My Friends 76 Silverado in my Paint Shop Jail

[rcsbls2]

I've been reading lots of Builds looking for inspiration to get Todds truck worked on. Its in my garage and I don't work on it very often... But I need to get at it and get it painted. I'm not a professional painter but rather a hobbyist and enjoy working away at it. He asked me to go to look at a 70 or 71 Blazer his son wanted to buy. I said sure he said great were going to Las Vegas!!! So the three of us were off, landed at about midnight and it was like 95 degrees!! The next day we were off in rental car look at the Blazer.I had seen the ad. When we got htere he was all excited and as the owner told him how great it was, I was looking it over. 2wd lowered in primer,(why is a desert truck primered??) It had Autometer Guages in the dash looked nice till I looked under and nothing was hooked up. It was sitting out in front on the concrete driveway. hotter than all getout. I got down to look at the underpinnings and the first thing in my face a 2 x 4 wooden transmission crossmember!!! Any way I suggested we go for a ride and the owner said sure goanywhere we wante but had to stay inside gated community. So we went around corner were i stopped and told them this thing was not worth the $10 grand he was asking and showed them my opinion of problems. Son still wanted it and dad and i said never going to happen!!
So we went back to Hotel and discussed what we might do. Got local auto traders and read what forsale and looked around town. The second or third day we went to a place that had a number of cars and trucks on what appeared to be consignment. Had 20 to 25 inside and we happened upon the truck we would buy. Turns out to be the bookkeepers truck. A 1976 Silverado Stepside. All orginial 75000 mile, always in Vegas, loaded up, air conditioned, a little beatup but solid as anything I can remember. We live in the rust belt so this thing is so nice I am drooling. I brought Todd over to show him and Son what I was looking at, They were looking at Camaros and Chevelles and other done cars for higher prices than any of us could afford!! After looking and talking to sales person we find out info and asking price of $3500. Todd ask me what I think of it. I told them if they don't buy it I will!!!!So I continue looking around and they went other directions. About 15 minutes later Todd comes up to me and says we are all set! He had bought it, set up shipping back to Michigan and we were going to have a new toy.!!
Flew back home and the next week it arrived. I will be continue the story and hopefully some pictures in the next few days.

[rusty76]

Welcome to the forum and can't wait to see pics!

[rcsbls2]

Ok a little background...I have been a gear head all my life. I currently have way to many cars and trucks. Going to try and show some pictures of them. Don't know how to put caption under each one so.
1) my daily driver have 05 LS2 on stand but not in yet...one of these days if I can get my garage back
2) my 66 pickup and 76 Corvette. Pickup I went to Texas and got in 1986 when it was 20 years old...now 38 years old. Did most of paint,frame off, not finished and driven 75 miles!! Corvette was my Mom's car she gave it to me about 12 years ago nice orginial car 75000 miles drove it 2 years ago.
3) my 79 Z-28 nothing orginial .The one I have had the longest and still love ...but now tore apart and sitting. Was on cover of High Performance Chevrolet in 1986. Pro Street 33/21.50 Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pro rear tires, 355 cu. in. sbc 6-71 Blower, 2 holley 1850 Carbs , on and on. lots of memories and power...Last on road 8 or so years ago. Some day when I get my garage back!!!!
4) My 82 Chevette, Picked it up in South Carolina in about 2004 so Dad and I could golf or way back from the Masters in Augusta. Have Michigan Historical Plate on it $40 for 10 years, air and automatic no rust great shape orginial paint. Sets out here and I drive it in the summer time. People ask me "That a Chevrolet? What kind of car is that!! I think it shows about 35000 miles. Looking for bumper fillers for rear !!!
5)Also have 64 Chevy II rust bucket, My Grandfathers 1938 John Deere Tractor he bought new, and the wifes 95 Olds Aurora

When young had to have brain operated on . Had 3 gears put in!!! Been gear head ever since. I will explain 76 Silverado Project next time. It is in the Garage.

[rusty76]

We had a '76 Chevette and the rear windows would sometimes fall out going around a corner. We were lucky because most of the time the glass would land in the grass. Always on the passenger side. Had problems with the plastic brackets. They sucked. Cool cars!

[rcsbls2]

Ok I'm back. This pickup has been in our plans for a few years. After they got it to Michigan they drove it some that summer. The plan is to upgrade engine. have gone through short block and I had a set of Twisted Wedge aluminium heads that have been installed. They have purchased a Thumper Cam for it. Edelbrock Air Gap Intake, headers and dual exhaust will complete engine.The 350 turbo has been gone through.

The son began disassembly of the truck, Removing a few pieces at a time did good job of bagging bolts and keeping track of things. He continued until only thing on frame was the empty cab. All interior, dash, wiring, seat, Carpet, headliner, windows, seals, everything!!! was removed. They then told me it was ready for paint.

