Project: Wilks

[01001010]

Originally Posted by TerryS

with nuts and bolts, which you won't see if you don't remove the headliners and trim panels.

Which is exactly the case..haha..since its off the truck already, I havent found anything tall enough to support it. I may just get some 2x4s and make a stand for the engine and w/e's left use it to hold up the roof.

Which BTW - I think I've already mentioned this - 5-door Series Roofs ARE HEAVY!!!!

[01001010]

Cleaning will resume today. There's a tray in the rear left where there appears to be a nest of some sort.

After the tub comes off, the frame will be placed on jacks and some REAL work will begin on drivetrain/suspension components.

Now that im settled into my new job, I feel that April will be a good catch-up month on all the work I should have done in Feb and March. I finally found a worthy painter so im going to start prepping the easy stuff - doors, hood, front wings, grille panel, floor panels - and if I discover that the wheels are in good enough condition to be used again, those will be painted as well.

[01001010]

Finally uploaded the previous set of pics... here it is with the roof off moments before I removed the floor.



Please pardon the mess around the truck. My brother in law was moving stuff around.

[zed]

and I thought I had my work cut out for me.

Good luck ... It'll be fun I'm sure, as long as you can stay interested and moving forward.

[01001010]

wooo...stay interested!?!?! Man, you notice the one seat still in there?...

I'll admit that when I do feel too tired to do anything, I sit on there and pretend to be driving it. I absolutely cant wait to get this thing going!

[zed]

ha ha .. yea.. me too. I actually get the kids in there and we "play safari" or soldier .. whatever they want.

Actually, my 3.5 year old was responsible for securing ALL the bell housing nuts.. and I guess will be taking them off again.. ha ha.. (seriously.. i'm going to be an expert in transmissions soon). worked out to be much more family oriented than the motorcycle I was set to purchase. Heck, it was technically my wife that killed my brake servo (she was doing the pumping for a brake bleed). The whole family is getting greasy.. keeps me going.
I wish I had a wagon.. Be a little more family friendly. though I do like the space afforded in my garage by the 88.

When I was younger, I'd strip a bolt or get something together wrong.. find the job to be bigger than I thought (it always is), and I'd quit. The project would languish a while and then be sold for a fraction of what it would have been worth assembled. I note that your profile lists you as relatively young. You're doing better than I did at that age.

[dav1551]

JC

It looks to be coming along ....... good deal.... Now the trouble it "Where to put it all".. Yes, they say no worries it's simple and it all just bolts and rivets together.... <-----which translated means it has what seems like twice the number of parts and components that most any other comparable vehicle...

But in kidding aside,,,, there're a blast to sport about in and near the same to tinker and work on. I'm in the process today of installing a head liner....which may well seem a ways off on your agenda but undoubtedly you'll get there.

Cheers
Dave

[ultrrunr]

JC,
It may seem a far cry from me to you, ok, maybe 60 miles, but if you need a hand with something... maybe I can help. I am out and about the metro area almost everyday. I can come straight up Hwy 124 and be in your neck of the woods in no time. That looks like a blast! Can't wait to see it on the trails!

[Funrover]

WOW, you are really mototing on that project..... Keep it up man

[01001010]

Dang guys, thanks for the encouragement.

Zed...I know exactly what you mean. My first project car required some welding, which I dont know how to do...I cant do anything more than a tack. That put me off for a while. I even had a bad vibe about my second project car...besides the fact that it was a Ford (no offense).

This truck does make me feel excited though. I feel confident enough to say that I dont think I'll ever feel discouraged throughout this restoration. Its like hooking up wiha hot girl you've had a crush on and end up marrying her..(not that I know what that feels like but it must be awesome!)

Dave, from what I've seen, this thing is pretty easy so far...compared to the cars ive worked on before. Whats nice are the right angles...the socket wrench and wrench fit in almost every nook and cranny. The only delay ive had was getting the roof off and waiting on the delivery of the engine lift. I havent made it to the drivetrain yet, but the nuts and bolts from the floor panels and up have been a breeze to remove.

Runr,

Can you weld? Im going to need to weld in a footwell onto the bulkhead...but that wont be for a while.

AARON!!! How goes it brotha!! This truck is now keeping me moving!

[AAXD]

JC, it looks like your truck is really coming along nicely. Still planning on keeping the 2.25 diesel or have you come to your senses?

[01001010]

Definitely keeping it.

I manned up yesterday and removed the Tub by myself. I made a lot of noise in the process...lots of grunting...and the bottom parts of the quarter panels are already damaged to it didnt hurt to gently let it fall off the backside of the frame.

I discovered I need to fix some rusty spots at the bottom of the B pillar and just above the sill at the rear of the rear doors. Besides that, everything looks to be in Tip Top shape!

I broke more bolts than I expected to but they are the easy ones to replace.

I still need to upload pictures for three sessions worth of work.... bear with me

So now the bulkhead needs to come off, then drivetrain, suspension and finally engine/trans/tc and its ready for the galvanizer (if I finally find someone to do it for me!)

[XtremeMarine]

Keep busting along, little brother.

BTW; I may have a Salisbury for you.

[01001010]

So I may have stretched all the boths that hold the rear floor panel out. I was looking at them carefully yesterday while organizing the garage a bit. I had to use an impact screwdriver to remove them.

So thats the second expense so far. THings are going smooth with this project.

[XtremeMarine]

Knock on wood.