Project Reno - 72 cheyenne rebuild

[mjensen]

I love how clean everything is! That's what I'm striving for on mine, so I'll use yours as a template

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by mjensen

I love how clean everything is! That's what I'm striving for on mine, so I'll use yours as a template

Hey thanks Mike!! I appreciate it. I don't like stuff
That is thrown together so I try to keep things orderly
And easily serviceable.

I just visited the body guy and though not perfect, the bed
Looks good. It's definitely a driver and not show truck, but then
Again, I don't want to pay show truck prices.

Chris

[cmabolt]

Update!
After putting my carpet in to rest and cut necessary holes, I realized there was little padding under it. I decided to do some research and found that a couple lowe's products are getting attention. I purchased some peel and seal for sound deadening and some reflectix to use under the carpet for padding and added insulation. I have to say they both do the trick very well. The peel and seal totally deadened the rear cab area and the relfectix is a foil backed bubble wrap of sorts that doesn't pop.


I cut the relfectix to fit the floor and taped it up with gorilla tape. Should lay in nicely.

I had the bed hauled from body guy to my local line-x dealer and they sprayed the liner today. The inner bed looks great! Unfortunately, due to the amount of buffing compound my painter used, the filament wire tape the line-x dealer uses for nice clean lines, popped lose in a couple places during spraying and they had a few bad corners. They are going to keep the bed and slightly lower the edge line of the line-x and respray to fix. It's not terribly unsightly but the alternative is sanding and respraying the tail gate. I already have to have the painter touch up a bunch of spots so not wanting any major repainted areas.
Ugh!

Tomorrow some more wiring. I am frustrated as I just can't find enough space comfortably under the dash for the ecm. so many places are close but just seems like it's being forced. I could do the kick panel, but not sure if there's enough length in the harness. I am now thinking about where under the hood. Looks like I am going to have to make one more hole in the firewall for the throttle wires or ecm harness depending on what I come up with.
Chris

[cmabolt]

A few more pics… I picked the truck bed up today from Line-X and it looks great.

I snapped a few picks of the finished paint and body work on the fuel door.


I also received my precision window gaskets and within an hour had the front and rear windows set up with gaskets, trim and ropes ready to install. What a difference good parts make. The LMC gaskets will be for sale shortly.


After laying under the dash for about a half hour, I think I found a spot for the computer that is clean. This will make wiring much easier and cleaner. The tack module, fuse panel for engine harness and OBDII connector will all be under the dash.

more to come.

[CUSTOM/10]

"WOW".... Slow down there Chris, your getting too far a head of me !!! "LOL"

Looking good, can't wait to see the bed on the truck !!!

Gary

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

"WOW".... Slow down there Chris, your getting too far a head of me !!! "LOL"

Looking good, can't wait to see the bed on the truck !!!

Gary

Hey thanks Gary. Hope the leg is feeling better.

I have a few humps to get over. (Hump 1) I need to drill another hole in the firewall right at the location of the old clutch rod hole and disassemble the engine harness and pass it thru. (hump 2) the second big job is getting all the panels hung. I am going to do the panels, bed, windows next week so if all goes well, and it rarely does, I should have a truck again. At least in theory. Although I have a grasp of how I want to route the forward wiring, I have been avoiding it like the plague. I am still waiting on the radio din plate and after that I will byte the bullet and get everything under the dash wrapped up. Everything is connected in some way it seems. Can't put in the seats without the carpet. can't ut in the carpet without wires that run to the console, can't run the console wires without knowing how many outlets I'll have left in the accessory pigtail. It's like trying to nail jello to the wall.

Chris
_________

[CUSTOM/10]

It's like a big Jig-Saw puzzle, but it has to go back together in a certain order.....

I already put my steering column and wiper motor in and my cowl on. Well I didn't put my new firewall pad on. So guess what, to do it right the cowl will have to come off, trash screen off, wiper motor out & steering column out to put the pad in !!! Unless I cut the pad !!!! Grrrrrr....

My leg is slowly getting better, I'm walking again, but have an appointment with a orthopedic surgeon next week to look at this and see if I need to have this cyst removed !

Gary

[cmabolt]

Progress returns…
Well, received my radio din plate from a board member. Nice piece, but of course I had to modify it.

Got the opening marked and hole delicately cut out and die grinded smooth.

After installing the plate I decided it was a bit large and it touched the ash tray a tad. So, I shaved off the flange around the edge, smoothed and brushed the entire piece.


After getting the plate installed, I took the engine harness off for the second time so I can fish it thru the firewall. I then located a place for the ECM under the dash.

It's to the right of the pedals bracket and directly between the gas pedal and brake pedal and the bottom of the ECM is even with the lower edge of the dash.

I then made a couple brackets to secure it.

The bar at the top of the pic is a piece of angled steel that connects the ECM housing to the dash. With just two attach points the ECM is very secure. Next I just need to drill a hole in the firewall where the old clutch rod used to pass thru.

[rgunlock]

Looks like a good solution for your ECM, and the bed looks great!

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

Looks like a good solution for your ECM, and the bed looks great!