I did not what direction to go. I decided to make up a detailed build guide to determine what they want truck to be in end. I printed 2 copies and gave each of them a 6 or 7 page paper. Started with what do you want to do with it? Both want to drive and take to some local shows. What color? Son thought Black, Dad was thinking something brighter near its burnt orange orginial color. It went on describing 2 different trucks. So I went back and talked with them and tried to come to middle ground.

The frame has been blasted , painted and some reassembly done. All at Todds place. Front suspension, dropped spindles and brakes are on. No rearaxle ,needs painting, flipkit there. no fuel tanks, brake lines or fuel lines. No work done on any other parts Brake booster, master cylinder, wiper motor ,air conditioner parts, ect have been touched. Interior parts same program.


When I think of building this truck I can see very detailed body mods that will yield a clean smooth lowered street special truck. This has all taken about 7 years at this point. Todd has been very understanding that I have been busy with lots of things. I am a type 1 diabetic and my wife has health problems. So he has been waiting for me to get time to do the body work and paint. Last spring he to me they were having a garage sale and needed to get it out of there. So I told him bring it out and I'll try and get in garage. He brought all separate pieces, cab, doors, hood, fenders, stepside box, bed rails, tailgate...radiator support ect inner fenders.

When I began to look things over, the panels are perfect....NO rust. But they are dented up and I have been trying to get some things started. Striped the fire wall down and removed seam sealer and black tar. Have straightened out back wall of cab, all the spot weld deformed recesses in back panel. Redid bottom of cab corners where they meet bottom of floor panels, just kind of deformed while factory spot welded togather. Tried fitting doors to openings, the back edge of door opening in cab were uneven and different side to side, the doors were smaller than the openings, the curve of the door is different than that of the cab.

The box, started looking it over, the stake pocket on rear passenger side sat 1/4' lower than the box side so the top rail leaned down where as the drivers side almost leans up a little. I removed the corner from the box side and raised it up. I have installed caps to the back ends of the toprail. by welding to the edge of tailgate opening. Installed latches and integral steel check straps to hold the tailgate in the open horizontal position. Then removed the orginial latching system for the chains from the tailgate and sides of box sides. the edge rail for the wood attachment over hung the back of rear crossmember and was short of front panel. So drilled out spot welds and moved it forward 1/2'. Seems like maybe built on a Friday at Fisher Body back in '76!!! So I have this and more done but doesn't look like I've done anything!!!!

I have been reading about all the builds here and think that if I share what I'm doing you guys can motivate me to get out there after dinner and on weekend and get it done. Golf season is about done here and its time!!! Now tonight my phone won't hookup to computer so no pics yet but their coming. Enough rambling for tonight. Back to Michigan State - Nebraska!!

[rcsbls2]

This is inside of drivers front fender. Is there any reason not to weld covers over big holes? All of them?

[rcsbls2]

Have located pics when we got it to Michigan

[rusty76]

I wouldn't think you would need any kind of access but then again I'm not sure. It would look slick. I'm sure you're not the only one to do it.

[rcsbls2]

If anyone knows if there are any pics of smoothed inside fenders on this board let me know. Won't need access to inside of fender since stepside doesn't have mouldings. Thinking it would really cleanup the looks of inside of fenders.

Having trouble uploading pictures..pdf files to big and I'm trying to figure out how to reduce file size. Want all to see what we started with and then I can post some of the work I'm doing!

[rcsbls2]

So here is the subject. These were taken when truck arrived from Las Vegas and got to Michigan.

Original 350/350, Silverado, Air Conditioner (most all trucks this vintage here did not have air). Wheels and tires and air cleaner about all that wasn't stock.

Next time I'll start posting work being done!!

[Low Elco]

Wow, is that clean!

[rcsbls2]

Want to update what I'm working on.

How do I get comment by pictures?
Anyway been filling holes on inside of fenders. Actually have both fenders welded and have started leveling up and put some filler over them and sanding out.

[rcsbls2]

I just read in the guide to post pictures. It says I need to put pictures on a web site, Like photobucket or something . I did not know this....so all pictures I have posted are not getting where anyone can see them? What can you see if you look at this thread?

And then people post pictures and make it look nice and have comments above or below each pic. How do I do that? Not right place to ask but I have not studied this enough yet? Want to make this thread informational.

[rcsbls2]

Ok, I have spent a couple hours reading how to upload pictures and related stuff!!

