75 Dually build

[75Dually]

So I have been staring at the ugly bed light on my truck for some time now knowing that it had to go. So last night I got busy and pulled the lamp, made the small sheet metal plugs to fill in the holes, and then filled in the work with filler and the line where the roof meets the lower cab body work. Really straight forward stuff, and it only took a couple of hours from start to finish. I will do some additional blocking and then shoot some primer when I'm happy with the final results.

Next is the main roof panel with all those hail dents... Just not looking forward to it, and Lubbock just started into a heat wave where the temps are going to be over 100 degrees and humid (humidity this high is not normal for our region). Ah well if it was easy....

[jmcd]

Originally Posted by 75Dually

On your ride go ahead and just do it. The big thing you have to consider is the AC setup and all the wiring can be a big mess, but if your into fab work then it is a must do!

This was my last truck the65.ive done tons of other **** . cant leave anything alone
Im afraid im gunna get carried away with my new 78 truck

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work on the light removal. It has been hotter than satan's ***hole here for about 3 weeks. The humidity has been high too. It always is though. It is 97* still. I'm really looking forward to July and August. Haha

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by jmcd

This was my last truck the65.ive done tons of other **** . cant leave anything alone
Im afraid im gunna get carried away with my new 78 truck

I like your dually. That is going to be a fun project! That short bed is right up my alley. Lord willing I will get to mine someday!

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work on the light removal. It has been hotter than satan's ***hole here for about 3 weeks. The humidity has been high too. It always is though. It is 97* still. I'm really looking forward to July and August. Haha

At least it is a great weight loss program! Just like baking in the oven!!

[jmcd]

Hey man was wondering if you have done any research on one piece side windows front and back i know theres aftermarket for front. But the contour on some of the newer trucks looks pretty close or if you have any resources for somebody that taken measurments of either front or back.i was thinking to get a glaseir to cut a burb back window for a one piece back win for the crew cab ?

[RNmatt87]

Don't know how but I missed the color combo question and I think the red and silver will be titties. Good job on the light shave. Looks great.

As for heat/humidity goes, living in central GA, humidity and heat is pretty much life. Lol. My wife and I recently went on our honeymoon to Mexico. Got off the plane, walked outside and she was like "oh my God it's humid as ****!". I was in my blue dickies pants and a t-shirt and said "really? I feel fine." Hahaha. She's not from GA so I cut her some slack. Haha

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by jmcd

Hey man was wondering if you have done any research on one piece side windows front and back i know theres aftermarket for front. But the contour on some of the newer trucks looks pretty close or if you have any resources for somebody that taken measurments of either front or back.i was thinking to get a glaseir to cut a burb back window for a one piece back win for the crew cab ?

Check these guys out.
http://www.onepieceproducts.com/Prod...=7387C10FLUSHB

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by RNmatt87

Don't know how but I missed the color combo question and I think the red and silver will be titties. Good job on the light shave. Looks great.

As for heat/humidity goes, living in central GA, humidity and heat is pretty much life. Lol. My wife and I recently went on our honeymoon to Mexico. Got off the plane, walked outside and she was like "oh my God it's humid as ****!". I was in my blue dickies pants and a t-shirt and said "really? I feel fine." Hahaha. She's not from GA so I cut her some slack. Haha

Lived in SE Atlanta for almost 8 years. True that on the heat and humidity!

[travlinman]

^^^ think he may have been talking about 1 pc windows for the back doors. Not the actual back window?

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by 75Dually

Check these guys out.
http://www.onepieceproducts.com/Prod...=7387C10FLUSHB

The issue is that once you pull apart the rear door you understand why they were not able to do a one piece glass in the first place. If you can do it I would think it would look cool!

[75Dually]

So I finished up the bed light this evening, blocked it all out, and shot some etch primer on it. I also finished up the upper rear cab corners where the seam is too. Now it is all smooth and ready for finish primer.

Now on to the hail dents in the roof. Been pulling them out with a paintless dent glue puller. Working really well so far. Just takes lots of time. Still going to have to run a skim coat in the end to get it flat and perfect.

[jmcd]

Havent pulled the door apart .not gunna be able to touch my truck or even look at it for bout 4 months. But other than it being a tight fit theres a way

[75Dually]

So I had an issue with my Accuair eLevel system this weekend. I called their tech line, which by the way is really great! I am sending in my ECU for them to look at and hopefully fix. They are a great company and I know they will take great care of the products they sell.

The issue with the truck was that it would not level properly, and when I tried to recalibrate it, the ECU simply would not take the new calibration. So back to the Accuair guys for them to take a look at it.

The reason for writing this post is when I talked with the tech he said they have had issues with their ECU's if someone has drained their battery and had to jump their car. We also spoke about bad grounds being a potential culprit as well. BTW, I have neither jumped my truck from another vehicle, or had any ground issues that I know of.

So a warning to you guys who have this system. If you have to jump your car from another battery please disconnect your ECU so it will not damage it.

When I get the ECU back from Accuair I am going to isolate it big time! I will take lots of pics on the reinstall. I like the Accuair products, don't get me wrong. I just wish their ECU's we more robust.

[75Dually]

Some weekends we get to work on our tucks and cars. Other weekends are filled with projects like this one. The AC cover on my travel trailer was getting old and beat up. Lot's of west Texas hail storms had done it in. It had done the same damage to my friends trailer also. We both decided that we were going to make new hoods for our respective trailers.

So a while ago I was given a huge piece of stainless steel by a friend of mine. It was a giant vent hood in an industrial kitchen that was being remolded and they were just going to throw it away. We cut it down and made the hoods out of it. A lot of TIG welding, and a lot of fab work, but we got them done today. I am going to use my old square body door seals for the bottom lip that sits against the roof of the trailer. Talk about using things you never thought would go together. The only things we had to buy was the screen mesh on the side for ventilation. Gotta be resourceful now-a-days!

[COS399]

Nice work! Are you planning on polishing it or painting it? I have installed the MaxAir domes on my vents after having a hail storm take out the rear vent while we at my son's baseball tournament a few years ago.

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by COS399

Nice work! Are you planning on polishing it or painting it? I have installed the MaxAir domes on my vents after having a hail storm take out the rear vent while we at my son's baseball tournament a few years ago.

Not sure yet on the paint or not paint. My buddy is going to paint his, but I kinda like the way it is right now. I have one of the MaxAir domes too. I need one more because like you hail took my other vent out recently. I think I will pick one up this week before I go out to install the new metal monster.

[aggie91]

Nice! Its good to be resourceful and have friends in the right places...

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work! Definitely have to be resourceful these days for sure!

[75Dually]

Yesterday I spent a good part of the morning before it got super hot installing the new stainless AC cover. I had to use some old screen for the rear of the unit, which was formally used as part of the old plastic covers method of keeping the dirt dobbers (read: mud wasps). Not the prettiest job on the rear of the cover, but hey if it keeps those wasps out I will be happy.

Just for all the truck guys out there, the bottom seal is the door seal out of my donor suburban. It looks like something a factory AC cover would come with. Plus it will last for years, and if it gets all tore up I have a couple more saved for the future... So glad to be a truck guy!

[ruffrida2005]

Looks really good.

[tommys72]

Awesome dually man!

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by ruffrida2005

Looks really good.

Thanks! I sweated my hide off on that roof. Now on to getting my truck done!

Originally Posted by tommys72

Awesome dually man!

Thanks so much! Semper Fi!

[RNmatt87]

What's in the works now?

[75Dually]

Originally Posted by RNmatt87

What's in the works now?

Glad you asked, see below!