The Motley Crue: White '97 OBS Crew Cab Build

[tcm glx]

Looking great Taylor.

[nubreed71]

Thanks bud! I'm glad to get your headlights on there. Such an improvement.

[nubreed71]

I spent this morning doing the last thing needed to get the truck ready to go in for body/paint. Got the hole cut out for the third brake light from Evil Manufacturing, and holes drilled for the rivet nuts. Next up they'll pull the rear window, prep the rain gutters, and paint the back of the cab and the roof. I'm also going to have them take care of a little bit of body damage behind the passenger side wheel well, and on the tailgate. Once that's all done, the exterior of the truck should be in pretty good shape.

[nubreed71]

I'm taking advantage of working from home and yanked the headliner to send off to upholstery, and threw some more sound deadener on the roof. The plan is to put the headliner back in the truck while the rear window is out for body/paint.

[VintageIronFab]

I think you are getting some paint work done. Being someone who did all of this and probably more than what you’ll even do— save yourself the issues... leave all the stuff out you want out. The whole paint process can be a huge mess and can trap paint fumes and such in the upholstery, carpet. As far as the frame goes- if you are detailing the frame and suspension leave all that alone until the paint work is complete. The frame if cleaned and prepped properly can really be made so very nice with a coat of paint. Now if I EVER do a huge project again and strip a frame I’m going full guns and sandblasting- but if this is a driveway deal there are plenty of paints designed to roll on that roll on very nice, flow out very smoothly and best of all won’t get overspray on everything- also can be done in sections. Sounds crazy hillbilly but it’s not at all.

[nubreed71]

Yup, I'm not touching the frame or suspension until the paint work is done. I'm gonna leave the rear seat and headliner out of the truck until after the paint work on the rear portion of the cab and roof is done.

[nubreed71]

She's all ready to head off to body/paint today. I can't wait to get all that stuff sorted out so I can rip into the suspension when she gets home.

I also got the headliner and visors back from upholstery yesterday. The plan is to pick the truck up from body/paint with the rear window still off the truck, install the headliner, and then have a solid rear window installed. I'll get some pics of the headliner and visors up today or tomorrow. It came out killer.

[Becks_Bronco]

Looking good man! I'm jealous of how clean this is coming out.

[funinthesun95]

Paint shop choice?

[nubreed71]

I ended up taking it to C&H, right next to Autofab. As an added bonus, I can have Autofab swap the body mounts while it's down there, since C&H is gonna pull the bed off anyways.

[Becks_Bronco]

I want everything you're doing, in this flavor;

[Bajadave55]

Do you still have your center console for sale? If so please pm me.

[nubreed71]

Will, that would be rad in a single cab configuration. I've got a buddy that just grabbed an 87-91 in that configuration. I can't wait to see what he does with it.

[nubreed71]

I picked the ole girl up from body and paint yesterday and she's looking fresh! I'm waiting on the new rear window to be installed this afternoon and then I'll give her a quick wash and snap some pics. In the meantime, I slapped the reupholstered headliner and visors back in and I'm loving it. Once I replace the seats with some fresh PRP's down the road, the interior will be looking cherry!

[Becks_Bronco]

That interior....wow!!!

[nubreed71]

Window guy came and installed the solid rear window. I love how this thing is shaping up. The third brake light came out really nice, and while it was at the body shop, I had them wheel it next door so Autofab could tackle swapping out the body mounts for polyurethane units. I'm also really pleased with the job that C&H did on the paint/body. They painted the back of the cab/roof, as well as the passenger bedside and tailgate. I can't tell any difference in color/texture between the old and new paint. Spot on match.

Next up it's time to install the front suspension. I'm trying to mentally psych myself up to do battle with 20 rivets (radius arm brackets and beam pivots).

[Becks_Bronco]

Are you going to linex that beautiful bed?

[nubreed71]

Yessir! The plan is to get the front and rear suspension sorted out first so I don't have to worry about metal dust all in the crevices of the Linex, getting rusty. I'll have the bed off the truck for the rear suspension install, so that will allow me to cut an access hole for the rear fuel pump, and then will get everything Linex-ed once the truck has been detailed and paint corrected.

Damn, I got tired just typing that out...ha!

[nubreed71]

I spent some time and gave the crew a good cleaning to get all the body shop dust off. I couldn't resist snapping some glamour shots tonight.

[Becks_Bronco]

What's going on with your headlights lol? In progress retrofits? That thing is so crazy spotless.