1981 toyota pickup DLX Project
02-27-2014, 06:51 AM
#81
I do not have a bed unfortunately so I will be building one out of wood and metal, but yes it will come out on the side right under the frame of the bed.
Kawa I will start by bracing the cab then start with doing the inner rockers, then build the center console out of the template you sent me, I will build my floors (flat like yours) then the outer rockers. Everything will be bolted first with metal screws, then rosette welded through the metal screw holes, then welded like you said an inch at a time at different places.
Kawa I will start by bracing the cab then start with doing the inner rockers, then build the center console out of the template you sent me, I will build my floors (flat like yours) then the outer rockers. Everything will be bolted first with metal screws, then rosette welded through the metal screw holes, then welded like you said an inch at a time at different places.
02-27-2014, 07:34 AM
#83
I probably have about 25-30 of fabrication in my floors, but it is hard to really gauge because I work on it so sporadically and I worked on other parts of the truck simultaneously. The way I did the rockers was rather time consuming because I actually welded my angles together instead of using a break, but the floor pan and tunnel I could have easily done in a day.
03-01-2014, 06:04 PM
#87
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Cool, I was thinking about the sprocket and realized you can't fine tune it really because the smallest you can move it is one tooth. So it's either right or wrong and in your case, right. Also, saw a fairly decent 81 pickup bed at pick n' pull yesterday and thought about a pickup relay race to Quebec, with yotatech folks participating. Seems like we would have to locate a very clean bed for that to be worth it. Plus some one might snag it for their own rig along the way. Anyway, looking forward to your floor process!
03-06-2014, 07:00 AM
#88
So I started my cab work, I was eager to start but scared to screw up the body since it is something I have never done, but so far it is going very well, thanks to kawazx6's and slacker's thread I got some good ideas.
Got my metal, 22gauge sheet of steel, 2'' flat bar and 3/4 angle iron.
I braced the frame before cutting
I started by removing all the attempt at repair done by the previous owner back in 1997, I was left with this, my original cab.
Next process is pretty simple, cut off all the rust you see
Then I built an inner rocker
welded on the cab, the angle stock will act as a lip to sit my floor on.
welded a flat bar across the floor to help the making and installation of floors and transmission tunnel.
Some pictures are bad, I will be removing the H brace I made and take better pictures of the inner rockers. Next update should be a good one with transmission tunnel, floors and possibly outer rockers made as well.
Got my metal, 22gauge sheet of steel, 2'' flat bar and 3/4 angle iron.
I braced the frame before cutting
I started by removing all the attempt at repair done by the previous owner back in 1997, I was left with this, my original cab.
Next process is pretty simple, cut off all the rust you see
Then I built an inner rocker
welded on the cab, the angle stock will act as a lip to sit my floor on.
welded a flat bar across the floor to help the making and installation of floors and transmission tunnel.
Some pictures are bad, I will be removing the H brace I made and take better pictures of the inner rockers. Next update should be a good one with transmission tunnel, floors and possibly outer rockers made as well.
03-06-2014, 08:31 AM
#89
Yikes! You, my friend, have a big ole set of cahones to tackle this fab job! But with a little determination, anything can be done. I know you're early in the process, but I see you are using 22ga steel - is everything going to be 22ga? That is fairly thin for floors. You can get away with making your rocker panels out of it, but I would recommend bumping up to at least 18ga steel for the floors. Even with 18ga, you would still need to roll some beads in the steel for strength. I used 14ga on mine so I didn't have to do beads. Also, using that 22ga on the back side of the rockers without beads or reinforcement may give you hell when you go to attach your body mounts.
Keep plugging at it and let me know if you need to pick my brain! Good Luck!
Keep plugging at it and let me know if you need to pick my brain! Good Luck!
03-06-2014, 08:47 AM
#90
Thanks dave, at first I wanted 18 or 20 gauge but the metal place I went to didn't have any, they had 16 gauge or 22, and since I only have a car I couldn't fit the 5x10 piece of 16 gauge in it, but I could roll the 22 and fit it in my car. Honestely I am not too worried about the thickness, the inner rockers have already received more welds than shown on the picture for more re-informent, and the floor will be braced with all of my flat bar. Afterall 22gauge is the original floor thickness.
