TOYZILLA

[DeadlyPeace]

Thanks for the comp.

Well made the rear rail. Just need to attach the hinges and latch pins. Here's how it looks now (the flat meatal strip that's on top of the rail is just tack welded to the rear rail to hold the top of it flush with the sides while I get the hinges on).


Here an idea of how the lower rails will be when I get around to doing them.




{edit} Replaced the lower rear rail idea pic with a pic of the upper rail fully finished

[DeadlyPeace]

Since I shortened the height of the rails I decided to simplify the latching pins. They originally were going to be spring loaded in both top and bottom corners of the tailgate. But instead I hinged it and used 3/8” pins to hold it up.

To make the sleeves for the pins I started by tack welding a thin piece of sheet metal to a rod that was a little larger then the 3/8” pin.


I then stuck it in the vice and bent the sheet metal over then turned it 90* and bent it over again and so on till it started to overlap itself. I then cut it, welded it together, and grinded the weld down.


The finished sleeve.



For drilling the holes straight through both the side rail and tailgate I used a piece of scrap square tubing and used the drill press to drill a hole the size of the pilot hole I was going to use. I then marked where I wanted the hole and lined the hole on the scrap tubing to the mark and clamp it in place and drilled away. After the pilot holes were drilled all the way through I was able to drill the size hole I needed for the sleeves and know that they would be straight and level.





I then stuck the sleeves in all the way through and cut off any extra and welded the two ends. Then I used a sawall to cut the sleeves between the side rail and tailgate and grinded the extra off and welded those ends, and grinded all the welds down.


Here it is finished, just need to wet sand the primer down and throw a couple coat of paint on it.

[DeadlyPeace]

Just some update pics.

[metalman]

right on man......nice work, love the ingenuity!

[DeadlyPeace]

Thanks for the comp. I was looking to do something a little different.

[DeadlyPeace]

Well I finally received the bump stops for the flatbed so I was able to finish the hold down latch. Here is the one of the bed mounts disassembled. At the top of the 3” body mount I drilled a hole for the nut to the bump stop to go into then used some cold weld to secure it inside.


Installed


Now for the finishing of the hold down latch. As I mentioned above I was using parts off an old ammo box. I decided to weld around the holes on the back of the latch where the rod goes through so that it was a little thicker and also drilled the holes out for a slightly wider rod. I then put the latch on the rod and started by bending the rod into shape around it. After getting it to the right shape I cut the rod and welded the ends together. Here’s the back view of the latch.


Front view


Spot-welded to the bottom of the bed


The latch in the released and latched positions



All that’s left is making a locking pin for it so it doesn’t release on the trails.

[DeadlyPeace]

I also started on the new nametag. I started with the base coat for the main color of the letters.


Then with I stencil I made out of 8.5”x 14” cardboard matting made a few marks of the general area of where it was going to be.


I then used 2” painter’s masking tape to cover the area then laid the stencil back down and traced out the letters. Then cut and removed all the unwanted tape.


Applied a few coats of the base color of what Toyzilla will be and removed the taped letters.


Next will be a fade to a lighter green at the top of the letters.

[DeadlyPeace]

Just finished with the latch pin this evening. Used an old wheel stud cut down to size and drilled a hole in the end of it for the pin I picked up on the way home. The ring on the pin is spring loaded so the pin won't be able to wiggle it's way out.


A little cleaning and paint and it's good.

[DeadlyPeace]

Just finished with the lettering tonight. Here's a full shot.


And a close up after doing the outline.

[Hoodlum]

Kickass! That's a hell of a job you did on that Deadly.

[DeadlyPeace]

Update....
Pulled the seats, shifter boot, dash, and side panels to clean the floorboard and recoat it with bedliner.


I then finish painting the rest of the body in which I decided to smooth out and paint over the lettering and redo it (in what normally would be considered the right way) so it had more of the dark green at the bottom of the letters.


While redoing the lettering I also painted the shifters the same way and cleaned up the shift boot and knobs.


For those interested in the correct way to do lettering, it should really be done on top of the body paint instead of under it. But IMHO it really doesn't matter. It more a matter of option and/or which is easier for the application.

To start off with tape off the area overlapping the edges of the tape a little. Then draw out the lettering and cut it out.


Cover up the surrounding area with paper and the rest of the area with 7mm plastic (could use sheets) to catch all the over spray. Using a detail gun I put a couple coats of the full dark green over the whole thing. Then while it dries (about 5-15 minutes) I mixed some white into the dark green to lighten it up. Turning the air down I then sprayed the letters from the top down about 1/2 way and then twisting my wrist just a little before releasing the trigger. Then back to mix in more white, but this time spraying only across the top and twisting the wrist. Of course the number of coats (colors) can very depending on size and how much of a fade you want.


The pin striping is the fun part. This takes a good study hand and a good brush. A little partice goes a long ways too.

[DeadlyPeace]

Started working on the grille this past weekend. Got most of it done other then added in the new 5 3/4" round headlights I got and a few small touch up things I need to do.

I look all over for some 5 3/4" headlight buckets and retaining rings, but had no luck other then at a motorcycle recycler, which wanted over $100 for one. I practically felt them ripping my arm off when he told me the price. So I decided to modify some standard 7” ones that I had.

I started by checking to see which two of the indents that holds the headlight in the right position would stay lined up after resizing it. I then cut a section (about 1 1/2") out of the headlight bucket. Making sure that I didn’t remove any of the bolt holes or that the two bolt holes (near the section that I cut out) were going to be too close to each other. I did have to cut out one of the indents for lining up the headlight in that section. I then cut some slits in the top and lower lips of the bucket to make it easier to bend it into its new smaller size. After getting an ideal size I placed the headlight in position and finished shaping the bucket around it and then marking any extra that needed to be cut off. I also checked to make the cut so that the removed indent section would go there. I then cut a small section out of the top lip of each end for the indent to show through. Then spot-welded the section to the back of the bucket with two welds on each side of the cut.

