, evap crap my 6.0 doesn't use anyway.





And that's where I'm at now.  Waiting to bring the plate to a buddie's to clamp, heat and bend on an old tub he's got.  Oh, and waiting on payday to get fasteners and taillights.  I'm going to try to put the tailgate hinges over the plate... but haven't had any luck taking the bolts from hell out.

[Twister]

Try jet lube magic wrench. It's AWSOME!!!!   I like the cut . What are you doing with the hing supports and body mounts inside the fender? I've always wondered what people do with that stuff. I also can't wait to see the curve. Been wondering for a long time if it would work. ust haven't been brave enough to try.

[Big G]

Both remain unchanged.  I just found my 3/8" T40, and adapted it to my dinky Crapy Tire electric impact... got two out!!!  

The only part about bending the plate that I'm worried about is that once we bend it to match the tub, it'll spring back some... and the only way to keep that from happening would be to go passed 90deg.  Doing so without the tub would surely not bend it evenly.

Oh and the curve is my chirstmas tree stand.  LOL  I was going for the Genright look.

[Soup Man]

I've used a tree and a ratchet strap to make a bend like that before...

[Big G]

Worked like a charm!  They each have a little spring back, but nothing to worry about.

My buddy heated and I pushed until we got to half the bend... then put another clamp to keep it from wanting to lift off the tub.  Then used the bar clamp to pull it the rest of the way.





Sorry about the crappy cell pics.

[Big G]

So after a week soaking the gate hinge bolts with penetrating oil, tapping on them to try to "break them loose" and two T40s, I got them off.  There was of course, and thick film of corrosion between the tub and them... so I scraped the crud off, gave it some 80 grit and gave 'er the primer

The hinges had looked bad for a while... I priced stainless ones... but wasn't worth the cost.

Normally I would have brought these to work and blasted them in the cabinet... but that shop's going through a major revamp, so I just hit them with the wire wheel.  I also got some spacers for the gate end of the hinges and the lower nut thingy (it was exposed to the elements) ready for paint.

Primer

Disregard the numbers, but this was some of the head scratching I did figuring out what the pipe's gonna look like where it meets the tub

Driver's side

I couldn't get all three bends on the same piece because it wouldn't fit in the bender, so I've got a 90 that I'll splice in later.
1st bend on the pass side

Setting up for the 2nd bend

[Big G]

Not much, but I aim to do a little each day.  At least that way it keeps moving forward.
1st coat of rust paint

Paint on the parts, two 90s bent, and figguring out how much of the main pipe to cut off as well as the 90 that'll be spliced on.

Picked up some hardware.  Left to right;  original shitty ass torx gate hinge bolts, 1/4" longer stainless gate hinge replacements, 3/8" stainless corner bolts, nylock nuts and big ass washers.

[Twister]

I like your grinder wrack . nice and handy.  The fenders look like they're comin along . Nothin like a little multi plain bending.

[Big G]

Thanks.  One guy in our club has a 4x4 plasma table... he wiped those up.  Comes in pretty handy.  I was down to one grinder when they came on sale for $20 at crappy tire.  Sure was a pain going from cutting to grinding to flapper about a dozen times an hour.  LOL  I could use one more for the wire wheel, but I used that one the least, so no biggie.

[Big G]

I'd been putting it off, but today I tackled the gas filler.
Here's where she's going (red hose is new filler hose)

Started with a stepper drill hole, and masked to keep the paint from scratching with the jig saw (I know it's gonna be covered, but scratches=rust)

cut out

here's what I started with ($70 new... nervous to screw it up)

yikes!



I'd never welded such thin metal before, so some practice was in order.  youtube said high heat and feed, lots of spots

First one burned through, so I went from D to C on the heat

[Big G]

Did 'er up

Ground the welds smooth, and filled two little spots.  Ground again, then flappered

2 coats of primer, and two coats of Duplicolor. (WAY better then Tremclad)


I'm going to tilt it up using some washers... but I may need to build something like the factory bezel to hold it at more of an angle later.

[Big G]

Used my buddy's new Baileigh TN-250 other night and cut out some braces for the tube... or sorry, pipe fenders.  They're offset 1/8" so that the plating will sit flush.  I needed 1 5/16th" hole saw, but Northern Equipment only had 1 1/4" so I figgured that'd be fine.
They just needed a bit of cleaning up.  Here's before and after

before

after



You can see the offset to the right


First of many test fits

[Big G]

I had traced the gromet... should fit right?  Hell no.  Took me about 2 hours of grinding, die grinding, jigsawing, test fitting about 10 times.  Uh.

Still a little tight, but there's nothing else holding it other then friction.  I just hope paint and primer doesn't make it no longer fit.
I'd get more done but we have some friends over for a playdate.  Maybe more later... and I did take tomorrow off to get more done.

[Twister]

I wish you could get paint that looks like the raw sheet. I lov that color

[Big G]

Isn't that Gun Metal Grey?  You could just clear over.  

[Mr.Duck]

Big G, on 06 March 2012 - 11:20 AM, said:

I had traced the gromet... should fit right?  Hell no.  Took me about 2 hours of grinding, die grinding, jigsawing, test fitting about 10 times.  Uh.

Still a little tight, but there's nothing else holding it other then friction.  I just hope paint and primer doesn't make it no longer fit.
I'd get more done but we have some friends over for a playdate.  Maybe more later... and I did take tomorrow off to get more done.

I bought a couple bolt on trailer light mounts from Princess auto. (the round and the oval)
When we install grommet mount lights in equipment we bring out one of these and trace the hole.

[Big G]

Good idea.  I'm just going to trace the completed side, cut out that paper and re-trace on the other side.  Should work.

drilled and partaily bolted

spliceing in the 90 on the pass side flare

test fit


with gussets


... and that took about 4 hours.  LOL

[Big G]

After a quick boost from the car I pulled her out (he he he) to clean up and move her over

Charging away

after a quick clean up

tucked in

I hope I took everything out that I needed!

[Mr.Duck]

That is a nice rear flare.
Holy shit I thought my garage was tight

[Big G]

Took today off to work on 'er.  Spent a solid 5 hours... though you wouldn't think.  
Pass side skinned


Driver's side holes drilled, partially bolted up and marked for trimming