1947 S10 4x4 Blazer swap

[88Lt1wagon]

Nice, it's looking like a pickup again

[msaintg]

Ok 2/8/2013 is my one year anniversary from when I brought the project truck home, so it is time for some calculations…… I have 520 hours and $6472 invested in it so far. Not bad, I am still averaging 10 hours per week on it…..and that is less than $125 per week spent on it. I know people that spend more than that on cigarettes!!

[msaintg]

Thanks, the 'garage' may be clean, but my 'workshop' is a huge mess! I have not seen my bench in a year! I can hardly work. It is so funny how the angle of a picture effects our perceptions. My wife has one rule... she doesn't care what I do in the garage, but her car needs to be back in there every night. What you didn't see......

[msaintg]

Week 52 - I spent this week cleaning up the doors to find out what I have to work with. There is actually very little rust on the passenger door (and just a few dents) and the drivers door is almost perfect. Before and after pics from wire brushing everything. The PO was going to shave the door handles so he butchered the passenger door and then stopped. I think I am going to try to use the door handles and latches from the Blazer IF I can get them to work. Otherwise, I will put the door back to stock. (plan B is to use stock door handles with aftermarket bearclaw latches) The PO also removed all of the glass and hardware from the passenger door. I need to figure out what parts and hardware are missing and get some parts ordered.

[gregw98]

What you didn't see......

That's more like it, I feel better now.

[Daze57]

doors are lookin really good -- !!!!!

[msaintg]

thanks Daze57, the doors were the last of the dirty, rusted, nasty parts to clean. I got all of the hardware removed from the drivers door now, but there is a rubber strip down inside both doors that I can't figure out how to get out. (looks like a wiper for the outside of the glass). Any ideas?
Mike

[Daze57]

wd 40 it and see if it slides out - watch out that ya dont slice you fingers - spray it good - wrk it bk and forth then see if it slides out . also look to see (if ya can ) if the ends are crimped a bit closed to keep it stable --- holla

[msaintg]

week 53 - This week I did some body work on the doors and got a first coat of primer on them. I need to do more work on them but I need to get them hung first. I tried to hang the doors but they are both too close to the frame at the top hinge. (the hinge needs to move out about 1/4" and they don't move that way) These are new hinges, so I dont' know what to do.... maybe elongate the holes side to side? I then moved back to the hood. The hood now slants down 1" more than stock at the front and slants back about 1/2" more than stock.

[msaintg]

wow, I spent another frustrating 5 hours trying to hang the doors. I knew they were going to be a hassle, but I never thought I would not even be able to close them. I had to butcher my brand new top hinges to move the doors up 1/2" and outward 1/4" and I sill can't get them to close all the way. Arrrrgh!

[54 jimmy]

i'll have to check i think i have an extra set of passanger side stock hinges you can have if you want. just pay the shipping and there yours. always willing to help out a fellow member.

[Larry Lindley]

Dont remember what forum I saw it on but some one has a drawing how to heat and bend these hinges so your doors fit right.

[msaintg]

So are you guys saying the new hinges are the problem? I can't see any difference between the new and old hinges, except the new aren't bent to crap like the old ones. The new hinges line up perfectly with all 4 bolt holes (ya, even the one in the back) so I didn't think there was anything wrong with the hinges. I don't know if this is possible, or if it is, how common, but it appears the cab door frame is not square. Even if I get the door to close the trim line is 1/2" off from left to right. And the door frame is waaaaay 'rounder' than the door window frame. (the corner of the door frame by the windshield hits and there is still 1/2" gap at the roof and windshield. It is hard to believe these doors went to this truck. Don't know why I am surprised, the hood was off by a whole inch!

[Larry Lindley]

These trucks have the hardest doors to square up your cab could be racked,you my have to elongate the holes at the door end of hinge,if you find something that works let us know.and good luck.

[gregw98]

Couldn't you loosen the cab mounting bolts and maybe use so shims to square up the door opening. I am about to face the same task of door hanging. So I will be following this thread closely, as I have already been doing.

[msaintg]

I tried washers under the hinge, but that did not help anything. I slotted the upper hinge mounting holes (to the cab) left to right, but they can only move out about 1/8" because of the way the door frame is boxed. I then slotted the upper hinge mounting holes (to the doors) about 3/8" UP, to raise the doors. I didn't do anything to the bottom hinges. I still need to raise the doors up another 1/4" to line up the trim line better. My next step is open up the slotted hole in the ends of the doors to alow the door to move up more. Presently the doors are 1/2" low at the hinge which makes them stick out 1/4" too much at the bottom and sit 1/4" too far IN at the top hinge (which makes them bind against the cab before the door closes alll the way. Long winded explanation, but hopefully you can visualize it. Maybe another 5 hours will do the trick.

[msaintg]

week 54 - Didn't get much time on the project truck this weekend, but I did get some more welding done on the hood. I did get some window & door rubber in the mail. Oh, it is now insured.
Mike

[daverod]

Looks road ready to me.

[msaintg]

week 55 - Well, I spent a lot of time on the drivers door and hood, but not much to show for it. I finished welding the hood and got a lot of body filler work done, but not ready for paint. Finally got the drivers door to close, but check out how much I had to butcher the hinges to get the door to line up. God, if I had know I would still have to do so much work to get the hinges to work, I wouldn't have spent the $300 getting them! The door still sticks out a little bit at the upper hinge when the window frame rests against the cab and the gaps are terrible, but I just don't care anymore I will weld some material onto the hinges to make them strong again.

[msaintg]

week 56 - Still working with the body filler on the hood. Getting closer. I also started working on the skirt pieces that connect the running boards to the bed. Once again I have 'fit' issues. The skirt piece was bent badly so I could not use it to set up the running boards on the truck AND the drivers fender was caved in 3" at that spot. I decided to modify the skirt piece instead of trying to pull the fender out another 1/4". I don't think anyone with notice.

[msaintg]

I found a before pic of the drivers fender. You can see just how jacked up that fender was when I started. so all in all, I think it looks great now.

[msaintg]

More from week 56 - I finally got the hood to a point where I could put some primer on it. Still needs touchup, but I am happy with it so far.

[msaintg]

Week 57 - I spent this week touching up the body work on the hood and then shooting it with some paint. I also started mounting the drivers side running board and skirt. I didn't get the fender mounted yet , but this will give you an idea. I made my own fender gaskets out of an old inner tube.

[msaintg]

Just a few more pics from this week now that I got the drivers side running board, skirt, and fender bolted on.

[dirt53]

I,m doing the same as you ,wish i could figure out how to post pictures . I put battery in mine but the only power i got was the buzzer under the dash and under dash lights , the instrument cluster had nothing and nothing to the starter when i turned the key , any ideas where to start to figure it out , got all the grounds properly connected , but some senors are still not connected !
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