03-06-2014, 04:44 PM
#91
Cool, I was thinking about the sprocket and realized you can't fine tune it really because the smallest you can move it is one tooth. So it's either right or wrong and in your case, right. Also, saw a fairly decent 81 pickup bed at pick n' pull yesterday and thought about a pickup relay race to Quebec, with yotatech folks participating. Seems like we would have to locate a very clean bed for that to be worth it. Plus some one might snag it for their own rig along the way. Anyway, looking forward to your floor process!
03-06-2014, 04:53 PM
#92
I agree with Dave .. The floor is a key part of the cab , especially since these cabs windshields are not "glued" in .
I used 14G on my floors, tunnel and inner rockers ... don't forget , this is also where your seatbelts are secured to !
and if you want a bed that will last .. give us a shout
.
I used 14G on my floors, tunnel and inner rockers ... don't forget , this is also where your seatbelts are secured to !
and if you want a bed that will last .. give us a shout
.
Last edited by slacker; 03-06-2014 at 04:55 PM.
03-06-2014, 05:15 PM
#93
Thanks for the advice slacker, I'll see what I'll do with the cab floors, I will probably finish them that way and see what it's like. Like I said I have 20' flat bar 1/8'' thick that I am using for reinforcement (ie seat bolting points, seat belts, structural rigidity). If I see that safety or rigidity is compromised, I will find a way to get 14 or 16 gauge and do them again.
03-07-2014, 06:45 AM
#94
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That allot of rust repair right there. Never took out my whole floor pan but when I did my flat belly I did cut out the tranny tunnel and I used 17 gauge, but also built a frame out of some square tube to give it some more strength.
03-11-2014, 12:40 PM
#95
Yes it is a lot of rust repair, and very intimidating for me, but I just go one step at a time and before I leave the garage and drink my last beer it is great to see progress and I'm pretty proud, still I can't wait to be finished because once the cab will be painted and on the truck, things will move really fast!
Here is an update
My transmission tunnel printed out 1:1 scale, 4.50$ and 15 mins later it was printed, and it saves me a lot of time and headache, thanks again kawazx6 that was really helpful! If anybody wants the file you can e-mail me I'll send it to you.
I cut it in half to save metal
assembled and tacked
My new rockers, 22ga aswell, if I were to do it again I would have just built my own by bending sheetmetal, but I am still very happy with them.
Zinc primered the inside and painted with rust paint. f*** you future rust.
I prensent to you, my new floors
I drilled my rockers on the top and bottom and rosette welded them, it holds very strong.
And here is what it looked like when I left yesterday, the driver's side floor is tacked in place, I wanted to do the passengers side too but the cab needs a bit of work for it to fit perfectly
By this time next week, if everything goes according to plan, floors should be welded, tunnel tacked in place too and maybe a bit more rocker work. woohoo!!
Here is an update
My transmission tunnel printed out 1:1 scale, 4.50$ and 15 mins later it was printed, and it saves me a lot of time and headache, thanks again kawazx6 that was really helpful! If anybody wants the file you can e-mail me I'll send it to you.
I cut it in half to save metal
assembled and tacked
My new rockers, 22ga aswell, if I were to do it again I would have just built my own by bending sheetmetal, but I am still very happy with them.
Zinc primered the inside and painted with rust paint. f*** you future rust.
I prensent to you, my new floors
I drilled my rockers on the top and bottom and rosette welded them, it holds very strong.
And here is what it looked like when I left yesterday, the driver's side floor is tacked in place, I wanted to do the passengers side too but the cab needs a bit of work for it to fit perfectly
By this time next week, if everything goes according to plan, floors should be welded, tunnel tacked in place too and maybe a bit more rocker work. woohoo!!
Last edited by gillesdetrail; 03-11-2014 at 12:43 PM.
03-13-2014, 05:24 PM
#100
haha, just passing on the good info!
Dave (or anyone watching) if you have time before saturday evening could you take the measurement from the firewall to the opening of the shifter hole? I have a feeling that either I cut the tunel too long or the printer didn't make it exactly 1:1 in length because the tunnel is longer than my cab and I don't want to screw up the hole location when I tack in the tunnel, thanks a lot!
Dave (or anyone watching) if you have time before saturday evening could you take the measurement from the firewall to the opening of the shifter hole? I have a feeling that either I cut the tunel too long or the printer didn't make it exactly 1:1 in length because the tunnel is longer than my cab and I don't want to screw up the hole location when I tack in the tunnel, thanks a lot!
