ATLTF.COM Chevy Race Truck

mr.modified wrote:

Thanks, I think it will just pull air through the holes. Still have a few more to put in. AND DOUG I'M NOT DONE WITH ITTTTTTT!

Quit posting unfinished photos then doooooooooofus. Gall

Yeah but this was like an "in progress pic". Once I get it painted, and de-burred, then post another one. Multiple angles you see, so folks can see what's going on.

Started on a roll bar. It's not welded to the frame yet. The two upright tubes are guide/safety tubes from an in ground lift. The top cross piece is slightly smaller diameter because there wasn't enough of the other pipe to do the whole thing. I'll add some down tubes and some extra bracing. Probably X the down tubes. In the bottom of this pic you can see the road sign post I used to replace a frame cross member.

Looks good so far!

Ooooo... Lookin good!

Cool roll bar! Lookin nice

You replaced a crossmember?

Yeah it was rusted thin where it hooked to the frame. Riveted on, so I torched the rivets off and took it out. I think I'll replace the one on the back of the frame too. Gotta eventually decide if the spare tires are going to mount flat or upright.

Good to have structural integrity. Don't need some cross member break weakening things up.

Roll bar now welded to the frame, bed side set in place for measuring. Doug Fackler seen working on his documentary film operation... Notice how far the bed side sticks out past the frame.


Yellow markings near the back of the bed side indicate area to be removed


Bed side shortened 11"


Area over tire needs a couple of patches and reshaping. Area between the wheel well and tail light will be trimmed a bit on the bottom.




Roll bar still needs a couple tubes, but it's almost done.

Bolting this on about here for some cargo space. Might need some supports under it.




Welded in the 2nd down tube. Probably adding one cross brace on the down tubes using lighter pipe.

I like the expanded steel in the bed, looks good!

Looking good, I agree you may need that brace you mentioned for the cargo space.

Finished roll bar with a light duty cross brace on the down tubes. This is the only thin pipe used in the roll bar. Pretty much done with the roll bar unless I add a couple gussets somewhere. Started working on the left bed side, removed and plated over the gas filler door and have about half the rust repaired. Next making the mounts to hold the bed side on.


This post brought to you by......STP oil filters, oil treatment, and automotive products...
Gas tank and battery area nicely protected by tubing on all sides

Looks good! Should be protected well.

Building the supports to hold the bed side on.





Rear bed side bracket. Spare tire area seen in background and the steel mesh has been cut down to fit the frame for some cargo space

Heyyyy thats pretty good.

Hard part is getting it lined up so it's straight with the cab and all that. Got it fairly close I think. I think for the right bed side, maybe make the mounts first and then shorten it up.

That looks good! Are you making a "permanent" fixture or a quick removable system for the bed sides for service access?

Thanks, no it won't be permanent. The bed sides will each be held on by maybe 4 or 5 bolts. One in each of the upper brackets, one or two through the fenders near the frame, and one at the lower front of the bed side somewhere. One of the brackets that will bolt to the fender can be seen in the pic below welded to the yellow roll bar tube. It's one of the brackets I torched off a sears suburban front axle.

Steel mesh bent to conform to the frame and bolted down


A bit of left over mesh welded next to the battery. A military ammo box might go here for storage of a few tools or something

The bed is looking great! Is the 90° piece of round stock ahead of the mesh something for the spare wheel?

The expanded metal contoured to the frame looks good and has a natural flow.

Looking good!

Thanks, and alliskid, yes, that bar holds the spare tires in place. I will show a better pic of that when I get a chance. Two full size spares will fit side by side. I really hope to have this on the road in time for haspin, but we'll see. Lot of stuff to get done.

I'm rooting for you... Can't wait to see the videos you guys make from the visit!

Lower forward brace for the bed side, actually bolted to the same place the original bed was bolted down.


Brackets for the fender bolts. One simplicity spindle steering arm and the other is the plow mount off the front axle on a sears suburban.


Bed side finally bolted about where it belongs, a bit more sheet metal work to finish


Fuel tank straps and adjusters in place. Adjusters are just some 5/16" threaded rod welded to a washer.

A little bit of hack job body work in progress


Welding done and fender re-cut as original. The back part has been reshaped a bit.


Better view of the spare tire rack and how the tires will be held with straps. Both will be mounted on rims of course, but at the time, I only had one spare mounted.


The cross bar/brace on the down tubes of the roll bar fit nicely around the spares, which are also out of the way of the cargo space to the rear.


Here you can see where the straps hook up front. Most of what you can see here will be hidden once the bed side is on.