Starting my 5 ton crew cab project

[BillabongKong]

Awesome work in adverse conditions! I am Subscribed
by the way the "John " you referred to here is member and vendor jcappeljr
Most here will tell you he is a great guy to deal with.

 

[Jeep Nasty]

Awesome work in adverse conditions! I am Subscribed
by the way the "John " you referred to here is member and vendor jcappeljr
Most here will tell you he is a great guy to deal with.

It is was actually a different Jon. After the auction for the cab closed, I PM'd jcappeljr with a question and realized it was not him That I bought it from. However the other Jon I dealt with was a stand up guy as well.

 

[BillabongKong]

Ok No Worries!
Keep up the good work! At this rate I am hoping to see your completed conversion at some of the rallys this summer let us know when the unveiling is!

 

[Jeep Nasty]

I installed new hinges for the rear doors because mine were broken or missing. I put on the rear doors to make sure the door frame openings stay true as a get ready to start welding like crazy. I cut the hardtop at the edge of the vertical opening for the window and mounted the rear hardtop corner on to the rear top wall. I then put the front of the hardtop back on the front cab. I would not have bothered putting the top pieces back on at this point, except we're are expecting a spring snowstorm here on wednesday and i wanted as much covered to place the tarps on. As time permits the next few days, ill start welding in some floor braces. After the snow storm ill take the top off again and get making the floor panels. once the floor is in ill begin the vertical supports to strengthen the wall panels and ready to make the sub frame for hardtop extension.

 

[MtnSnow]

Really shaping up nicely

 

[Rusty Nut]

Sweet !!! I LOVE the huge sunroof

So, would you rather be 'at work', or home working on the truck? Thought so.

Keep on Truckin !

 

[162tcat]

Looking good!

 

[Jeep Nasty]

I got the floor supports in holding the two cabs together. The snowstorm missed us and dropped 14 inches about 50 miles south. I'm hoping to get the new floors and patches in tomorrow before work.

 

[Jeep Nasty]

Floor and patches are in. more welding and grinding to do, then Ill start making vertical supports for connecting wall.

 

[tobyS]

Have you ever considered a more substantial top made out of diamond plate? I want one strong enough to get up on, not cave in. It will be reinforced. At the same time I'll build a front overhang to get the water away from the front window hinge. A four door could have a second story patio !!

 

[Jeep Nasty]

Question for you body work pros, or anyone who knows. Can I put down primer on my bare metal, then put bondo ( body filler) over the primer, or does bondo need to go onto the bare metal before I apply any primer.

i finish welding the seams of the floor panels and need to grind my sloppy welds. I'll start the vertical wall frames and panels soon and get up more pictures.

raining like crazy for the next week on and off, so progress will be slowed.

i response to the Question about the hardtop being more substantial. I had thought about it, my hardtop frame that im building will be tied into the floor and side walls and I plan on putting in bracing that would support my 250 lbs body if I have a need to stand on the roof. But I won't count on any dance parties happening up there.

 

[Rusty Nut]

Depends. Use a sand-able epoxy primer (SPI or Kirker) then scuff it with 180 grit. You want to get that bare metal coated before rust can start. After your bondo you will ideally want 2K - epoxy primer with a catalyst or hardener. That's how show cars are done.

Ospho -phosphoric acid- is also great stuff to protect bare metal while working and buy some time- it's probably what is on those sheets of virgin steel you are using.

supplies: http://www.eastwood.com/

 

[Jeep Nasty]

Depends. Use a sand-able epoxy primer (SPI or Kirker) then scuff it with 180 grit. You want to get that bare metal coated before rust can start. After your bondo you will ideally want 2K - epoxy primer with a catalyst or hardener. That's how show cars are done.

Ospho -phosphoric acid- is also great stuff to protect bare metal while working and buy some time- it's probably what is on those sheets of virgin steel you are using.

supplies: http://www.eastwood.com/

Thanks, great info. My goal is to protect that fresh metal, especially with me working outside until I have the right weather for bondo and paint. I've been breaking out the tarp everyday when I'm done playing.

 

[Jeep Nasty]

wall frames and interior panels in. off to work now.

 

[Rusty Nut]

Looking good, Nasty. See you have some shelter, now. Welds are looking much better. don't forget to reinforce under the cab floor because there will be a bunch of forces at play once you take her off road with longer cab.


WOOT !

 

[Jeep Nasty]

Thanks, dialing in the welder a bit, still a lot to learn. My father-in-law took pity on me in the rain and offered up the canopy. I had to lift it 4 feet off the ground so I could get the truck under there.

 

[joesco]

Wow, incredible progress! Very impressed. Btw, if you need diamond plate or any custom cut steel, I used a small company in Fremont, Pm me if you need their contact information.

 

[Jeep Nasty]

Dear Plasma Cutter...... I love you and don't want to give you back when I'm done with my project. But I can't afford you, so you will leave me soon.
I had to order some more sheet metal today for the hardtop and sides. So while I wait for that to come in, I started working on the bed. For my build, I will not have the air intake, exhaust or spare tire carrier between the cab and the bed. So, after some measurements I decided that 36" was the magic number I needed to remove form my bed. Then I discovered that the troop seat insert tubes on the drop down sides are exactly 36" apart so it works out great for cutting out that much space. I cut just to the side of the welds that hold the sections on and traced it across the bed. The plasma cutter made easy work of this. Now I need to flip the bed over so I can cut through the sub frame and supports. Then I will push the pieces back together and weld it.

 

[zout]

Just a note - do not put anything acid under a 2k surface. If you have the deep imbedded rust out the bare metal 2k primer will take care of killing any oxygen getting to the rest. With anything acid underneath 2k it will not adhere.

Many forums like SPI will advise the same.

 

[Jeep Nasty]

So I was a little hasty when I started cutting the bed yesterday. When I flipped it over I realized my cut would take out the heavy duty middle support of the bed and require me to cut off and re-weld the big mounting brackets that connect to the frame. Luckily my first cuts only affected the deck and not the subframe, so I moved my cuts and proceeded. I cut it in half, removed the 36" section and welded it back together. I want to clean up the flaking paint and rust underneath, then I will zinc primer it and spray some undercoating before I flip it over again. Once its over I will clean welds on the deck side, put the dropsides back on and weld those together. I will continue to work on the bed until, my metal comes in to finish the cab.