Betsy's 2nd Act

Well, she's finally out of the shop. My body guy had a restoration that put us a couple months behind, but we finally finished up a couple days ago. Even he, being a modest guy, was surprised at how well it came out. Funny how new factory sheet metal will help that happen.

First we removed the body excepting the cab. Then we stripped the frame, treated it, and then urethaned the whole thing. The frame proper was in great shape but the connectors for a couple of the cross members weren't. We cut out the bad sections and Matt did a great weld job to repair it. We cut out the spare tire rack while we were at it since I carry a spare in the bed and the rack is a rust magnet:

Attachment 12860

Next we repeated this process for the bed and cab bottoms after replacing the cab corners and rockers. Then we assembled the bed. Then the inner bedsides were painted and urethaned. All told we replaced the hood, the fenders, the passenger door, both bedsides, the bumpers, and the hitch. After the PPG paint job I went through about 3 quarts of cavity wax (so far) and a half gallon of undercoating.

Here's the result:

Attachment 12861

Attachment 12862

Attachment 12863

Next up is a full brake job but apparently AC Delco brake pads are out of stock everywhere. Rotors are out there but pads aren't. Go figure. I hope the new tie rod ends and ball joints are available as that is up next as well. I'll know soon enough.

I was going to build a new engine for it next year but it really has been babied and runs like a top. I really can't tell the difference between now and when I drove it off the lot. That's what synthetic Mobil-1 from day one and transmission flushes at every 25k will do I suppose. So maybe Willie gets a tractor next year and the engine in a couple years?

Anyway it came out beautiful and it is nice to have my partner back up and running.

Will

She’s a beaut, Clark!


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Looks great. What year is she?

I might be able to help with your brake pad issue. I work for a northern Virginia auto repair chain with 18 stores in Virginia.

Nice pickemup truck!

Isn’t it weird how non-extended cab trucks look strange nowadays when its really the other way around?

BKB

Thanks guys. It really is good to have her back. Btw it's a 2004.

I wish I'd know that Len! I ended up ordering semi-metallic instead of OE. I hope everything fits... It is crazy how many brake options there are. Even having the build code didn't help much. If I have trouble finding the chassis parts I'll give you a shout if its ok.

Posty, you know I've never gotten used to the 4 door models. And I suppose I'm too old to change now. Truth is I doubt if GM ever builds one for the US again. The bigger they are the bigger the profit margin.

Will

Lots of work but it obviously paid off.

I'm weird that way also ... I understand the practicality (if needed) but have never been able to get into the 4-door "look" on a pickemup. (I had to laugh at P-hole's "pickemup" comment as my dad always used that term and I adopted it from childhood I guess.) BEAUTIFUL truck and I know from our previous conversations, this has not been a short-term project. The effort, time involved and resulting outcome has obviously been well worth it. I DO NOT understand removing the spare tire mount just to throw the spare in the bed though. I understand the "rust magnet" part, but it just seems totally counter intuitive to me, with the clean look you've accomplished, to add "clutter" (not to mention lost cargo space) in the bed. You appear to be retaining the stock look (which I'm for 100%), so I'm assuming you're not going to an off-road type spare mount in the bed, so I would want the spare "hidden", but maybe that's just me. (?) Sorry buddy, I just don't get that part, but absolutely LOVE the outcome so far.

I know it's still a work in progress, but you've done a beautiful job Willy. Congrats! You have every right to be proud of that one. :thumbsup

One issue with the spare tire hoist on that version of Chevys is that they have a safety feature where you have to start to lower it then use the jack to push it back up some to release the spare. The one on my 03 Suburban rusted up and the spare would not release.


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Yep, nothing down here ever sees salt .... unless we drive on the beach. Willy is well acquainted with metal fabrication and it seems to me it's an issue that could be addressed with better results. Perhaps a future project? (of course he needs a future project like he needs a hole in the head!) ;)

Oh, nobody will see the spare anyway, it's under the hard bed cover and locked up.

I keep quite a few odds and ends under the cover to be honest. I have two sets of rims (summer tires and winter tires) so there is always a spare of whatever season we are not in at the time. And I have my tool box with enough to at least fix a few things that can go wrong. My floor jack and a couple jack stands as well. In the winter I'll have a couple felt blankets and a spare set of clothes in case of emergencies, and a few candy bars and some water. And I've learned to keep a chain saw for when the inevitable tree falls across the road in one of the winter storms... but that is a junky spare saw not my good one. :)

Thing is the old truck looks so good that I'll probably buy an old junky 3/4 ton for most of the rough work like going into the woods for firewood, lol.

Will

Ok, I get it now. I'm just anal about clutter in the bed, but you actually plan to USE the bed and it's an "out of sight, out of mind" sort of thing. I even cringed at the thought of a tool box!

I can roll with it though ... it's not like it's a '55 Cameo or sumpin', just a super nice driver. ;)

Yeah this is definitely something to drive. But I have a junker to get back and forth to work so it hopefully won't see a lot of salt this winter.

17 1/2 years... Man it doesn't seem that long ago but I guess it has been.

Will

I’m still using my 2003 Suburban. I had some body work done a few years ago but haven’t had too many major issues. Had to have the transmission fixed and a few wheel bearings, but that’s not too bad considering it’s got 345K on it.


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I’ve got an ‘04 Tundra that only sees weekend and hunting duty these days. I love that pickemup truck and it’s only got 110k on it so It’ll probably out last me.


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I just looked at that frame ... he lays a pretty nice bead, doesn't he? :thumbsup

Great looking ride Willie. I know you've been waiting a long time to get it to this point. I remember when that thing was a pile of new parts in your garage! '04 Silverado if I remember correctly?

Deputy that’s pretty good especially considering y’all probably use a little salt here and there in the winter.

BKB

That looks like a brand new truck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BarryBobPosthole

Deputy that’s pretty good especially considering y’all probably use a little salt here and there in the winter.

BKB

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The body work I had done was to fix some of the rust spots on it. I’d say it definitely prolonged the life of it but the rust is back and I’m not doing it again.

Yeah, salt is defiantly issue. So much is used at times, the blacktop is white from the salt residue when the roads dry.


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DD those of us who see snow and salt could write a book on auto rust. I think maybe Ford is the only one who has the answer: aluminum.

But there are things that really help. Cavity wax is one of them. I like Eastwood's better than anything else. It never really sets up. So it never cracks. But it isn't a guarantee and works better if you get it on before it starts rusting.

Most people would scratch their head over me dropping all that money on an old truck. I guess I am just sentimental that way. I have a lot of good memories with it. This is the 2nd truck I've rebuilt. Wish I'd kept the old '79 and not sold it. It was exactly the same truck only 25 years older.

Will

….and yet, it seems like I’m the only one that names their vehicles?

BKB

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BarryBobPosthole

….and yet, it seems like I’m the only one that names their vehicles?

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I dunno Mr. Noticer, look at the title to this thread. ;)

Hehe, now that there is funny.

I named both of my Silverados.... Betsy. So the first one is now referred to as the Original Betsy. Sort of like the Original Mexican Bob in True Grit. No one ever said I was too original myself I guess. :p

Will

And from The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, therewas Bad Bob the Mexican and Bad Bob the Albino.

BKb