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Howdy folks, picked up this classic as a nostalgia play. I had a '72 in high school as my first car. You never forget your first. :upsidedown:
I was specifically looking for a '78 because that's the year I was born, also, cars with four round headlights across the front are the best.
Found this one local to me and got it from a lady that remembered it as her first car in HS as well. Her dad owned it all the way back to '83 so was in the family a long time. You'd think that would mean it was in nice shape...nope, poor thing had not be driven in probably a decade and was for sure on it's way to the scrap heap. But with some help from a friend was able to get it loaded on a trailer and back to the shop.
Last edited by booyah11; Jan 16, 2025 at 04:11 PM.
I learned from previous builds that it's just best to rip it all a part and see whatcha got when it's blown up. So wasted no time and tore it down to the basics.
Last edited by booyah11; Jan 16, 2025 at 04:12 PM.
I've made a bunch of progress through the holidays because I took some time off. My day job is a keyboard jockey so in my free time I get as far from computers as I can.
Created a YouTube Playlist of my adventure...don't expect anything high quality. I suck at all the camera stuff and get caught up in working. The first few videos are especially awful. I don't care to edit anything and really only doing the videos because a friend put me up to it. Figure they will be funny to watch a decade from now.
Pretty much everything from when I got it until now has been patching rust. I think I've already laid more weld on the car than it had from factory. But it's been fun, I like the metal fab stuff and it's very rewarding to cut out some rot and be left with some new strong metal.
Plus as a keyboard jockey I like easter eggs. Trying to keep it fun.
Last edited by booyah11; Jan 16, 2025 at 04:06 PM.
The YouTube playlist will likely see more action than this thread for a bit. So far I've done these patches:
Both footwells
Both center cab mounts
Both core supports
Both front cab mounts
Both rockers
Both cab corners
Driver's side front of rocker where the fender mounts
Have had to fab all the panels myself. Tried searching for RN28 patch panels and was really iffy on what is compatible with this '78 long bed. Footwells are fine because they are not visible but rockers and cab corners are tedious since they are seen. But overall it's been going well.
It is a whole other monster, as a kid it was fine now that I’m 48 and out of shape it kinda sucks I used to go to California when I was super young and felt like a super hero!!!!!
My nephew is at Peterson AFB and I visit often, the springs is its own little world over there just be glad you’re not in Denver or surrounding, I hate it….
I’ll be following the progress of your build, what’s your plans? Restore original? Same color?
At this point I'm still just trying to get the poor thing structurally sound. The center and front cab mounts were not even attached to the frame. The rears have a bunch of beef and were protected enough to still exist, even though the floor around them is mostly rotted. I'll be weekend warrioring it, so all the updates for awhile will pretty much be the same...repaired xxx rust on yyy panel.
From there I'll see how much of the truck is left that has paint on it and figure out if I'll run a frankenstein rat rod creature or if while it's apart I'll just go all the way to final paint. I don't want to be in body shop limbo forever, so not sure yet.
When looking at the jambs and other sections that were protected, the 70's green is pretty cool. So if I do go all the way to paint I'll likely shoot it something similar.
Ya the green screams 78 and I love it. I would love to shoot my truck with something retro but being a 91 it just wouldn’t fly either way keep up the non plan!!! Eventually it will come together
Had to make new brackets for the rear cab mount for both sides:
Think I finally have a short term goal and that is to get everything media blasted. There is no way of salvaging the old paint with the extensive patches I have all over the cab. The list is big and probably not even complete. I did figure out some nice window crayons that work on the glass board though, so that is a win.
While it was up on it's hind legs, finished welded the brackets, found a couple more patches and cleaned it up with some carb clean.
Just stepping back and looking at all the fresh metal makes me realize this is way more work than this car is worth...oh well, better than it being in a scrap heap.
Flipped it over and got it back on the frame. Just set in place for now, need to order some rubber or delrin to make body mounts.
And of course found more rust around the windshield. Hit the whole thing with the wire wheel and ended up needing to do five more little patches. Getting nervous about sending this to blast...seems like every time I look at it I find more rot.
At this point all the rust that I know about is off...which probably means I got a bunch more. Running outta money so not sure I can afford to blast it, might be spending $100 on wire wheels and using my little pot blaster to get something good enough.
Spent a bunch of money on stuff I wanted though:
wheels/tires
mustang 2 suspension
1jz engine trans (plus a ton of $$$ on wiring and ECU stuff)
all kinds of other stuff
Got the Mustang 2 kit installed, working on such a narrow frame was tricky but satisfied with the results.
Took a bunch of time to square, level, plumb everything but looking good.
Jan 16, 2025 | 03:44 PM
I used to go to California when I was super young and felt like a super hero!!!!!
either way keep up the non plan!!! Eventually it will come together
