Hello

[FOMOGO]

I just discovered this forum. Thought it would be a beneficial place to join. I enjoy restoring cars and fabricating most things I need around the shop. I have built tool carts, tables, BBQ smokers, racks for the 4 Wheeler, tool stands, hand tools and fabricated sheet metal pieces and parts that were not reproduced or otherwise available when restoring a car or truck. I am currently helping a friend restore/modify a 1971 Blazer. We are having to make a lot of sheet metal parts for that one. Some parts are available but a lot of little and odd stuff is not. Some of the C-10 truck parts will work but not as a direct fit. So the fun begins making it happen and look right....

I don't know what I might be able to contribute to the forum but I look forward to learning a lot!

Doug

[kbalch]

Hi Doug,

Welcome!

Sounds as though you've got some significant fabrication experience; you'll fit in well here. Let's see some pics of your work…

The Blazer project would be of interest to many of us. How far along are you?

Ken

[Jon]

Hi FOMOGO - welcome to HomemadeTools.net

Agreed; that Blazer project sounds like a blast. Made any interesting tools or solutions for it?

[FOMOGO]

Thanks for the welcome guys. As far as made solutions for the Blazer. Just one of the things we had to do was to make a die set to stamp the end of the bed floor ribs. We took 4 inner wheel house's and cut them as wide inner on one set and wide outer on the other set and made a set of 4 inch wider wheel houses for it. We chose 4 inches because it put us in the correct relationship with the next rib in the floor. Thus the need to stamp rib ends for the floor. We replaced the floor from the tailgate forward with a 16 inch deep, full width, piece. The problem was we had another 3 inches to cover to reach the wheel wells. This is what you encounter with having to use C-10 parts on a Blazer. So we decided to make a die set to stamp the floor pieces we needed. My buddy didn't think we could make it happen but I got it to happen. I also have a friend that works for an overhead crane company and I get to pick up a few drops and trim cuts here and there. Most of it starts at 1/2 inch and goes up from there. So we took a couple of 1 inch plates and plug welded some strap on them and put it in the press and made the pieces we needed. Stamped the 16 inch piece with 4 rib ends and a flange to fill the gap. Turned out nice enough for a first time attempt at stamping something. We have made several small pieces for the door jambs that had to have a step in them about 1/4 inch deep, not to hard to do. It seems like every piece you fit up has to have something done to make it "right" before you are done with it. Just the world of repoped parts. We actually went to an old salvage yard and found a good original grille for it. It fits so much better than the repo grille. Made it much easier to fit the fenders. Now the hood... that is a hole new bag of worms that is going to take some planning and follow through to fit and finish. Just about the worst fitting part we have. As far as pics go we have not taken many pics. I should say he has not taken many pics. And myself, I never take pics of the work I do as I am working and just don't give it a second thought. I get done and somebody always says that I should have taken pics.... The Blazer if off the frame as of Tuesday and is going to the blaster next week. Now we get to blast the frame and box it and install all the aftermarket suspension he has for it. Front is in hand and the rear is on a 6 week waiting list. The fun never ends. In the mean time I think we are going to build the 2 of us a pair of Motorized Drift Trikes. Now that will be fun!!!

[DIYer]

Welcome to the forums, Doug! I look forward to seeing the results of that restoration.

[FOMOGO]

Thanks for the welcome. I like the tool cart/table in your avatar. I am in the middle of building a similar one for my self. Just about have it ready for pant and final assembly. It will be a while before the Blazer is done. We have to work on it on his schedule. He does maintenance on about 24 rentals that the family owns. So we work in spurts whenever he is not working. Lots of fun and good fellowship. We will get it done eventually. I am just glad he is working on it. He bought it 17 or 18 years ago and started on it. He converted it from 4wd to 2wd. Bought new sheet metal and couldn't get things to fit like they should. So he parked it in the back corner of his garage. 15 years later we started back on it. That was 2015. Things are looking good now and all the body lines were lined up with a Dewalt laser level... It looks better every week that we work. Lots of one off pieces. Like the gas door in in the floor and the door is the same square we cut out of the floor, ribs and all. You have to look for it to notice it. Just the kind of modifications I really like to do.

[kbalch]

Thanks for the great writeup on the Blazer. I completely understand about not remembering to take pics while working, as I have the same problem. I'm also hyper-careful about not dropping my phone when my hands are greasy.

Glad to hear that your buddy finally got back to working on the truck. Sounds as though you're making great progress, too!

I worked on a restoration of a '69 Triumph Bonneville T120R a couple of years ago and was appalled at the terrible quality of repop parts. I wound up chasing NOS components all over the world.

Just gotta say it: Let' see some pics!

Ken