[50wllystrk]

A quick picture of the advantage of using a led light vs a regular bulb.

The led light only uses the depth of the 3 1/2" tube that I'm using to hold the lense and the bezel.

If I used a bulb, I'd have the lense, then about a 1/2" space, then the bulb, then the socket the bulb fits into, then the wire pigtail sticking out the back.

New technology...

In the picture below, you can see a socket on the wires. This is so they can use the original outer housing, and this adapter just plugs into where the bulb would get it's power. I'll be cutting off the bulb adapter, and running 12 volts right to the wires.


Here are the pieces I'm using from the light kit. Basically everything but the outer housing.

[50wllystrk]

Welding time.

From the cutting of the pieces with the torchmate to now, where I'm ready to weld the pieces together I've tack welded the pieces and checked them for how they fit together as well as how they fit onto the truck.

The tack welds are a vital part of the assembly of these housings. A couple of good, evenly spaced tack welds will help keep the housings from distorting from the heat when final welding.

Next is the final grinding where the front, back and top plate come together.

When I cut the pieces, I cut the top plate to a size that will match the width of the reinforcement of the bed that the housings will be welded to. So the side plates fit under the top plate vs going to the outside of the top plate, this way, I know the width will match the truck when done.

Ok, Now the gap, or the meeting point of the sides to the top are on the sides and not on the top of the housings. I'm gonna grind with a focus of removing more material from the top edge to expose the meeting point of the plates toward the top edge.

Why the detail of grinding.... penetration dead center at the 90 degree edge. Plus I want fill, I'm gonna grind the edges smooth so I want material to grind away.

Yes, I'm gonna do the spot/stitch weld procedure again.. Because the spot/stitch weld doesn't create the same heat as a continuous weld bead, I do the pre-grinding as I mentioned. By creating a thinner metal at the weld, I can penetrate just as well.

The outer weld of the housing. Plenty of material to grind and smooth the edges.


Here's the best part. Check out the penetration that happened. The inside looks like I welded it also. Now when I grind the outside for cosmetics, there is still an inside weld bead holding for the strength.

[50wllystrk]

Somehow I think this could be a piece of art.


With all the pieces together.

[spyder6]

it looks like a whispering eye

[50wllystrk]

Originally Posted by spyder6

it looks like a whispering eye

I'll go with the whispering eye, although I have to look and see what it means.

Both of the last two pics certainly has a mysterious look.

Now to cut the location for these "eyes". I used a drill bit to cut the circular part of the opening. Now for the straight cuts I used the 4 1/2" grinder with a cut off wheel. Once the cut off wheel did it's job, I used a 40 grit flap disc to clean up the edges.


A look from a different angle, and a pretty good fit.


At this time I get a little nervous about my decisions. It's a good size hunk of steel hanging off there, and I've never seen anybody else do this.

The more I look at it, and when I walk in the shop and get a first glance, I appprove.

[awesomejack]

I realize its a little late now, but it just occurred to me when I saw that last picture: The taillight mod could have been designed to be used as a side step to help when loading thing into the bed.

Although you do have the Jeep for truckin purposes and the Chevy for aesthetic purposes, utility is not high on the Chevy's design criteria.

[50wllystrk]

Originally Posted by awesomejack

I realize its a little late now, but it just occurred to me when I saw that last picture: The taillight mod could have been designed to be used as a side step to help when loading thing into the bed.

Although you do have the Jeep for truckin purposes and the Chevy for aesthetic purposes, utility is not high on the Chevy's design criteria.

Yes, you've said a mouthful on that last sentence. That is a thought I have carried for the last couple months.

It has been a change of mindset from the Willys to the Chevy. Just the idea of a step for convienence is proof of that. On the Willys I built a step so I can use the bed. In the case of the Chevy, I just bought a new rear bumper, it has a flat spot built into it as a step. The first thing I thought was...." I'll never use that step".

awesomejack... Good call.

[50wllystrk]

As I was getting the light housings fitted and ready for welding, the new rear bumper showed up.


