Little progress

We have only little progress over the last few weekends.  Sometimes I feel like it's 2 steps forward and 3 steps back......

We did finish the rear cab mounts.  We used the cab mounts from the Dodge pickup and modified them.

And we worked on the framing on the inside of the cab.  These 1x2's I cut slots into the back side of to go over the vertical seam on the back of the cab - and Brian was able to weld through from the back to seal the original screw holes.  These long straight(ish) cuts were ''fun''.  Cutting these is where I caught my coveralls on fire, LOL.

And, we did get the seat pan frame and seat mounts made too.
I cut out the 1x2 for the frame and Brian welded them into a box..........

And I fabricated and cut the seat mounts using large rectangular tube and grade 8 bolts to simulate the mounts that are in the Suburban.  (And Brian welded them of course - I really should learn to weld though!)  The seat is removeable, but fits VERY snug! (The seat is the 3rd row leather seat from our '98 Suburban).  I am very happy how that turned out!  Not happy how the pic turned out though!

But, now we can sit in the truck with the seat installed and make VROOM VROOM noises :)

(this pic was before seat pan frame was done. during mock up)

Seat installed:

And, the seat folds and I think we might have a little room behind the seat near the floor to make a cubby or something possibly:

Now I wish we would have made the seat pan front corners rounded like the original seat pan.  I suppose we can still do that........

And the 3 steps back......  we spent most of the day Saturday bending and drilling a piece for the a-pillar for the hinges - and then after we got it almost done, we decided to make it differently with beefier material.  It will be better though, so I am glad we changed our minds anyhow.  I am headed to the steel store today, (where they know me by first name!), and hopefully we will possibly have a door hanging next weekend?  Maybe????

Electrolysis and seating

About a week or so ago, I decided to finally set up an electrolysis tank.....  let me tell you, this is amazing science!

Here is a 'before and after' pic:

On the left, one of the original door latches completely covered in rust.  That is the same as the latch on the right looked like until about 4-5 days in electrolysis!  Amazing!  Unfortunately, that rust-free latch appears to be broken ::sigh::  Good thing we have others!  We will still have to figure out how to get the handle removed from the latch though - we need that one as it's our only passenger side handle........

We did get a little work done this last weekend.  Mostly we got lots of planning/problem solving done though.

For months, I've been telling Brian that the 3rd row seat from the Suburban would be perfect for the DT.  He wanted bomber-style seats, but I was worried our fat butts wouldn't fit in the standard ones and we'd have to have some custom-made.  I liked the idea of using the Suburban seat for several reasons: (1) We owned it already, no need to pay for something we already own, custom-made always means $$ ugh (2) It's a bench seat, no worries about our butts being too wide for it, (3)it's leather and in really great shape (4) it's just taking up space and not getting used anyhow (5) we already own it! :)  And we can plan for the flooring layout and have the bracing in the floors in the right spot since it's here for mock up :)

So, here's mock up:

I think it looks like it was MEANT to be in there!  I just need to get to the junk yard and get the 3rd row seatbelts - they have 2 clips in them - one goes to the latches on the side and stay latched while the seat is in, the second latches across your lap so you have a lap and shoulder belt.

Brian plans to have the master cylinder underneath the drivers seat floor pan, so we are going to make the seat removeable just like it was in the Suburban.

Oh, and I guess there is your sneak peek at the tunnel - we have a little more to do for fitment of that, but I think it's a keeper.  I can't wait for floor pans to go in!