Bed Wood restoration

Well Crankbndr i know why you play with cars and not balsa planes now Bob There with you ( O dark hundred at 1630 is no fun) can't wait !!! You got another cab for it Ron ?

Eric,

About 10 years ago I picked up 3 parts trucks for $150 as Dodge parts aren’t as readily available as Ford or Chevrolet. The Dodge cabs are the same from 1972-1980 so I have a 1979 cab that is perfect and rust/dent free. As a bonus it was a “miser” Dodge with a slant 6 and an overdrive 4 speed. I already have an overdrive 4 speed in my current truck so I have a spare trans, but most importantly the cab floor trans tunnel in the donor is the correct configuration. I had to cut my tunnel and reconfigure it to install the 4 speed OD and I didn’t do a very good job at it. My truck was an automatic long bed so the trans tunnel is completely different than the side load linkage shifting 4 speed OD. I did the frame shortening, manual trans swap and short bed box all at the same time and didn’t give the trans tunnel the attention it deserves.

Cribbs74 wrote:Eric,

About 10 years ago I picked up 3 parts trucks for $150 as Dodge parts aren’t as readily available as Ford or Chevrolet. The Dodge cabs are the same from 1972-1980 so I have a 1979 cab that is perfect and rust/dent free.  As a bonus it was a “miser” Dodge with a slant 6 and an overdrive 4 speed. I already have an overdrive 4 speed in my current truck so I have a spare trans, but most importantly the cab floor trans tunnel in the donor is the correct configuration. I had to cut my tunnel and reconfigure it to install the 4 speed OD and I didn’t do a very good job at it. My truck was an automatic long bed so the trans tunnel is completely different than the side load linkage shifting 4 speed OD. I did the frame shortening, manual trans swap and short bed box all at the same time and didn’t give the trans tunnel the attention it deserves.

5 stars Ron, and I'm glad that your a young man. But judging by your first couple of pictures you have some help and a strong rafter to to throw a come-along over and pull that cab. Quite a bit heavier than the bed unless you remove the doors. Something I would like to watch.

Only took two of us to remove the fiberglass body off my Corvette. (No windshield, doors, hood, or trunk lid I must confess.)

Cool Ron , sounds like you got all you need to make the truck into a classic ride to bee proud of to drive Watching with envy !!

Thanks Bob,

I guess I am young, certainly not as young as I once was. We all have our time I suppose. My son is a big help, at 14 he hasn’t developed all his strength so I get a little frustrated at times and he can’t anticipate my next move as this is all new to him. I am certainly learning to be patient. It is really nice working with him though and I really do cherish the time we spend together.

It’s funny you mentioned the Vette body removal. My friend and Co-worker has a 1982 Corvette. Different animal than yours by far, but we have to pull the body off of it. Long story, in a nutshell though I talked him into removing his auto trans and installing a 5 speed, he spent several thousand on the conversion and put a lot of time in modifying and installing it. On the first test drive with the new trans a fuel injector popped off and dumped fuel all over the exhaust. This resulted in a fire and he was miles from home so he had to let it burn until the fire department showed up. The resulting damage will require a whole new front clip, firewall replacement, windshield and dash. Not to mention all the engine ancillaries and wire harness.

I have now talked him into installing a fire extinguisher...

Cribbs74 wrote:Thanks Bob,

I guess I am young, certainly not as young as I once was. We all have our time I suppose. My son is a big help, at 14 he hasn’t developed all his strength so I get a little frustrated at times and he can’t anticipate my next move as this is all new to him. I am certainly learning to be patient. It is really nice working with him though and I really do cherish the time we spend together.

It’s funny you mentioned the Vette body removal. My friend and Co-worker has a 1982 Corvette. Different animal than yours by far, but we have to pull the body off of it. Long story, in a nutshell though I talked him into removing his auto trans and installing a 5 speed, he spent several thousand on the conversion and put a lot of time in modifying and installing it. On the first test drive with the new trans a fuel injector popped off and dumped fuel all over the exhaust. This resulted in a fire and he was miles from home so he had to let it burn until the fire department showed up. The resulting damage will require a whole new front clip, firewall replacement, windshield and dash. Not to mention all the engine ancillaries and wire harness.

I have now talked him into installing a fire extinguisher...

X2, I used to carry one in my Corvette all the time.

Forgot that I was once a younger.....

Who is that stylish young man?

My grandpa had a Dodge station wagon with a slant 6. The leaning tower of power as they were called. Tough old engines.

Cool old Vette.