My Project revived

[Nickabocker]

Curious does anybody on here have any part numbers or recommendations for the cab and core support mounting hardware. I have new bushings but not the nuts and bolts that hold everything together.

[NotMonkey]

I had none (never going to buy a shell project again!). So I've felt your pain. I found some people on E-Bay selling frame horns with the hardware still attached, and went that route for a couple. But recently discovered that LMC has them for the 1973-79 trucks and bronco's. Not perfect, but better than the shipping on frame horns...and they are still rusty! So take a look and see if that will work for you too. Hope it helps. I know your pain. Having spent so much time searching myself! Good luck!

[Nickabocker]

So after the holidays and all the catch up work i finally got a little time to get back to work on the truck. I went ahead and started/finished the core support patches and as of last night mounted the radiator and support to the frame.

I wished i had taken a photo, but I had to create a "sleeve" for the inside of the polyurethane bushings as i had no original pieces left. All in all it seems to be coming together slowly. I did purchase the remaining patches for the cab so hopefully it will be primed and mounted soon.



https://photos.app.goo.gl/kXeKfJFwDU5ymgzz5

[Nickabocker]

Spent the last few days (since my last post) working on the old truck. I was able to get my Passenger side floor pan, Drivers side, and drivers cab floor support cut out and replaced. The cab support still needs to be welded in but i got the nasty stuff cut off. The passenger side floor pan went in great but the drivers I made a mistake and cut it just a little too short . Decided to go with Raptor spray on bedliner as my undercoating since i have read a lot of great things about it.

Finally I have been looking for extra reason to keep motivated with the project so I went to work and got the engine fired for a few seconds to provide me with some "Proof of Life".

[Nickabocker]

couple photos didn't attached

Just a little video I took as well

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ppRSNm1anmYpAg3v7

[hfdco4]

You can just use the material you cut of as filler for that small gap, which i can say i have done it MANY times . Your work looks good.

[Nickabocker]

been a pretty productive week around the shop. I got the floor pans finished and the cab brace. Next step is to get the cab mounts welded on and touch up a few small holes in the cab floor for a previous attempt by someone to put in updated seats. Also still have the cab corners but won't do that until the cab mounts are done.

I decided to place the cab on the frame last night to make sure I am getting the mounts in the correct spot. Would hate to do all this work and find out my cab is off center . As I set it on the frame I placed the Prothane bushings on it so the cab will sit at its correct height. However I was confused on which bushing went were. I bought the prothane 6110 kit for the bushings and they don't really identify which pieces go where in there instructions. For those that have used them do the Thicker bushings go in the back of the cab or are they the front?

I'm also concerned about alignment. I'm thinking I'll just bolt the cab in place using the rear bushings/bolts and then simply weld the mounts on up front? does anybody have any recommendations or confirm alignment? Right now i simply dropped a bolt in the rear bushings to make sure i don't shift the cab to far any direction.

As i staged the front mounts i was surprised how the mounts sitting fairly flush already on the cab. They do require a little bit of work to fit the best.

[Nickabocker]

more pictures

[Nickabocker]

the last of my pictures

[sargentrs]

If I were doing it I would mark the centerlines of the cab and center of the frame at the rails. Then bolt the front cab mounts to the frame and center the cab to the frame till it rests on the front cab mounts. Confirm the rear bushing bolts fit through the cab mounting holes. A few dimensional side checks to the frame rails and diagonal checks from center of frame to points on the front and rear cab mounts and nail it.

[hfdco4]

Randy that is a fantastic idea doing center lines. Thank you for the insight!

[Nickabocker]

Randy great idea and I did just that last night!. I tacked the front mounts to the cab. I'll remove the cab to complete my welds and then bolt it in.

Now I still have to do cab corners and my undercoating but I was curious what everyone does to repair pin holes. As I was cleaning up some residual sand out of the cab last night I turned my head just right to see pinholes in the back of the cab that I had not seen before. There's several in one spot and then just spread out through.

[Nickabocker]

Got the bottom of the cab primed in some epoxy. Raptor liner going on in the next day or so after I seam seal

[hfdco4]

Looks good. What's next?

[Nickabocker]

Looking good!

My plan next is to get some seam sealer on and then put raptor liner as my undercoating. After that dries I'll mount it up to the chassis and prime the inside followed by some more raptor liner on the floor. Figured the more metal I can try and prevent moisture on the better. After the floor is done I'll shot the interior of the cab, front fenders and mount the front end in place. Finally I'll do the wire harness and get the doors prepped and shot in color.

All in all I hope to have this done soon and if this virus causes any more problems in Idaho that might be sooner then later.