Here is the old bucket and resized bucket side by side.


For the retaining rings I checked for the two tabs with holes that would line up after resizing and removed the third. I then reshaped it around the headlight and marked where to cut it at so that the ends would join together at the location of the third hole. I then spot-welded the removed tab in place at the cut section.


I then tossed this to the side (carefully) for later and started on the grille.

[DeadlyPeace]

I decided to make the grille in three pieces, two ends and a center section. Starting off with the grille ends I took the usual steps of making a cardboard pattern and cutting it out in metal form. I then worked the metal into it new shape.

For the inside ends of the end sections I folded the end of the sheet metal to make it sifter and to give it a nicer look as it meet up with the center section. This also made it so I didn’t have to make any kind of attachment (screw, bolt, etc) between the two. Also if you look to right side of the pic you can see where I welded a small piece of a rod for a peg to hold the inside end of the section in place. This giving it a nice cleaner look with no screws.


The top half of the right end section.


After the end sections were in their basic shapes I then made the center section. This one was pretty much just cutting to size and making the two bends at the top half to match the end sections. I also made so that it would lap underneath about 1” under the each end section too. I also made it so the lower half went back a 1/2". For this I cut a piece of 1” x 1/8” square tube at a length of 3/4". I then cut it in half to make two |_| shapes and welded them into place at the lower corners so that they would be behind the bumper. Next was drilling a hole through the bumper and the half square tubes. With the center section in place and using needle nose vise-grips to hold the half square pieces tight to the bumper I drilled the holes so I could thread the half square pieces for a 1/4" bolt. Then redrilled the bumper so the bolt would slide through it. I also folded the bottom edge over to stiffen it up.


Next I put the end sections into place and marked where I was going to bend them at so they went into the center section.


Here how it is as of now. Side view.


Front view. Sorry didn’t realize this one come out so dark. I’ll see about getting a new one before the weekend and I tear into it again.


An idea of the placement of the headlights.



What’s left:
Add headlights
Cut hole for hood latch
Hide half square tube pieces
Make air way for radiator
Paint

[zweeb]

How do them rear shackles work for ya? I had similar set up on a sami and the axle wraped every time I gased it

[stice316]

it looks awsome. nice work on the bed. i use to run the lights underneath to just watch out for the biting bush. you know the ones that have all the poky things they played hell on my lights. if it wasnt the wires it was the little trim around that holds the lense in. but when they work they are handy as hell. i even change trannys with mine once. not recomended. Good job on the truck like the pics

[DeadlyPeace]

Nov 28, 2009 10:42:44 GMT -5 zweeb said:

How do them rear shackles work for ya? I had similar set up on a sami and the axle wraped every time I gased it

I've got the same double shackle set up on my DD also and have had no problems at all with either one of them.

[DeadlyPeace]

Dec 9, 2009 20:20:25 GMT -5 stice316 said:

it looks awsome. nice work on the bed. i use to run the lights underneath to just watch out for the biting bush. you know the ones that have all the poky things they played hell on my lights. if it wasnt the wires it was the little trim around that holds the lense in. but when they work they are handy as hell. i even change trannys with mine once. not recomended. Good job on the truck like the pics

Thanks for the comp. Shouldn't have a problem with the lights - 1) I tucked the wires away so that they won't get snagged on anything very easy - 2) I try not to run over any kind of plantation if I can help it.

I did use the rear one to rebuild the rear axle not too long ago. Worked as a nice heater too.

[DeadlyPeace]

Have done a little more work on the grille, but at the moment the center section has been at the fab shop getting the design cut out of it. Talked to them yesterday and theyshould hopefully have it done by Monday or Tuesday.

Here’s one of the new modified round and original rectangle headlight buckets welded together.

I had to remove some of the inside bottom part of the rectangle bucket to make the lights low enough. I then welded them together from the back on the bottom and added a piece of sheet metal that went between the two buckets to support the top half. This made it so that they are still adjustable and if I for some oddball reason decide to go back to rectangle headlights I just need to replace the buckets.

Here's the full grille with the holes for the headlights. The holes are beveled inward to add a little more to the look.


And then with the headlights


While going through some of the old pics I came across this one and thought maybe I'll leave it like this (just need to put the one light back in) and call him One Eyed Jack ;D

[DeadlyPeace]

I love winter, but some times I hate the aftermath of the storms. Been spending most of my free time cleaning up fallen trees and branches around the property.

Anyhow I was working with the fab shop to get the design cut out of the center section of the grille so it would look good. Took a couple test runs on the plasma table and a little modifying of the design, but we finally got it dialed in. Here it is fresh from the shop.


Unfortunately it jumped a little from getting too hot and warping some during the cut process and a few of the letters lost their center section so I had to make new ones. Here's a close up of part of it with the sections missing.


After getting all the letters except the e's (they weren't cooperating) fixed I then attached a piece round mesh like sheet metal to the back. This took a lot of tack welds to hold everything in place. Here it is after getting cleaned up and primed.


After the mesh like sheet metal was all tacked on I went after those damn e's that were being a pain. For them I used some putty type cold weld to fill in the area where the center of the e should be. I also pushed it through the holes and smashed into the back of the mesh to hold it. After it dried I used a dermal to shape themand then sanded them down smooth. Here's a close up of the same area as before.


This weekend I'll be painting the grille section and installing them. I will also be painting the lettering and flames on the grille, but that will be another weekend.

[DeadlyPeace]

The grille painted and installed.





An idea for how I'm going to paint the lettering and flames.