Thanks Rick! I was sweating the ECM. I really wanted it under the dash and was starting to think i was going to have to put it under the hood. I think it will work great once done.

Chris

[DWilbur]

Hello Chris
Is the AC vent in the center of your dash the factor one. I just opened up my vintage air kit Saturday and pulled the parts my builder is asking for and the one I have looks like yours

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by DWilbur

Hello Chris
Is the AC vent in the center of your dash the factor one. I just opened up my vintage air kit Saturday and pulled the parts my builder is asking for and the one I have looks like yours

Yes, that is the factory vent. It also has a foam gasket.
Both are readily available at our parts vendors.

[y5mgisi]

Bed turned out awesome!

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Bed turned out awesome!

Thanks!

[cmabolt]

Progress... Well, looks like this week I may have some time to make some considerable headway on the wiring. I decided to wire the bed today with all wires run and lenses in place.


I loomed everything before clipping it under the bed. Once I get the bed back on I will finish wiring to the connector and run the tag light lead.

I cut what I hope is the last hole in the firewall (2") for the engine harness and passed the wires thru with no issues. Due to the placement of the ECM the accelerator module wires ended up outside the firewall. I am going to see if there is enough slack in the harness to extend them back inside the cab. I don't want more than about 12" of the ECM harness inside the cab. Since the harness is directly between the accelerator pedal and brake pedal there can't be any interference.

So, tomorrow, more wiring.

[cmabolt]

Sheet Metal Mania..... Well, had a friend of mine come over and we started chipping away at what neither of us has attempted before, and that is putting the body back together. The bed was easy enough. Used the engine hoist and dropped her on. I have been told the bed is the last thing to go on so it's not bolted down just yet.


I was then told that the doors go on next and then fender get fit to the doors. So after about 2 hours of shimmying the drivers door around we finally got it about 95 percent of the way aligned when I discovered I had no shims in my possession. Son-of-a_B_ _ ch!! It seems like the upper portion of the door frame sits back into the door opening a little too much, but not sure without an example. If anybody has gap pics that would be much appreciated. Also, if there are any pointers to hanging the doors that would be great as well. Starting at zero sucks.



And last but not least got the ECM wires cleaned up and ready for a grommet I had to order.

Tomorrow, the passengers door and hopefully a fender, or two... Wow, Reno is starting to look like a truck again. Feels good!!

[DWilbur]

It's look'n darn toot'n good there cmbolt. With some luck I just might catch up to you.

[rgunlock]

All I know is that I'm jealous! Looking great, and getting the doors to line up will be behind you before you know it.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by DWilbur

It's look'n darn toot'n good there cmbolt. With some luck I just might catch up to you.

Thanks! It's been so long since she had her skin
It's surreal.

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by rgunlock

All I know is that I'm jealous! Looking great, and getting the doors to line up will be behind you before you know it.

Thanks Rick. I really hope your right about the doors. If everything lines up off the doors they must be pretty important. I have shims on the way.
Chris

[swamp rat]

Sweet! At least somebody is making some progress. Did you order plane ole body shims or door shims? Or both?

[cmabolt]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Sweet! At least somebody is making some progress. Did you order plane ole body shims or door shims? Or both?

I ordered plane ol'e stainless shims. not body or door. stainless 1" square slotted shims. I had a couple shims left over from dismantling the truck and used those on the drivers side temporarily . Both doors need to come out on the top edge of the window frame to match the from cab post. I am hesitant to move the doors too much as they sit in the door frames nicely and latch nicely. Gaps are not perfect, but they are fairly equal all the way around. Everything on the truck, doors, latches, catches are original. The hinges are new so that made things a little easier.

[cmabolt]

Made a little headway yesterday. We were able to get the passengers door on.



Weatherstripping installed

I also put 3 fairly large pieces of Peel and stick on the door skins. i put one piece on the inner skin toward the bottom and 2 pieces on the outer skin bottom and top. Made a noticeable difference when closing the door. felt more solid. Amazing how such a small thing can make such a big difference.

I also finished wiring the connection between the bed and harness. All nice and neat and tucked under the rear of the bed. Today I only have a half day and no helper so am going to do some more ECM wiring in the cab.

[cmabolt]

Today I got the bumpers out and began thinking about how to freshen them up. I decided to take both of them down to raw metal, brush them and clear coat them.


I did a test and this is where I think I am headed as far as the look. I will spray the back of both bumpers with rhino liner and the step of the rear bumper. Then use POR's Glisten clear coat to protect them from the elements.

I now have two completed systems in the truck. Emergency brake and fuel filler. Just installed fuel filler hose and vent.


We spent another day fine tuning the doors. After installing the weather stripping, the doors were very tight and the weather stripping presented some resistance. So we basically had to re-hang each door. I had to open up the hinge holes a bit then they were much more manageable. So on they went followed by the front fenders.



So now we are pretty good with fitment, but a few small issues to still work out. Hard to tell how close we are till the hood goes on. I am definitely not enjoying the bodywork, but it is nice seeing the truck start to look like a truck again. Now, back to some wiring.

[rgunlock]

Looking really good from here Chris.