So my current project is figuring out the best way to deal with the inter wheel wells. The orginial ones are rusted in the area that are double layered in the back topside when viewed through the wheel opening. I showed this to owner and he decided to purchase replacement tubs from LMC. While looking them over they seem quite a bit lighter and probably only repop quality. I have been working on inside of front fenders by welding up access holes and want to smooth insides. So again talked with owner about what he wants to do with jack and related parts that store on top of passenger side wheel well. He decided not to carry, at least in that location. So now I don't like the metal stampings that are created to locate jack and stuff. Would it be advisable to try and eliminate these stamping on top of wheel well? I could try and shrink the stamped areas or cut them out and weld in metal but don't have equipment to form compound bends it will need. Reading Alan's Classic Forum/ build Project Vitamin C-10 where he talked of someone who could remove the stamped letters in a tailgate so well that one could not tell letters were ever there.


Next question would be try to patch up originals or use replacements? Does anyone have experience with both originals and repops? What would you suggest I use? I think I can remove the spot weld that hold a panel has 2 bolts goes into lip of fender and the third I believe into the firewall. Then patch light sheet metal of wheel tub and replace reinforcement panel. Will get picture of rusted area posted.

[rcsbls2]

Here are pictures of the fender wells.

passenger side



Drivers side


The more I think about it I need to repair????

Any advice out there?

[rusty76]

Those look good compare to mine....

[rcsbls2]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Those look good compare to mine....

So rusty have you purchased replacements?

Just looked through your thread briefly, Saw you mention your truck you bought in'97? What is status of that? Or did I miss something?

[Low Elco]

I'd cut 'em out and lay in new. If you're worried about compound curves, cut it out, template what you want, and hit the yards with a battery powered sawzall. Often the opposite end of the opposite side will work. Start with the old pieces in front of you and see what you come up with. Good luck! Pretty nice work so far!

[rcsbls2]

Update
Todd has found a paint he likes the color of. We talked about black ,red but then maybe something closer to orginal. He says their is a color that he saw on a newer Jeep. I found it to be Mango Tango. Maybe since 2008 and still being used. When researching this I discovered it to be a metallic pearl. I was thinking of painting the truck in panels but this changes everything!!!I believe it would be impossible to match unless I spray entire cab, fenders and hood all together. So I plan to paint the underside of cab, interior w/ dash, firewall, inside front fenders and inside hood first. Then assemble those parts and spray outside. Sounds simple doesn't it!!

I don't have much experience with a paint like this but I think the pearl being a component of the mix will reflect differently. If anyone has experience with these newer paints please chime in.

Working on a panel to test color. Does this stamping only bother me?


Had to cut with cutoff wheel and weld backup to remove excess metal in corners.


Anybody know what part of the truck I'm working on ?

[rcsbls2]

Well no guess's so I'll blat it out.... Glove box door.

And this is test of the color. Ash try is original color
1 with No flash

with flash

Pearl effect seems to be a brown or darker shade. Can see halo around latch hole and all around outside edges. Really like!!!

[Low Elco]

Nice stuff! If the pearl is in the base, you should be cool, just be even, that is key.

[y5mgisi]

Very pretty!

[rcsbls2]

Spent a bit of time reviewing Stepside Modifications in 2 areas.

I want to do something about taillights. This truck has stock lights so the 6" round taillight and a separate maybe 3" backup light. Looked at lots of others ideas and some , Like 88-93 Cadillac Deville tall slim light in back of stake pocket, kind of like look from rear but Cadillac lens is curved with stake pocket very straight. People have mounted them by frenching them into the sheet metal, but doesn't flow together. Others have mounted various light into the fenders back side. 59 Cadillac, 65 Impala, and even Camaro lights, I guess the truck is not a custom or a car, needs something truck but needs to look good to my eye?
So I've been playing around and think I may have come up with an idea to maybe expand upon. First I removed backup light, then taillight seemed too high, so moved to bolt hole for backup light, had to use bracket for other side. Now that looks like what I was looking for, looks like hot rod truck! So studied that for a few days and look here on site to see what others have done with those lights. Not finding much use of them other than stock locations. Then I began thinking how it may look if I could use this light within an enclosure. Don't have one SO lets make one!
So here is MY FIRST ATTEMT

Diet Coke boxes and tape!!!! But I'm liking the overall look. Very different but still truck like??

Hope to see what everybody out there thinks. Comments please Like - don't like

[rcsbls2]

Was hoping you people on this Forum may comment on tail light idea...

But I've come up with additional idea. If I could build a piece to fill area at back edge of fender to extend box down to bottom of fender??



Would make out of sheet metal. What does anyone think?

[Low Elco]

Innnnnteresting. I had an '85 stepper that had Gremlin (yes, gremlin) taillinghts sunk into the tubs. Looked dead factory. I like the blended housing, though. I'm not the guy to ask, though. I like the old school utilitarian unfinished look of the steppers, if you're gonna have one. just my .02. Your work looks nice!