When I started working on this truck I never paid much attention to how the stock rear bumper fit on these trucks.

Back in the 80's when this truck was assembled, a bumper off a Chevy elcamino was installed. The idea was to get rid on the original taillights and their brackets. The elcamino bumper had the taillights within the bumper, problem solved.

I wanted to go back to the original bumper, so by blending the taillights into the bed, I feel I've fulfilled dad's quest to get rid of the taillight brackets and I can go back to the original bumper.

I ordered the stock bumper mounting hardware along with the bumper. Yikes, the bumper sits way too far back and too low for my liking. Looks like I'll be cutting up the brand new bumper brackets now.

I covered the bumper with 2" masking tape, sure enough if I didn't, I'd scratch the chrome.

[awesomejack]

As soon as I saw that picture, I knew you'd have plans for modifying the brackets.

This is by far my favorite build on this site. Its going to look great in the end

[Viper723]

reminds me of the way Stacy David tucked up a bumper on a newer Chevy on Gearz. I am sure it will be a great job coming from you

[50wllystrk]

awesomejack, yes, as soon as I did a test fit I headed to the house and went to Google images. Sure enough, that's the stock fit..

I'll be cutting and welding soon.

Viper723, I remember that episode. I was impressed with the patience he had when he shaped the ends to match the fenders.

In my case I'm just gonna raise and move the bumper forward. By doing this the front and rear bumpers will be similar with how they come around and meet the fenders.

On the light housings I gave them a quick sandblasting to remove a slag residue from the welding. I do this when I can, this way I can spray a protective coating and feel sure it will stick well. Otherwise, moisture can cause premature rusting later.

Going back about 8 months ago I sprayed a weldable primer on some of the frame before assembly. Same here, the copper color is a weldable primer. Now I at least have some kind of coating.


Same primer in the bed cavity. Notice I welded the ring to the bed and not to the housing first. I'll explain later.

[50wllystrk]

With this next picture I'm gonna the reason I welded the circular part to the bed instead of to the hand made housing.

There is a piece of sheet metal that sticks out about 1 1/2" next to the tailgate opening. With this metal sticking out, I have no good way to get a good weld around the circular part. The nozzle of the welder just won't fit. if I tried to weld I'd get a bad weld, then I'd have a terrible time cleaning up the mess I made trying to weld this area. With it pre-welded to the bed, now I just have to use my finger, and with a little body filler and smooth the area later.

Always try to think ahead, the time you save, and the frustration later, will help get you through the long term projects.


I've mentioned tack welding before, and with sheet metal, it's more important. The thin sheet metal will try to move and warp if you do one continuous weld. I usually tack about every inch. By tacking every inch now, it's a good marker for when I finish weld later, just weld from tack to tack, then move to a different spot and weld from tack to tack again. Keep moving around to even out the heat trail.

[50wllystrk]

This next picture shows the idea of moving around while welding. The welds are around 1 inch long, or shall I say, the length of the spot/stitch welds are around 1 inch.

It is very tempting to continue welding past the 1 inch mark, much further than that and things will start warping and changing shape.


All the welding is done. One thing about welding sheet metal is the weld does not look pretty. I'm not schooled, but I believe one problem is when welding, there is a gas shield that is blown across the weld while welding, this creates a clean air environment. Once the welding stops, the gas is stopped, now immediatly the metal cools and draws in the impurities in the air. Then we weld again and repeat the procedure again, over and over.

Just focus on getting good penetration, the dirty look of the weld will be ground away later. As long a the weld has the penetration, that's all that will be used anyway.

[Viper723]

Compared to most sheet metal welding and the one that I have done that looks pretty darn good actually haha

[50wllystrk]

Originally Posted by Viper723

Compared to most sheet metal welding and the one that I have done that looks pretty darn good actually haha

Thanks Viper723, I remember my first attempt at sheet metal welding many years ago, I have to agree, it can look worse.

Here's the end result. It shouldn't take much more than a thin layer of body filler to smooth the edges.


Another angle.